EASTER - NYOBS 68.07

EASTER

What does rabbits and eggs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

First Word

·         As a child I remember me and my sister getting all new clothes for Easter, Mom got a new pocketbook, hat and gloves and we all wore a white corsage in our lapel.

·         There were songs on the radio about wearing an Easter Bonnet and an Easter Parade up and down 5^th Avenue, where ever that was.

·         We had Easter baskets that usually had a large chocolate bunny in it and a bunch of plastic eggs with candy inside them, sometimes a nickel too.

·         After Church and lunch we would go out into our back yard and hunt for more Easter eggs and see who could find the most.  My sister was older and always won, but shared with me.

·         The basket would somehow disappear during the week and would re-appear next year on the fire place, full of goodies again.

·         Mom and Dad were both Sunday School teachers, so I knew the Easter Story of Jesus, but I never gave a thought to how candy, rabbits and eggs fit into the picture; it was just FUN.

Voices Embracing Easter

·         William Tyndale in 1525 translated the Bible from the Greek and the Hebrew into English.  He translated the word “pascha” using the word ester to refer to the Passover festival held after the Resurrection - In 1534 he added the letter “a” giving us the new word  “Easter”.

·         The meaning of words change over time; when we use the word Sunday we think of the day that Christ rose from the dead, it does not occur to us that it is a day to worship the Sun.

·         Easter (Pascha) also known as Resurrection Sunday is a festival or holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion by the Romans in 30 AD. – NYOBS 18.18 – WAY OF THE CROSS

·         The Foundation of the Christian Faith is based upon Jesus rising from the dead providing proof positive that He is the Son of God. – If Christ did not rise from the dead then our Faith is a DEAD FAITH.

·         This special time is linked to the Passover of the death angel and to the celebration of the Last Passover meal observed by Christ in the upper room with His Disciples. – NYOBS 05.11 – LORD’S SUPPER -- NYOBS 25.19 – PASSOVER FOOD

·         Jesus became the Passover Lamp and was crucified at roughly the same time as the Passover lambs were being slain in the temple.  - NYOBS 32.17 PASSOVER

·         Inquiring minds want to know – Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter Sunday – Then there is Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday all coming the week before Easter Sunday, each with their own significance. - NYOBS 32.02 – LENT –

1 Corinthians 15:17 - If Christ not Raised – Faith is a Dead Faith
¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

(HCSB)

Easter Lily

·         The Easter Lily is symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with its white flowers of purity and it’s TRUMPET like shape announcing the resurrection of Christ on Easter morning.

Easter Egg

·         The custom of the Easter Egg originated in the early Christian community of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs RED in memory of the death of Christ, whose BLOOD was shed at his crucifixion.

·         Jesus was resurrected back to life and walked out of the tomb and left it as if it were an empty shell. - The EGG upon observation seems to be as dead as a stone, yet it really has life in it like Christ's dead body, which was raised to life again.

·         When the Christian dies and is in the grave, the body remains as an empty shell, because the soul has already gained a new life with God.

·         The RED Easter egg reminds the Christian of the bloody death of Christ and the new life of the resurrection.

·         The cracking of the eggs against each other’s egg symbolized the desire to BREAK the bonds of sin and enter the new life that issues from the resurrection of Christ who was the first of many to come.

Acts 26:23 – Christ is the first to rise among many
²³ That the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” (ESV)

Homogenization of Christianity

·         You may recall that in the early days of the Church there were those that wanted to bring old traditions into the new church such as circumcision.  This was pretty much de-bunked and rebuked by Paul indicating that Christianity was “Jesus plus nothing else”.

·         Paul saw a statue to “The Unknown God” and used it to introduce the One God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His Son Jesus the Christ into the pagan community. – The early Church in an attempt to adapt and convert the pagans to Christianity, introduced the festival of Easter into the pagan “festival of Ishtar”.

·         During the fourth and fifth century while the formal church was still being developed, old pagan customs, beliefs and traditions of Easter and Christmas began once again to be blended into Christianity. – We have simply repackaged the pagan rites and practices and re-branded them as Christian.

·         Roman Emperor Constantine with his imperial power and his raw anti-Semitism summoned the council of Nicaea in 325AD for the final settlement over the dispute over whether and when to keep Easter or Passover. – What was at stake was to replace the God-ordained festival of Passover with the pagan Easter festival.  – It was unanimously and official that Easter was to be kept on Sunday throughout the world, and “That none should hereafter follow the blindness of the Jews”.

·         Today the new age movement has homogenized and blended what they feel is the best from many religions reducing; Christianity to just another religion. – Christianity states there is only one God and only one way to Him.  New Age says there are many spokes in a wheel that ALL lead to the SAME hub.

·         Passover and the resurrection has been commercialized, homogenized, mixed and replaced with Easter, parades, bunnies, eggs, hunts and other non-Christian traditions and activities.

