I begin this writing on Christ Our Passover, not our Ishtar..borrowing from a Sermon by Rev. C.H. Spurgeon delivered on Sabbath Evening, December 2, 1855, at New Park Street Chapel, Southwark for within it is the passion of The Passover from 150 years ago. I will end this driving home the point fast forwarding 150yrs to today of why for the Christian Passover, NOT EASTER, but The PASSOVER is so EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to understand and comprehend in the same fashion that Spurgeon speaks of the Death Angel those 150 years ago...picturing YOURSELVES today with the soon approaching moment of The Death Angel's appearance on Earth and may he then be forced to PASSOVER your house, YOUR Children and may you escape in your own personal exodus today as in the Days of Egypt.........
THE more you read the Bible, and the more you meditate upon it, the more you will be astonished with it. He who is but a casual reader of the Bible, does not know the height, the depth, the length and breadth of the mighty meanings contained in its pages. There are certain times when I discover a new vein of thought, and I put my hand to my head and say in astonishment, "Oh, it is wonderful I never saw this before in the Scriptures." You will find the Scriptures enlarge as you enter them; the more you study them the less you will appear to know of them, for they widen out as we approach them. Especially will you find this the case with the typical parts of God's Word. Most of the historical books were intended to be types either of dispensations, or experiences, or offices of Jesus Christ. Study the Bible with this as a key, and you will not blame Herbert when he calls it "not only the book of God, but the God of books."
One of the most interesting points of the Scriptures is their constant tendency to display Christ; and perhaps one of the most beautiful figures under which Jesus Christ is ever exhibited in sacred writ, is the Passover Paschal Lamb.
Israel was in Egypt, in extreme bondage; the severity of their slavery had continually increased till it was so oppressive that their incessant groans went up to heaven. God who avenges his own elect, though they cry day and night unto him, at last, determined that he would direct a fearful blow against Egypt's king and Egypt's nation, and deliver his own people.
We can picture the anxieties and the anticipations of Israel, but we can scarcely sympathize with them, unless we as Christians have had the same deliverance from spiritual Egypt. Let us go back to the day in our experience, when we abode in the land of Egypt, working in the brick-kilns of sin, toiling to make ourselves better, and finding it to be of no avail; let us recall that memorable night, the beginning of months, the commencement of a new life in our spirit, and the beginning of an altogether new era in our soul. The Word of God struck the blow at our sin; he gave us Jesus Christ our sacrifice; and in that night we went out of Egypt. Though we have passed through the wilderness since then, and have fought the Amalekites, have trodden on the fiery serpent, have been scorched by the heat and frozen by the snows, yet we have never since that time gone back to Egypt; although our hearts may sometimes have desired the leeks, the onions, and the flesh-pots of Egypt, yet we have never been brought into slavery since then.
Come, let us keep the Passover this night, and think of the night when the Lord delivered us out of Egypt. Let us behold our Saviour Jesus as the Paschal Lamb on which we feed; yea, let us not only look at him as such, but let us sit down to-night at his table, let us eat of his flesh and drink of his blood; for his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed. In holy solemnity let our hearts approach that ancient supper; let us go back to Egypt's darkness, and by holy contemplation behold, instead of the destroying angel, the angel of the covenant, at the head of the feast,—"the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world."
I shall not have time to-night to enter into the whole history and mystery of the Passover; you will not understand me to be to- night preaching concerning the whole of it; but a few prominent points therein as a part of them. It would require a dozen sermons to do so; in fact a book as large as Caryl upon Job—if we could find a divine equally prolix and equally sensible. But we shall first of all look at the Lord Jesus Christ, and show how he corresponds with the Paschal Lamb, and endeavour to bring you to the two points—of having his blood on you, and having fed on him.
I. First, then, JESUS CHRIST IS TYPIFIED HERE UNDER THE PASCHAL LAMB; and should there be one of the seed of Abraham here who has never seen Christ to be the Messiah, I beg his special attention to that which I am to advance, when I speak of the Lord Jesus as none other than the Lamb of God slain for the deliverance of his chosen people.
