Easter

EASTER (ISHTAR)

Easter is perhaps the most popular holiday, or festival, in the Christian religion. The date moves from year to year to occur on the Sunday after the vernal equinox. According to Christian tradition Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Christ on the third day. However

Origin of the word "Easter"

In Acts 12: 4 we find the only instance of the word " Easter" in the Bible. However, the word was translated from the Greek word "Pascha" which means "Passover". When read in context it becomes clear that Luke is not referencing the resurrection. The word "Easter" actually derives from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. She is identified with the Babylonian fertility goddess Ishtar.

Intermingled Symbols and Practices of Pagan Worship Easter Eggs

In addition to the name, the symbols associated with Easter also show its pagan influence. In paganism the egg symbolizes the manifestation of the cosmos. The egg is also a symbol of rebirth that is associated with various pagan deities. The ancient Egyptians hung eggs in their temples. Seb, the Egyptian god of time supposedly laid an egg. In the ancient Greek Orphic tradition the primordial hermaphroditic god hatched from an egg and then created the deity. The Chinese believed that when the earth was in total darkness that Poon-Koo-Wong came out of an enormous egg as a human being with tremendous powers. According to one Babylonian legend an egg containing Ishtar fell from heaven and landed in the Euphrates River. In Babylon we also find the beginnings of Easter eggs hunts. Colored eggs were also used in honor of Ishtar. Ancient pagans believed that finding "Ishtar's egg" in nature at the time of her rebirth would bring forth a blessing. After the rise of Christianity the egg became a symbol of the tomb where Christ was resurrected, and Christians continued the pagan custom of painting eggs during the festival of Easter. In ancient Anglo-Saxon mythology the fertility goddess Ostara changed her bird into an egg laying hare, or rabbit.

Hares/Rabbits

In paganism the rabbit is a sign of sexual fertility and the moon. A rabbit or hare has four to eight litters each year. During its lifespan a rabbit can potentially produce up to six hundred offspring. It was believed that hares were associated with the fertility goddesses. The hare, like Easter, is associated with the moon. The nocturnal hare, or rabbit, carries her young for a month, the length of the moon cycle. The hare was also a symbol of pagan folklore because it was said that the dark patches on the moon looked like leaping hares.

New Clothing

During Easter it is customary to wear a new set of clothing. Pagans also did this around the time of the Equinox in celebration of the Ostara. In the Teutonic pagan tradition it was bad luck to wear spring garments before Ostara. New elegant garments were sewn during the winter to be worn during the spring festival.

Easter Lilies

Lilies are among the flowers associated with the Easter season. The lily is also revered by pagans. Pagans revered the lily and considered the flower to be a phallic symbol because it resembled the male reproductive organ.

Easter Ham

Many Christians traditionally eat a ham on Easter. This custom may in fact have derived from Babylon. According to legend, Tammuz was killed by a wild boar on a hunting expedition, and Ishtar descended into the underworld to rescue him. Each year a pig was consumed by the followers of Ishtar and Tammuz to avenge the death of their sun god.

Sunrise Service

Both Catholics and Protestants observe a sunrise service on Easter. This custom comes from the ancient spring festivals. During the Vernal Equinox in pre-Christian times pagans celebrated the rising sun. Ezekiel 8:6-18 (verse 16) “So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.” Although many Christians celebrate sunrise service in honor of the Resurrection of Christ, it is done in error. (see “Resurrection” post)

Easter was not celebrated by Early Christians

Easter was not observed by the Apostles or the early Christians. Even Tertullian asks, "If the Apostles set aside all reference to days and months and years, why do we celebrate Pascha in the first month of each year?"  There is no evidence that Easter was observed in the New Testament. Easter in relation to Christ was not celebrated until several hundred years after His death. It was common practice of the Catholic Church to overtake the pagan days and rites in order to draw in the pagans. The obvious problem is that stamping the name of Jesus on a pagan day does not in reality make the day "Christian".

Text quoted heavily from The Pagan Origins of Christian Holidays by Elisha Israel and various Wikipedia pages.

Lent and Ash Wednesday

LENT, awaiting the rebirth of Spring

Lent is the 40th day before Easter, the 6 ½ week period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. During Lent some fast and refrain from various pleasures (certain foods, alcohol, hobbies, etc). This is said to be preparing to commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. Some Christian denominations associate this fast with the 40 day fast of Jesus in the wilderness before being tempted by Satan. However, that 40 day fast by Jesus was a total fast and had nothing to with His resurrection, or Easter.

The word Lent means "spring" from the Old English word "Lencten". In one version of the Babylonian myth, Tammuz the great hunter was slain while hunting. Pagans mourned for him through weeping ceremonies for 40 days. During the days of Ezekiel this ritual was even found among the Israelites. Ezekiel 8:6-18 (verse 14) So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the Lord's house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.

Worshipers of Tammuz cried with Ishtar believing that his rebirth would mean the regeneration of life within nature. Similar feasts are found throughout pagan peoples of all ages. The ancient Egyptians observed a 40 day fast in honor of Osiris.

The sign of the cross rubbed with ashes is not exclusive to Christianity; it is also found throughout the ancient world and was used as a symbol of the pagan Gods. The Tau cross was put on the foreheads of new believers coming into the Mysteries of Mithras. The act of sprinkling ashes directly on the head, which is also done on Ash Wednesday, was done in honor of the pagan Norse god Odin. 

The placing of ashes above the brow, on the forehead, always occurred on Wednesday, the day named in honor of Odin.