Acts 17:23 – Unknown God used to introduce Christianity
²³ For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

(ESV)

Romans 2:29 – Circumcision is a matter of the heart
²⁹ But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (ESV)

Voices rejecting Easter

·         The Word Easter appears only once in the King James Version of the Bible and not at all in most of the other translations. – The translators miss-translated the Greek word pascha as “Easter”, whereas all the other translations of pascha meant “Passover”.

·         It is widely believed that Easter has its origins with the goddess of the Anglo-Saxons named Eostre (with similar spellings; Estre, Estara, Eastre, Ostara). She was the goddess of the dawn and was worshiped by pagans in the spring – The name is believed to be derived from the Babylonian goddess Astarte or Ishtar. - (Easter) -

·         Ishtar was a Mesopotamian goddess of War, Sex and Fertility – Her worship included animal sacrifices, and temple prostitutes.

·         Every primary pagan “god” can be traced back to King Nimrod, Babylon and the Tower of Babel and every “goddess” traced to his wife Queen Semiramis.

·         Most Anabaptists. Quakers, Congregationalists and Presbyterian Puritans regard such festivals as an abomination based on the fact that Easter was not practiced anywhere in scripture and furthermore scripture commands Believers to not be yoked with unbelievers.

·         Many have moved away from using the term “Easter” altogether in favor of the phrase “Resurrection Day” or “Resurrection Sunday”.

·         Paul warned that men would come in among them secretly, bringing in destructive heresies, speaking twisted things and in their greed they will exploit you with false words in order to draw you away from the faith; causing your death.

·         A false church has arisen’; a counterfeit church observing Easter and Lent in place of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.

·         Billions of dollars are spent each year in merchandising and the true gospel is being buried in the pagan customs. – FORGIVE US GOD -

2 Cor 6:14-16 - Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers
¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
¹⁵ What accord has Christ with Belial (Satan)? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (ESV)

Acts 12:4 – Pascha miss-translated Easter instead of Passover
⁴ And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after EASTER (Passover) to bring him forth to the people. (KJV)

Acts 20:29-30 – Men will speak twisted things
²⁹ I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
³⁰  and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

(ESV)

2 Peter 2:1-3 - Men secretly bring in destructive heresies
¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
³ And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

(ESV)

Departing from the Ordinary

·         I feel a need to depart from the ordinary and talk about some FAR OUT MESSED UP stuff. – These stories with slight variations are told over and over again and the names change often depending on the culture, but the concept still remains the same.

·         What I am about to share, I have not found in any one place, but there are numerous commentaries that help sort out all the name changes, variations, traditions, mythology and speculation; so it’s OK with me if you disagree with my findings. 

·         The story begins with one of Noah’s sons named Ham who had a son by the name of Cush, who had a wife named Semiramis and they had a son named Nimrod whose name actually means “Let Us Revolt”.

·         GIANTS – As I read the scriptures and commentaries, I see the words mighty men and mighty men of renown. -  I find this back in Genesis when they are referring to the Nephilim; the Giants.  – Satan caused Angels to leave their assignments in heaven and take women and sleep with them which produced the Nephilim; the Giants. - They were so evil that it promulgated the Flood of Noah; to start mankind over. - NYOBS 17.10 – NOAH’S ARK

·         I believe that Nimrod was also a GIANT; a by-product of Satan, as it answers so many questions as to why the people would want to follow him and how he knew so much about the “Secret Arts”. – I believe that he was a Giant with a moral and spiritual nature. -  NYOBS 33.30 – GIANTS – NYOBS 11.16 - DEMONS – NYOBS 17.16 – OTHER FLOOD THE GAP THEORY – NYOBS 60.02 -  ET’s UFO’s & PORTALS

·         Don’t look Upward, Look Inward - After the flood of Noah, NIMROD the grandson of Noah, aided by SATAN, persuaded the people to NOT ascribe their happiness to God, because it was through HIS ACTIONS that they were happy and he caused them to believe that it was THEIR OWN courage which procured this happiness. – (Josephus; Jewish Historian 33AD)

·         Scripture originally translated that Nimrod was “a mighty hunter” before the Lord, but now we know it should have been translated was “in opposition to” the Lord or “in place of” the Lord. – It was not just “before the Lord”; it was “In Your Face” defiance - It is believed that he hunted down and killed other Nephilim to eliminate the competition, but in the process, was killed himself.

Genesis 10:9 – Nimrod a mighty hunter
⁹ He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a MIGHTY hunter BEFORE THE LORD.”

(ESV)

Num 13: 31-33 – Spies - After the flood of Noah - Giants

31 "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are."

32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.

33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

NIV

Gen 6:4 – The Nephilim had sex with the women of the earth

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them.

