Carry_Your_Name
Member
- Oct 2, 2023
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Nonetheless, fertility worship is the theme of that spring festival, it doesn't matter what you call it.
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Desire to be a vessel of honor unto the Lord Jesus Christ?
Join Hidden in Him and For His Glory for discussions on how
https://christianforums.net/threads/become-a-vessel-of-honor-part-2.112306/
Is “Easter” in the original Scriptures?
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Carry_Your_Name
Member
- Oct 2, 2023
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So you have exchanged feasts of the Lord with feast of man. Good to know.
- Dec 2, 2022
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old feast of the Lord for the new feasts of the Lord!
our religion is revealed by God in Christ thtu His church!
1 cor 5: 7-8
7 ...For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast...
thks
Johann!@#
Member
- Sep 10, 2023
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THE SPRING FEASTS
Then the next set of feasts come in the Spring, and are all related to one another:
In Exodus 12, God instructs the Israelites to start the calendar in the first month, which is now known as Nisan in the Spring.
“This month will mark the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb for his family, one lamb for the household… Your lamb is to be without blemish, a year old male. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You must watch over it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to slaughter it at twilight.”
“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
When we think of the events of the Passover and the Exodus from Egypt, it’s hard to think of a more perfect picture for what was to come in Jesus! An innocent lamb without flaws was sacrificed, and the blood smeared on wood vertically and horizontally so that people who believed would be saved from death. Hammering the point home, Jesus was tested and found innocent, then He was beaten and betrayed, before his sacrifice for us on the wooden cross at exactly the time Passover lambs were being checked and slaughtered. The picture is crystal clear.
“Get rid of the old hametz [leaven], so you may be a new batch, just as you are unleavened—for Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Then the people, after being redeemed by blood, passed through water and went on a long, hard journey before they finally arrived in the Promised Land. Similarly, after receiving salvation through the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, we go through the waters of baptism and walk with God through hardships until we finally arrive in the place prepared for us.
After the night of Passover itself, we enter the Feast of Unleavened Bread which lasts for seven days. This is a picture of our lives as believers here on earth, choosing to turn our back on sin, with leaven (hametz) being symbolic of sin. The unleavened bread also points to Jesus – matzoh bread is striped and pierced, just as He was, and with no trace of leaven which represents sin and pride.
The 14th of Nisan, the night of the Passover, falls on different days of the week each year, but we are told that the Feast of Firstfruits must always be celebrated on the first SUNDAY after Passover (Leviticus 23:15). This feast is unique in that it fixes the day of the week – of course it points to resurrection Sunday, as a prophetic witness to the day when Jesus gained victory over death. It is also unusual because although there are other sacrifices mentioned, there is no sin offering required for the festival of Firstfruits. Jesus was the first to rise again from the dead, never to die again, but He will not be the last! At the end of time, we will all join Him and have glorious, new resurrection bodies. We will all be changed, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52).
Then from that Sunday, God commands that His people should count seven weeks to the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot in Hebrew, which means weeks (Leviticus 23:16). This festival is also known as Pentecost, with pente meaning 50, because it’s 50 days since the Feast of Firstfruits. Pentecost is the time when God poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers, giving them His power to live a new life in the Messiah and take the gospel all over the world. Shavuot testifies to the gathering and inclusion of the Gentiles into the New Covenant.
These Spring feasts are all connected and dependent on each other, and the basis and foundation is the blood of the lamb. All the other Spring Feasts depend on when the night of Passover falls. Unleavened bread follows the Passover seder, and Firstfruits falls on whichever Sunday comes next… and Shavuot is counted seven weeks from then. But it all hinges on that night of blood on the doorframes. Eating the unleavened bread of a repentant lifestyle is no use without the salvation of blood. The Passover and the redemption of blood must come first, and is followed by the equipping of the Spirit to help us walk out our new lives in Him.
So all these Spring Feasts have been fulfilled in many ways in the first coming of Jesus.