Why is lent observed today? There are no scriptural references telling us to observe such a fast. If the Christian veil of Lent is swept aside we can easily see the ancient pagan fast.

Text quoted heavily from The Pagan Origins of Christian Holidays by Elisha Israel and various Wikipedia pages.

Why did Jesus die?

Let's go through 15 different reasons why Jesus died.  In the interest of brevity I will not get long winded with explanations, but simply allow scripture to tell the story.

1. To do the will of God.  Hebrews 10:5-7, which refers to Psalm 40:6-8, specifically verse 7 which says "Then I said, 'Behold, I have come - in the volume of the book it is written of Me - to do Your will, O God.'"  John 1:13 "who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

2. To save sinners.  Luke 19:10 Jesus said "for the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost."  Also 1 Timothy 1:15 and Matthew 9:13

3. To fulfill the law.  Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus said "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."  Also Romans 10:4

4. To redeem those who are under the law.  Galatians 3:13 "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.'"  This refers to Deuteronomy 21:23.  Also Galatians 4:4-5 and 1 Peter 1:18-19.

5. To demonstrate God's righteousness.  Romans 3:21-26, verse 22 "even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.", verse 25 "whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness".  Also 2 Corinthians 5:21.

6. To manifest His love to us. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Also Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:16, and 1 John 4:10.

7. To bring us to God.  1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit".  Also Hebrews 2:9-10

8. To destroy the devil's power.  Hebrews 2:14-15 "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil."

9. To be a merciful and faithful high priest.  Hebrews 2:17-18 "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."  Also Hebrews4:14-16

 10. To serve and to give His life as a ransom.  Matthew 20:28 Jesus said "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His lifea ransom for many"  Also 1 Timothy 2:5-6

11. In order to reconcile us to God. Romans 5:9-11 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."

12. In order to bear our sins.  1 Peter 2:24 "who Himself bore our sin His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed."  Also Hebrews 9:28

13. To take away our sins.  John 1:29 "The next day John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'"  Also 1 John 3:5

14. To forgive us our sins.  Ephesians 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."  Also Colossians 1:14 and 1 John 1:9

15. To give us eternal life.  John 3:15-16  Jesus said "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Also John 10:27

Little is much when God is in it

The mustard seed - we have all heard of the mustard seed as Jesus used it in parables throughout His ministry.  Matthew 17:20 Jesus said ". . . if you have faith as a mustard seed . . ."  Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:19; Luke 17:6

The mustard seed is indeed the smallest of the seeds - just as Jesus said.  However, did you know that if you break open this tiny seed there are hundreds of smaller seeds inside?  We are promised that with faith smaller than a period at the end of a sentence we can do mighty things in His name.

Little is much when God is in it.


From the dust of the ground God made man.  From one family He repopulated the earth.  From one man He formed His Chosen People.  With 300 soldiers of Gideon He conquered an innumerable army.  By one brave woman He saved His people from slaughter.  He fed the multitudes with a few fishes and loaves of bread. With a bow of our head, a simple act of surrender, God will preform the mightiest of all miracles.

A lot of us get intimidated by the images of greatness that are in our minds as to what or who is going to be used mightily of the Lord.  God takes ordinary people and does extraordinary things through them.  Never look down on anyone or yourself.  God may be using them, or you, in a way that you could never imagine. 

Too much emphasis has been placed on man and our ability to really believe great and mighty things.  It is not how great we are - the issue is who God is.  God makes is what makes anything significant.  He is not dependent on your faith.  God is not up in heaven wringing His hands, sweating and waiting for you to believe in Him so that He can operate.  He used Balaam's donkey - He could use you - He can make the rocks cry out - He can use anything. 

God will do great things in your life if you will let Him. Not because of your great faith in God, but because it is faith in a great God. 

They know not what they do

Luke 23:34 "Then Jesus said 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots." (NKJV)

Get the picture in your mind.  Jesus knows what is about to take place.  He knows the pain He will endure before His carnal body takes its last breath.  He has already endured brutal beatings and whippings.  His body, exhausted from lack of sleep and food, dehydrated and in shock from the blood loss, now torn beyond recognition.  But it is not the physical pain so much as it is the Spiritual pain that stares Him in the face - He and the Father must be separated, torn apart as He himself bares the sin and shame of the whole world.  The thorns that God had sent to curse the earth's rebellion now twisted around His head.  

As a lamb being led to the laughter Jesus did not resist.  Laying on His back He willingly stretched out His hands to be nailed to the beam.  A soldier raises the mallet in his hand to drive the first spike.  But the soldier's heart must continue beating.  Someone must sustain the soldier's life minute by minute, for no man has this power on his own.  Who supplies breath to his lungs?  Who gives energy to his cells?  Who holds his molecules together?  Only by the Son do 'all things hold together' (Colossians 1:17).  Jesus wills that the soldier lives on.  The soldier swings.

Jesus recalls how He and the Father designed the medial nerve of the human forearm - the sensations it would be capable of.  The design proves flawless - the nerve performs exquisitely as the fire of pain runs through His arms.

He prays for those who take such joy in persecuting Him.  "Father, forgive them."  Not just the Roman soldiers, but that prayer has come down through the ages to us.  They crucified Him in there own ignorance.  Many before Jesus claimed to be the Messiah.  God's people persecuted the prophets before Him.  Peter spoke to the crowd (Acts 2:36-41) telling them to repent - and in this repentance the prayer of Jesus is fulfilled.  In our repentance His prayer continues to be fulfilled to this day.  "Father forgive them."