The First Passover in the Temple: Why the Returning People Immediately Turned from Rebuilding to Repentance.
- Thad DeBuhr
- Sep 29
- 7 min read
Ezra Chapter 6, verses 19 -22
Imagine spending years rebuilding something you cherish—a community center, a cherished family home, or a historic church. You pour every last resource, sweat, and tear into finishing it. Finally, the day comes: the grand dedication ceremony. It’s magnificent, full of praise, and completely focused on God.
Now, what is the first thing you do in that perfect, pristine space? You don't jump right into normal routine. You start with the most sacred, foundational act of worship.
For the returning exiles in Jerusalem, they had just dedicated the magnificent Second Temple. Their immediate next step was to celebrate the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread—not just as a feast, but as a deliberate spiritual deep cleaning—to ensure their hearts were as pure as the new altar upon which they offered sacrifice. They knew that a dedicated building demanded a dedicated, purified people.
Before you dig into the story, I would encourage you to read through the passage in two different bible translations from this list: NIV, NLT, NASB, ESV, NKJV
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EZRA 6 Setting The Scene: The Feasts of Freedom
The passage you are studying refers to the people celebrating Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately following the dedication of the rebuilt Temple (Ezra chapter 6, verses 13 through 18). This timing is critical. It shows that even after the magnificent work of rebuilding God's house was complete, the people knew their very first act of worship had to be personal purification.
These two feasts were not just ancient holidays; they were dual acts of remembering and purifying, foundational to Israel's identity.
First, there was Passover (Pesach). This one-day feast commemorates the original Exodus from Egypt. It recalls the moment the blood of a lamb painted on the doorposts caused the angel of judgment to "pass over" the Israelite homes, sparing the firstborn and securing their freedom from slavery. Spiritually, Passover points to the absolute necessity of a substitutionary sacrifice—a lamb's life for their own—as the only way to achieve salvation and a radical break from bondage. For the exiles, their Temple worship was immediately founded on this principle of atonement.
Following immediately was the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot), which lasted seven days. This commemorated the haste with which Israel fled Egypt. They had no time to wait for their dough to rise, so they ate flatbread (Matzah). This bread, often called the "bread of affliction," became a powerful spiritual symbol: the leaven (yeast) is used in the Bible as a symbol of sin, corruption, or hypocrisy because it secretly puffs up (like pride) and spreads unnoticed. Eating the unleavened bread was a commitment to purging one's life and living in integrity and sincerity.
When the people in Ezra's time celebrated these feasts, they were proclaiming: "We have finished God's house, and now we must cleanse our own. We are free because of God's sacrifice, and we will live a life of sincere, uncorrupted holiness to prove it."
Questions to Chew on and Discuss
Leaven in the Details: What is one "small" sin (the size of a crumb) that you have allowed to remain in your life because you've convinced yourself it's insignificant, but which Scripture would identify as leaven (something that will eventually corrupt the whole batch)? (See 1 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 6 through 8 for context on leaven as malice and wickedness).
The New Beginning: The Israelites celebrated this feast immediately after dedicating the Temple. They prioritized personal purity over moving onto the next project. Where do you need to pause your "rebuilding" project (career, schedule, ministry) to prioritize a spiritual cleansing first?
Haste vs. Comfort: The Passover meal was eaten in haste, ready to move (Exodus chapter 12, verse 11). What comfort or earthly security are you clinging to that is preventing you from being "ready to move" the moment God calls you to a radical change or step of obedience?
Journey Group Discussion Starter
The "New Menu" Test
The transition from leavened bread to unleavened bread represents a dramatic change in diet, symbolizing a change in spiritual substance.
The Starter: "Think about your daily 'spiritual diet.' We often consume what is comfortable, easy, and 'puffed up' (prideful thoughts, entertaining gossip, self-serving habits). The Feast of Unleavened Bread demands a plain, simple diet of sincerity and truth (Matzah)."
Discussion Questions:
If you had to swap your current "spiritual comfort food" for the "bread of sincerity," what is one thing you would have to stop consuming (media, conversations, self-talk)?
What does the Matzah—the simple, plain bread of affliction—represent as the most basic, necessary ingredient for your walk with God? (e.g., humility, simple prayer, honest repentance).
As a group, what is one "leaven" (attitude or practice) that you see commonly corrupting the Christian community today, and how can we collectively commit to removing it? (E.g., judgment, consumerism, or superficiality).
Applying It Today
The purpose of studying these ancient feasts is not to perform a ritual, but to embody the truths they represent: Sacrifice, Purity, and Gratitude.
Doing It Wrong (Missing the Point): ❌
Focusing on Ritual: Thinking that abstaining from bread for a week makes you more holy, without addressing the underlying sin (the "leaven"). This is religious legalism.
Ignoring the Sacrifice: Wanting the new life (the Promised Land) but forgetting the cost (the Lamb's blood) and thus trying to earn God's favor through your own effort. This is works-based self-righteousness.
Sentimentalism: Viewing the story as a nice piece of history or a cultural celebration, but missing the radical call to a life of sincerity and freedom. This is intellectual detachment.
Doing It Right (Embracing the Truth): ✅
To truly honor the principles of the feasts today, a modern believer must engage in three practices:
Passover (Sacrifice): Practice Daily Atonement. Stop and intentionally thank God for the finality of the sacrifice of Christ, which delivered you from a far greater slavery (sin). This act reminds you that your deliverance from the slavery of sin is secure, shifting your focus from guilt to gratitude.
Unleavened Bread (Purity): Perform The De-Leavening Act. Identify one specific, spreading sin (pride, gossip, bitterness) and commit to removing it this week, replacing it with a concrete act of virtue (humility, encouragement, forgiveness). This shifts your focus from passive listening to active repentance.
Communal Remembrance: Share Your Testimony. Do not keep your freedom private. Share your personal story of being "delivered" from a specific struggle or sin with one person. This reminds you of God's power and encourages the other person in their own journey.
The Passover Call to Action:
The feasts call you to an honest inventory:
Clean out the old leaven, rely solely on the Lamb's sacrifice, and walk in sincere freedom.
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