What you Should Know About EASTER

(Continued)

EGGS AND RABBITS symbolized fertility to the ancients.

Eggs and Rabbits Fertility Symbols

   The coloring of eggs on Easter is another custom associated with this ancient fertility worship.

   In the Encyclopedia Americana we find the following: "According to the Venerable Bede, English historian of the early eighth century, the word Easter is derived from the Norman Ostara or Eostre, meaning the festival of spring at the vernal equinox, March 21, when nature is in resurrection after winter. Hence, the rabbits notable for their fecundity, and the eggs, colored like rays of the returning sun and the northern lights or aurora borealis. The Greek myth Demeter and Persephone, with its Latin counterpart Ceres and Persephone, conveys the idea of a goddess returning seasonally from the nether regions to the light of day."

   Colored eggs and rabbits of the Easter holiday are a carryover of the ancient fertility rites of the pagan goddess of love and fertility.

   This is further shown in the book, The Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop. According to historical accounts, "The ancient Druids bore an egg, as the sacred emblem of their order. In the Dionysaca, or mysteries of Bacchus, as celebrated in Athens, one part of the nocturnal ceremony consisted in the consecration of an egg. The Hindu fable celebrate their mundane egg as of a golden colour. The people of Japan make their sacred egg to have a brazen colour. In China, at this hour, dyed or painted eggs are used in sacred festivals, even as in this country. In ancient times eggs were used in the religious rites of the Egyptians and the Greeks, and were hung up for mystic purposes in their temples."

   Hislop continues his narrative with the origin of the Easter egg, "An egg of wondrous size is said to have fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank, where the doves having settled upon it, and hatched it, out came Venus, who afterwards was called the Syrian goddess, that is, Astarte. Hence the egg became one of the symbols of Astarte or Easter."

Lent Preceded Tammuz Celebration

   In the Church of Rome, a fast of 40 days precedes the Easter observance. Adherents deny themselves their most favorite luxury or food over these 40 days, which is known as Lent.

   Lent is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. The historian, Cassianus, writing in the 5th century, said, "It ought to be known that the observance of the forty days (Lent) had no existence, so long as the perfection of that primitive congregation remained inviolate."

   Our Savior, the apostles, and early believers did not observe Lent. If this observance did not have its roots in the Bible, then where did it originate?

   We find the history of Lent in The Two Babylons, "Among the pagans, Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz [Adonis], which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing, being observed in Palestine and Assyria in June, therefore called, 'the month of Tammuz' in Egypt in the middle of May, and in Britain sometime in April." Hislop continues, "The forty days' abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess.  Such a Lent of forty days, 'in the spring of the year,' is still observed by the Yezidis or Pagan Devil-worshippers of Koordistan, who have inherited it from their early masters, the Babylonians." Such a Lent of forty days was held in spring by the Pagan Mexicans, for thus we read in Humboldt, where he gives account of Mexican observances: "Three days after the vernal equinox...began a solemn fast of forty days in honour of the sun." Such a Lent of forty days was observed in Egypt, as may be seen on consulting Wilkinson's Egyptians. This "Egyptian Lent of forty days...was held expressly in commemoration of Adonis or Osiris, the great mediatorial god."

   How did this unscriptural custom get into the beliefs of the New Testament converts?

 "To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity--now far sunk in idolatry--in this as in so many other things, to shake hands.... This change of the calendar in regard to Easter was attended with momentous consequences. It brought into the Church the grossest corruption and the rankest superstition in connection with the abstinence of Lent.

   "Let anyone only read the atrocities that were commemorated during the 'sacred fast' or Pagan Lent, as described by Arnobius and Clemens Alexandrinus, and surely he must blush for the Christianity of those who, with the full knowledge of all these abominations, 'went down to Egypt for help' to stir up the languid devotion of the degenerate Church, and who could find no more excellent way to 'revive' it, than by borrowing from so polluted a source; the absurdities and abominations connected with which the early Christian writers had held up to scorn.

   "That followers of the Messiah should ever think of introducing the Pagan abstinence of Lent was a sign of evil; it inevitably led to sunk, and it was also a cause of evil; it inevitably led to deeper degradation...But at last, when the worship of Astarte (Easter) was rising into the ascendant, steps were taken to get the whole Chaldean Lent of six weeks, or forty days, made imperative on all within the Roman empire of the West.  The way was prepared for this by a Council held at Aurelia in the time of Hormisdas, Bishop of Rome, about the year 519, which decreed that Lent should be solemnly kept before Easter." (The Two Babylons, pp. 105-107)

   The observance of Lent as we can see from the above historical account, was the 40-day period of weeping for Tammuz, or Adonis. This weeping for Tammuz is mentioned in Ezekiel 8:13-14. "He said also unto me, Turn yet again, and you shall see greater abominations that they do. Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the Eternal Yahweh's house which was turned toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz."

