Exodus 12:20
Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
Exodus 12:20
A universal prohibition—“eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall you eat unleavened bread”—extends the purity motif to all living spaces. It’s a practical, lived-out command that would visibly distinguish Israel during the Passover period. The household becomes a unit of obedience, while the community’s coordinated action models unity under God’s redemptive timeline. The verse reinforces the urgency and focus of the moment.
The unity of practice among households illustrates communal sanctification. It also resonates with the New Testament image of the church as a body where each member contributes to the whole. The unleavened bread symbolizes a purity of heart aligned with God’s will, not merely external constraint.
If you’re leading a family or small group, implement a shared practice: a week of spiritual discipline (prayer, Scripture, charity) that replaces ordinary routines with godward attention. Use the restriction as a reminder to pursue holiness together, rather than individually.
Cross-References: Deuteronomy 16:3; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Luke 12:1; Romans 6:12-13; Colossians 3:8-10