THE FALL FEASTS
Then there is a long gap before the next festivals in the fall. This gap between the Spring feasts and the fall feasts is not dependent on wherever Shavuot ended up, but rather starts on the first day of seventh month, which means the gap between them varies and is of uncertain length, year to year. This testifies of our experience of waiting, living in expectation of the trumpet call which will announce the return of King Jesus.
The Feast of Trumpets is called Yom Teruah in Hebrew, which means a loud noise, or blast of the horn, rather than trumpet exactly. We learn in Thessalonians that there will be a great trumpet sound to usher in the return of the Messiah. Although Jesus opened the door of redemption 2000 years ago, God has yet to ultimately redeem all things to Himself as He promised He would do in the Age to Come.
Ten days later, on the tenth day of the seventh month, we have Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. The number ten signifies God’s claim for perfect obedience (think of the 10 commandments). In this special day of national repentance and sacrifice, the claims of God are met and the conscience of the people is cleared. It’s a time of affliction and humbling, repentance and cleansing. In ancient Israel on Yom Kippur, the high priest entered in alone, but Jesus, our high priest, has made a way for us to be together with Him in the holy of holies. However, those who reject the forgiveness of Jesus will have to stand before the judgement seat with no cover of atonement. Yom Kippur points towards the Day of Judgement, the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Last of all we have the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot as we call it in Hebrew. After hearing Ezra the priest read the instructions about how to celebrate Sukkot after they had returned from Babylon, the people of Israel joyfully went to fulfil the command to go and build booths! God instructed His people to build shelters, or sukkot as they’re called in Hebrew, to remind us of the forty years of journeying in the desert. A week spent in a flimsy shelters reminds us of the temporary nature of this life, and points to our eternal home in the world to come.
The wheat harvest and the grape harvest are both gathered before Sukkot. Jesus speaks of good crops of wheat being like fruitful believers, and also the Bible warns us of grapes trodden down in God’s wrath. The harvesting and the sorting happen before Sukkot which is like a big harvest festival. Unlike the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is seven days long, this holiday lasts for eight days, which symbolises going beyond completion into eternity, resurrection and a new beginning. There are seven days of the feast, with an eighth day (known as shmini atzeret) of joyful rest at the end!
“So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you are to keep the Feast of Adonai for seven days. The first day is to be a Shabbat rest, and the eighth day will also be a Shabbat rest.”
In Zechariah 2:10, God promises His people that He’s going to come and tabernacle with us, and Jesus makes it clear to us that He wants to live with us, and we with Him. In Jewish thought, a sukkah is reminiscent of a chuppa, a wedding canopy. This is another shelter that points to the ultimate wedding of the Bride and the Lamb. The ultimate rest.
This is how the calendar ends, with joyful union with God.
THE FEASTS AS WITNESSES AND POINTERS
Now you might ask, with all these amazing signs that point so clearly to Jesus, why don’t Jewish people believe in Him? A large part of the answer is that the Jewish picture of the Messiah is very different to the Lamb of God, the Suffering Servant who came 2000 years ago. They were expecting a conquering king, a victorious warrior, who would usher in a Messianic age of perfection. Why did they think that? Because that is what is described over and over again in the Hebrew Scriptures – and it will happen! But many Christians don’t seem to know this side of our Messiah very well. They might know what Revelation says about the end of time, but aren’t so familiar with the hundreds of details about the Messiah’s glorious coming given to us in the Old Testament.
In the same way that the Jewish people missed the time of His visitation in the first century because they were expecting something very different, people will be in for a big shock when He comes again in glory if they’re expecting a gentle shepherd instead of a conquering King.
Where Christians see the crucifixion prophesied in the Passover, Jewish people see multiple pointers to the ultimate redemption to come.
Many seem to believe that the Spring feasts point exclusively to Yeshua’s first coming and only the Fall feasts look to his return, but there is plenty we can learn about His second coming from all of the feasts.
