The Christian Letter, Volume One: Chapter 32
He is the Unleavened in me. He is Yahoshuah. That is His Name. This Festival is an eternal picture of Him. During the week of this festive festival we play games, hear and speak His Word as an offering of praise, and we strive to be like the One we worship, the Unleavened Prince of Peace, our Saviour.
We enjoy a few games such as “Guess the Book” and “Answer the Questions”, which are both really enjoyable for kids and adults as they can be played in many different ways and at different levels of wisdom. First: Guess the Book. One person reads a verse from the Bible and everyone guesses what Book it is from. If the reader says, “Calamity upon calamity shall come, and report shall be upon report. And they shall seek a vision from a prophet. But the teaching has perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders!” people will try to guess what Book it is from. Now this can be mixed up so that people have to say the name of who was speaking, or so that they have to give the verse and chapter as well, and if that isn’t hard enough only give half the passage and request the Book, chapter, verse number, and completion of the sentence. By the way, the answer is Ezekiel 7:26.
The other game is even more fun to me. A person asks a Biblical question and who ever gets it right gets to ask the next question. Be sure you ask questions of which you are certain of the answer, and which are wholly Biblical. You may think the mark of the beast means this or that, but if it isn’t perfectly clear leave it alone. Examples of good questions are: “How old was Adam when he passed away?” or, “How many days are in the Feast of the Unleavened.” Again, you can do things to make this easier or harder but be sure to make it enjoyable for everyone. There are no points as everyone wins when you memorize the Word and seek answers from Truth.
Memorization is a game you can play if by yourself; it will be good training for not only the games above later on, but for life itself. Another game I just came up with, I’ll call “What’s New is New.” Yes, His Word is Ageless. Read a verse from Genesis to Revelation and others must know or find where the passage is at within Genesis to Malachi, and also from Matthew to Revelation. An example would be, “This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.” which is said both in Jeremiah and Matthew. Come up with a few games of your own, and have a joyful festival, ever keeping your heart on the Unleavened.
During this celebration, we seek deeply in our hearts and lives for any leaven (sin) and remove it. By no means do we take the sin back, or stop seeking during the rest of the year, but as we eat only unleavened bread this week and enjoy the Sabbaths therein, we are reminded deeply by His Spirit that we are called to love Yahoshuah enough to emulate Him. We flee from Egypt (slavery of the world) by means of unplugging the former master Television, letting go of the former master Internet, and letting go of the former master Money, until we truly do have in this festival week but One Master. In One King, we find peace. In many, we find strife and failure.
“By this the love of Elohim was manifested in us, that Elohim has sent His only brought-forth Son into the world, in order that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:9).
“‘Your words have been harsh against Me,’ said Yahoweh, ‘but you have said, “What have we spoken against You?” You have said, “It is worthless to serve Elohim. And what did we gain when we guarded His Charge, and when we walked as mourners before Yahoweh of Hosts? And now we are calling the proud blessed—not only are the doers of wrongness built up, but they also try Elohim and escape.” Then shall those who fear Yahoweh speak to one another, and Yahoweh listen and hear, and a book of remembrance be written before Him, of those who fear Yahoweh, and those who think upon His Name. “And they shall be Mine,” said Yahoweh of Hosts, “on the day that I prepare a treasured possession. And I shall spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wrong, between one who serves Elohim and one who does not serve Him.”’” (Malachi 3:13-18).
“Be on guard before Him and obey His voice. Do not rebel against Him, for He is not going to pardon your transgression, for My Name is in Him.” (Exodus 23:21).
“And on the first day is a set-apart gathering, and on the seventh day you have a set-apart gathering. No work at all is done on them, only that which is eaten by every being, that alone is prepared by you.” (Exodus 12:16).
“Let all who are native do so with them, in bringing near an offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to Yahoweh. And when a stranger sojourns with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would make an offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to Yahoweh, as you do, so he does. One Law is for you of the assembly and for the stranger who sojourns with you—a Law forever throughout your generations. As you are, so is the stranger before Yahoweh. One Torah and one right-ruling is for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.” (Numbers 15:13-16).
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, nor be discouraged, for Yahoweh your Elohim is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).
Faith is trust to a greater degree. Let us have faith that He loves us; let us know we are His people if we but love in return. Yahoweh has prepared a festival! If you have accepted Him, then take His Hand, for He is going where many Christians refuse to go—to the Feast of the Unleavened! A Forever celebration has been decreed! Will you fight it? Or will you sing it? Will you ignore it? Or will you lift up hands filled with an offering to Yahoshuah, the Unleavened First Fruits, the Passover Lamb, risen from the dead?
Be Blessed and be a Blessing
Shalom
-Valentine Thalken Billingsley
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Additional Scripture References:
Ezra 6:22, 2 Chronicles 30:21-27