   It is clearly obvious from the above account that our Heavenly Father totally disapproves of Lent. He calls this practice "an abomination." Yet millions of people observe this holiday, thinking that what they are doing is pleasing to our Heavenly Father.

How Easter Entered our Worship

   We have seen from historical accounts the origin of our present-day Easter holiday. Clearly it did not come from the Bible. The Bible itself condemns this custom. We know that our Savior did not start it and the apostles did not engage in it. We have seen from the Bible that this holiday is very displeasing to our Heavenly Father. He calls it an abomination. Perhaps our Creator's disapproval of this holiday will offend some. Many no doubt will use clever human arguments to continue in their annual observance of Easter. However, human argument and reason do not change the facts. Easter remains one of the most abominable observances condemned by our Heavenly Father.

   It was prophesied by the apostles that there would be a great falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Even while the apostles were still alive the "mysteries of iniquity" were already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

   These mysteries of iniquity were well at work in some of the Galatian assemblies; some were returning to pagan holidays.

   The Apostle Paul openly chastised them for returning to these observances. Paul said, "Howbeit then, when you knew not Yahweh, you did service unto them which by nature were not the Almighty. But now, after that you have known the Eternal Yahweh, or rather are known of the Eternal, how then turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, and months, and times, and years," (Galatians 4:8-10).

   It is apparent that they were trying to drag these Babylonian Mysteries into the faith.  They were going back to observing "days, months, and times" as forbidden in Leviticus 19:26. Paul tells them, "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain."

   Following the death of Paul and the other apostles, the converts of Gentile decent began to return to the observance of these holidays again. They began to reject Passover, which was commanded to be observed forever, in favor of Easter, one of the Chaldean Mysteries.

   The Encyclopedia of World Religions, p. 90, tells how the corruption of the New Testament faith came about:

   "The expansion of Christianity and the Church's involvement in society brought changes and corruptions. A religion cannot expand without adapting itself to the language and customs of its converts, and while this process may win converts it may at the same time pervert the religion. The pacifism of early Christianity disappeared completely in the Middle Ages, with many kingdoms, all professing Christianity, fighting between themselves...

   "Wealth was corrupting.  A monk described the history of western monasticism in this sequence: piety produces industry, industry creates wealth, wealth destroys piety, piety in its fall dissipates wealth... The papacy, too, experienced...decay."

   It was our Savior and the apostles who instructed the New Testament assembly to continue to observe the Passover on the 14th of Abib, Leviticus 23:5; Luke 22:16-20. (Write for our free booklet, or read online, Passover--A Day to Remember.)

   Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, was one of those who remained faithful to the apostles' instructions regarding Passover. He continued to observe Passover on Abib 25. Abib was the first month of the sacred calendar.

   It was Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome and his successors, who "neither observed it [Passover] nor did they permit those after them to do so." (Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, p. 247).  They rejected the biblical commandment to keep the Passover on Abib 14, in favor of their former pagan religious traditions. They allowed themselves to be influenced by the prevailing customs of the religious world around them and instituted Easter Sunday in place of Passover.

   The history of this change fro Passover to Easter Sunday is confirmed in the Encyclopedia Britannica (11th ed., vol. VIII, pp. 828-829):

   "There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament, or in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers...[the New Testament assembly] continued to observe the Jewish festivals, though in a new spirit, as commemorations of events which those festivals had foreshadowed. Thus the Passover, with a new conception added to it, of the Messiah as the true Paschal Lamb and the first fruits from the dead, continued to be observed.

   "Although the observance of Easter was at a very early period in the practice of the Christian Church, a serious difference as to the day for its observance soon arose between the Christians of Jewish and those of Gentile descent, which led to a long and bitter controversy. With the Jewish believers...the fast ended...on the 14th day of the moon at evening...without regard to the day of the week. The Gentile Christians on the other hand identified the first day of the week with the resurrection, and kept the preceding Friday as the commemoration of the crucifixion, irrespective of the day of the month.

   "Generally speaking, the Western Churches kept Easter on the first day of the week, while the Eastern Churches followed the Jewish rule.

