#093 Is Easter A Pagan Holiday? It's not what you think... - Further. Every. Day.

You may have seen the memes recently from those who claim that Easter is from Ishtar and that Easter is pagan, you may have wondered if there is anything there. Well, there is, and there isn’t. Both sides have set up intellectual embattlements, and I’ve heard people on both sides make blatantly wrong or false assertions. With that said, I don’t think either side is getting the point. The focus should always be on Christ.

There are two views on this, here is the basis for the predominate Anti-Easter view:

Genesis 10:8-10:

After the death of Cush, his father, Nimrod married his own mother and became a powerful King and a god-man to the people. Semiramis, his wife and mother, became the powerful Queen of ancient Babylon. Later to become the 'mother of god' and the 'Queen of heaven'.

Nimrod was eventually killed by an enemy, and his body was cut in pieces and sent to various parts of his kingdom. Semiramis told the people of Babylon that Nimrod had ascended to the sun and was now to be called "Baal", the sun god.

Semiramis claimed that she was immaculately conceived and she taught that the moon was a goddess that went through a 28-day cycle and ovulated when full. She further claimed that she came down from the moon in a giant moon egg that fell into the Euphrates River. This was to have happened at the time of the first full moon after the Spring Equinox.

Semiramis became known as "Ishtar" which is pronounced "Easter", and her moon egg became known as "Ishtar's" egg”(Easter Egg). Ishtar (Semiramis) soon became pregnant and claimed that it was the rays of the sun-god Baal that caused her to conceive. The son that she brought forth was named Tammuz.

Tammuz was noted to be especially fond of rabbits, and they became sacred in the ancient religion, because Tammuz was believed to be the son of the sun-god, Baal. Tammuz, like his supposed father, became a hunter. The day came when Tammuz was killed by a wild pig.

Queen Ishtar told the people that Tammuz was now ascended to his father, Baal, and that the two of them would be with the worshippers in the sacred candle or lamp flame as Father, Son and Spirit. Ishtar, who was now worshiped as the "Mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven", continued to build her mystery religion.

After Tammuz was killed by a wild pig the “Queen of Heaven” proclaimed a Forty-Day period of sorrow each year prior to the anniversary of the death of Tammuz.

The truth is that the FORTY DAYS OF LENT, eggs, rabbits, hot cross buns and the Easter ham have everything to do with the ancient pagan religion of Mystery Babylon.”
( http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html)”

We even see this worship in Old Testament Biblical times. There were appointed 40 days to weep for Tammuz, the Queen of Heaven’s child. This was often preceded by wild drunken and gluttonous behavior, sound familiar?

“In verse 14 of Ezekiel 8, Ezekiel expresses his "dismay" at yet a greater abomination: "women . . . weeping for Tammuz." This is another pagan practice, a very sexual one involving ritual prostitution(https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/13229/Weeping-for-Tammuz.htm)

(https://bibletrutheducation.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/jeremiah-4410-27-they-ar/)

And here is the Pro-Easter argument:

From History.com

“According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping.”

So is Easter a Pagan Holiday? Maybe, maybe not but do the eggs and rabbits ultimately replace Christ as the focus of Resurrection Sunday? More often than not, little Easter goers actually walk away with very little of Christ and very much of the egg laying rabbit. Perhaps we should look more to the feasts that Christ fulfilled: Unleavened Bread, Passover, and First Fruits.

Christ came into Jerusalem on Unleavened Bread during the time the Passover Lamb was to be brought into the city on the same route. They shouted Hosanna and casted palms before Him. Christ was crucified as the ultimate Passover Lamb the day before Passover and his work was done. On Sunday, First Fruits, Christ rose as the First Fruits of the Resurrection. All in fulfillment of prophecy.

May I encourage you this year to think more about Christ and His glorious fulfillment of our salvation than you do Rabbits and Eggs.

#easter #pagan #christianity #fed #podcast #listenable #furthereveryday #passover2023 #freedom #