Chapter 3

Matsah

Unleavened Bread

Removing Sin...

Before we investigate what Yahuweh has to say about His second of seven Miqra, let’s jump back in time a moment and review our Creator’s preview of His upcoming festivals during the Exodus. To emphasize just how essential the cessation of work is in relationship to the redemptive purpose underlying the Miqra, Yahuweh inspired Moses to set its celebration within the context of the Sabbatical year.

"Six years you shall sow (zara’ - productively seed) your land (‘erets) and gather in (‘acaph - harvest, collect, remove, and receive) the produce (tabuw’ah - the harvested grain) thereof. But on the seventh (shabiy’iy) you shall let it rest and lie fallow (shamat - release it and let it fall), forsaking it (natash - rejecting and abandoning it) so that people (‘am - the family members and relatives) in need (‘ebyown - who are poor and oppressed requiring deliverance) may eat and be nourished, the remainder (yathar - that which saves and preserves) restoring life (chayah - causing life to be revived and sustained), nourishing them from the land (‘akal sadeh). Do the same (‘asah ken - accomplish and produce the same result) with your vineyards and olive groves." (Exodus 23:10-11)

From start to finish, from Genesis to Revelation, Yahuweh’s redemptive plan is based upon the measures of six plus one. "Six days you shall do (‘asah - accomplish and produce, fashion and effect, institute and bring about) your work (ma’aseh - pursuits, undertakings, businesses, customary practices, and deeds), and on the seventh day you shall rest (shabath - cease and desist) so that your ox and you donkey [your means of production] may have a break, and the sons of your servants [your employees], and foreign visitors, may be refreshed." (Exodus 23:12) Keep in mind the word Yahuweh chose to describe our "work" - ma’aseh. He will contrast this with a different term when He warns us not to do His work in Leviticus.

Next, Yahuweh says that the Miqra aren’t optional. Listen to God’s instructions: "And in all things (kol - the totality of) which by relationship (‘asher - that which is linked and connected) I have said (‘amar - spoken, promised, answered, intended, and avowed) to you, heed and observe them (shamar - be a watchman, keeping and guarding them, save your life through them)." (Exodus 23:13) The Sabbatical year is about to be linked to the Commandments, to the Miqra, and then to the Spirit. Everything is related.

The following speaks to the first three Commandments. "Do not bring to mind (zakar - remember or recall, mention or memorialize, humanize or proclaim) the name of other (‘acher - of another or different) gods (‘elohiym); neither let it be heard out of your mouth." (Exodus 23:13)

So now God introduces the three Spring, one Summer, and three Fall Miqra. "Three times a year (sanah) you shall stand before Me (regel - walk along side and set foot in My presence) celebrating a festival feast (chagag) with Me. You shall keep (shamar - be aware of and attend to, highly regard, heed, and observe) the Festival Feast (chag - feast) of Unleavened Bread (Matsah). Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread (matsah) as I commanded (tsavah - instructed, constituted, ordained, and enjoined upon) you, at the time appointed (mow’ed - fixed meeting appointment established as a sign; from ya’ad, to meet for a marriage betrothal or judicial summons) in the month (chodesh - from chadash, the time or renewal and repair) of Abib (‘abiyb) for in it you came forth (yatsa’) from Egypt (Mitsrayim - plural of matsowr, the place of oppression and siege, the crucible)." (Exodus 23:14-15)

Interestingly, Matsah, the name of the Miqra of Unleavened Bread, means more than "bread without yeast." Matsah speaks of the rebellion that must be removed from our nature for us to live in harmony with God. Matsah conveys: "strife and quarrel based upon verbal contentiousness." These are all relational concepts which communicate the nature of the "embittered dissention, belligerent discord, hostile argument, and wearisome debate" that separate God’s wayward children from their Heavenly Father. Men, especially religious and political men, have created a self-serving competitive rivalry with God. Matsah thus presents man competing with and contending with Yahuweh rather than trusting and relying on Him. It is the source of all sin. It is this discord that must be removed from our lives for us to live with Yahuweh.

Abib defined the time of year Yahuweh’s annual calendar began. ‘Abiyb means: "the ripening of fresh tender green barley, the time young new barley ears are formed and become ripe." It speaks of the season "barley ears still remain water-laden and thus soft." Barley is the first grain to bear fruit and ripen in the Spring. So Abib, later named Nisan, commenced at the new moon closest to the time barley started to grow and green. It was literally the first fruit of the Land.

What follows is most always mistranslated and thus misunderstood. "None shall appear before Me (ra’ah paniym - shall be seen in My presence and behold My face, none shall be considered or regarded by Me) as an empty vessel (reyqam - from reyq, void with an unfilled space, worthless, useless, futile, vain and conceited; without a marker demonstrating relationship)." (Exodus 23:15)

Reyqam is usually translated "empty handed" yet there is no reference to "yad/hand" in the word. God isn’t looking for us to bring Him anything.

Reyqam is first used in Genesis 37:24. The passage reads: "They threw him into a pit, but the pit was empty (reyqam); there was no water in it." Replace pit with soul and water with Spirit and you’ll understand Yahuweh’s warning. Without His Spirit there will be no life in His presence.

