Before the feast of unleavened bread, the passover memorializes the baptism of every believer, the day we were baptized into his death, buried with him, and committed to walk in newness of life. Every year it is the day we proclaim His death and our own death to sin (Rom 6:2; 1 Pet 2:24).

Those who keep the passover are those who repent and are baptized, being circumcised through Christ in the spirit to walk in newness of life (Deut 30:6; Rom 2:29).

Walking in newness of life immediately follows after our baptism into His death. The 7-day feast of unleavened bread also immediately follows the passover. Paul says let us “keep the feast” (KJV) or “celebrate the festival” (ESV). Either way, Paul is telling us to keep the feast of unleavened bread by actually eating unleavened bread for seven days.

And not only that, but we spend the rest of our lives learning how to resist every form of “malice and evil,” dedicating our lives to the truth that we know, sincerely striving to live by every word of God (John 17:17), having been freed from sin (Rom 6:17-18).

Purge from you the old leaven, that you may be a new mass; so that you may be (as) unleavened bread. For our Pascha is the Meshiha, who hath been slain for us. Therefore, let us perform the festival, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of wickedness and animosity, but with the unleavened bread of purity and of holiness.
(1 Cor 5:7-8   Etheridge)

After the passover, the seven days of unleavened bread represent our whole lifetime of purging the old leaven—overcoming sin (1 John 5:4,5; Rev2:7), fleeing youthful lusts and idolatry (2 Tim 2:22; 1 Cor 10:14), learning to discern good and evil (Heb 5:14), learning obedience through the things we suffer (Heb 5:8), adding obedience, virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, kindness, and love (2 Pet 1:5-7). Walking in these things is what it means to walk in newness of life.

However, the seven days of unleavened bread have another significant meaning. The number seven represents completeness and perfection.

Table of Contents

• Confirming, establishing, ordaining, perfecting, sanctifying
• The law of ordination
• Covenant of salt
• Remain in, continue in, abide in
• Called and chosen, an elect race
• Korah’s rebellion
• Summary

Confirming, establishing, ordaining, perfecting, sanctifying

During this present gospel age, those who are called and chosen are called and chosen to be members of a new royal priesthood. The apostle Peter says, “But you are

• an elect race
• a royal priesthood (Septuagent says “royal priesthood” in Ex 19:5, 6; Ex 23:22 LXX2012)
• a holy nation
• a people for possession

“so that you may openly speak of the virtues of the One who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9 LITV).”

Continuing in 1 Peter 5:10, Peter says, “Now the God of all grace, the One calling you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, you having suffered a little, He Himself will

• perfect,
• confirm,
• strengthen,
• establish you

The words Peter chooses to use here in chapter five—perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish—are related to the ordination of priests.

The law of ordination

Just as with Aaron’s priesthood, there is a law for establishing the new royal priesthood.

God first gives the instructions and details for establishing the priesthood in Exodus chapter 29. But the actual ordination takes place in Leviticus chapter 8. Exodus Chapter 40:17 tells us that this ordination of the priests occurs when the tabernacle is first erected in the first month of the second year, which is at the time of the feast of unleavened bread.

Leviticus Chapter 8 recounts the actual confirmation process of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. The following quote is the Reader’s Digest version.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering . . . and a basket of unleavened bread . . . And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water . . .and clothed him with the robe . . . And he put the breastplate upon him . . . he put the golden plate, the holy crown . . . And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. (Lev 8:1-12 KJV)

Paul alludes to this ordination process.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:14-17 KJV)

Continuing in Leviticus Chapter 8 :30-36 with the NASV version:

So Moses took some of the anointing oil and . . . the blood . . . and sprinkled it on Aaron . . . [and] his sons. . . .Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, . . . And you shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will ordain you through seven days. . . . At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that you many not die, for so I have been commanded. (Lev 8:30-36 NASV)

There is a parallel between Aaron’s priesthood ordination process (sanctification) and ours, e.g. the washing with water, the sprinkling of blood, the priestly garments, eating flesh (John 6:53), and eating unleavened bread for seven days.

