The following posts come to us from the website THE EZEKIEL 33 WATCHMAN REPORT. There will be 7 Posts to complete this article and I pray it will be a Blessing to you my readers.

The councils of men that have been held throughout the centuries set the church’s doctrines, traditions, regulations, and canon law by majority vote. In the Council of Trent, third session 1562-63, Papal supremacy was recognized, and the church was purified (forgiven) of her past abuses (sins) by the council’s reforms. Vatican Council I (1869-1870) passed the Pope’s infallibility in matters of faith and morals. [Thus, saith the Pope: “Thou shalt…”] Can a man or a church forgive its own sins? What height has the Papacy elevated itself? (Rev. 18:7; Dan 11:32-39) The Council of Cardinals and Papacy are in the image of the Roman Beast (Senate and Emperor).

There are several pagan traditions that were transformed into Christian traditions. One is Easter, which was a celebration to the Babylonian goddess of fertility – Ashtar. The English spelling is derived from Eostra, the Teutonic goddess of spring. [The three are pronounced the same.] The pagan festival fell near to the day of Passover following the spring equinox, which was adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The early Eastern Church celebrated Passover on Nisan 14, the sacred calendar’s first month that began on the first new moon nearest the spring equinox, but the Western Church had adopted the Babylonian weekend feast of Ashtar. Any encyclopedia has the history!

The pagan tradition goes back to the Old Testament days. The Israelites often turned to the goddess of fertility, or Queen of Heaven, and this was an abomination to God. (Jer. 44:17-28) Easter morning’s sunrise service can be found in Eze. 8:16 and the baking of hot cross buns in Jer. 7:18. The only place in the entire Bible you will find the word Easter in the Authorized King James Version is Acts 12:4. The word is translated from the Greek word pascha, which is translated Passover in every other place in the whole New Testament. I don’t know why the translators used Easter in this single verse. Maybe the answer is in 2 Th. 2:3-11.

Jesus Christ is our Passover. The Passover Feast is the time we should keep the remembrance of his sacrifice. (1 Cor. 5:7-8, 11:20-29) Unworthily is translated from anaxios, which means irreverently.  Is it reverent to substitute the time and tradition of Passover with a pagan one? The precious blood Christ shed for the redemption of sin should not be polluted with a fertility celebration with rabbits and colored eggs. I’ve raised both rabbits and chickens, but I’ve never seen a rabbit lay an egg. The Easter tradition also states that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and resurrected Sunday morning. If my math is correct, that totals to 1.5 days (36 hrs.). Jesus said he would be in the grave three days and three nights (72 hrs). (Matt. 12:39-40) Doesn’t that tradition call Jesus a lair? Ever wonder why there are three woes in the book of Revelation?

Jesus Christ was not crucified on a Friday! Days were reckoned from sunset to sunset. Passover is the 14th of Nisan and it is eaten at sunset beginning the 14th. The day that follows the 14th is the 15th and at sunset begins the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. The 15th of Nisan also begins the first annual holy convocation (high day) or annual Sabbath. (Jn. 19:31; Lev. 23) Both weekly and annual Sabbaths were commonly called Sabbath. Christ’s body was taken and placed in the tomb just prior to sunset on the 14th. When the sun was set, the annual Sabbath (high day) began, which also began the 15th. (Lk. 23:52-56) The Sabbath that the women rested on the day after Passover was the annual Sabbath, not the weekly Seventh Day Sabbath. Passover week is eight days, Passover Day plus The Seven Days of Unleavened Bread. (Nisan 14 thru 21)

It was early, just before sunrise on the first day of the week (Sunday) that the tomb was first found empty. Christ was already risen! Let’s back up three days and three nights and trust what our Lord tells us in his written word. Passover began at sunset on what we call Tuesday evening, which biblically begins the week’s fourth day – Wednesday. That night was what is called the Lord’s Supper. After Christ instituted the wine and bread as a memorial and washed the disciples’ feet, they went to the garden where Jesus was betrayed. It was our Tuesday midnight to Wednesday afternoon that Christ was ridiculed, mocked, beaten, interrogated, tortured, and then crucified. He was placed in the tomb prior to sunset Wednesday evening, which began the annual Sabbath on Nisan 15. COUNT: Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset (day one), Thursday sunset to Friday sunset (day two), and Friday sunset to Saturday sunset (day three). Christ rose from the grave late Saturday afternoon or early evening. Why was the tomb found empty early Sunday morning? He had already risen!