The Decree Over Our Personal Pride

Once again we are taking a close look at a brief passage from scripture that we have pulled out for meditation during this Jubilee Year of 5776, our Jubilee Year of Abundance. This is a short quote we are calling the Decree over Personal Pride:

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”—Galatians 5:9

This short little scripture quote might read like more of a tongue twister than an inspiration for prayer if you are unfamiliar with the context. But keep in mind the symbolic nature of leaven in the Old Testament to which Paul is referring here in his letter to the Galatians.

During the Passover season, Jews would eat unleavened bread as a means of humbling themselves before God. Leaven, as a result, became a sort of symbol of pride. Those who would eat the unleavened bread were cleansing themselves of their pride in their preparation for the Passover and for the coming Messiah.

When the Hebrews prepared to leave Egypt during the very first Passover, they did not have time for bread to rise, so they did not use yeast (leaven) in the dough. Here is a quote from Deuteronomy about why this tradition continued long after the Hebrews left Egypt:

“Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.” 

 In saying “a little leaven leavens the whole lump,” Paul is essentially conveying that even a dash of pride can inflate one’s ego and keep him or her from God. Let’s look at the context surrounding this Galatians quote:

“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.”

 Paul is concerned that someone is casting an influence over the Galatians that is keeping them from God, and likens this person’s message to “leaven,” which we know is a symbol of pride.

This Jubilee Year, let us remove the leaven from our lives. Here is how we can pray:

“Father God, the leaven has been purged from me by the blood of Yeshua. Thank you, for I am washed in the blood. I am sanctified. I am justified. Thank you Lord, I have no fear. I have courage, and I have strength. Thank you Lord, I am leaven free. Lord it is 5776, it is my Jubilee Year of Abundance, and the joy of the Lord is my strength—in Yeshua’s name—Amen!”