Isaiah 29:8 makes this connection for us. Speaking of those who fight against Zion, Yahuweh says: "The cowed, disheartened, and broken (ka’ah - those deceived by false doctrines), and the hungry (ra’eb - those who lack proper nourishment) dream of being restored to health (chalam), but behold, he devours and consumes (‘akal) but he awakens late for the harvest (qayits - in the hot season), his soul (nepesh) empty (reyq - with a space which is unoccupied)."

Yahuweh created man with a void, one perfectly suited to accept His Spirit. Those who are not born from above in His Spirit will not be seen before our Maker. Empty vessels are vain.

Before we search Yahuweh’s Word for confirmation of this profound truth, let’s finish His preamble to the Miqra. God paints a word picture that is designed to help us understand his redemptive plan. "You shall keep the Feast (chag) of the Harvest (qatsiyr - the time of reaping what was sown, of gathering the crop of), the FirstFruits (bikuwr - the first fruit ready to be harvested) of your labors (ma’aseh - your work, undertakings, and pursuits) which (‘asher - by way of making a connection) you sow (zara’) in the field, and the Feast (chag) of ingathering (‘aciyph), at the end of the year, when you gather in (‘acaph - receive and accept) your labors (ma’aseh) out of the field. Three times a year (mishlosh pa’am shaneh) all (kol - everyone) shall remember to (zakar) be seen (ra’ah - be inspected and considered) before (paniym - in the presence of) Yahuweh." (Exodus 23:16-17)

Bikuwr is from bakar, meaning "the first children who are born." Yahuweh is speaking of reaping souls who have been born anew into His family. The FirstFruits harvest was the first of two ingatherings in Yahuweh’s Miqra. The second is Taruwah. The Festival of FirstFruits was fulfilled during the Messiah’s resurrection while the harvest of Taruwah is still on our horizon.

Yahuweh uses a different word for "harvest" when describing the Fall Feasts which begin with the Miqra of Taruwah. ‘Aciyph is from ‘acaph, and it speaks vividly of what evangelical Christians have come to call "the rapture." Yahuweh’s Renewed Covenant term for this harvest is paralambano. Let’s compare the Hebrew to the Greek to see if God is speaking of the same event. ‘Aciyph/’acaph means: "to gather together, to be accepted and received, and then removed." It speaks of "collecting and gathering in, assembling together, and then taking the harvest away." ‘Aciyph is a relational term which conveys the idea of "moving a mass of people from one place, withdrawing them from others, so that they can be received, joining and gathering together as a family for the purpose of developing close relationships."

Paralambano, the term Yahushua used to describe the still-future harvest in Matthew 24 where "one will be taken and the other left," tells of people being "acknowledged and accepted, taken away to associate as companions." It is from para, meaning "to be by, beside, and near" and lambano meaning "to be taken by the hand and carried away, to be welcomed and removed in an accepting way so as to become an associate; to claim, procure, and receive someone." When we examine the actual words, the connection is pretty hard to miss. (To read more about Yahushua’s use of paralambano in reference to the harvest of souls known as the rapture, turn to the "Erchomai - Comings and Goings" chapter.)

By introducing the Fall Miqra, beginning with Taruwah/Trumpets, using a term for harvest that is indistinguishable from the word used to describe the Renewed Covenant harvest in the last days, Yahuweh has confirmed that Taruwah is a harvest and He has implied that this gathering in and carrying away of souls will commence on this day.

And while it’s helpful to know this, to be "received and accepted" in this harvest, you will need to have the Spirit. To understand why, let’s turn to John. "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Yahushua at night and said, ‘Master, we know you are from God, a teacher. For no man could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not inside of him.’ In reply Yahushua declared, ‘I will tell you the truth, no one can see God unless he is born from above.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be reborn.’

"Yahushua answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter into the presence of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born from above.’ The Spirit blows like the wind and breathes life wherever He desires. You are endowed with the faculty to hear the voice and know the language, yet you do not know the household of God or what He makes known. In this manner he who is to have eternal life, each and everyone is born, brought forth, and delivered by the Spirit.’" (John 3:1-11) Yahushua just explained what Nicodemus should have known. He described what this very passage in Exodus was revealing.

Yahuweh has told us that we have been summoned. He has told us what we need to bring with us. So it is our choice as to whether these Miqra represent a court date, a trial at which we will be judged, or a betrothal ceremony, one in which we are married into His eternal family. The Spirit’s presence determines which fate we will endure.

Returning to Leviticus we learn that the second Miqra begins the day after Feast of Pesach. "The fifteenth (chamesh ‘asar - the five plus ten) day (yowm) of this same (zeh) month (chodesh - the time of restoration and renewal) is the festival feast of (chag - the sacrificial pilgrimage of terror known as) Unleavened Bread (Matsash - that which drains out and removes, bread without leavening-yeast which is symbolic of sin and corruption) unto Yahuweh. Seven days shall you eat bread without leavening-yeast (matsash)." (Leviticus 23:6) The Passover sacrifice was designed to unleaven our bodies of sin.

Chag is a provocative term. While it is usually translated "feast or festival" its root suggests something more. Chag is "the genuine expression of relief that turns to spontaneous joy one would experience once they realize that, against all odds, they have escaped from a long and seemingly hopeless ordeal." A chag "commemorates the completion of a terrifying sacrificial pilgrimage, one that terminates successfully."

