Easter will be on Sunday March 27th, 2005

Easton's Bible Dictionary defines
Easter this way:

originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at the time of the Passover. In the early English versions this word was frequently used as the translation of the Greek pascha (the Passover). When the Authorized Version (1611) was formed, the word "Passover" was used in all passages in which this word pascha occurred, except in Acts 12:4. In the Revised Version the proper word, "Passover," is always used.

Do you know the RISEN Savior? Are you a Christian? This can be the beginning of a NEW life for you. When Jesus was on the cross He had two men with Him there. One on either side. Both were as unworthy as each of us are BUT one chose to disregard "Who Jesus was", and the other accepted Him right there at the last possible moment.

What will you decide? How can you become a Christian? Click here

He is coming back the same way He left.(Acts 1:1-11)
He will take His own with Him.(1 Thes 5:13-18)

Don't be left behind!

Easter! Thoughts from Annie about Easter:
Well I have to tell you that of all my holiday pages Easter has been the hardest. This Christian celebration is even named after a heathen goddess. Around the time of the vernal equinox the Saxons observed the sacrificial festival of the goddess Eostre. The more that I find out about the holidays the harder it was to find something redeeming in them. Even the name of the holiday is based on Pagan festivals. So how can I take the holiday and use it for a way to share our faith with others through Easter.
I have a page for you to learn about some alternatives to the "Traditional" Celebrating of Easter. Annie's How to Celebrate Easter Page But make your own personal "Family Tradition" but remember to share your faith and the Word of God with others.

Is Easter really about cute bunnies and colored eggs?
Is it a simple innocent holiday?
The TRUTH is so important!

I want to inform people about little known facts, thoughts and verses that are seldom taught or connected to Easter. I want to tell about the curtain in the temple tearing and the darkness that came on the earth for hours during the middle of the day. Or the connection between the Passover feast and the fulfillment of it in Jesus' life and death. There are 7 major feasts/festivals, (Visit Annie's Feasts of the Bible Page) that the Jews were commanded to celebrate and they are critical to the understanding of the End Times. I am excited about putting the information about the feasts up and the fact that Jesus fulfilled some of the feasts.

So many people don't know the truth about the holiday and what the Bible really says. I think in some way it is like the Halloween pages.  Does it matter whether the eggs and bunnies are pagan in nature? I really don't know.  I am dealing with all this Easter stuff. Does this make any sense? I didn't mean to unload on you just to express what I am dealing with about this holiday. It took me alot of time to do all the research for my Easter pages, and the more I learned the harder the pages became. But then the Lord drew them all together and now you can see what the result of that is.

Please realize, that even Satan took twisted scripture, that was out of context, and then misinterpreted it to justify his actions and thoughts. Many people will try to tell you that the egg and other Easter symbols are Christian symbols. Please do not be deceived.

When I was young my mother dressed me up in a lovely new dress with new shoes and an Easter bonnet. We hid Easter eggs and got Easter baskets. We went to church. Like Halloween, none of these things made me a bad person. I thought there was an Easter bunny and I bought my son presents for Easter.

I have more questions then answers it seems!

But what are these symbols and their meanings? What is Easter really all about? Is it just the crucifixion? What about the empty tomb? Have we forgotten the Resurrection? Have you read about the Ascension.

Today Christians come from many different denominations and churches. Many Denomination's have really made the Easter season very ritualistic. We all adhere to different theology and doctrine. But lets put that all aside and look at what the Bible says about this time of year.

Let's Celebrate Our "Risen" Savior ~ Jesus Christ. The Messiah, the Son of God. My Savior and Lord of my Life.

Is Easter Sunday the only day you go to church besides Christmas?

Did you know that more people go to church on holidays then throughout the year? Easter and Christmas bring out more people to Churches then any other time of the year. It really doesn't matter what denomination or church you attend.

Did you know there was an earthquake when Jesus died?
Matthew 27:51
"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

And at the resurrection too.
Matthew 28:2
"And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it".

Did you know that the sky went dark for hours when Jesus died?
Matthew 27:45
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."

Did you know that Jesus fulfilled three of the seven feasts/festivals of the Jewish people, in the book of Leviticus in the Old Testament?

Visit Annie's Feasts of the Bible Page to learn about the feasts.

Did you know that at the EXACT time that Jesus died the CURTAIN in the temple was torn?
"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"
Matthew 27:51

Mark 15:38 & Luke 23:45 & Hebrews 6:19-20 & Hebrews 10:19-22

The curtain was to separate the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary. (Exodus 26)

Curtains were made of "Linen". It was used to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.(Exodus 26:33) It was called the "shield curtain"
(Exodus 39:34; Exodus 40:21; Numbers 4:5) because it shielded the ark.

At the MOMENT when Christ died, the curtain of Herod's temple was torn, thereby giving the believer direct access to the presence of God." Christ came as the High Priest" (Heb 9:11), "but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption"(Heb 9:12).

