The Truth About Easter

1. The Truth About Easter Hotep-My-Brother Inc. Bro. Wamwara

2. Outline • History and Origin of the word Easter • How the story of Nimrod became Easter • Origin of the Easter bunny • Origin of the Easter egg • Is the celebration we know today as Easter mentioned in the Bible • Council of Nicaea • Forty days of Lent

3. Outline • Easter sunrise service • Hot cross buns • The Passover celebration • The Crucifixion story • Conclusion

4. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

5. Introduction • Ma’at-Hotep • Once again it’s that time of year when we go out and take the kids to see the Easter bunny, paint Easter eggs different colors and hide them in the yard so that the kids can have a hunt for them, we buy new suits for the boys and new dresses for our girls so that they can look their best on Easter morning for a service to celebrate when our so-called lord and savior died and rose for good of mankind.

6. Introduction • It is a time when we feel good about ourselves and the pastor lets us know that whatever you have done in life, whatever you have said, or whatever you are planning to do will be forgiven because over 2000 years ago a man named Jesus died on cross for our sins. • It’s a time when the churches are packed to hear children sing or dance or say an Easter Poem. Its’ a time when the pastor preaches about the crucifixion story.

7. Introduction • Have you ever thought how or even why all of this stuff got into the celebration of the death of Jesus Christ. • Have you ever wondering why we celebrate the death of Jesus Christ. • Most of us never question what we are told and for that we are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. In this lesson I will expose the history and origin of the questions that most of us want to know but none of us will ask.

8. History and Origin of the name Easter • The name “Easter” has its roots in ancient polytheistic religions (paganism). On this, all scholars agree. This name is never used in the original Scriptures, nor is it ever associated biblically with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. • Most reference books say that the name "Easter" derived from the Eastre, the Teutonic goddess of Spring.

9. History and Origin of the name Easter • Although this relationship exists, in reality, the origin of the name and the goddess are far more ancient - going all the way back to the Tower of Babel. The origin begins not long after the biblical Flood.

10. History and Origin of the name Easter(The story of Nimrod) • After the Flood, Noah had a talented, but evil, great-grandson named Nimrod (Genesis 10:6-10) who rebelled greatly against God. The Bible says that he was "a mighty one“ • Nimrod built and organized major cities. The Bible notes that these included Babel, Asshur, Nineveh and Calah (Genesis 10:10-12).

11. History and Origin of the name Easter(The story of Nimrod) • When Nimrod eventually died, the Babylonian mystery religion in which he figured prominently continued on. His wife Queen Semiramis saw to that. Once he was dead, she deified him as the Sun-god. • Later, when this adulterous and idolatrous woman gave birth to an illegitimate son, she claimed that this son, Tammuz by name, was Nimrod reborn. Semiramis claimed that her son was supernaturally conceived, no human father, and that he was the promised seed, the savior, promised by God in Genesis 3:15.

12. History and Origin of the name Easter(The story of Nimrod) • However, not only was the child worshipped, but the woman, the MOTHER, was also worshipped as much (or more) than the son! Nimrod deified as the god of the sun and father of creation. Semiramis became the goddess of the moon, fertility, etc. • In the old fables of the Mystery cults, their savior Tammuz, was worshipped with various rites at the Spring season.

13. History and Origin of the name Easter(The story of Nimrod) • According to the legends, after he was slain he went into the underworld. But through the weeping of his mother he mystically revived in the springing forth of the vegetation - in Spring! • Each year a spring festival dramatically represented this supposed 'resurrection' from the underworld.

14. History and Origin of the name Easter(The story of Nimrod) • Basically, almost every vile, profane and idolatrous practice you can think of originated at Babel with Queen Semiramis, the Mother Goddess and Nimrod. As the people scattered from Babel with their different languages, they, of course, used different names for Nimrod (Tammuz) and Semiramis • Some called the Mother Goddess “ISHTAR” (originally pronounced “Easter”). In other lands, she was called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre.

15. History and Origin of the name Easter(The story of Nimrod) • The Mother goddess was frequently worshipped as the goddess of fertility and as a sort of Mother Nature and goddess of Spring and sexual love and birth. She was also worshipped as a mediator between god and man. Sexual orgies and temple prostitutes were often used in her worship and in attempting to gain her favor.