Follow me with your Bibles, and open first at the 12th chapter of Exodus. We commence, first of all, with the victim—the lamb. How fine a picture of Christ. No other creature could so well have typified him who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Being also the emblem of sacrifice, it most sweetly pourtrayed our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Search natural history through, and though you will find other emblems which set forth different characteristics of his nature, and admirably display him to our souls, yet there is none which seems so appropriate to the person of our beloved Lord as that of the Lamb. A child would at once perceive the likeness between a lamb and Jesus Christ, so gentle and innocent, so mild and harmless, neither hurting others, nor seeming to have the power to resent an injury.
"A humble man before his foes, a weary man and full of woes."
What tortures the sheepish race have received from us! how are they, though innocent, continually slaughtered for our food! Their skin is dragged from their backs, their wool is shorn to give us a garment. And so the Lord Jesus Christ, our glorious Master, doth give us his garments that we may be clothed with them; he is rent in sunder for us; his very blood is poured out for our sins; harmless and holy, a glorious sacrifice for the sins of all his children. Thus the Paschal Lamb might well convey to the pious Hebrew the person of a suffering, silent, patient, harmless Messiah.
Look further down. It was a lamb without blemish. A blemished lamb, if it had the smallest speck of disease, the least wound, would not have been allowed for a Passover. The priest would not have suffered it to be slaughtered, nor would God have accepted the sacrifice at his hands. It must be a lamb without blemish. And was not Jesus Christ even such from his birth? Unblemished, born of the pure virgin Mary, begotten of the Holy Ghost, without a taint of sin; his soul was pure, and spotless as the driven snow, white, clear, perfect; and his life was the same. In him was no sin. He took our infirmities and bore our sorrows on the cross. He was in all points tempted as we are, but there was that sweet exception, "yet without sin." A lamb without blemish. Ye who have known the Lord, who have tasted of his grace, who have held fellowship with him, doth not your heart acknowledge that he is a lamb without blemish? Can ye find any fault with your Saviour? Have you aught to lay to his charge? Hath his truthfulness departed? Have his words been broken? Have his promises failed? Has he forgotten his engagements? And, in any respect, can you find in him any blemish? Ah, no! he is the unblemished lamb, the pure, the spotless, the immaculate, "the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world;" and in him there is no sin.
Go on further down the chapter. "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year." I need not stop to consider the reason why the male was chosen; we only note that it was to be a male of the first year. Then it was in its prime then its strength was unexhausted, then its power was just ripened into maturity and perfection, God would not have an untimely fruit. God would not have that offered which had not come to maturity. And so our Lord Jesus Christ had just come to the ripeness of manhood when he was offered. At 34 years of age was he sacrificed for our sins; he was then hale and strong, although his body may have been emaciated by suffering, and his face more marred than that of any other man, yet was he then in the perfection of manhood.
Methinks I see him then. His goodly beard flowing down upon his breast; I see him with his eyes full of genius, his form erect,majestic, his energy entire, his whole frame in full development,—a real man, a magnificent man—fairer than the sons of men; a Lamb not only without blemish, but with all his powers fully brought out. Such was Jesus Christ—a Lamb of the first year—not a boy, not a lad, not a young man, but a full man, that he might give his soul unto us. He did not give himself to die for us when he was a youth, for he would not then have given all he was to be; he did not give himself to die for us when he was in old age, for then would he have given himself when he was in decay; but just in his maturity, in his very prime, then Jesus Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.
