The following information was shared on my private social media site last week. After the response I
received, I decided to formulate it into a blog post. The intention is to educate and challenge believers to dig deeper into Who God is, what He meant, what He expects, and what we as Christ followers need to do next now that we are accountable for what we know.In years past, I've always enjoyed Holy Week. It is a week full of history and symbolism, reflecting on Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His last supper, His mock trial, His scourging, His crucifixion, His death, and ultimately His resurrection.
But my studies have taught me there's more to the story. The Jewish calendar matters. And this year proves it more than ever.
My sister calls Easter "the Christmas of spring." Baskets, eggs, candy, gifts...either no mention of the cross or additions to the cross. Even churches promote these Easter things and call it outreach. It's as if the stark pain and suffering of Christ's death is too harsh and must be sugar coated (LITERALLY!!). We have been convinced that we must let our children have fun rather than teach them their need of a Savior.
Many don't realize the pagan roots of Easter (and Christmas). Did you know Easter
comes from the word Ishtar (Ashtarte)? She is called the Queen of
Heaven in the book of Jeremiah and worship of her invoked God's anger. "The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women
knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. They
pour out drink offerings to other gods to arouse My anger" (verse 7:18). She was worshiped as the goddess of fertility and reproduction. The symbols of fertility and
reproduction??? Eggs! Rabbits! 
Why do you suppose the two most poignant moments of creation - the Messiah's birth and death - have been blurred and twisted and mocked by the world? Could it be to divert our attention from the Truth? Could it be to deceive unbelievers? Or could it be to confuse the body of Christ?
This information is specifically for my Christian readers. I want to speak directly to your hearts. I want to remind you that Jesus is still Jewish so the Jewish things matter! We focus so much on Christians being an individual group from everyone else that we forget the first Christians were Jews. The biblical, God centered alternative to Easter is Passover. The feasts of the Lord will be celebrated even in the millennium. The enemy wants our attention off the things that matter and the more believers look like unbelievers in our practices, the more people are led astray.
In the midst of all this discussion about Easter, I wanted to tell you
about the wonderful Jewish holiday of Purim. It has baskets and gifts
and food; there's charity to the needy and neighborly love. There are
even costumes! Purim, the celebration of the story of a real queen, a true queen - Queen Esther. This year Purim was three days before Easter. Her are links for more information.http://m.chabad.org/…/aid/1362/jewish/Purim-How-To-Guide.htm
http://m.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Purim
All last week, I presented the information above about Easter, its origins, and its false ties to Christianity. But there's one final piece of information I want to offer you that I think will blow your mind.
On the Jewish calendar, Passover is always the same date: Nisan 14. The
day of the week can vary, but the date is the same. So why is this
important?
Are you ready?
Because you can't have the Resurrection one month before the death happens.
Now do you see the problem with celebrating Easter as the resurrection? Besides being rooted in a pagan fertility goddess, the day doesn't align with the timetable of events!
I hold sacred the
remembrance of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. I hold dear the price He
paid for my sins. I carry the promise of hope in His resurrection. But I
do it at the time it actually happened. Jewish tradition does not hold a
person's birthday as important. At birth, a baby has accomplished
nothing. What the Jewish culture does regard as important is the day a person dies. At
that point, there is a life to look back on. This is why there is no
exact date of Christ's birth. Outside of being the Messiah, as a Jewish
child, His birth was not remarkable. It was His death - and resurrection
- that was noteworthy. It is why we know that He died on April 3, 33AD,
on the feast of Passover. We also know He was resurrection on April 5, 33AD, which is Nisan 16, The Feast of Firstfruits. (But that's for another post as well.)
I'll be celebrating the Savior's life, death, and resurrection in a few weeks. Now that you know, I hope you'll join me in celebrating the Savior appropriately.
.
Are you ready?
Because you can't have the Resurrection one month before the death happens.
Now do you see the problem with celebrating Easter as the resurrection? Besides being rooted in a pagan fertility goddess, the day doesn't align with the timetable of events!
I hold sacred the
remembrance of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. I hold dear the price He
paid for my sins. I carry the promise of hope in His resurrection. But I
do it at the time it actually happened. Jewish tradition does not hold a
person's birthday as important. At birth, a baby has accomplished
nothing. What the Jewish culture does regard as important is the day a person dies. At
that point, there is a life to look back on. This is why there is no
exact date of Christ's birth. Outside of being the Messiah, as a Jewish
child, His birth was not remarkable. It was His death - and resurrection
- that was noteworthy. It is why we know that He died on April 3, 33AD,
on the feast of Passover. We also know He was resurrection on April 5, 33AD, which is Nisan 16, The Feast of Firstfruits. (But that's for another post as well.)
I'll be celebrating the Savior's life, death, and resurrection in a few weeks. Now that you know, I hope you'll join me in celebrating the Savior appropriately.