Yahushua would go on one of these, and on this very day. It was a Sabbath when His Soul descended into hades to be afflicted on our behalf, paying our penalty. By going on this journey He paid the price to remove all corruption from our bodies (symbolized by the elimination of leavening-yeast from bread).

Remember, matsah, the Hebrew name for the Miqra of Unleavened Bread, means much more than "bread without yeast." Matsah speaks of the rebellion that must be removed from our nature for us to live in harmony with God. It is: "strife and quarrel based upon a spirit of contentiousness." Matsah thus presents man competing with and contending with Yahuweh rather than trusting and relying on Him. As the source of all sin this must be removed for us to live with Yahuweh. This is specifically what Yahushua accomplished when He fulfilled the Miqra of Unleavened Bread.

Now that we have been vindicated, liberated from our matsah, our Creator wants us to joyfully commemorate the victory. In Exodus 13:3, God says: "Remember (zakar - record, recall, and be mindful of) this unique (zeh) day which by relationship (‘asher) I brought you out from the house of Egypt (Misrayim - the oppressive crucible) and bondage (‘ebed - slavery). For by the firm and resolute (chazaq - strong and powerful) hand (yad - authority) of Yahuweh you were delivered from this consumption (‘akal) of leaven (chametz - from chamets, bitterness and grieving, cruel oppression and ruthlessness) - this day in the month of Abib that you came forth." (Exodus 13:3-4) The timing was as important to Yahuweh as was the purpose and the result of Unleavened Bread.

A few verses later, in Exodus 13:7-10 we discover that the Feast of Unleavened Bread "exists as (hayah) an awe inspiring and miraculous sign (‘ot)." It is "a memorial reminder for explicit retrospection, a record worth remembering (zikkaron) because the past event is related to a significant future fulfillment."  It is "Yahuweh’s prescription (Torawh)." It is "a day to be made conspicuous, to be announced and declared, to be made known and to be expounded (nagad) to your son (ben)." It is also for all places: "there shall be no leavened bread seen with you in all your quarters."

The Miqra of Unleavened Bread is Yahuweh’s Torah - His Word and His prescription for what ails mankind. This is the day we were vindicated. It is the day which must be made conspicuous so that it is known to all who wish to live with God.

The connection between leavened bread and the consequence of sin is further advanced by Moses in Deuteronomy 16:3. He says that matash/Unleavened Bread is really "the bread (lechem) of affliction and misery (‘oniy)." ‘Oniy is from ‘anah, meaning "to be cast down and to be bruised, to be humiliated and to be humbled." It also means "to respond to and to answer the poor, humble, weak, meek, and needy." Yahushua endured these very things so we wouldn’t have to, and on this very day - the second of three days in 33 CE. It was "an awe inspiring and miraculous sign, a memorial reminder designed for retrospection, a record worth remembering because it was a significant fulfillment of the Torah."

The work done on the Miqra of Unleavened Bread by the Messiah Yahushua is considered completely satisfactory by God, in and of itself, to remove all corruption from our mortal souls, past, present, and future. That is why Yahuweh says: "The first, foremost, and primary (ri’shown) day (yowm) exists as (hayah) a set-apart and cleansing (qodesh) calling together (miqra’ - a unified out-calling to read, recite, and proclaim). You shall not (lo’) do (‘asah - fashion, accomplish, or produce) any of (kol) the work (‘abodah - work done in service to another) of the business of the heavenly messenger (mala’kah - the work of the mal’ak/theophanic representative, the visible manifestation of God, i.e., Yahushua)." (Leviticus 23:7) Salvation is a gift. It was paid for and delivered by Yahushua.

This is the transition from ma’aseh, the "ordinary endeavors of men," to mala’kah, the service of heaven’s messenger, Yahushua, that I called your attention to earlier. There is no mistaking the fact that mala’kah (מְלָאכָה) is based upon mal’ak (מַלְאָךְ), which means "Yahuweh’s envoy, heavenly messenger, and supernatural being who proclaims the word of God." A mal’ak is a "theophany, the visible and tangible representation of God." The mal’ak is Yahushua. He is unleavened and therefore He is qualified to unleaven our souls. This profound truth is pervasive in the Old and New Covenant Writings. But to see it, you have to seek out the actual meaning of the Words Yahuweh inspired.

To reinforce this notion that mala’kah is Yahuweh’s work, not man’s, God defines the term the first time He uses the word: "On the seventh day God ceased, having completed (kalah - finished and accomplished) His mala’kah which by relationship (‘asher) he had fashioned and accomplished (‘asah - prepared and produced). And on the seventh day He rested (sabath - ceased and desisted) from all (kol) His mala’kah which for the relationship (‘asher) He had prepared and produced (‘asah - fashioned and accomplished)." (Genesis 2:2)

While we are not to do our ordinary work on the Sabbath, Unleavened Bread exists as a set-apart day in which we are to celebrate the Savior’s work. Man cannot save Himself. God bequeathed this provision, providing His solution to our rebellion as a gift. He is obviously offended when we tell Him that we want to pay part of the price. We are unworthy to do so. Besides, it’s rude.