   "Polycarp, the disciple of John the Evangelist, and bishop of Smyrna, visited Rome...to confer with Anicetus, the bishop of that see, on the subject, and urged the tradition which he had received from the apostles of observing the 14th day.  Anicetus, however, declined.  About forty years later, the question was discussed in a very different spirit between Victor, bishop of Rome, and Polycrates, metropolitan of proconsular Asia. That province was the only portion of Christendom which still adhered to the Jewish usage. Victor demanded that all should adopt the usage prevailing at Rome. This Polycrates firmly refused to agree to, and urged many weighty reasons to the contrary, whereupon Victor proceeded to excommunicate Polycrates and the Christians who continued the Eastern usage. He was, however, restrained from actually proceeding to enforce the decree of excommunication...and the Asiatic churches retained their usage unmolested. We find the Jewish usage from time to time reasserting itself after this, but it never prevailed to any large extent.

   "A final settlement of the dispute was one among the other reasons which led Constantine to summon the council at Nicaea in 325. At that time the Syrians and Antiochenes were the solitary champions of the observance of the 14th day. The decision of the council was unanimous that Easter was to be kept on Sunday, and on the same Sunday throughout the world, and that 'none hereafter should follow the blindness of the Jews.'

   "...The few who afterwards separated themselves from the unity of the church, and continued to keep the 14th day, were named 'Quarto-decimani,' and the dispute itself is known as the "Quarto-Deciman controversy.'"

   This same record of how Easter supplanted Passover is found in other historical accounts from this time. One account of this was written by Eusebius, who wrote the following:

   "A question of no small importance arose at that time. For the parishes of all Asia, as from an old tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jew were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour's Passover...the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them.  He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him:

   "'We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of our Saviour's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip... John... Polycarp... Thraseas... Sagaris... Papirius... All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith.'" (Ecclesiastical History, book V, chs. XXIII and XXIV).

Council of Nicea Decides Fate of Passover

   It was at the Council of Nicea that the Roman Emperor Constantine, along with the council he presided over, forbade the observance of the Passover and installed Easter Sunday in its place. However, many of the faithful continued to follow the plain teachings of the Bible and our Savior and continued to observe the Passover on the 14th of Abib.  It was then that Constantine issued this edict: "We have directed, accordingly, that you be deprived of all houses in which you are accustomed to hold your assemblies...public or private" (Life of Constantine, Book III).

   Since the Church of Rome had the backing of the Roman Emperor, it grew greatly in size and influence.  It soon has political power to pass decrees imposing the death sentence upon anyone who continued to observe the Passover and biblical Sabbaths. Those who remained faithful to the plain teachings of the Bible were martyred and their property confiscated.

   What if this were the law today? How many would give up their lives and property to serve the Almighty according to his commandments? Would you? Or would you continue following the crowd in keeping Easter Sunday? Today we all have a free choice, but our salvation depends on making the correct choice.

Easter and Ancient Israel

   We know from the Bible that ancient Israel borrowed the worship of Astarte or Ashtaroth from the nations around them. "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Eternal Yahweh, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth (Hebrew for Easter), and the idols of Syria, and the idols of Zidon, and the idols of Moab, and the idols of the children of Ammon, and the idols of the Philistines, and forsook the Eternal Yahweh, and served not Him. And the anger of the Eternal Yahweh was hot against Israel," Judges 10:6-7.

   Is not our Heavenly Father's anger being kindled against those who continue to perpetuate this worship today? It appears that churchianity today has much in common with ancient Israel, for as Israel "forsook the Eternal Yahweh, and served Baal and Ashtaroth (Easter),"--so has modern churchianity (Judges 2:13).

   Our Heavenly Father still speaks to His people today through His word, calling out a people from the midst of modern Babylon to serve only Him, Revelation 18:4. Will you be one of those who heed His calling? Will you forsake the unscriptural customs of modern religion?

   The prophet Samuel has a message for us today. Writing in 1 Samuel 7:3, he instructs us, "If you return unto the Eternal Yahweh, with all your hearts, then put away the deities and Ashtaroth [Easter] from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Eternal Yahweh, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you...."

   There is only one hope for deliverance and that is through the shed blood of our Savior, commemorated by the Passover observance. Each year those who serve our Heavenly Father remember His Son's sacrifice by taking the emblems of the Passover. Will you observe the Passover, or will you continue to keep holidays steeped in worship our Heavenly Father condemns?

   You cannot serve the Heavenly Father while celebrating a festival in honor of the goddess Easter. Our Savior said, "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other," Luke 16:13.

   If you love the Heavenly Father and want to serve Him totally, then you will keep His commandments, John 14:15. He who says he loves Him "and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" 1 John 2:3.