The Biblical Feasts of Israel All Point to Jesus
Our ministry, ONE FOR ISRAEL, is a movement of Jewish and Arab Israeli followers of Jesus with a commission to reach their country and the nations with the Gospel. We see our call to equip believers in Israel and around the world with the tools of ministry through our media outreach, and to...
www.oneforisrael.org
J.
- Dec 2, 2022
- 6,389
- 356
this was the old covenant which was abrogated by the coming ChristTHE SPRING FEASTS
Then the next set of feasts come in the Spring, and are all related to one another:
In Exodus 12, God instructs the Israelites to start the calendar in the first month, which is now known as Nisan in the Spring.
“This month will mark the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb for his family, one lamb for the household… Your lamb is to be without blemish, a year old male. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You must watch over it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to slaughter it at twilight.”
“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
When we think of the events of the Passover and the Exodus from Egypt, it’s hard to think of a more perfect picture for what was to come in Jesus! An innocent lamb without flaws was sacrificed, and the blood smeared on wood vertically and horizontally so that people who believed would be saved from death. Hammering the point home, Jesus was tested and found innocent, then He was beaten and betrayed, before his sacrifice for us on the wooden cross at exactly the time Passover lambs were being checked and slaughtered. The picture is crystal clear.
“Get rid of the old hametz [leaven], so you may be a new batch, just as you are unleavened—for Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Then the people, after being redeemed by blood, passed through water and went on a long, hard journey before they finally arrived in the Promised Land. Similarly, after receiving salvation through the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, we go through the waters of baptism and walk with God through hardships until we finally arrive in the place prepared for us.
After the night of Passover itself, we enter the Feast of Unleavened Bread which lasts for seven days. This is a picture of our lives as believers here on earth, choosing to turn our back on sin, with leaven (hametz) being symbolic of sin. The unleavened bread also points to Jesus – matzoh bread is striped and pierced, just as He was, and with no trace of leaven which represents sin and pride.
The 14th of Nisan, the night of the Passover, falls on different days of the week each year, but we are told that the Feast of Firstfruits must always be celebrated on the first SUNDAY after Passover (Leviticus 23:15). This feast is unique in that it fixes the day of the week – of course it points to resurrection Sunday, as a prophetic witness to the day when Jesus gained victory over death. It is also unusual because although there are other sacrifices mentioned, there is no sin offering required for the festival of Firstfruits. Jesus was the first to rise again from the dead, never to die again, but He will not be the last! At the end of time, we will all join Him and have glorious, new resurrection bodies. We will all be changed, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52).
Then from that Sunday, God commands that His people should count seven weeks to the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot in Hebrew, which means weeks (Leviticus 23:16). This festival is also known as Pentecost, with pente meaning 50, because it’s 50 days since the Feast of Firstfruits. Pentecost is the time when God poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers, giving them His power to live a new life in the Messiah and take the gospel all over the world. Shavuot testifies to the gathering and inclusion of the Gentiles into the New Covenant.
These Spring feasts are all connected and dependent on each other, and the basis and foundation is the blood of the lamb. All the other Spring Feasts depend on when the night of Passover falls. Unleavened bread follows the Passover seder, and Firstfruits falls on whichever Sunday comes next… and Shavuot is counted seven weeks from then. But it all hinges on that night of blood on the doorframes. Eating the unleavened bread of a repentant lifestyle is no use without the salvation of blood. The Passover and the redemption of blood must come first, and is followed by the equipping of the Spirit to help us walk out our new lives in Him.
So all these Spring Feasts have been fulfilled in many ways in the first coming of Jesus.
THE FALL FEASTS
Then there is a long gap before the next festivals in the fall. This gap between the Spring feasts and the fall feasts is not dependent on wherever Shavuot ended up, but rather starts on the first day of seventh month, which means the gap between them varies and is of uncertain length, year to year. This testifies of our experience of waiting, living in expectation of the trumpet call which will announce the return of King Jesus.