The next verse is redundant because this message bears repeating. "Come near and present (qarab) a burnt offering made by fire (‘ishshah) to Yahuweh for seven (sheba’ - from shaba’, to swear an oath) days (yowm). The seventh (shabiy’iy) day is a set-apart (qodesh - cleansing and separated, purified and dedicated) Miqra’ (miqra’ - called together assembly for reading and communion; from qara’, to call out, to recite, to read, and to call by name). You shall not (lo’) do (‘asah - institute or accomplish, to prepare or produce, to perform or bring about) any (kol) of the service (‘abodah - labor) of the Heavenly Messenger (Mala’kah - the theophany, or visible manifestation, of Yahuweh)." (Leviticus 23:8)

Yahuweh wants us to come near and approach Him. It is the message, the purpose, and the product of the Miqra. 

There are many possible interpretations of the offering by fire. Fire is a common metaphor for judgment - something we avoid when we capitalize on the redemptive nature of Unleavened Bread. Fire separates that which is valuable from the dross, just as we are either separated unto Yahuweh or unto death. Fire was the ancient world’s source of light, warmth, and cooking. By using ‘ishshah, Yahuweh could be saying that He is enlightening us with His Word, warming us with His presence, and nurturing us with these truths. Further, since the smoke of a burnt offering rises, God could be saying that the result of unleavening our souls is that we will also rise up to Him.

Textually, ‘ishshah (אִשֶּׁה), meaning "a burnt offering made by fire" and ‘ishshah (אִשָּׁה), the Hebrew word for "female, woman, mother, and wife" are indistinguishable. This could symbolize the role our Spiritual Mother plays in cleansing and purifying our souls. The fire reference is derived from the first two letters. Vocalized, ‘esh, they mean "fire." But these same two letters can also mean "foundation." Yahuweh is our foundation and the Miqra, especially this day, serves as the foundation for His plan of redemption.

Yowm is derived from an unused Hebrew root which means "to be hot." It can designate "the heat of the day, the daylight hours from sunrise to sunset, the time from sunrise to sunrise, the time from sunset to sunset, a general vague past, present, or future period, a specific point in time, or even a year." This known, I’m confident that in this passage yowm means a day which begins at sunset and ends at sundown the following evening.

The removal of sin is a serious affair with eternal ramifications that only Yahushua could solve. "Seven days there shall be no leaven (sa’ar - nothing remaining or left behind) uncovered (matsa’ - found or discovered) in your homes (bayith - dwelling places). Indeed, any (kol) soul (nepesh) who consumes (‘akal - who devours or is consumed and destroyed by) desire (machmal - affection, intense yearning) during this time shall be cut off (karath - shall be severed from the source of life, be taken away, and be permitted to perish, separated) from the gathering (‘edah - assembly of witnesses who testify with) Yisra’el (those who live with God), whether they be a foreigner (ger - a sojourner who is a temporary inhabitant, and a newcomer, without inherited rights) or a native (‘ezrach - one rising and shining from the soil) of the Land (‘erets)." (Exodus 12:19) The message is simple and direct: follow My instructions or you will die.

There are two very different words translated "leaven" in this passage. The first, sa’ar, conveys the idea of retaining something, in this case sin. Machmal is from chamets. And while it can mean "to have yeast added" chamets principally describes the nature of those who rebel against God. They harbor "hateful and bitter feelings which cause great sorrow" They "oppress, treating people ruthlessly and cruelly, causing trouble for others." As a result, they are "stained."

For those who may protest, saying that the penalty is simply expulsion from a country they have no affinity for anyway, I say there is a reason why Yahuweh coins names that convey meaning. Yisra’el designates "those who strive with, those who live and endure with God." To be "cut off from Yisra’el" is to "be severed from the source of life." Those who are, perish. Moreover, the list of those whose souls will be severed from the source of life for retaining leaven includes foreigners, thus Gentiles, and newcomers, thus the called-out/ekklesia.

Also please note, Yahuweh didn’t say that He was going to kill anyone. From God’s perspective, people are free to live their own lives. God didn’t say that He was going to torture any one in hell, either. All He said is that when the life of a soul who retains sin because they ignored His provision is over, it’s over. Their soul will perish.

If this were not important, God wouldn’t have repeated Himself: "Consume nothing with leaven (machmal - that which afflicts) in all your assemblies and communities (mowshab - geographic locations and households), eating only unleavened bread (matsah)." (Exodus 12:20)

The Festival Feast of Unleavened Bread not only memorialized important aspects of the Exodus from Egypt, it was symbolic of the nature and consequence of unredeemed sin. The departure was sudden, so the Children of Yisra’el didn’t have time to let their bread dough rise, much less prepare provisions for the journey. The Egyptians, having been stricken for their continued rebellion, were not interested in receiving another lesson. They wanted the Chosen People gone, and now.."Based upon what had happened (‘al - on account of what had transpired) the Egyptians (Mitsrayim) were resolute and severe (chazaq - were harsh and firm) with the people (‘am - family and kin), hurriedly (mahar - anxiously and quickly) sending them out (shalach) of the land (‘erets), saying, ‘We shall all die (muwth - be killed prematurely as a result being unwise).’ The people (‘am - the family) lifted up and carried off (nasa’) their dough before it was leavened (chamets - ruthlessly stained), having their kneading bowls bound up (tsarar - wrapped up) in their garments (simlah - clothes) and on their shoulders (shakem - backs)." (Exodus 12:33-34)

It was nice of Yahuweh to connect these dots for us. He has confirmed what we had come to recognize. Machmal isn’t just derived from chamets, chamets drives to the heart of the issue God is raising. He’s got nothing against yeast; His issue is rebellion. Embittered, defiant people harbor hateful feelings against God which in turn leads to separation and great sorrow. When such people enter the realm of politics and religion, they become ruthless and oppressive, prospering by treating people cruelly. The Miqra of Unleavened Bread focuses on the work Yahushua would do to remove this horrible and deadly stain from the body of believers.