16. Origin of the Easter Bunny The rabbit is well known as a sexual symbol of fertility. In various parts of the world, religions which developed from Babel also associate the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar

17. Origin of the Easter Bunny • In pagan times, the Easter hare was no ordinary animal, but a sacred companion of the old goddess of spring, Eostre. The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season. • Since long before Jesus Christ was born, parents told their children that the magic hare would bring them presents at the spring festival.

18. Origin of the Easter Bunny • The earliest known reference to our modern Easter Bunny tradition appears to be from 16th century Germany. In the 18th century, German settlers to America brought the tradition with them. The Bunny was known by them as Oschter Haws (or Osterhase) and brought gifts of chocolate, candy and Easter Eggs to good children. • The arrival of the Oschter Haws was considered childhood's greatest pleasure, next to a visit from Kris Kringle, on Christmas Eve.

19. Origin of the Easter Bunny • The children believed that if they were good the Oschter Haws would lay a nest of colored eggs. • The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.

20. Origin Of The Easter Egg • Eggs and Easter have almost become synonymous. But what is so special in an egg? It is the influence of the traditional spring rites that made Easter so egg-special. And myths coming down to us from an incredibly distant past have shown man's relationship with the egg to be very deep seated one. • In Europe an egg was hung on New Year trees, on Maypoles, and on St. John's trees in midsummer. Indeed, all meant egg as a symbol of the regenerative forces of nature.

21. Origin Of The Easter Egg • Later during the Christian period, it was believed that eggs laid on Good Friday, if kept for a hundred years, would have their yolks turn to diamond. If Good Friday eggs were cooked on Easter they would promote the fertility of the trees and crops and protect against sudden deaths. • It is speculated that it was introduced in Europe, or, rather Western Europe, during the course of the fifteenth century. This was when missionaries or knights of the Crusades are thought to have brought in the concept of the coloring of eggs westwards.

22. Is Easter In The Bible • The answer to this question is yes and no. Lets take a look at Acts 12:4 • Act 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put [him] in prison, and delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. • Now in this passage on the Bible it is speaking of how Herod the king was going to have Peter killed in the same manner that he had James the brother of John killed, and he intended to do this after the Easter celebration was over.

23. Is Easter In The Bible • Herod the king was the pro-Roman king of the small Jewish state. In other words he was a gentile. We all know that the gentiles were heathens, or a person who does not acknowledge god. • Gentiles were pagans and worshipped false gods and idols. Of these was the mother goddess Ishtar/Easter. The Easter that the bible speaks of in this verse is talking about the pagan celebration of the pagan goddess Easter during the spring celebration

24. Council Of Nicaea • Formulation for wording concerning the Trinity based on Anthanias • Changing Verses of Bible • Eliminating certain verses and books from the Bible • Declaring Arian's Unitarian (belief in the Unity of God) as heresy • Changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday • Changing the date of Jesus' birthday to December 25th • Introduction of Easter (pagan worship called "Feast of Ishtar") • Church of Roman officially became the Universal Church of the Holy Roman Empire. The word Catholic means universal The year was 325 A.D. according to the Roman calendar. A council was convened by order of Constantine, the Roman emperor. He had been a leader in the cult known as Sol Invictus (Invincible Sun) and now wanted to unite the Christian sects in the empire under his existing church; the Universal Church of Rome. Many changes to the religion of Christianity were about to take place at that council, including:

25. Council Of Nicaea • Among other things they also settled was the date of Easter. • Easter should be celebrated on the same day by all • Jewish custom was not the criterion to be followed • That the practice of Rome and Alexandria should remain in force, namely the Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox

26. History & Origin Of Lent • It rained 40 days and nights: Gen 7:4, 12. • Forty days after sighting the tops of the mountains, Noah set forth a raven and a dove: Gen 8:6-7. • Joseph mourned the death of his father Jacob for a period of 40 days: Gen 49:33 - Gen 50:3. • Moses on Sinai for 40 days: Exo 24:18, 34:28, Deu 9:9-11. • Moses pleads for Israel 40 days on Sinai: Deu 9:18-25, 10:10. • Canaan spied on for 40 days: Num 13:25, 14:34. • Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days: 1 Sam 17:16. • Elijah fasted and journeyed to Horeb for 40 days: 1 Kings 19:8. • Ezekiel bore the iniquity of Judah for 40 days: Eze 4:6. • Jonah warned Nineveh of judgment in 40 days: Jonah 3:4. • Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days: Matt 4:2, Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2. • Jesus was seen for 40 days after His crucifixion: Acts 1:3. Search the scriptures diligently, from Old Testament to New, and you will find no mention of Jews or Christians observing an annual period of 40 days of fasting and abstinence preceding the festival of the Passover, yet today most of the Christian world observes a 40 day period called Lent, which precedes the festival of Easter Sunday. A period of 40 days is rather common in scripture, however:

27. History & Origin Of Lent • So, if the Bible does not enjoin the Jew or the Christian to observe the 40 day period called Lent, then what is its origin? Can the answer be found in the Euro-Gentile, Greco- Roman, Catholic Church? • Lent is the 40-day period, Sundays excluded, prior to Easter, which the church observes as a penitential season. It begins on Ash Wednesday, which can occur any time between February 4 and March 11, depending upon the date of Easter, and it concludes with the Passiontide, the two-week period during which the church's liturgy follows Christ's activity closely through the final stages of his life on earth.

28. History & Origin Of Lent • These two weeks are called Passion Week and Holy Week. Catholics are required to fast and are urged to adopt other penitential modes during the season. • During Lent, for 40 days, excluding Sundays, fasting is recommended for all Catholics according to the laws of fast. This is reminiscent of the 40 days of their Lord's unbroken fast (Mt. 4:3-4)

29. History & Origin Of Lent • The word Lent comes from a Germanic root meaning Spring but is more often associated with the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Saturday. It originated in the Babylonian pagan religion, but was folded into Christianity when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as its official religion. • Here's how it began

30. History & Origin Of Lent • According to tradition Semeramis, the wife of Nimrod the King of Babylon, claimed she had been supernaturally impregnated by the Sun god and gave birth to Tammuz. One day while hunting, Tamuz was killed by a wild boar. Semeramis mourned for 40 days, at the end of which Tammuz was supposedly brought back from the dead. • She proclaimed herself Queen of Heaven, founded a celibate priesthood to worship her son and declared its chief priest infallible, and memorialized her mourning in an annual 40 day period of denial.

31. History & Origin Of Lent • If you feel the Lord is leading you into a 40 day period of self-deprivation to draw nearer to Him, more power to you. But if you're just observing a tradition of man's religion it won't serve any purpose except to prove that you can go without something for 40 days.

32. Easter Sunrise Service • The Easter sunrise service is derived from the ancient pagan practice of welcoming the sun on the morning of the spring equinox, marking the beginning of spring • The Spring Equinox is the celebration of the return of the Maiden Goddess, and the young life energy she brings with her. Winter and the dark time have finally been put behind us, and the season of growth has begun. This holiday is truly a celebration of life and nature.

33. Easter Sunrise Service • The Sun is at its lowest path in the sky on the Winter Solstice. After that day the Sun follows a higher and higher path through the sky each day until it is in the sky for exactly 12 hours. On the Spring Equinox the Sun rises exactly in the east travels through the sky for 12 hours and sets exactly in the west. On the Equinox this is the motion of the Sun through the sky for everyone on earth. Every place on earth experiences a 12 hours day twice a year on the Spring and Fall Equinox.

34. Hot Cross Buns • Hot cross buns are a fruit cake decorated with a white cross across the top of it celebrated with a nursery rhyme. Hot cross buns were sold in the street to the cry of "Hot cross buns!" around the period in English history dating back to the nineteenth century. They are generally sold at Easter and commemorate the religious significance of the Easter Christian festival which celebrates the resurrection following crucifixion on the cross.

35. Hot Cross Buns • Hot cross buns at Easter are a metaphor for the resurrection of Christ - flour comes to life and transforms itself to bread. But hot cross buns actually pre-date Christianity. • They were originally used in pagan ceremonies and rituals and the Christian Church attempted to ban them. • But they were just too popular so the Church eventually 'Christianised' the buns.

36. The Passover • Passover is a holiday celebrated in many Judeo-Christian religions. It was started in Jewish religion to commemorate the exodus from Egypt during Old Testament times. Later on it became celebrated by Christians to commemorate when Jesus Christ sacrificed himself and delivered humanity from eternal sin. • It is thought that the last meal celebrated by Jesus and his apostles and painted by numerous artists was actually the Passover meal.

