My Problem With Easter

While claiming that it accurately symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it focuses on a religious observance ordained by the world’s churches that honors a counterfeit god. It has no basis in fact and every aspect of it is a lie. Jesus did not die on “Good Friday” and He did not rise on “Easter Sunday morning”! The very words of Jesus were: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40). You can prove it from your own Bible – but only if you have a love for the truth (II Thes. 2:10).

Giving honor to a pagan fertility goddess of spring diverts attention away from the single most important event in the entire history of mankind. What does the ritual of Easter mask that you need to know? Peel away that mask and you will see the god of this world (II Cor. 4:3-6). Continue with me and we’ll uncover some more truths Satan tries to conceal from you.

Easter has become a false doctrine of the world’s churches and has obscured the LORD’S sacrifice of the Passover. The Passover was set before the earth was formed (1Pet. 1:18-20, Rev. 13:8), foretold in Genesis 3:15, executed as a type in Exodus 12:1-12 and fulfilled as the antitype in Luke 23:46. The timing of this event is of utmost importance as Galatians 4:4-6 proclaims:

“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were (charged) under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father”

Jesus knew that He was the LORD’S sacrifice for man and was well aware of the time it was to occur: 14 “And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer:

16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

17 And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:14-20).

Few observe it on the anniversary of the night Jesus was betrayed as Paul instructed. Most prefer to construe Jesus’ words of “as oft as ye drink it” to “as oft as ye choose.” How could it be an observance of Passover if done man’s way and not God’s way? Also, it should never be done with leavened bread nor have anything left till morning (Ex 23:18).

Jesus said, “this do in remembrance of me” and established a memorial of His death with full instructions as to how and when it should be performed. By so doing He was announcing the change from the Old Testament Passover of annually sacrificing lambs to the New Testament Passover by His own blood once, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Rom.6:10, Heb.7:27, 9:24-26).

Does any man have the authority to change any fraction of the New Testament Passover as instituted by Jesus Himself?

Paul also verified the timing and procedures

23 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (That night was the beginning of the 14th of Abib, Lev. 23:5)

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (I Cor. 11:23-26). Again Paul is not suggesting to do it

as often as you choose, as it is a memorial to an annual event.

The Passover opened the way for a person to go directly to the Father through Christ, our High Priest, bypassing all earthly forms of mediators between God and man. The law of the Levitical Priesthood has now served its purpose and has been superseded by the Melchizedek Priesthood of Christ (Heb. 7:11-12).

The wonderful truth that Jesus has come at the time appointed, has triggered a progression of predetermined points in time; leading to the redemption of all things and the end of Satan’s illegitimate earthly rule. They are mentioned throughout the Bible and mandated in sequence in Leviticus 23. They are types, past and future, of events in their antitype at their each appointed time.

The Next Step

“For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the Feast …” (I Cor. 5:7). What Feast is Paul telling us to keep? See Leviticus 23:5-8.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, the 15th of Abib, a seven-day directive for Christians to remove all forms of sin, spiritual and physical, from their lives. Leavening symbolizes the contagion of sin.

Some 30 years after the cross we find proof of the New Testament churches keeping these feasts of the Lord. In Corinth, a predominately gentile Christian church is keeping this feast. Clearly, Paul approved of the feast but not the way they were keeping it. Although they had made themselves physically unleavened, they were spiritually leavened by allowing a person who was openly living in sin to congregate with them (I Cor. 5:7-8).

The actual assent of Jesus

On the first day of the week (Sunday) that occurs during that seven days, a sheaf of grain (representing Jesus) was offered up to God as an offering of first fruits of the harvest (Lev. 23:10-11; John 20:17). (Note: this day is not a Sabbath nor a Holy Day). Jesus appeared to Mary shortly before the sheaf was offered and then rose to the Father at the time the sheaf was offered up (John. 20:17). Jesus was the antitype “firstfruit” (I Cor. 15:20) of many to follow (James 1:18; Rev. 14:4).

Easter diverts our attention from the true ascent of Jesus to His Father therefore we miss the connection it has to the sheaf of the first fruits. Jesus was the first Fruit of the harvest of the earth; the Lion of the tribe of Judah that prevailed to loose the seven seals of the book of life (Rev. 5:4-8). Read the whole amazing story in Revelation chapter 5.

Determining Pentecost

The third annual Holy Day.

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Notice the importance of timing.

But, without the accurate dating of the firstfruit, the day of Pentecost cannot be correctly determined. Consider the monumental happenings of that important day and take note of how they were to determine the date.

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete” (Lev 23:15). Each Sabbath thereafter was counted and referred to as the first, second, third etc. of the Sabbaths. These were weekly Sabbaths not the annual Sabbath that followed the Passover. Thus the 50 count always wound up on a Sunday never on a week day. The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread are set by calendar dates and therefore can fall on most any day of the week. Pentecost being a weekly count will always fall on Sunday.

Right on schedule, 50 days after the first fruit offering came its antitype, the Day of Pentecost. Thus launching the New Testament Church; bringing the Holy Spirit, our power from on high, which is given to those who obey Him (Lev. 23:15-16; Acts 2:1, 5:32).

The spring appointed times have all occurred at their prearranged time in history and were continually observed annually by the early church. Is there any reason not to expect the remaining four annual Sabbaths (Day of Trumpets, Day of

Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, and The Last Great Day) to occur at their future appointed time?

What an exciting time we are experiencing in these last days. Is it any wonder why Satan is trying to divert our attention away from the coming events that spell the end to his unlawful reign?

That is my problem with Easter!

So much more we could learn from the wonders revealed in God’s Appointed Times and Holy Days; so many questions could be answered. Would you allow this to be a springboard for further study? These free study guides using your own Bible will help you search out many answers. IF A MAN DIE – THE BEGINNING OF ERROR – THE DAY CHRIST DIED -GOD’S INTRIGUING CYCLE OF SEVENS – WERE GOD’S LAWS NAILED TO THE CROSS. Also the “Easter slide rule” that enables you to track the Biblical statements concerning the timing of the death and resurrection of Christ, proving that they do not contradict as some say, but are not only specific, but precise, and true in every detail.

 

Del Leger©