"The Children of Yisra’el observed and accomplished (‘asah) the Word (dabar)..and they asked for and received (sa’al nasal) Egyptian clothing and implements of silver and gold. Yahuweh bestowed and granted (nathan - gave as a gift) a favorable acceptance (chen - grace) upon the family (‘am) in the sight of the Egyptians (Mitsrayim - the crucible of oppression)..." (Exodus 12:35-36) Listen to God and He will reward you with His grace. You will not only be liberated from oppression and freed from the crucible, you will be showered with wonderful gifts. 

"The Children of Yisra’el journeyed (naca’ - pulled up and set out, picked up and departed) from Ramses (Ra’mses - (רַעְמְסֵס) the son of the sun).." (Exodus 12:37) There is considerable debate among scholars as to which Pharaoh defied Yahuweh. While I don’t know the answer, and Scripture doesn’t provide us with his name, this text clearly says that the region the Yisra’elites left was called "Ramses (RAMSS)" - a place named after the Egyptian god Ra, not after the pharaoh. (The pharaohs who bore this name were named after the same god.) What’s significant here is that Yahuweh reported this name to us phonetically 3,300 years before the 1799 discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled modern man to pronounce the name of Egypt’s god.

We now know what Yahuweh has long known, that the primary deity of Egypt was Ra and that pharaohs claimed to be "sons of Ra" and thus "Ramses." Most recently, we have discovered this city. The metropolis of "Ramses" spans a period from the 12^th to 20^th Dynasties. At its peak it was one of the largest cities of the ancient world, covering some ten square kilometers.

The purpose of this book isn’t to connect Scripture to history, but since secular scholars are wont to deny the historicity of Israel’s captivity, of Moses, the Exodus, and the Torah, and thus undermine Scripture’s witness, I feel compelled to share what I have learned. If nothing else, this brief voyage of discovery will serve to confirm that while old science and Scripture may disagree, new science and Scripture seldom do.

The archeological record unearthed over the last fifteen or twenty years shows incontrovertible evidence of a large Semitic population during the 12^th dynasty in the eastern delta region of Northern Egypt, known as the Goshen area of the Upper Nile. An analysis of graves at Tell ed-Daba, a site near the ancient city of Ramses, shows that the period of Hebrew enslavement was hellish. A staggering 65% of all burials were children under the age of eighteen months. There were also far more adult females than adult males, confirming Exodus 1:15-21: "The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives..‘When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.’ Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.’" (Exodus 1:15)

In the Brooklyn Museum, a papyrus scroll numbered Brooklyn 35:1446 dates to the reign of Sobekhotep III, the predecessor of Neferhotep I. Once we reconcile Egyptian chronologies with the histories of the nations who interacted with them, we discover that Sobekhotep III and Neferhotep I represent the pharaohs who most likely reigned when Moses was born and then during the Exodus. The very late 12^th dynasty papyrus contains a decree issued by the pharaoh Sobekhotep for a transfer of slaves. Of the ninety-five names mentioned in the letter, fifty percent are Semitic, thus Hebrew in origin. What’s more, the papyrus lists the slaves’ names in the original Semitic language and then adds the Egyptian name each had been assigned. Scripture records pharaoh doing this very thing in Genesis 41:45.

Relying upon the Mesoretic numerical rendering of I Kings 6:1, Scripture indicates that the Exodus took place in 1447 BCE (480 years before the 967 BCE construction of Yahuweh’s Temple in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign). Unfortunately none of the extant Dead Sea Scrolls fragments cover this passage; but fortunately the Septuagint corroborates this timing. So do external records. According to a second century BCE Greek manuscript, this 1447 date would place the timing of the Exodus under the reign of Khasekemra, a pharaoh whose Greek name means "Ra Shines Perfectly." Further study has shown that the Greek, Khasekemra, is actually the Egyptian Neferhotep, thus affirming that he is the most probable candidate for the pharaoh who defied God.

Archeologist David Down was the first to identify Khasekemra-Neferhotep I as the pharaoh to whom Moses said: "Let my people go." The latest scarabs found in Northern Egypt support his findings, revealing that Neferhotep was in command of Egypt when the Hebrew slaves suddenly left his kingdom. Interestingly, he was the last king to rule before the Hyksos occupied the nation ‘without fighting a battle.’ And that’s because there was no longer an Egyptian army. It was at the bottom of the Red Sea, something Yahuweh confirmed in Exodus 14:28. Also interesting, Khasekemra-Neferhotep’s mummy has never been found.

