Baking Instructions
Leviticus 7:12-13
If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil. Besides the cakes, as his offering he shall offer leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offering.
In the entire world, is there any aroma more likely to drive you crazy than the smell of bread baking? My route to college crossed paths with a huge bakery; in the summer they would open the windows. That aroma probably caused dozens of traffic jams.
How does this occur? Into the dough the bakery places some yeast—or, as it is called in the Bible, leaven. The leaven digests a portion of the flour, leaving behind a quantity of carbon dioxide gas. The gas produces the characteristic hole structure.
Throughout the Bible leaven has been used as a symbol as well. Christ frequently used it to warn against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, for example. It’s a good symbol; leaven spreads quickly by letting out hot air.
The connection starts with the exodus. The Jews were in such haste to leave Egypt that they had to pack up the bread dough, unleavened, to take with them. It is a symbol of their haste in leaving Egypt—symbolically, our haste in leaving sin.
But there are two exceptions to such a rule:
· If the offering you were bringing was a peace offering, you were required to bring leavened bread.
· At the celebration of Pentecost, you were required to bring leavened bread as an offering.
These two exceptions have their parallels in the New Testament. In particular, we must remember who is our peace offering—Jesus Christ himself. He is the one who brought peace between us and God the Father, at the price of his very life. The kingdom of God is like a little bit of leaven which leavens the whole batch. We are to be that leaven.
Pentecost: the name brings up tongues of fire and speaking in tongues. Its real significance is this: it marks the start of evangelization by the church. Starting with a handful of men, Christ’s kingdom has spread through the world, continuing to reach new people for Christ.
Leaven in the bread; peace between us and God. Leaven in the bread: go into all the world and make disciples. Is his leaven rising in you?
Lord, you have commanded us to be the leaven in the bread of the world—so that they might have the bread of life. May we bring your peace to this world. :angel:
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