The word "Easter" is actually derived from the name of the ancient Assyrian goddess "Ishtar" pronounced by the Assyrians the same as "Easter". The traditions of Easter such as colored eggs, the Easter bunny and sunrise services originated BEFORE Christianity and are in fact pagan! Many of the customs and traditions surrounding Easter originated long before the time of Christ some over 2000 years BEFORE the beginning of the Christian era.
EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE
The Old Testament refers to a similar service more than 500 years before the birth of Christ....
(Ezekiel: 8:16) And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, [were] about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
(This is the only place in the Bible where men are described as observing a sunrise worship service. As millions do every Easter Sunday morning as the sun rises in their worship service. The pagans turned their backs on God's temple, faced the sun at its rising and worshiped the mythical sun god and the goddess of spring, "Easter".)
God certainly did not approve of this practice....
(Ezekiel: 8:15) “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? turn thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”
(Ezekiel: 8:17) “Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”
It was an ancient heathen practice to gather before dawn and worship the rising sun. These services were being observed by the nation of Judah in Ezekiel's day. They had borrowed some of the heathen customs in spite of God's commandments not to follow pagan practices in worshipping Him.
Jesus will not share the worship of Himself with anyone or anything else. To incorporate pagan teachings into the worship of God would be the same as asking God to share His throne with the works of the devil. That is impossible for God to entertain.
(Ezekiel 8: 1418) "Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz." (Tammuz=Nimrod, the sun god)
In ancient times, there was a man named Nimrod, who was the grandson of one of Noah's son named Ham.
Ham had a son named Cush who married a woman named Semiramis. Cush and Semiramis then had a son and named him "Nimrod."
After the death of his father, Nimrod married his own mother and became a powerful King.
The Bible tells of this man, Nimrod, in Genesis 10:8-10. Nimrod became a god-man to the people and Semiramis, his wife and mother, became the powerful Queen of ancient Babylon.
Nimrod was eventually killed by an enemy. Semiramis claimed that Nimrod had ascended to the sun and was now to be called "Baal", the sun god.
Semiramis was creating a mystery religion, and with the help of Satan, she set herself up as a goddess. Ishtar soon became pregnant and claimed that it was the rays of the sun-god Baal that caused her to conceive. The son she brought forth she named Tammuz. Tammuz was a hunter like his father and one day while hunting he was killed by a wild pig. Queen Ishtar told the people that Tammuz was now ascended to his father, Baal, and the two of them would be with the worshippers in the sacred candle flame as father, son, and spirit. Ishtar who was now worshipped as the “Mother of God and Queen of Heaven” continued to build her mystery religion. She proclaimed a forty-day period of sorrow each year prior to the anniversary of the death of Tammuz. Every year on the first Sunday after the first full moon, a celebration was made. It was Ishtar’s Sunday and was celebrated with rabbits and eggs.
Worshippers were made to meditate upon Baal and Tammuz and to make a sign of the “T” in front of their hearts as they worshipped. They also ate sacred cakes with a marking of a “T” or cross on top.
(Jeremiah 7:18-19) "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?"
These cakes are still baked today at Easter and called hot cross buns. The cross is an ancient symbol for the solar wheel and is the symbol of the sun and the 'queen of heaven' or Semiramus, the motherwife of Nimrod.
Does any of this sound familiar? The truth is Easter has nothing whatsoever to do with the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many Christians acknowledge that Christmas and Easter did originate in paganism but they claim that they now observe these days to "honor Christ" or "glorify God".
USING PAGANISM TO WORSHIP GOD
God had something to say about using pagan practices to worship Him....
(Deuteronomy 12:29) When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
(Deuteronomy 12:30) Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
(Deuteronomy 12:31) Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
(Jeremiah 10:2) Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them
God clearly commands us not to adopt the practices of pagan nations. God does not accept such forms of worship even though they are intended to honor Him. God is not honored through disobedience.