For those who may be troubled by all of this, thinking that the terminus of the 12^th dynasty was 1750 BCE, relax. There is way too much dispute amongst Egyptologists to rely upon the traditionally accepted ancient Egyptian timelines regarding this period. Moreover, the generally accepted dates consistently contradict the timing of events chronicled in the written histories of Egypt’s neighbors.

David Down was among the first to demonstrate that the old accepted timelines for Egypt were greatly exaggerated toward antiquity. For the past twenty years he has been promoting a revised chronology which results in Egyptian history correctly meshing with all other accounts, including Scripture. When this is done, it becomes obvious that the Semitic slaves who were employed constructing the buildings of the 12^th dynasty, were actually the Israelites of the Exodus. While Down was once regarded as being out of touch with archaeological reality; he is now leading a substantial choir.

Dr Immanuel Velikovsky proposed the same revision, as did Dr Donoville Courville. More recently a whole host of recognized archaeological scholars have joined the chorus for revision. In 1991, for example, Peter James published Centuries of Darkness, claiming that the chronology of Egypt should be reduced by 250 years. His book carried a preface written by a Cambridge University Professor who said: "a chronological revolution is on its way."  He claimed that "history will have to be rewritten." Then in 1995, David Rohl published A Test of Time, in which he demonstrated that the oldest Egyptian chronologies should be reduced by 350 years.

The first clue that ancient Egyptian chronologies were off by 250 to 350 years came once we started to decipher Assyrian and Hittite cuneiform tablets. To believe the Egyptians, they would have had to have wiped out the last of the Hittites 300 years before the Assyrians began to do battle with them, and 200 years before the victims chronicled their own demise. The reason the Egyptian timelines are stretched is because the pharaohs exaggerated everything about themselves, including the length of their reign. While scholars have discounted those who said they ruled for a thousand years, until recently, they weren’t keen on discounting smaller exaggerators.  

Current archeological evidence proves that the 12^th Egyptian dynasty should be dated to the 15^th century BCE, a time which corresponds perfectly to the Biblical Exodus. The earth cries out with the same message as does Scripture: Hebrew slaves were tormented in Goshen in the years prior to 1447 BCE, and then somehow these slaves miraculously managed to escape the most powerful nation on earth - leading that nation broken, devoid of its army and leader.

There is further evidence to be found in the Leiden Museum in Holland. A papyrus most scholars recognize as being a copy of a 13^th dynasty text describes the conditions that prevailed after the plagues had struck. Translated, it reads: "Nay, but the heart is violent. Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere.. Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water.. Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire.. Nay but men are few. He that lays his brother in the ground is everywhere.. Nay but the son of the high-born man is no longer to be recognized.. The stranger, people from outside, have come into Egypt.. Nay, but corn has perished everywhere. People are stripped of clothing, perfume and oil. Everyone says ‘there is no more.’ The storehouse is bare.. It has come to this. The king has been taken away by poor men."

Once again, those who dared challenge the historicity of Scripture have found themselves impaled by the archeologist’s spade. Yahuweh’s Word has always been history’s most useful and accurate textbook.

While Scripture doesn’t say that "Ramses" was the pharaoh of the Exodus, reviewing the history of the kings who bore that name may be useful. Ramses I was the first king of the 19^th Dynasty. He was not of royal blood but instead a career army officer. He only ruled for two or three years.

Yet, Ramses I left a legacy. The dynasty he founded is known for the extravagant temples and shrines erected to the sun gods and goddesses Ra, Amen, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Set. Ra, the god from whom Ramses claimed to be descended, was the principle sun deity. His name took many forms, ultimately becoming Amen-Ra. Ra, Amen-Ra, Amun, Amon, Bel, and Ba’al, all depict the same spirit, that of Satan in the guise of the sun. Roman Catholicism is essentially Mithraism, the religion of the Unconquerable Sun.

But there is more you should know. According to the Egyptian priests, Osiris was the god of agriculture prior to his death. Then he became the god of the dead. He and his brother Set, depicted as a jackal and predator, were "the first gods who lived upon the earth." Osiris, we are told, was the husband of Isis. According to the religion, Set murdered Osiris but Isis partially resurrected him. Osiris therefore serves as Satan’s version of the Messiah.

Isis was modeled after the Babylonian, Astarte of Easter fame, Queen of Heaven and Mother Earth. She gave birth to Horus and is credited with being the source of all living things. Isis is Satan’s counterfeit for our actual Spiritual Mother, the Set-Apart Spirit of Yahuweh. The Catholic counterfeit is Mary. It is from this demonic brew of devilish doctrines that Yahuweh saved His people.

Historically speaking, Ramses I’s son, Seti I, was the second king of the 19^th Dynasty. His reign was followed by Ramses II, better known as Ramses the Great. He ruled in the 13^th century BCE. This bad boy lived to be over 90. He had countless wives and hundreds of children. He is best known today for his warrior nature, gluttonous and libertine lifestyle, gargantuan ego, and for the pretence of being a god. His name, what we know of His nature, and the fact he had sons to spare, all suggest that he was the fool who tried to fool around with God, but it just isn’t so. He came to power too late, we have his mummy, and his army wasn’t downed in the Red Sea.