Covenant of salt

As we can see, an important part of the confirmation process is remaining inside the doorway for the full seven days and eating unleavened bread. But importantly, the unleavened bread eaten by the priests for seven days is eaten with salt. We know this from the directions for grain offerings given in Leviticus 2:13.

Salt is an important part of this ordination process because it forms a covenant of peace. The idea of binding covenants of peace being made with salt is an ancient concept found in many cultures. The following excerpt from the book The Salt Covenant is instructive:

Stephen Schultz, in his Travels through Europe, Asia and Africa, gives this illustration of the binding force of the covenant of salt: “On the 13^th of June [1754] the deacon, Joeseph Diab, a custom-house clerk, was at table with us. Referring to the salt which stood on the table, he said that the Arabs make use of it as a token of friendship. While they are fond of it, they do not like to place it on the table. On one occasion, when he was with a caravan traveling to Babel [Bagdad], they came into a neighborhood where Arabs were encamped. In the caravan was a rich merchant. Seeing that one of the Arabs was making ready to come to the caravan, he buried his money in the ground, built a fire over it, and then sat down to eat with the others near the fire. When the Arabs arrived they were welcomed pleasantly, and invited to eat. They accepted the invitation and sat down at the table. But when their leader saw the salt on the table, he said to the merchant, ‘ My loss is your gain, for as I have eaten at a table on which is salt, I cannot, must not, harm you.’ “When that caravan started on its way, the Arab leader not only refrained from taking what he had intended to demand, but he escorted them without reward as far as the Euphrates, and gave them over into the care of the Pasha of Bagdad, as friends of his prince Achsam. They were now safe.” (Pages 25, 26; H. Clay Trumbull ISBN 0-89228-079-4)

Eating unleavened bread with salt is part of the confirmation process of establishing the priesthood. Not only is the priesthood inaugurated with washing of water and blood, but it is also inaugurated with salt. It is a salt covenant:

• Numbers 18:19-20 (“covenant of salt”)
• Nehemiah 13:29-30 (“covenant of the priesthood”)
• Malachi 2:4-8. (Peace and life and instruction, turned many from iniquity.)
• More biblical scriptures reference a salt covenant (2 Kings 2:19-22; 2 Chron 13:5)

Matching the description in Malachi 2:4-8, Paul tells us that, as priests, we are reconcilers (peace makers), turning many from iniquity (2 Cor 5:18-19). And as we read in Ephesians 6:15 our feet are to be shod with the gospel of peace.

Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth (Mat 5:13). The salt of the priesthood-covenant is a covenant of peace. It is a ministry of reconciliation. We preach the good news of the reconciling of the world to God through Christ (Mark 9:49-50). Salt still represents a covenant of peace—the new covenant of the royal priesthood.

Remain in, continue in, abide in

Not only must we eat the unleavened bread with the salt of the covenant, but we must eat it while abiding and remaining inside of the veil of the tabernacle, the doorway (Lev Chapter 8 :31-36). And we must remain in it for the designated time—seven days. We must abide in that doorway, never leaving.

What does this mean for us today who are being chosen to be a new royal priesthood? How do we abide in that doorway, remaining inside the veil, eating unleavened bread with salt?

Jesus said, “If you continue in my word then are ye my disciples”, and “whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. But the servant [of sin] abideth not in the house for ever . . .(John 8:31-35 KJV).”

And in Acts 14:21,22 we are told that as Christ’s disciples we should, “. . . abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.”

Again, “The one partaking of My flesh and drinking of My blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56).”

