LIFE ON THE ALTAR

Taken from the book The Hidden Mysteries of The Lord’s Table by Mark. G. Nolan

UNLEAVENED BREAD.

Does it matter what kind of bread should be used during the communion service? Is there any significance between a well risen loaf and a flat bread?

It is not uncommon for Churchcongregations to use regular leavened bread during their communion service, and many Christians think it to be of no consequence, or totally irrelevant as to the type of bread that is used at the Lord’s table.  After discovering and coming to understand the Jewish roots of our faith, I have come to see that the scriptures and The Holy Spirit declare that the bread type DOES matter.

“Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
(Luke 22:7-8)

According to scripture, only unleavened bread was to be eaten during the Passover meal, so we can be certain that this was the type of bread that Jesus used that night. Jesus broke unleavened bread at His last supper with His disciples, and as He blessed and broke it, He referred to it as His body. Since Jesus lived a sinless life, it is no accident that the leaven-less bread represents an absence of sin.

There are several passages in the Bible that refer to leaven when speaking of sin.

“He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”
(Luke 12:1)

“Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees…”
(Matthew 16:6)

“Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees….”
(Matthew 16:12)

“Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”
(1 Corinthians 5:6)

“…the leaven of malice and wickedness…”
(1 Corinthians 5:8)

Just as leaven is representative of sin, unleavened bread represented an absence of sin.

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
(1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

Jesus referred to Himself as the true bread from Heaven.

“…Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
(John 6:32-33)

Leaven puffs up, representing the pride and sin of man. The first sin of all was found in Satan which was pride. So, you might say, leaven, or sin was found in Satan because it puffed him up, he became proud. Leaven was found in him and as a result he was cast out of heaven. 

Sin cannot dwell in the Holiest of Holies, in the presence of the Almighty. Leaven, through God’s eyes, represents sin. When we see this in scripture, why then do Churches use puffed up bread that represents sin to be taken as the sinless body of Christ at the Communion Table?

Jesus is our Passover lamb, the Jewish Mashiach (Hebrew) Messiah, and only unleavened bread was to be eaten at Passover. Because the Lord’s Table reflects the Passover Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world, I believe it is imperative that we too continue to use unleavened bread for communion, unless it is unobtainable.

The western Church of today has a gentile mindset. God instructed that things must be done in a certain way which gentiles find hard to grasp through ignorance. For instance, why is it so important to use unleavened bread whilst at the Lord’s Table, which represents the Passover Seder meal?

In the book of Exodus, we find instructions on how to celebrate the feasts that The Lord ordained. Amongst the details regarding Passover and the feast of unleavened bread we read,

“For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.”
(Exodus 12:19-20)

My wife and I have witnessed the removing of leavened items whilst staying with a Jewish sister in Jerusalem just before Pesach (Passover). We saw first-hand how Jewish families would sweep the house from top to bottom to remove every spec of leavened bread. Not even a crumb was to be found in a Jewish household for Passover. We saw the bins were overflowing with disposed-of leavened bread and flour. 

Jesus, being brought up as a Jew, would have helped His mother search for any spec of leaven in His home. In fact, most Jews today play a game with their children just before Pesach. The parents would take great pleasure in hiding leavened bread for the children to find, and the children would receive a prize for finding it.

The Passover meal was a shadow of the true unleavened bread and the blood that was to come from Heaven. Jesus Himself is our Passover Lamb.

I personally don’t think anyone would lose their salvation because they have used leavened bread at the Lord’s Table, and as far as I know there is nowhere in scripture forbidding the use of leavened bread at the Lord’s Table. However, I do feel that through ignorance many are disrespecting the Lord’s body by using leavened bread.

In times past God overlooked transgressions through ignorance. but now that we know what leaven represents to the Lord, i.e. sin, hypocrisy, malice and wickedness, can we carry on using leavened bread at His Table? Would the Lord who instructed us to eat His body, want us to eat something that represented sin. i.e. unleavened bread?

The Apostle Paul wrote

“Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
(1 Corinthians 5:8)

Yes, the believers in Corinth, both Jew and gentile, were to keep the Passover in remembrance of Yahoshua, the Passover Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, for those who accept him as Lord and Saviour.

Considering that our bodies are referred to as the temple of God, shouldn’t we nourish it with the unleavened bread from heaven? You are what you eat!

In fact, leavened bread was offered with thanksgiving the only occasion that leavened bread was to be used was as the peace offering, not the sin offering or the trespass offering or any other offering for that matter. Lev 7:13

Considering that the use of leaven was strictly forbidden in all offerings made by fire to the Lord, Lev 2: 11 Jesus being our offering for sin, then how can we partake of leaven bread when we should eat the unleavened sinless resurrected body of Christ? How can we carry on using leaven at the Lord’s Table?

The false unregenerate so-called Church has little or no understanding of what the feasts of the Lord truly represent. Notice I said the feasts of the Lord not the feasts of the Jews. Yes, initially the law was given to Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

I see it like this, the anti-Semites in the first century didn’t want anything to do with what they considered to be Jewish customs or practices, totally dismissing the fact that Jesus, King of the Jews, had Himself inaugurated the Last Supper to be kept by His Church. The anti-Semites who began the false Catholic Church separated themselves from many Jewish customs and commandments which had been given to the Israelites by God.

 These false Christians wouldn’t even allow Saint John into their congregation. I believe this was the birth of the false Church which developed into Catholicism.