NIV

Genesis 6:4 – Giants mighty men of renowned
⁴ The NEPHILIM were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

(ASV)

Pagan Symbols

·         HOLY WATER - Nimrod established secret and mysterious rites that were used in idol worship with priests who practiced the sprinkling of holy water. They had an order of temple “virgins” dedicated to religious prostitution. The men would wear small “white aprons” in the temple and flip them up to have sex. – (It resembled a carpenter’s nail apron like we see today.)

·         EASTER EGG – Nimrod’s MOTHER “Semiramis” taught that the moon was a goddess and it went through a 28 day OVULATION period which developed into a FULL MOON. – Through Immaculate Conception, this moon goddess gave birth to her, (“Semiramis” the mother of Nimrod) in the form of a GIANT MOON EGG which fell into the Euphrates River. – She HATCHED out and became known as the goddess Ishtar; the mother goddess of dawn and light, and the moon egg was called “Ishtar’s Egg”.

·         Myths of Creation of the ancients centered on a “cosmogenic egg” from which the universe was born. – Ancient Egypt and Persia exchanged decorated eggs at the spring equinox as a symbol of fertility with the coming forth of life from the egg.

·         MOTHER OF GOD – With the aid of SATAN, Nimrod promoted unspeakable evil and perversions and was SO EVIL that at the death of his father, he married his own mother “Semiramis” or “Ishtar” – Since King Nimrod was a god and Queen Semiramis was his mother as well as his wife, she was worshipped as the “Mother of god” and as the “Queen of Heaven”.

·         BAAL - Nimrod presented himself as a god-man and developed an intricate “system of mysteries”.  He used terms that appeared to honor God, but actuality deceived the people. - He took on the name “BAAL” which in English means “Lord” and in Greek means “Adonis”; He claimed he was the “savior of the world”.  – Baal was known as the “sun god”; known as the “life giver” and known as the “god of fertility” who promoted sexual sin. 

·         REINCARNATION - When NIMROD WAS KILLED by the enemy, his body was cut up into many pieces and scattered throughout his kingdom.  All the parts were found except for the reproductive parts, so Queen Semiramis claimed that Nimrod could not come back to life without all his parts, so he ascended to the sun and was now called Baal the sun god and later would be re-born as his own son Tammuz.- NYOBS 18.10 – TOWER OF BABEL

·         CHRISTMAS TREE - At Nimrod’s death, his mother/wife declared that his spirit had survived in a full grown Evergreen Tree which sprang up overnight from a dead tree stump.

·         CHRISTMAS GIFTS –Thus they celebrated the springing forth of life from death on Nimrod’s birthday every December 25^th where he would visit the Evergreen Tree and leave GIFTS. -  NOTE:  The wise men did not give gifts to Jesus because it was His Birthday, it was because you never approached a KING without a gift. - NYOBS 66.02 – CHRISTMAS

·         Jeremiah the Prophet warns us to NOT FOLLOW THE TRADITIONS of the pagan nations which includes cutting down a tree in the forest and fastening it to  a stand to keep it from falling over and then decorating it with silver and gold. – It’s in the Book –

·         IMMACULATE CONCEPTION – Queen Semiramis purports that the rays of the Sun god Baal caused her to have an immaculate conception, an (illegitimate) male child named Tammuz. She convinced them that her son was the King Nimrod RE-BORN who was the long awaited “savior of the world”. – So there you have it; mother AND child were both immaculately conceived and the worship of Madonna; “Mother and Child” spread over the earth.  

·         EASTER RABBIT – The son Tammuz was especially fond of rabbits and because he was believed to be the son of Baal, the sun god, and the son of Ishtar the moon goddess, the rabbits became sacred in their religion; a symbol of fertility and rapid reproduction.

·         RESURRECTED - The son Tammuz was KILLED by a wild boar and some of his blood fell on the stump of an evergreen tree and overnight he came back to life as new evergreen vegetation. (others say it was the power of his mother’s tears that fell on the stump)

·         LENT – Ishtar proclaimed a forty day period of mourning and sorrow each year on the anniversary of Tammuz’s death, during which time no meat was to be eaten.

·         EASTER SUNDAY - After the forty days of mourning, they celebrated with RABBITS and EGGS on ISHTAR’S SUNDAY.

·         SUNRISE SERVICES - Baal (Nimrod) is worshiped as the fertility god, the storm god as well as the sun god; the “House of the Rising Sun” in the East. - Easter sunrises services are held facing the east as the sun rises.

·         EASTER HAM - She proclaimed that because Tammuz was killed by a wild pig, that a PIG must be eaten on that Sunday that followed. – The EASTER HAM –

·         HOT CROSS BUNS - The pagan Saxons would bake “Cross Buns” in honor of the goddess Ishtar (Easter) celebrating the rebirth of the world after the winter and at the beginning of spring. -  The Cross on the buns made four sections that represented the four quarters of the moon, as well as the four seasons. - It is also found on the wheel of life (bhavacakra) in the Buddhist religion.