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself . . . If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. (John 15:1-11)

The Apostle John makes abiding and remaining in him very clear:

Then what you heard from the beginning, let it abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you will abide both in the Son and in the Father . . . Everyone remaining in Him does not sin. Everyone sinning has not seen Him, nor known Him. (1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:6-10)

Called and chosen, an elect race

When we observe the days of unleavened bread, whether we know it or not, we are declaring that we are part of this new priesthood covenant. We are proclaiming that we have been called. Not only that, but we are proclaiming we are an elect race—that is to say, we have been chosen.

What does being chosen mean, as opposed to just being called?

Under the old priesthood covenant, all priests are Levites, but not all Levites are priests. Only Aaron and his descendants are chosen to be the priests. The rest of the tribe of Levi are part of what is generally called the Levitical priesthood, but they themselves do not perform the duties of a priest. The rest of the Levites are given to Aaron and his sons to perform the other duties of the tabernacle.

In fact, the ordination process of the rest of the Levites, as opposed to the ordination of Aaron and his sons, is recounted in Numbers Chapter 8. The rest of the Levites are ordained in the second month, not the first month, and eating unleavened bread for seven days is not a part of their ordination. Yes, they eat unleavened bread during the days of unleavened bread, and all the people eat unleavened bread when they come out of Egypt, but they are not part of Aaron’s ordination process. Only a sin offering and a burnt offering of the two bulls is required for the confirmation of the rest of the Levites. They are then presented as a wave offering, and this qualifies them to perform the services to Aaron and his sons. This is recounted in Numbers 8:11-15.

What we learn from the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests is that the priesthood is by God’s choosing and election, no one can decide to take the priesthood for themselves (Num 16:40). This point is dramatically demonstrated by Korah’s rebellion.

Korah’s rebellion

Korah, a Levite, was covetous of the position held by Moses, Aaron, and his sons. Korah, discontented with his lesser position, stirs up discontent among certain others to rebel against Moses and Aaron (Num 16:1-15). God, in order to demonstrate that He alone chooses who will be in the priesthood, makes the earth open up, which “swallowed them up, and all the men . . . and there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men . . . (Num 16:16-35)”

One would think that this would be enough to demonstrate that Moses, Aaron, and his sons are chosen by God to be the priests. Instead, the people blame Moses and Aaron for “killing the people of the LORD.” God demonstrates his choice again by bringing a plague among the people, and those that died were “fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah (Num 16:49).”

Finally, to put an end to the matter, God miraculously demonstrates that Moses and Aaron and his descendants are those He has chosen as the priesthood. It is recounted in Numbers 17 verses 1-8.

. . . take of every one of them . . . according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi . . . And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom . . . And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. (Num 17:1-8)

Aaron’s rod not only buds and blossoms but it also bears fruit. Bearing fruit is a sign of the priesthood’s special election.

Summary

Just as with Moses’ priesthood covenant, Christ’s new priesthood covenant is at this time only for those who have been called and chosen. The new royal priesthood is an elect race. No one can just decide to choose it for themselves. They must be chosen. The event of Korah’s rebellion is our example of that special election that is ours alone, as the new royal priesthood.

Like Aaron’s rod budding & bearing fruit, bearing fruit is one of the signs of our being chosen to be priests to God.

“I have chosen you, and go and bear fruit. (John 15:16)

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
(1 Cor 1:27)

. . . and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Rev 17:14)

We should eat the unleavened bread of “purity and of holiness” with salt. It should remind us of the royal priesthood for which we are chosen. We begin our walk with proclaiming Christ’s death at the passover. Now we must abide in Christ.

My brothers count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfective work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (Jam 1:2-4 KJV)

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. (2 Pet 1:5-10 KJV)

We must abide in Christ, never coming out until the days of our ordination are completed. We must bear fruit as surely as Aaron’s rod bore fruit, making our calling and election sure. The number seven is the number of completion and perfection, and Peter says God will establish, confirm, and perfect us.

“Now the God of all grace, the one calling you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, you having suffered a little, He Himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you (1 Pet 5:10 LITV)”