The Feast of Trumpets is called Yom Teruah in Hebrew, which means a loud noise, or blast of the horn, rather than trumpet exactly. We learn in Thessalonians that there will be a great trumpet sound to usher in the return of the Messiah. Although Jesus opened the door of redemption 2000 years ago, God has yet to ultimately redeem all things to Himself as He promised He would do in the Age to Come.
Ten days later, on the tenth day of the seventh month, we have Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. The number ten signifies God’s claim for perfect obedience (think of the 10 commandments). In this special day of national repentance and sacrifice, the claims of God are met and the conscience of the people is cleared. It’s a time of affliction and humbling, repentance and cleansing. In ancient Israel on Yom Kippur, the high priest entered in alone, but Jesus, our high priest, has made a way for us to be together with Him in the holy of holies. However, those who reject the forgiveness of Jesus will have to stand before the judgement seat with no cover of atonement. Yom Kippur points towards the Day of Judgement, the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Last of all we have the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot as we call it in Hebrew. After hearing Ezra the priest read the instructions about how to celebrate Sukkot after they had returned from Babylon, the people of Israel joyfully went to fulfil the command to go and build booths! God instructed His people to build shelters, or sukkot as they’re called in Hebrew, to remind us of the forty years of journeying in the desert. A week spent in a flimsy shelters reminds us of the temporary nature of this life, and points to our eternal home in the world to come.
The wheat harvest and the grape harvest are both gathered before Sukkot. Jesus speaks of good crops of wheat being like fruitful believers, and also the Bible warns us of grapes trodden down in God’s wrath. The harvesting and the sorting happen before Sukkot which is like a big harvest festival. Unlike the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is seven days long, this holiday lasts for eight days, which symbolises going beyond completion into eternity, resurrection and a new beginning. There are seven days of the feast, with an eighth day (known as shmini atzeret) of joyful rest at the end!
“So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you are to keep the Feast of Adonai for seven days. The first day is to be a Shabbat rest, and the eighth day will also be a Shabbat rest.”
In Zechariah 2:10, God promises His people that He’s going to come and tabernacle with us, and Jesus makes it clear to us that He wants to live with us, and we with Him. In Jewish thought, a sukkah is reminiscent of a chuppa, a wedding canopy. This is another shelter that points to the ultimate wedding of the Bride and the Lamb. The ultimate rest.
This is how the calendar ends, with joyful union with God.
THE FEASTS AS WITNESSES AND POINTERS
Now you might ask, with all these amazing signs that point so clearly to Jesus, why don’t Jewish people believe in Him? A large part of the answer is that the Jewish picture of the Messiah is very different to the Lamb of God, the Suffering Servant who came 2000 years ago. They were expecting a conquering king, a victorious warrior, who would usher in a Messianic age of perfection. Why did they think that? Because that is what is described over and over again in the Hebrew Scriptures – and it will happen! But many Christians don’t seem to know this side of our Messiah very well. They might know what Revelation says about the end of time, but aren’t so familiar with the hundreds of details about the Messiah’s glorious coming given to us in the Old Testament.
In the same way that the Jewish people missed the time of His visitation in the first century because they were expecting something very different, people will be in for a big shock when He comes again in glory if they’re expecting a gentle shepherd instead of a conquering King.
Where Christians see the crucifixion prophesied in the Passover, Jewish people see multiple pointers to the ultimate redemption to come.
Many seem to believe that the Spring feasts point exclusively to Yeshua’s first coming and only the Fall feasts look to his return, but there is plenty we can learn about His second coming from all of the feasts.
The Biblical Feasts of Israel All Point to Jesus
Our ministry, ONE FOR ISRAEL, is a movement of Jewish and Arab Israeli followers of Jesus with a commission to reach their country and the nations with the Gospel. We see our call to equip believers in Israel and around the world with the tools of ministry through our media outreach, and to...