WORSHIPPING JESUS IN VAIN
Jesus Christ said it was possible to worship Him in vain....
(Matthew 15:9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about using human traditions on how to worship God....
(Mark 7:7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
(Mark 7:8) For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
(Mark 7:9) And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
God said man will reject his commandments to keep their traditions. God clearly commanded, “Do not worship me as they worship their gods.” God does not want people to honor Christ by following the traditions and customs of men, especially those of pagan roots!
The following is a quote from the Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 11; page 390:
"During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a 'solar monotheism.' Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of Solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities. The feast of Sol Invictus (unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ."
Many professing Christians fill their children with falsehoods about Santa Claus, flying reindeer, and an Easter bunny that lays eggs. Nowhere does the Bible instruct us to observe these days, nor to lie to our children. However, it does teach us to repent of such practices, and to remove ourselves from anything that has its roots in the worship of the devil. God will forgive those who turn to Him. Most professing Christians find it difficult to accept these truths because these pagan holidays were passed down through traditions. It is something they have always done, many since birth. But, it is important to remember that we are to worship God in "spirit and truth" (John 4:24) not lies and paganism. We must also remember that Satan's ministers are also transformed into ministers of light, as shown in 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15.....
Jesus Christ came to "destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). He did not come to incorporate them into the worship of His Holy Father. The lies of the devil brought division within the Kingdom of God and caused one third of the angels to rebel. It was his lies that deceived Adam and Eve and caused the death of all mankind and Jesus Christ, our Savior. Our Heavenly Father hates the works of Satan, and so should we. God Almighty is a jealous God:
"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:14).
The egg, as a symbol of New Life is much older than Christianity and the coloring of it at the spring festival is also of very ancient origin. The Egyptians, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans used it this way. Eggs were eaten during the spring festival from very early times. Children are told that the rabbit lays the Easter eggs in a garden for the children to find. This is an adoption of the pagan custom of regarding the rabbit as an emblem of fertility, that is, of new life."
Funk and Wagnall's Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend p 341 "Early in history the egg became a symbol for sex, reproduction and life. The egg represented a resurrection and after life and was used to cast magical spells' (Long before Jesus was born eggs were used in religious worship)
A Treasury of American Superstition page 361"The hare represented abundant life and the fertility of the earth... Because hares were born with eyes open, they were sacred to the 'open eyed moon' in Egypt, and thus connected with Easter, as the date is set by the moon's orbit to this day. The Germans made the hare sacred to the goddess Eastre, and said that on Easter Eve it would lay eggs for good children."
(As you can see the early Christians saw in these pagan rituals symbols of Christ's resurrection to new life. So obviously they 'borrowed' some of the heathen customs. Even tho' God commands his people NOT to follow the ways of the heathen, and NOT to use pagan customs to worship Him!)
Why Were These Pagan Holidays and Festivals "Christianized"?
The Christianization of Pagan holidays began about the fourth century A.D. when the Roman Emperor Constantine, became (or feigned becoming) a Christian. In order to consolidate his rule, he incorporated the Pagan holidays and festivals into the church ritual - attracting the Pagans, but he gave the holidays and festivals new "Christian" names and identities - thus appeasing the Christians. Over the centuries, this practice has continued until the present time where we find the two systems, Paganism and Christianity, almost indistinguishable.
This is the Adversary's clever deception - Paganism dressed up in Christian clothes! It's still nothing more than Paganism, but the Christian churches have wholeheartedly embraced this deception. Easter and other holidays are just another trick of the devil to try and “whitewash” perverted customs to observe pagan gods and idols by “Christianizing” them. Do not take this article’s word. Go to history books and encyclopedias. Go to the Bible. Then you will know the truth and what God expects you to do about it.
John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Jeremiah 10:2 “Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen…”
Kim Howard
(318) 450-2148
email: kimlovesjesus@icloud.com
www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com