And, moreover, at the time of his death, Christ was full of life, for we are informed by one of the evangelists that "he cried with a loud voice and gave up the spirit." This is a sign that Jesus did not die through weakness, nor through decay of nature. His soul was strong within him; he was still the Lamb of the first year. Still was he mighty; he could, if he pleased, even on the cross, have unlocked his hands from their iron bolts; and descending from the tree of infamy, have driven his astonished foes before him, like deer scattered by a lion, yet did he meekly yield obedience unto death. My soul; canst thou not see thy Jesus here, the unblemished Lamb of the first year, strong and mighty? And, O my heart! does not he though rise up—if Jesus consecrated himself to thee when he was thus in all his strength and vigour, should not I in youth dedicate myself to him? And if I am in manhood, how am I doubly bound to give my strength to him? And if I am in old age, still should I seek while the little remains, to consecrate that little to him. If he gave his all to me, which was much, should I not give my little all to him? Should I not feel bound to consecrate myself entirely to his service, to lay body, soul, and spirit, time, talents, all upon his altar. And though I am not an unblemished lamb, yet I am happy that as the leavened cake was accepted with the sacrifice, though never burned with it—I, though a leavened cake, may be offered on the altar with my Lord and Saviour, the Lord's burnt offering, and so, though impure, and full of leaven, I may be accepted in the beloved, an offering of a sweet savour, acceptable unto the Lord my God. Here is Jesus, beloved, a Lamb without blemish, a Lamb of the first year!
The subject now expands and the interest deepens. Let me have your very serious consideration to the next point, which has much gratified me in its discovery and which will instruct you in the relation.
In the 6th verse of the 12th chapter of Exodus we are told that this lamb which should be offered at the Passover was to be selected four days before its sacrifice, and to be kept apart:—
"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: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb."
The 6th verse says,
"And ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month."
For four days this lamb, chosen to be offered, was taken away from the rest of the flock and kept alone by itself, for two reasons: partly that by its constant bleatings they might be put in remembrance of the solemn feast which was to be celebrated; and moreover, that during the four days they might be quite assured that it had no blemish, for during that time it was subject to constant inspection, in order that they might be certain that it had no hurt or injury that would render it unacceptable to the Lord. And now, brethren, a remarkable fact flashes before you—just as this lamb was separated four days, the ancient allegories used to say that Christ was separated four years. Four years after he left his father's house he went into the wilderness, and was tempted of the devil. Four years after his baptism he was sacrificed for us. But there is another, better than that:
—About four days before his crucifixion, Jesus Christ rode in triumph through the streets of Jerusalem. He was thus openly set apart as being distinct from mankind. He, on the ass, rode up to the temple, that all might see him to be Judah's Lamb, chosen of God, and ordained from the foundation of the world. And what is more remarkable still, during those four days, you will see, if you turn to the Evangelists, at your leisure, that as much is recorded of what he did and said as through all the other part of his life. During those four days, he upbraided the fig tree, and straightway it withered; it was then that he drove the moneychangers-buyers and sellers- from the temple; it was then that he rebuked the priests and elders, by telling them the similitude of the two sons, one of whom said he would go, and did not, and the other who said he would not go, and went; it was then that he narrated the parable of the husbandsmen, who slew those who were sent to them; afterwards he gave the parable of the marriage of the king's son. Then comes his parable concerning the man who went unto the feast, not having on a wedding garment; and then also, the parable concerning the ten virgins, five of whom were very wise, and five of whom were foolish; then comes the chapter of very striking denunciations against the Pharisees:—"Woe unto you O ye blind Pharisees! cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter;" and then also comes that long chapter of prophecy concerning what should happen at the siege of Jerusalem, and an account of the dissolution of the world: "Learn a parable of the fig-tree: when his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh.: But I will not trouble you by telling you here that at the same time he gave them that splendid description of the day of judgment, when the sheep shall be divided from the goats. In fact, the most splendid utterances of Jesus were recorded as having taken place within these four days. Just as the lamb separated from its fellows, did bleat more than ever during the four days, so did Jesus during those four days speak more; and if you want to find a choice saying of Jesus, turn to the account of the last four days' ministry to find it. There you will find that chapter, "Let not your hearts be troubled;" there also, his great prayer, "Father, I will;" and so on. The greatest things he did, he did in the last four days when he was set apart.
And there is one more thing to which I beg your particular attention, and that is, that during those four days I told you that the lamb was subject to the closest scrutiny, so, also, during those four days, it is singular to relate, that Jesus Christ was examined by all classes of persons. It was during those four days that the lawyer asked him which was the greatest commandment? and he said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
It was then that the Herodians came and questioned him about the tribute money; it was then that the Pharisees tempted him; it was then, also, the Sadducees tried him upon the subject of the resurrection. He was tried by all classes and grades—Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers, and the common people. It was during these four days that he was examined: but how did he come forth? An immaculate Lamb! The officers said, "never man spake like this man." His foes found none who could even bear false witness against him, such as agreed together; and Pilate declared, "I find no fault in him." He would not have been fit for the Paschal Lamb had a single blemish have been discovered, but "I find no fault in him," was the utterance of the great chief magistrate, who thereby declared that the Lamb might be eaten at God's Passover, the symbol and the means of the deliverance of God's people. O beloved! you have only to study the Scriptures to find out wondrous things in them; you have only to search deeply, and you stand amazed at their richness. You will find God's Word to be a very precious word; the more you live by it and study it, the more will it be endeared to your minds.
But the next thing we must mark is the place where this lamb was to be killed, which peculiarly sets forth that it must be Jesus Christ. The first Passover was held in Egypt, the second Passover was held in the wilderness; but we do not read that there were more than these two Passovers celebrated until the Israelites came to Canaan. And then, if you turn to a passage in Deuteronomy, the 16th chapter, you will find that God no longer allowed them to slay the Lamb in their own houses but appointed a place for its celebration.
In the wilderness, they brought their offerings to the tabernacle where the lamb was slaughtered; but at its first appointment in Egypt, of course they had no special place to which they took the lamb to be sacrificed.
Afterwards, we read in the 16th of Deuteronomy, and the 5th verse,
"Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee; but at the place which the Lord thy God shall chose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the Passover at even at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt."
It was in Jerusalem that men ought to worship, for salvation was of the Jews; there was God's palace, there his altar smoked, and there only might the Paschal Lamb be killed. So was our blessed Lord led to Jerusalem. The infuriated throng dragged him along the city. In Jerusalem our Lamb was sacrificed for us; it was at the precise spot where God had ordained that it should be. Oh! if that mob who gathered round him at Nazareth had been able to push him headlong down the hill, then Christ could not have died at Jerusalem; but as he said, "a prophet cannot perish out of Jerusalem," so was it true that the King of all prophets could not do otherwise,—the prophecies concerning him would not have been fulfilled.
"Thou shalt kill the lamb in the place the Lord thy God shall appoint."
He was sacrificed in the very place. Thus, again you have an incidental proof that Jesus Christ was the Paschal Lamb for his people.
The next point is the manner of his death. I think the manner in which the lamb was to be offered so peculiarly sets forth the crucifixion of Christ, that no other kind of death could by any means have answered all the particulars set down here. First, the lamb was to be slaughtered, and its blood caught in a basin. Usually blood was caught in a golden basin. Then, as soon as it was taken, the priest standing by the altar on which the fat was burning, threw the blood on the fire or cast it at the foot of the altar. You may guess what a scene it was. Ten thousand lambs sacrificed, and the blood poured out in a purple river. Next, the lamb was to be roasted; but it was not to have a bone of its body broken. Now I do say, there is nothing but crucifixion which can answer all these three things. Crucifixion has in it the shedding of blood—the hands and feet were pierced. It has in it the idea of roasting, for roasting signifies a long torment, and as the lamb was for a long time before the fire, so Christ, in crucifixion, was for a long time exposed to a broiling sun, and all the other pains which crucifixion engenders. Moreover not a bone was broken; which could not have been the case with any other punishment. Suppose it had been possible to put Christ to death in any other way. Sometimes the Romans put criminals to death by decapitation; but by a such death the next is broken. Many martyrs were put to death by having a sword pierced through them; but, while that would have been a bloody death, and not a bone broken necessarily, the torment would not have been long enough to have been pictured by the roasting. So that, take whatever punishment you will—take hanging, which sometimes the Romans practised in the form of strangling, that mode of punishment does not involve shedding of blood, and consequently the requirements would not have been answered. And I do think, any intelligent Jew, reading through this account of the Passover, and then looking at the crucifixion, must be struck by the fact that the penalty and death of the cross by which Christ suffered, must have taken in all these three things. There was blood-shedding; the long continued suffering—the roasting of torture; and then added to that, singularly enough, by God's providence not a bone was broken, but the body was taken down from the cross intact.
Some may say that burning might have answered the matter; but there would not have been a shedding of blood in that case, and the bones would have been virtually broken in the fire. Besides the body would not have been preserved entire. Crucifixion was the only death which could answer all of these three requirements. And my faith receives great strength from the fact, that I see my Saviour not only as a fulfilment of the type, but the only one.
My heart rejoices to look on him whom I have pierced, and see his blood, as the lamb's blood, sprinkled on my lintel and my door-post, and see his bones unbroken, and to believe that not a bone of his spiritual body shall be broken hereafter; and rejoice, also, to see him roasted in the fire, because thereby I see that he satisfied God for that roasting which I ought to have suffered in the torment of hell.
Christian! I would that I had words to depict in better language; but, as it is, I give thee the undigested thoughts, which thou mayest take home and live upon during the week; for thou wilt find this Paschal Lamb to be an hourly feast, as well as supper, and thou mayest feed upon it continually, till thou comest to the mount of God, where thou shalt see him as he is, and worship him in the Lamb in the midst thereof.
II. HOW WE DERIVE BENEFIT FROM THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.
Christ our Passover is slain for us. The Jew could not say that; he could say, a lamb, but "the Lamb," even "Christ our Passover," was not yet become a victim. And here are some of my hearers within these walls to-night who cannot say "Christ our Passover is slain for us." But glory be to God! some of us can. There are not a few here who have laid their hands upon the glorious Scapegoat; and now they can put their hands upon the Lamb also, and they can say, "Yes; it is true, he is not only slain, but Christ our Passover is slain for us." We derive benefit from the death of Christ in two modes: first, by having his blood sprinkled on us for our redemption; secondly, by our eating his flesh for food, regeneration and sanctification. The first aspect in which a sinner views Jesus is that of a lamb slain, whose blood is sprinkled on the door-post and on the lintel. Note the fact, that the blood was never sprinkled on the threshold. It was sprinkled on the lintel, the top of the door, on the side-post, but never on the threshold, for woe unto him who trampleth under foot the blood of the Son of God!
Even the priest of Dagon trod not on the threshold of "his god", much less will the Christian trample under foot the blood of the Paschal Lamb. But his blood must be on our right hand to be our constant guard, and on our left to be our continual support. We want to have Jesus Christ sprinkled on us. As I told you before, it is not alone the blood of Christ poured out on Calvary that saves a sinner; it is the blood of Christ sprinkled on the heart.
Let us turn to the land of Zoan. Do you not think you behold the scene to-night! It is evening. The Egyptians are going homeward—little thinking of what is coming. But just as soon as the sun is set, a lamb is brought into every house. The Egyptian strangers passing by, say, "These Hebrews are about to keep a feast to night," and they retire to their houses utterly careless about it. The father of the Hebrew house takes his lamb, and examining it once more with anxious curiosity, looks it over from head to foot, to see if it has a blemish. He findeth none. "My son," he says to one of them, "bring hither the bason." It is held. He stabs the lamb, and the blood flows into the bason. Do you not think you see the sire, as he commands his matronly wife to roast the lamb before the fire! "Take heed," he says, "that not a bone be broken." Do you see her intense anxiety, as she puts it down to roast, lest a bone should be broken? Now, says the father, "bring a bunch of hyssop." A child brings it. The father dips it into the blood. "Come here, my children, wife and all, and see what I am about to do." He takes the hyssop in his hands, dips it in the blood, and sprinkles it across the lintel and the door-post. His children say,
"What mean you by this ordinance?" He answers, "This night the Lord God will pass through to smite the Egyptians, and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you."
The thing is done; the lamb is cooked; the guests are set down to it; the father of the family has supplicated a blessing; they are sitting down to feast upon it. And mark how the old man carefully divides joint from joint, lest a bone should be broken; and he is particular that the smallest child of the family should have some of it to eat, for so the Lord hath commanded. Do you not think you see him as he tells them
"
it is a solemn night—make haste—in another hour we shall all go out of Egypt." He looks at his hands, they are rough with labour, and clapping them, he cries, "I am not to be a slave any longer."