J.
kingdom taken from them and given to the church
matt 21:43 matt 16:18-19
no mediator of the old covenant
Hebrews 8:13
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
christians are prohibited from practices of the old law
thks
LanaPodesta
Member
- Aug 2, 2024
- 270
- 47
Easter isn't pagan. Don't be ridiculous.
The name "Easter" doesn't come from Ishtar either. Stop being hysterical.
- Sep 10, 2021
- 5,806
- 5,000
Hello again, Lana.
I always assumed it did. If you could, what is the counter argument to that theory? I've never heard one presented before.
Blessings,
- H
Carry_Your_Name
Member
- Oct 2, 2023
- 3,468
- 491
Just because you stick a Christian label on something doesn't make it really Christian.
LanaPodesta
Member
- Aug 2, 2024
- 270
- 47
The month of 'Eostre'. I do have to remind you English and German are the ONLY languages that call it 'Easter'. Why would English people name the festival after the deity of a cultural they've had no contact with?
LanaPodesta
Member
- Aug 2, 2024
- 270
- 47
It's Christian because it celebrates Christ. No other deity.
LanaPodesta
Member
- Aug 2, 2024
- 270
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This is the best take on it. Most people are so stupid. If it celebrates Christ, it's Christian.
- Apr 2, 2003
- 23,477
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And just because you stick a pagan label on something doesn't make it really pagan, right?
Walpole
Member
- Sep 9, 2018
- 1,450
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So I presume no one refers to today as "Thursday" then because it is named for Thor. Correct? Or that no one refers to this month as June as it is named for Juno? Or that no one uses the other things incorporated from paganism such as wedding rings, candles, incense, oil lamps, images, etc.?
Just want to make sure the fundamentalists are being consistent here.
LanaPodesta
Member
- Aug 2, 2024
- 270
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There's nothing 'pagan' about Thursday. In ENGLISH it is named after Thunor (Thor). Nothing pagan about it though. Same as if I go to a Greek restaurant named Athena's it's not pagan. I'm not worshipping a pagan deity by eating souvlaki.
Walpole
Member
- Sep 9, 2018
- 1,450
- 504
Exactly, which is why the fundamentalists here arguing over Easter is an absurdity.
- Apr 2, 2003
- 23,477
- 6,466
Please stop violating the ToS by disparaging those you disagree with by using the derogatory term "fundamentalist," or at least using the term in a derogatory way.
Last edited:
- Sep 10, 2021
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Ok, I don't mean to be combative here, because I honestly don't care. I'm just trying to get the counter-argument so I can approach it with an open mind. But while Eostre is a month, it's also the name of a pagan, pre-Christian goddess associated with spring. She was often depicted with symbols of spring, like eggs and hares, which have become integral elements of modern Easter celebrations. She's also worshipped by witches. What is your argument by saying the counter is that it is simply named after a month?
- Decorate Eggs: Honour the egg as a symbol of new life and creation by decorating eggs with symbols of fertility and renewal. You can also use the eggs in divination rituals, symbolising the potential of new beginnings.
- Spring Cleaning: Clean your home to make space for new energy and opportunities. Spring cleaning is a symbolic act of clearing away the old to make room for the new, much like the Earth sheds its winter coat to welcome the warmth of spring.
- Plant Seeds: Whether you’re planting flowers, herbs, or vegetables, sowing seeds is a powerful way to connect with the fertility of the Earth. This can be done in your garden or through indoor planting rituals.
- Candle Magic: Use candles in shades of green, yellow, and pink to invoke the energy of growth, renewal, and love. Light candles on your altar to honour Eostre and invite her blessings into your life.
- Create an Altar: Set up an altar dedicated to Eostre with symbols such as hares, eggs, flowers, and the colours of spring. Use this space for meditation, reflection, and to align your intentions with the energy of the season.