·         Jerimiah the Prophet said the children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to MAKE CAKES for THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, and it provokes God to anger. – It’s in the Book -

·         SIGN OF THE CROSS - As they worshipped and ate the sacred cakes with what looked like a Cross or a “t” on top, they would make the SIGN of a “t” over their heart.

·         LIGHTING CANDLES - Ishtar the goddess/mother told the people that Tammuz had now ascended to his father Baal (Nimrod) and the two of them “were with them” in the form of a FLAME and should now be worshipped in fire, in the flame of candles; as the Father, Mother and Son; a perverted trinity.

Genesis 10:8-9 - Nimrod in opposition to the Lord
⁸ Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man.
⁹ He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” (ESV)

Josephus Book 1:4:2- Nimrod led people away from God

2 Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them NOT to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers! (The Works of Flavius Josephus.)

Jeremiah 10:1-2 – Do not learn the ways of the pagan nations
¹ Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.
² Thus says the LORD: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, (ESV)

Jeremiah 7:18 – They make cakes for the queen of heaven
¹⁸ The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make CAKES for the QUEEN OF HEAVEN. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.(ESV)

Jeremiah 10:3 – Cut down a tree in the Forest
³ for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A TREE from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

(ESV)
Jeremiah 10:4-5 – Decorate it with silver and gold in a stand

⁴ They DECORATE IT with SILVER AND GOLD; they FASTEN IT with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.
⁵ Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” (ESV)

Last Thoughts

·         TODAY I see no connection between the original festivals of Easter and the Christian Resurrection Sunday although there might as well be; with the complete immersion in the commercialization of Easter eggs, Easter Candy and the Easter bunny, all of which smacks of the pagan symbolism of fertility. -  Today the eggs are plastic, multi-colored, and full of candy which leads to the confusion on what bunnies, eggs and candy have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to add to the confusion; rabbits don’t even lay eggs.  

·         We have so closely held that Easter and the Resurrection are the same and that anyone who speaks against Easter, is blaspheming God Himself. 

·         Easter belongs to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar whose worship is condemned by God, He says “IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” – Over a span of 40 years after the death and resurrection of Christ , we find NO disciple nor the Church observing such a festival as Easter.  

·         The early founding Puritans found that Easter compromised the commandments of God and dismissed and rejected it as just another pagan holiday.

·         Satan is a master deceiver who HAS been able to deceive well-meaning Christians into thinking that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated with a brand new “Sunday go to meeting suit”, some Hot Cross buns and an Easter ham along with some rabbits and a bunch of colored eggs. - In actuality these things demean the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection.

·         Traditionally the Easter Bunny comes the night before Easter in much the same way as Santa Clause comes the night before Christmas.  He hides them in the house or the yard for the Children to find when they wake up.  This fun time gives rise to the tradition of the annual Easter egg hunt.

·         There is nothing inherently evil about painting an egg, hiding it and making a game of finding it, such things can neither do you HARM nor GOOD.

·         The Ishtar Gate appeared in Babylon around 2020 BC with “GOLDEN ARCHES” and when we visit McDonalds today for a hamburger, it doesn’t cross our mind that the Golden Arches may have had a pagan origin. – Christ arising from the grave on Sunday doesn’t give rise to thoughts of worshiping the sun.

·         If our focus is on Christ, then our children will be taught to understand that the hunt for eggs is a game of fun, but taught as well the story of Jesus Christ and true meaning of Resurrection Sunday, – THIS IS THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY –

·         After studying all this symbolism I feel quite taken back that I now know the difference between Easter Sunday and Resurrection Sunday. - In the end, it’s a matter of conscious that must be left up to the discretion of the parents, and each one should be fully convinced in his own mind how the role of EASTER is played out in the life of their family.  

-     It’s in the Book -  

Jeremiah 10:5 - They can do neither harm nor good
⁵ Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no HARM nor can they do any GOOD.” (NIV2011)

Isaiah 14:4 – Golden Arches at McDonalds; pagan origin?
⁴ that you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: "How the oppressor has ceased, THE GOLDEN CITY ceased! (NKJV)

Romans 14:5 - Each one should be fully convinced
⁵ One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. (ESV)

Matthew 15:8-9 – In vain they do worship me
⁸ This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;
⁹ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (ESV)

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical

information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders

and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

                                                                                                                                     

A Commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus Matthias

Apocrypha – Goodspeed

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Elwell

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale

Interlinear Greek-English New Testament - Baker

King James Version Bible – KJV

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible (2011) – NIV

NOTE: The “new” NIV has been corrupted and made gender neutral.  AVOID IT.

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Wikipedia –

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney