Friday, March 11, 2016

EASTER OR PASSOVER. Did Jesus Die Good Friday? Holy Day Festivals of the Bible. Update.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:  BUT days late, as so much has been going on.

EASTER OR PASSOVER

“Many people think of Passover as a Jewish holiday and Easter as a Christian holiday. But are they right? You may be surprised to find Christians today keeping the Passover as Jesus Christ instructed His disciples to do.

Passover is very much a Christian observance for those who seek to practice the original Christianity taught by Jesus Christ and the Apostles!

Consider some of the reasons why the Passover is still observed today by those trying to follow Christ’s example, and why Easter is a man-made alternative that should be rejected by those who believe their Bible:

Easter
Passover

Started as a man-made religious custom in worship of false gods millennia before Jesus Christ
Started from Scripture as an observance established by God Himself (Leviticus 23:4–5; Luke 22:15)

Easter was Christianized by the Catholic Church, around 300 years after Jesus’ death, at the Council of Nicaea
Passover was made Christian by Jesus Christ Himself on the night before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:26–30)

The apostles never kept Easter or taught the Church to keep it; rather they taught Christians to shun pagan customs (1 Peter 4:3; 1 John 5:21)
The apostles continued to keep and teach the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:23–26)

Jesus Christ never kept or taught Easter (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition,)
Jesus Christ kept Passover every year of His life (Luke 2:41–42; 22:8)

The symbols of Easter are bunnies, colored eggs, and hot cross buns, which originated in paganism before being incorporated into the modern Easter celebration
The symbols of Passover are wine and bread, and Jesus Himself explained their meaning: His precious blood and broken body. (Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26)

There is no way to stretch into a 72-hour period the two nights and one day from Good Friday through Easter Sunday.
The Passover celebration points accurately to a simple three days and three nights, as Scripture prophesied (Matthew 12:39–40; Jonah 1:17; Genesis 1:4–5)

The Good Friday to Easter Sunday scenario effectively denies the only sign of the Messiah (Matthew 16:4)
Those who keep the Passover and biblical Holy Days are acknowledging the sign of the Messiah (Read The Sign of Jonah)

Easter incorrectly points toward a Sunday resurrection
Passover points toward the actual time and day of His resurrection (Read The Resurrection Was not on Easter Sunday)

Jesus will not keep Easter when He returns to earth
Jesus will keep the Passover when He returns to earth (Luke 22:15–16)

The name “Easter” shares connections with pagan deities like “Ishtar” and “Oestre” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1987)
The name “Passover” comes directly from the Bible (Exodus 12:13)

Read about Easter from the authority of the Catholic Encyclopedia
Read about the Passover from the authority of Scripture itself (Exodus 12:1–30; Matthew 26:17–30; 1 Corinthians 11:23–34)

Deuteronomy 12:30–32; Mark 7:6–9
Leviticus 23:4–5; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25

Easter is entirely man-made
Passover is God-ordained

Conclusion: Easter relies on accepting the traditions of men and rejecting God’s Word
Conclusion: Passover relies on accepting God’s Word over the traditions of men

What is God’s perspective? Just like a loving Father, God wants us to do what He says—for our own benefit. True Christians keep Passover as Jesus commanded. Sadly, many deceived people think they are practicing Christianity by keeping the man-made Easter tradition. So, will you be keeping Easter, or will you be keeping the Christian Passover in an effort to get back to the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) and restore Original Christianity?

For a much more in depth study of the differences between Easter and the Passover, order the free booklet The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan and read our article, “Easter or Passover: Which Is for Christians?

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Sign of Jonah: Did Jesus Die Good Friday, Rise on Easter?

“Most churches commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday. But how does this fit with the sign Christ gave?

The sign of Jonah was that Christ would be three days and three nights in the grave.

Good Friday afternoon to Easter Sunday sunrise does not add up to three days and three nights. This chart shows the chronology of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection that matches the biblical festivals and confirms the sign of Jonah.

As proof that He was the Messiah, Jesus Christ promised in advance exactly how much time He would spend in the grave. He called it “the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

The sign of Jonah

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had seen Him work miracles but still didn’t believe He was the Messiah (Matthew 12:23, 38). In fact, the Pharisees plotted “how they might destroy Him” (verse 14) and accused Him of working for Satan (verse 24)!