Eostre’s Legacy in Modern Witchcraft
Although Eostre’s specific worship may not be as widespread today as it was in ancient times, her energy continues to influence modern witchcraft and pagan practices. The celebration of Ostara is still a vital part of many Wiccan and pagan traditions, and the goddess herself remains a powerful symbol of the cycles of nature and the potential for new beginnings.In modern witchcraft, Eostre is often invoked during spells for fertility, creativity, and personal growth. Her energy is also used to help release the old and make way for the new, making Ostara an ideal time for setting intentions and manifesting one’s desires. Whether through rituals, offerings, or simple reflection, the energy of Eostre and Ostara remains a source of inspiration for witches around the world.
Embrace Ostara: Unlock Eostre’s Mythology and Her Sacred Symbols
Explore Ostara's connection to Eostre, the goddess of dawn, fertility, and renewal. Learn about her sacred hare and egg symbols!
www.lancsgreenwitch.co.uk
- Apr 2, 2003
- 23,477
- 6,466
I posted this video before, but here it is again:Ok, I don't mean to be combative here, because I honestly don't care. I'm just trying to get the counter-argument so I can approach it with an open mind. But while Eostre is a month, it's also the name of a pagan, pre-Christian goddess associated with spring. She was often depicted with symbols of spring, like eggs and hares, which have become integral elements of modern Easter celebrations. She's also worshipped by witches. What is your argument by saying the counter is that it is simply named after a month?
- Decorate Eggs: Honour the egg as a symbol of new life and creation by decorating eggs with symbols of fertility and renewal. You can also use the eggs in divination rituals, symbolising the potential of new beginnings.
- Spring Cleaning: Clean your home to make space for new energy and opportunities. Spring cleaning is a symbolic act of clearing away the old to make room for the new, much like the Earth sheds its winter coat to welcome the warmth of spring.
- Plant Seeds: Whether you’re planting flowers, herbs, or vegetables, sowing seeds is a powerful way to connect with the fertility of the Earth. This can be done in your garden or through indoor planting rituals.
- Candle Magic: Use candles in shades of green, yellow, and pink to invoke the energy of growth, renewal, and love. Light candles on your altar to honour Eostre and invite her blessings into your life.
- Create an Altar: Set up an altar dedicated to Eostre with symbols such as hares, eggs, flowers, and the colours of spring. Use this space for meditation, reflection, and to align your intentions with the energy of the season.
Eostre’s Legacy in Modern Witchcraft
Although Eostre’s specific worship may not be as widespread today as it was in ancient times, her energy continues to influence modern witchcraft and pagan practices. The celebration of Ostara is still a vital part of many Wiccan and pagan traditions, and the goddess herself remains a powerful symbol of the cycles of nature and the potential for new beginnings.
In modern witchcraft, Eostre is often invoked during spells for fertility, creativity, and personal growth. Her energy is also used to help release the old and make way for the new, making Ostara an ideal time for setting intentions and manifesting one’s desires. Whether through rituals, offerings, or simple reflection, the energy of Eostre and Ostara remains a source of inspiration for witches around the world.
Embrace Ostara: Unlock Eostre’s Mythology and Her Sacred Symbols
Explore Ostara's connection to Eostre, the goddess of dawn, fertility, and renewal. Learn about her sacred hare and egg symbols!
Basically, the earliest and only mention of Eostre, from any source, is from the 7th century, by the English monk Bede. So, there is no evidence at all that this was the name of an actual pagan goddess, never mind a pre-Christian one. The first official instance of an Easter bunny happened in 1572. Any connection of bunnies with paganism comes from Jacob Grimm, in the 19th century, and that was based on mere conjecture. Easter eggs have a similarly tenuous connection to paganism, and rather seem to come from nothing religious in particular.
LanaPodesta
Member
- Aug 2, 2024
- 270
- 47
All due respect but how is 'fundamentalist' derogatory?
Most people who post here on this website are literally "I don't believe anything unless it's in the Bible" types. Like if that's not fundamentalist then what is...and why can't we call a spade. Are we not allowed to say 'Protestant' either?
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