There was yet another Ramses. The third king to bear Ra’s name built what’s called the Temple Palace of Ramses III. It dates to 1175 BCE. The temple/palace was designed to superimpose the rising sun behind the man who claimed to be "fashioned by Ra." Ramses III was the second king of the 20^th Dynasty.

Returning to the text of Yahuweh’s message we find that the Yisra'elites left the "son of the sun" to go: "..to Sukowt (Sukowt - temporary shelter, a booth, tent, or tabernacle), about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children." (Exodus 12:37)

Sukowt serves as the name of Yahuweh’s seventh and final Miqra. It’s telling that this is where the Yisra’elites were headed following Passover and during Unleavened Bread. The Festival of Sukowt celebrates man dwelling with God, albeit, temporary. In actuality, the final Miqra all about Yahuweh roughing it with man, camping out in our world.

Until recently, it was considered laughable to think that there were six hundred thousand Yisra’elite slaves in Egypt, but now the evidence is ubiquitous throughout digs in the Upper Nile region. Recent satellite photos of the Sinai also reveal evidence of an ancient migration of hundreds of thousands of people. Further, Ron Wyatt found the Red Sea crossing, replete with Egyptian chariot wheels, large staging areas, a gradual grade suitable for a massive population to cross, a stone column thanking Yahuweh for His help on the Eastern Shore, and the enormous gathering area of the people at the foot of Mount Horeb in Arabia. 

"They baked unleavened dough (batseq) which (‘asher - by way of making a connection) was brought out (yatsa’) of Egypt (Mitsrayim - the oppressive crucible) into cakes (‘ugah - flat baked bread) of unleavened bread (matsah). For it was not (lo’) embittered (chamets - stained red; oppressed, ruthless, and cruel) because (kiy) they had been hastily expelled (garish - quickly driven and thrust out) from Egypt (Mitsrayim - the oppressive crucible). To endure (yakol - to prevail and overcome) they could not delay (mahah - linger or tarry). Moreover (gam), they had not fashioned and prepared (‘asah - instituted and produced by way of their labor) any provision (tseydah)." (Exodus 12:39) Unleavening our bodies of sin is Yahuweh’s job, His provision.

Time is important to God, right down to the very day the redemptive events in the life of mankind are played out. The Miqra themselves provide the framework upon which all prophecy is established. "The time interval (mowshab - period the assembly) of the children of Yisra’el living in (yashab - dwelling and remaining in) Egypt (Mitsrayim - the oppressive crucible) was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass (hayah - it came to exist and be) that at the end (qets - the finish and completion) of the four hundred and thirty years, on this one (zeh) very substantial and essential (‘etsem - that which provides the skeletal framework for the) day (yowm) it came to be (hayah) that all (kol) who go forth and serve (tsaba’ - those who are inclined and willing to be summoned to perform on behalf of) Yahuweh came forth out of (yatsa’) the land (‘erets - the place and region of) of Egypt (Mitsrayim - the oppressive crucible)." (Exodus 12:40-41)

This is a stunningly important revelation. It says that even over the course of four centuries, Yahuweh’s sense of timing focuses on a singular day - the most essential and substantial day in human history. No not this day, the 15^th of Abib/Nisan 1447 BCE, but this same day in 33 CE. The first Miqra of Unleavened Bread was just a dress rehearsal for that which was to come. God has established and announced a pattern. It’s all about the Miqra. They provided the skeletal framework from which the redemption of man would be fleshed out.

Passover is important. It is where those who rely upon the blood of the lamb are passed over - escaping death. But there needs to be more. Our rebellious nature needs to be purged from our souls, and the penalty we have earned for our crimes against God and our fellow man needs to be paid. That is the purpose and symbolism of Unleavened Bread. We have been removed from the oppressive crucible of hell, from death and damnation, because our God went there for us - instead of us. He became our provision. He paid our penalty. He removed our leaven so that we would be free to answer His summons and serve.

Yahuweh not only timed the Exodus from Egypt to occur on the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the day following the Passover, He provided another confirmation of the pattern He would use. He has told us that forty, from ‘araba’, meaning "squared," depicts "the time interval" which designated "the completion" of "a time of testing." It matters not if it is forty days, forty years, or forty decades.

Yes, I know the text reads four hundred and thirty years, but the first thirty wasn’t included in the time of testing. Joseph had earned the position of regent in Egypt and his family members were treated like royalty for thirty years before the regime changed and they became slaves.  

The pattern of "forty" depicting the "time of completion of a period of testing" is what is being laid out here. Forty Yowbel separate the fall of man from the first dress rehearsal of Passover. And forty Yowbel separate Abraham and Isaac’s visit to Mount Moriah from Yahuweh’s and Yahushua’s fulfillment of Passover and Unleavened Bread on the same mountain. And forty Yowbel will separate the time between His sacrifice and His return. Further, we shouldn’t be surprised that Yahushua’s service to man began exactly thirty years after His arrival on the Feast of Sukowt/Tabernacles in last days of man’s fourth millennia.

