Unleavened Bread, known in Hebrew as "matzot," holds significant importance in the biblical narrative and Jewish tradition. It is bread made without yeast, symbolizing purity and the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus. The absence of leaven, which causes fermentation and rising, represents the removal of sin and corruption.

The institution of Unleavened Bread is primarily found in the context of the Passover. In Exodus 12:15, the LORD commands, "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses, for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day must be cut off from Israel." This command is reiterated in Leviticus 23:6, where the Feast of Unleavened Bread is established as a seven-day observance following the Passover.

Unleavened Bread is also significant in the New Testament. During the Last Supper, which was a Passover meal, Jesus broke unleavened bread and shared it with His disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper. In 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, Paul draws a parallel between leaven and sin, urging believers to "keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

The Feast of Unleavened Bread serves as a reminder of God's deliverance and the call to holiness. It is a time for reflection on the purity and sanctification that believers are called to in their walk with God.

Roasted Grain

Roasted Grain, often referred to as "parched grain" in some translations, is a simple yet significant food mentioned in the Bible. It was a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet and is frequently associated with the harvest and offerings.

In Leviticus 2:14, the LORD instructs, "If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh heads of grain roasted with fire, crushed grain of the new growth." This offering of roasted grain was a way to honor God with the firstfruits of the harvest, acknowledging His provision and sovereignty.

Roasted grain also appears in the narrative of Ruth. In Ruth 2:14, Boaz invites Ruth to eat with him, saying, "Come over here, have some bread, and dip it in the vinegar sauce." So she sat down beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left over. This act of sharing roasted grain signifies hospitality and provision, reflecting God's care for the vulnerable and marginalized.

In the New Testament, roasted grain is not explicitly mentioned, but the concept of firstfruits and offerings continues to hold spiritual significance. Believers are encouraged to offer their best to God, recognizing Him as the source of all blessings.

Roasted grain, as a symbol of sustenance and divine provision, reminds believers of God's faithfulness and the importance of gratitude and generosity in their lives.