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.”
(3 John 1:9-10)

Can you believe that Saint John who wrote the book of Revelation inspired by the Holy Spirit wasn’t allowed into a so-called Church building? It was a defining moment in history which separated the sheep from the goats. The Hebrews were commanded to keep the Passover which was replaced with the pagan feast of Easter. Completely overlooking what Paul wrote. The Lord instructed Solomon to build an outer court for the gentiles to come and worship him, so that the House of The Lord was for all nations.

WHAT WE BELIEVE IT TO BE IS WHAT IT REPRESENTS IN OUR HEARTS BY FAITH.

Do we believe and regard the bread as just that; bread, as in baked flour? If so, then that is what it remains, and that is all we will receive; food for the body, and in so doing we are missing the point. Paul rebuked the Corinthian Church when he wrote: 

“But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment.”
(1 Corinthians 11:34)

They were taking the body of Christ as mere food, which had no spiritual life contained in it as result of their ignorance. Some in the Corinthian Church were partaking of the Lord’s body as mere food for the belly because they were hungry, instead of revering the sanctified blessed bread as the body of Christ, and in so doing they were bringing condemnation on themselves.

Paul had to rebuke them because of their ignorance. Is this not what the modern Church is guilty of today? They are eating the bread as mere food by not revering the bread to be what Jesus stated it to be, His body.

Jesus said whilst holding up the unleavened bread at the Passover Seder meal,

“This is My body which is given for you”
(Luke 22:19)

How can anyone state that it’s not? Still not convinced? Then let’s look at the next declarations that Jesus spoke.

No fewer than nine times it is found in scripture.

“Take, eat, this is My body.”
(Mark 14:22)

“This is My body which is given for you.”
(Luke 22:19)

“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you.”
(1 Corinthians 11:24)

“The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”
(1Corinthians 10:16)

 Jesus clearly states in the next verse that the bread is His flesh.

“…and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
(John 6:51)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”
(John 6:53)

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”
(John 6:54)

 “For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.”
(John 6:55)

“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”
(John 6:56)

The Lord never used the words symbol, emblems, or elements at His table, so why should we? I believe quite simply that the enemy of our souls has robbed the Church of spiritual refreshment and life when believers are not receiving the bread as the Lord’s body spiritually by faith.

If we eat the bread as the body of Jesus by faith, then I believe we receive a spiritual impartation of the resurrection life and power of God. But if we regard the bread as just bread, then we are eating damnation unto ourselves as Paul said, by not discerning the Lord’s body.

I am sorry to repeat some phrases over again, but I feel it’s necessary to stress the severity of this message, because I care that my brothers and sisters are sick and dying because of a poisonous infiltration of wrong teaching.

UNWORTHY MANNER

“Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 11:27)

Little is said about what constitutes as being unworthy. What is it that makes someone unworthy to approach the Lord’s Table? I hear very few Pastors point this out before administering the bread and the wine. Paul goes into detail about the state of some believers in the Corinthian Church when coming to the Lord’s Table.

“I hear that there are divisions among you.”
(1 Corinthians 11:18)

Jesus said,

“And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” 
(Mark 3:25)

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” 
(Acts 2:1)

We see the Church in perfect unity as they were with one accord. That is why the Spirit fell on this assembly in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, because they were unified. A divided Church cannot be Spirit filled, due to unforgiveness, backbiters, gossipers, and alike, which only cause division.

Paul goes on to state

“..and one is hungry and another is drunk.” 
(1 Corinthians 11:21)

Selfishness is apparent here in the lack of thought regarding sharing food with the poor brother or sister, not even waiting for others to join them before they started to eat. Paul states that they are despising the Church of God when he writes,

“What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing?”
(1 Corinthians 1:22)

FIRST BE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER

A barrier to spiritual communion with God is unforgiveness within the body of Christ. This wrong attitude can prevent us receiving life and spiritual blessings that are given by God at the communion table, and the hard-hearted person who refuses to forgive and make reconciliation with a brother or sister will literally be starved of the spiritual food and drink that sustains them and gives life. As a result, they become spiritually weaker and weaker as the life-giving power is drained out of them because they simply refuse to forgive. 

If someone comes to the table of the Lord and hasn’t first been reconciled with his/her brother or sister, they partake in that state of sin (unforgiveness) and bring condemnation on themselves.

“But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.

First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.” 
(Matt 5:22-25)

Jesus teaches that the result of a person hardening their heart in unforgiveness being cast into a prison of despair with no exit until they have paid the last penny. Yes, it will cost their stubborn pride dearly to forgive. Jesus didn’t possess even the smallest amount of pride, that is why He was able to say,

“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
(Luke 23:34)

Many people are caught up in a spirit of resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness. As a result, they will lose all joy, love and peace if they refuse to forgive. I struggled for years with unforgiveness and it only led to much misery.

The only way to be set free from this poisonous hatred is to ask the Holy spirit to first search your heart and reveal if there be any unforgiveness which may have been buried deep down in your heart, which may have been there for many years without you knowing it.

“I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
(Jeremiah 17:10)

As the Holy Spirit reveals the wounds and the offenses that a certain person has committed against you, pray for that person and ask the Lord to have mercy on them.

I did this many years ago when one night the Holy Spirit woke me from my sleep and told me that we were going to dig up the fallow ground. The Lord was to reveal the many people that deeply hurt me over the years. I had buried these events so deep in my heart that I struggled to recollect, and when I did, I didn’t want to re-live the offence. But the Lord wanted me to forgive the many offenders and in so doing, He could pour His healing balm on the wounds and set the captive free.

Oh, what freedom the Lord has purchased for us all if we would only do it His way.

“And by His stripeswe are healed.”
(Isaiah 53:5)

Taken from the book The Hidden Mysteries of The Lord’s Table by Mark. G. Nolan