Bible Study Notes: Easter

Written by Pastor David O'Steen at http://kjbstudy.blogspot.com/2016/03/easter.html

Easter 

This post is for all those who sincerely love truth over tradition. 

Matthew 15:7-9, 12

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

Psalm 119:165 

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

The word "Easter" is found one time in the Bible and it was a pagan king who observed it (Acts 12:1-4). The Bible critics claim this is a mistake in the King James Bible. They claim the text should say "Passover" and not "Easter." But a simple reading of the context shows that Herod observed Easter AFTER the Passover. The days of unleavened bread followed Passover (v.3; Lev. 23:4-8). 

The TRUTH is holidays like Easter and Christmas are Roman Catholic traditions that are actually rooted in Babylonian religion and not the word of God (Babylon is the mother of harlots, fountainhead of idolatry, Rev. 17:5). Easter comes from the ancient pagan festival of Astarte (Ashtaroth in OT). Also known as Ishtar (pronounced "Easter"), this festival was always held late in the month of April. It was the Catholic Council of Nicaea (325 AD) that set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the full moon that falls on or after the spring equinox. Easter was, in its original pagan form, a celebration of the earth "regenerating" itself after the winter season. The festival involved a celebration of reproduction. For this reason the common symbols of Easter festivities were the rabbit and the egg. At the center of attention was Astarte, the female deity. She is known in the Bible as the "queen of heaven" (Jer. 7:18; 44:17-25). That’s what the Catholics call Mary! She is the mother of the sun god Tammuz (Ezek. 8:14) who was also her husband (Nimrod, Gen. 10). These perverted rituals would take place at sunrise on Easter morning (Ezek. 8:13-16). Christ died on the Passover which was always the 14th day of Nisan (April). He arose Saturday evening (which was the first day of the week Jewish time). Mary came to the tomb “when it was yet dark” and He was not there (Jn. 20:1). So much for the "sunrise service." Bible believing Christians rejoice every day that our Savior died for our sins and rose again the third day. We don’t observe “holy days" (Col. 2:8-17).