So when they asked for another sign, Jesus said:  “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (verses 39-40).

Jesus referred to the great miracle from the book of Jonah. God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights before God told the fish to spit him out, alive, on the shore. And Christ let everyone know that He would be in the grave for the exact same length of time. He said the sign of Jonah would be the only sign He would give them. This important prophecy was very specific.

How do you get three days and three nights between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning?

Why would Jesus make a point of saying three days and three nights if He didn’t mean it? Is this a contradiction in the Bible or is there a simple explanation everyone would understand if they celebrated the festivals of the Bible as Jesus and His disciples did?” 

More at:

http://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/sign-of-jonah/

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Holy Day Festivals of the Bible

“The Appointed Times of the Lord”, Leviticus 23

THE BIBLICAL HOLY DAYS IN ORDER

PASSOVER: On the 14th day of the 1st month of the Hebrew Calendar - falls in the Spring. Passover Services are held but Passover is not a Holy Day. (High Sabbath)

FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD: Begins on the 15th day and lasts seven days. The 1st and the 7th day are Holy Days with assemblies.

PENTECOST: In the O.T. it was called the “Feast of Weeks.” It always falls on Sunday because 50 days are counted from the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Usually falls in June. Pentecost is a Holy Day with a holy convocation.

FEAST OF TRUMPETS: On the 1st day of the 7th month (Hebrew Calendar). Usually falls in September or October on the Gregorian Calendar. Trumpets is a Holy Day with a holy convocation.

DAY OF ATONEMENT: On the 10th day of the 7th month. A complete fast to the Lord. No food or water is to be partaken of during this 24 hour period. Atonement is a Holy Day with a holy assembly to the Lord. September or October

FEAST OF TABERNACLES: Sometimes referred to as the “Feast of Booths” because God commanded that the people stay in temporary shelters called “booths.” The first day falls on the 15th day of the 7th month and is holy with a convocation to the Lord. This festival lasts seven days. September or October

LAST GREAT DAY: Immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles and is sometimes called the “Last Great Day of the Feast.” There is a holy assembly to the Lord.

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Update:

Oh Golly, a lot has been going on.  As it was raining gully whompers it took all day to go to Houston to the Homeland Securtity Office to apply for a new green card as mine was stolen in the burglary two years ago.   Now I need it to get my Social Security check sorted out.  I had managed to fill out the application online, and they sent me an appointment time. They said to bring my marriage certificate showing my name change, and then they didn’t want to see it when I got there as he said my driver’s license was enough!!  They also said that it would take 9 months for them to issue the new card as they are so far behind.  Then they wrote me a letter wanting me to fax a copy of my marriage certificate to them.  Their left hand doesn’t know what their right hand is doing. 

The computer that I was using recognized my printer, but wouldn’t scan so I couldn’t fax it.  Then when I got my computer back, the Homeland Security website is so complicated and stalls you at every turn so that I had to make another appointment to take the marriage certificate to them.  It wasn’t this difficult to immigrate here when I got my first green card in 1963 at the American Consulate in London.  Back then it was Immigration and Nationalization Services.  But a lot of things have changed since that have really ramped up the Homeland Security. 

Jay and I worked a little bit on the guest house.  Still trying to keep the rain water from going under the house.  Now we made a wall of blocks and cement.   We got the last of the four big 3’ x 5’ energy gobbling single pane windows out, and put plywood over the holes.

It took me nearly three mornings to get all the caulk and goop off the windows so that a man who was interested in them would buy them.  We installed one of the guest house living room double paned 20/30 windows, but had to install that window twice as it was installed 44” from the floor the first time, and one couldn’t see out when sitting at a desk or table.  So we lowered it to 36”.

Then the van started missing.  It kept on hesitating, and I sure was hoping that it wasn’t the new transmission acting up.  The engine light had been on since then, so that had to be fixed for the new inspection certificate.  Then the key just wouldn’t turn in the ignition.  No pushing, pulling of the steering wheel opr anything else would budge it, so it was towed away. 

I just heard that the van is ready, and a neighbor is on their way to get me, so I will have to cut this short and finish it another day.

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