37. The Passover • Moses and the exodus • Exodus 11:1 God said to Moses, 'There is one more plague that I will send against Pharaoh and Egypt. After that, he will let you leave this place. When he lets you leave, he will actually drive you out of here. • Exodus 11:4 Moses said [to Pharaoh] in God's name, 'Around midnight, I will go out in the midst of Egypt. • Exodus 11:5 Every first-born in Egypt will die, from the first-born of Pharaoh sitting on his throne, to the first-born of the slave girl behind the millstones. Every first-born animal [will also die]. • Exodus 11:6 'There will be a great cry of anguish throughout all Egypt. Never before has there been anything like it, and never again will there be the like.

38. The Passover • Exodus 12:3 Speak to the entire community of Israel, saying: On the tenth of this month, every man must take a lamb for each extended family, a lamb for each household. • Exodus 12:6 Hold it in safekeeping until the fourteenth day of this month. The entire community of Israel shall then slaughter [their sacrifices] in the afternoon. • Exodus 12:7 They must take the blood and place it on the two doorposts and on the beam above the door of the houses in which they will eat [the sacrifice].

39. The Passover • Exodus 12:12 I will pass through Egypt on that night, and I will kill every first-born in Egypt, man and beast. I will perform acts of judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I [alone] am God. • Exodus 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are staying. I will see the blood and pass you by (pasach). There will not be any deadly plague among you when I strike Egypt. • Exodus 12:14 This day must be one that you will remember. You must keep it as a festival to God for all generations. It is a law for all time that you must celebrate it.

40. The Passover • Exodus 12:29 It was midnight. God killed every first-born in Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh, sitting on his throne, to the first-born of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as every first-born animal.

41. The Passover • Deuteronomy 16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. • This is the passage of the bible that God gives for his people to safeguard or observe the month and time for the passover. This was to be an annual celebration.

42. Hebrew/Jewish Calendar On the Hebrew/Jewish calendar the first month of the year is the month of Abib witch is today call Nisan. Refer to Deuteronomy 16:1. God tells his people to observe this month as the first month of the year and to observe the Passover during this month. Exodus 12:3,6 Verse 3; Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for an house Verse 6; And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening

43. The Passover • On today’s modern western/Christian calendar the month Abib is the month of April. The fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord. And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened bread • On the fifteenth of the Hebrew month of Nisan/Abib, God appointed another festival. This feast would last seven days and be called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. On the first night, and again on the seventh, there was to be a time of convocation (meeting) between God and man

44. The Passover • The Feast of Unleavened Bread is explained in Exodus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:16 • Unleavened bread reflected the fact that the Israelites had no time to put leaven in their bread before their hasty departure from Egypt • In the Bible, leaven symbolizes error or evil. It is the substance that causes fermentation. The Lord said to His disciples “Beware of the leaven (false doctrine) of the Pharisees" (Matthew 16:6; Mark 8:15

45. The Cruci-Fiction Story • The Crucifixion is the focal point of the Christian faith. It is the central event of Jesus' earthly mission, and according to the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, the means by which we are saved from hell and given admission into heaven.

46. The Cruci-Fiction Story • The Cruci-Fiction Story • The Last Supper • The King On a Cross • The resurrection • The Last Supper • The Last Supper is described in three of the four New Testament Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. • Luke 22:14-23, Matt 26:26-30, Mark 14:27-31

47. The Cruci-Fiction Story • The Last Supper was held on the evening of preparation for the Jewish Passover, a very holy time for the Jewish nation in remembrance of when God spared the Jews from the plague of death on every firstborn child in Egypt.

48. The Cruci-Fiction Story • What we need to understand about the last supper is what was taking place during this time. Refer back to Luke 22:7-13. • Jesus and his disciples were celebrating the feast of unleavened bread during this supper. Jesus was to become the new passover lamb so they broke bread in representation of his body that was going to be broken for the sins of the world and they also took the cup and drank from it which was representation the blood that he was going to shed for the world

49. The Cruci-Fiction Story • As the children of Israel had to sacrifice a lamb during the Passover to protect them from the angle of death, Exo. 12:29-30, Jesus was to become the sacrificial lamb for his people. • When Jesus tells his disciples “do this is remembrance of me”, Luke 22:19, he is speaking of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread. Not the monthly Holy Communion that most Christian observe and celebrate. For further research on this pagan practice look up The Eucharist and how the Roman Church made it up.

50. The Cruci-Fiction Story • The King on the Cross • I have a question for you? Did Jesus Christ really die on a cross? This is what we have all been taught but lets take a look at this story. • Mark 8:34 • And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.