Now lets look at what the book of Hebrews tells us is the significance of the curtain tearing: "Therefore, brothers since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Curtain

(1.) Ten curtains, each twenty-eight cubits long and four wide, made of fine linen, also eleven made of goat's hair, covered the tabernacle (Ex. 26:1-13; 36:8-17).

(2.) The sacred curtain, separating the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary, is designated by a different Hebrew word (peroketh). It is described as a "veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work" (Ex. 26:31; Lev. 16:2; Num. 18:7).

(3.) "Stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain" (Isa. 40:22), is an expression used with reference to the veil or awning which Orientals spread for a screen over their courts in summer. According to the prophet, the heavens are spread over our heads as such an awning. Similar expressions are found in Ps. 104:2l; comp. Isa. 44:24; Job 9:8.

Nave's Topical Bible: CURTAINS ~ mentioned 62 times

For the tabernacle: Exodus 26 & Exodus 27:9-18 & Exodus 36:8-18
FIGURATIVE: Isaiah 40:22 & Isaiah 54:2 & Jeremiah 4:20 & Jeremiah 10:20 & Jeremiah 49:29

Do you know what was written on the cross over Jesus's head?
Matthew 27:37 "Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

What is the significance of the "three days"?
A day in the Jewish faith is from sunset to sunrise. Was Jesus really crucified on Friday and did He rise on Sunday Morning?

Matthew 27:39-40 "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God!"

The Biblical Day
Biblical Day information from this site: Passover: Feasting For Freedom-Chapter 3

              Evening                        Morning

    |---------------------------|---------------------------|
 
   6 p.m.                     6 a.m.                     6 p.m.


                                     Morning       Evening

                                |--------------|------------|
                              6 a.m.          Noon       6 p.m.



                                |---------------------|-----|
                              6 a.m.                3 p.m. 6 p.m.


                                |---------------------|

                         The 9th hour of the day = 3 p.m.

       Messianic Fulfillment. Yeshua died at the ninth hour of the day (Matthew [Mattityahu] 27:45-50). This would be exactly 3:00 p.m. (the ninth hour, counting from 6:00 a.m.).

Do you know the symbols of Easter and what they mean?
Visit: Annie's Easter Symbols and Their Meanings Page

Is Easter mentioned in the Bible at all?
No! Easter by name is not mentioned in the Bible at all. Actually the King James Version does have a "mistranslation" with Easter used instead of Paschal. Easter was not celebrated in the New Testament Era.

"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."

Did you know that Jesus was Jewish and took part in the feast of Passover mentioned in the book of Leviticus?

Why do we celebrate Easter anyway?
"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

When do we Celebrate Easter and Why?
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."
1 Peter 3:15

How can a Christian celebrate this Holiday?

Take some time and decide how you can Celebrate a little differently this year, now that you have some more knowledge of the season.

" --- So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."
Colossians 2:16-17

Does it really matter if I celebrate the holiday just like everyone else celebrates?
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

Lets look at some very important definitions and see how they affect how we celebrate and worship during holidays of faith:

ceremony: 1. A formal act performed as prescribed by ritual, custom, or etiquette. 2. A conventional social gesture or courtesy. 3.Strict observance of formalities or etiquette.

"cross" 1. An upright post with a transverse piece near the top. 2. Often Cross A symbolic representation of the structure on which Jesus was crucified. 3. A trial or affliction. See synonyms at burden 4. A pattern formed by the intersection of two lines. 5. Biology a. A hybrid plant or animal. b. A hybridization. 6. To go or extend across. 7. To intersect. 8. To draw a line across. 9. To place crosswise. 10. To encounter in passing. 11. To thwart or obstruct. 12. Biology To breed by hybridizing. adj. 13. Lying crosswise. 14. Contrary or opposing. 15. Showing ill humor; annoyed. 16. Hybrid.

"crucifixion" 1. Execution on a cross. 2. Crucifixion The crucifying of Jesus. 3. A crucifix.

"Easter" 1. A Christian feast commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus.

feast: 1 A large elaborate meal; banquet. 2. A religious festival. 3. To entertain or feed sumptuously. 4. To eat heartily. 5. To experience something with gratification or delight. 6. To be delighted by the sight of.

festival: 1. A feast or celebration, especially a religious one. 2. A programmed series of cultural performances, exhibitions, or competitions: a film festival. 3. Revelry; conviviality.

Good Friday n. 1. The Friday before Easter, observed by Christians in commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Passover: 1. A holiday celebrated in the spring to commemorate the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

Pentecost: Fifty days after Easter.

Resurrection: 1. A revival; rebirth. 2. Resurrection Theology The rising of Jesus on the third day after the Crucifixion. 1 The rising of the dead at the Last Judgment. resurgere, to rise again.

"ritual" 1. The prescribed form of a ceremony. 2. A system of ceremonies or rites. 3. rituals A ceremonial act or a series of such acts. 4. A customary or regular procedure. [From Latin of rites.]

Above from Encarta Dictionary

Easter will be on Sunday March 27th, 2005 Send an Easter Card that shares with others "He is Risen"! "We serve a Risen Savior" To see a list of all of Annie's Other Easter Pages visit: Annie's Easter Welcome Page

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