And since we’ve been addressing verifications in this chapter, you may be interested to know that there is a beautiful mural in vivid colors depicting the arrival of the Hebrews in Egypt. It is found carved into the wall of a necropolis tomb south of Cairo, near the present day village of Beni-Hasan, along side the east bank of the Nile. The tomb dates to 1900 BCE which, as we shall see, is particularly interesting. The archeologist Randall Price reports in his book The Stones Cry Out: "The splendid mural is eight feet long and it depicts a parade of foreigners. There are eight men, four women, three children, and assorted animals, all being led by Egyptian officials. The hieroglyphic text at the top of the painting provides a description of the procession and its purpose. ‘These people were part of a group of thirty-seven Asiatics from the region of Shut [Southern Canaan, today’s Israel]. They were led by their chief named Abishai to trade with the Egyptians.’"

Genesis 12:10 tells us that sometime after Abraham’s 75^th birthday "there was a famine in the land and Abram went down into Egypt." The 15^th verse tells us that Sarai and Abram spent time in pharaoh’s home. By the 20^th verse we learn that pharaoh commanded his men to "send Abram away with his wife and all that he had." The following verse says that Abram and Sarai were with Lot, who as we know was married and had children. While it may not have been Abraham, Sarai, Hagar, Lot, the future pillar of salt, and the incestuous daughters depicted in the mural, the 1900s BCE was their time, they were there for the purpose described, and the name fits. 

Returning to the Exodus, what follows is fascinating. Yahuweh uses "night" rather than "day" to describe the ordeal that is foreshadowed by Unleavened Bread. And it is because His ordeal began at sunset, at the dawn of the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread. It would be the longest night in all creation - the time Yahushua’s soul descended into the lightless realm of the crucible of Sheol in our stead, to save us from having to go there ourselves. If you’d like to read how this all transpired, turn to the "Tsadaq - Vindication" chapter and contemplate the sobering prophecies contained in Psalms 22 and 88. 

"It is (huw’a - He is Himself related and affirming existence in) a night (layil - a time of darkness and shadow without light; from luwl, a staircase from which) to hold a protective evening vigil (shimurim - to watch through the night expecting salvation; from shamar, to keep and observe that which saves, preserves, and celebrates life) unto Yahuweh who brought them out (yatsa’) from (min) the realm of the oppressive crucible (‘erets mitsrayim - the land of Egypt). In this one (zeh - henceforth, according to the manner it was provided, and in connection with this discussion) night (layil), he or she who is related to (huw’a) Yahuweh, should hold a protective evening vigil (shimurim - watch throughout the night in expectation of salvation; from shamar, observing that which saves, preserves, and celebrates life) for all (kol) the children of Yisra’el (those who strive and live with God) for all your life (dowr - for all generations, for all periods of time, and in all places of habitation)." (Exodus 12:42)

I am humbled by His plan, by His love, by the power of His Word. I have asked Yahuweh to forgive me for not caring enough to keep this vigil and for the wisdom and strength to never let it happen again. The night of Unleavened Bread, a Sabbath, the 15^th of Abib/Nisan in Yahuweh’s year 4,000, Yahushua’s soul unleavened my soul and yours of sin so that we could live forever with Him. It was the darkest and yet brightest night and day in all of creation.

The Miqras of Pesach and Matsah point to a gift we need to accept if we want the Spirit to fill our void and make us whole, if we want to be cleansed of sin, and to arrive before the Judge debt free. Paul described the present: "Yahuweh, being rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together in Yahushua, raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in heaven. For by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of Yahuweh, not as a result of works, so no one should boast... We have been brought before Him by the blood of the Messiah..having been reconciled by the pole... Through Him we have our access in one Spirit to the Father." (Ephesians 2:4-18)

To fully appreciate the significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we must consider the symbolism of leaven, or yeast. Because yeast is rotten, it is used throughout scripture as a metaphor for sin. The fermentation process made leaven an apt picture of corruption in our lives - a little bit of it permeates the whole loaf, changing it from within. So when the Israelites were instructed to remove all the yeast from their homes for seven days following the atonement of Passover, it was a picture of the removal - the complete removal - of sin from their lives.

In actuality, Yahushua represented unleavened bread. He had no yeast or sin corrupting Him so he became Yahuweh’s perfect sacrifice. On the fifteenth of Nisan, 33 CE, His flesh lay in Joseph’s sepulcher. Like the Passover lamb, his body had been broken for us, his blood shed for us.

It is therefore little wonder the Messiah used the word "remembrance" when He spoke these words to His disciples at Passover - His Last Supper - the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread: "Yahushua said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the dominion of Yahuweh.’ ..And having taken some bread, when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ And in the same way He took the cup and after they had eaten, said, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood which is to be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.’" (Luke 22:15-20 / Mark 14:24 / Matthew 26:28)

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag Matsah) is a seven day celebration, starting with Passover and ending on a special Sabbath. Although the Exodus record doesn’t say so, my guess is that the seventh day marked the Yisra’elites’ miraculous deliverance via the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of Egypt’s army. It was a defining moment: proof that their slavery was a thing of the past. It was proof that Yahuweh was trustworthy and that reliance upon Him brought salvation.

Today, when we celebrate this now fulfilled Feast, we should eat Matsah, unleavened bread, during the week following Passover, breaking it in remembrance of our Savior. And we should study the Exodus, celebrating our deliverance from the crucible of hell. We should keep the night vigil reciting Psalms 22 and 88, agonizing over the price He paid to ransom us. It is all part of our communion with Yahuweh.