His eldest son, perhaps, has been smarting under the lash, and he says,
"Son, you have had the task-master's lash upon you this afternoon; but it is the last time you shall feel it." He looks at them all, with tears in his eyes—"This is the night the Lord God will deliver you."
Do you see them with their hats on their heads, with their loins girt, and their staves in their hands? It is the dead of the night. Suddenly they hear a shriek! The father says, "Keep within doors, my children; you will know what it is in a moment." Now another shriek—another shriek—shriek succeeds shriek: they hear perpetual wailing and lamentation. "Remain within," says he, "the angel of death is flying abroad."
A solemn silence is in the room, and they can almost hear the wings of the angel flap in the air as he passes their blood-marked door. "Be calm," says the sire, "that blood will save you." The shrieking increases. "Eat quickly, my children," he says again, and in a moment the Egyptians coming, say, "Get thee hence! Get thee hence! We are not for the jewels that you have borrowed. You have brought death into our houses." "Oh!" says a mother, "Go! for God's sake! go. My eldest son lies dead!" "Go!" says a father,
"Go! and peace go with you. It were an ill day when your people came into Egypt, and our king began to slay your first-born, for God is punishing us for our cruelty."
Ah! see them leaving the land; the shrieks are still heard; the people are busy about their dead. As they go out, a son of Pharoah is taken away unembalmed, to be buried in one of the pyramids. Presently they see one of their task-master's sons taken away. A happy night for them—when they escape! And do you see, my hearers, a glorious parallel? They had to sprinkle the blood, and also to eat the lamb. Ah! my soul, hast thou e'er had the blood sprinkled on thee? Canst thou say that Jesus Christ is thine? It is not enough to say "He loved the world, and gave His Son," you must say, "He loved me, and gave himself for me."
There is another hour coming, dear friends, when we shall all stand before God's bar; and then God will say, "Angel of death, thou once didst smite Egypt's first born; thou knowest thy prey. Unsheath thy sword."
I behold the great gathering, you and I are standing amongst them. It is a solemn moment. All men stand in suspense. There is neither hum nor murmur. The very stars cease to shine lest the light should disturb the air by its motion. All is still. God says, "Has thou sealed those that are mine?" "I have," says Gabriel; "they are sealed by blood every one of them." Then saith he next, "Sweep with thy sword of slaughter! Sweep the Earth! and send the unclothed, the unpurchased, the unwashed ones to the pit." Oh! how shall we feel beloved, when for a moment we see that angel flap his wings? He is just about to fly, "But," will the doubt cross our minds "perhaps he will come to me?" Oh! no; we shall stand and look the angel full in his face.
"Bold shall I stand in that great day!For who aught to my charge shall lay?
While through thy blood absolved I am From sin's tremendous curse and shame."
If we have the blood on us, we shall see the angel coming, we shall smile at him; we shall dare to come even to God's face and say,
"Great God! I'm clean! Through Jesus' blood, I'm clean!"
But if, my hearer, thine unwashen spirit shall stand unshriven before its maker, if thy guilty soul shall appear with all its black spots upon it, unsprinkled with the purple tide, how wilt thou speak when thou seest flash from the scabbard the angel's sword swift for death, and winged for destruction, and when it shall cleave thee asunder?
Methinks I see thee standing now. The angel is sweeping away a thousand there. There is one of thy pot companions. There one with whom thou didst dance and swear. There another, who after attending the same chapel like thee, was a despiser of religion. Now death comes nearer to thee. Just as when the reaper sweeps the field and the next ear trembles because its turn shall come next, I see a brother and a sister swept into the pit. Have I no blood upon me? Then, O rocks! it were kind of you to hide me. Ye have no benevolence in your arms. Mountains! let me find in your caverns some little shelter. But it is all in vain, for vengeance shall cleave the mountains and split the rocks open to find me out. Have I no blood? Have I no hope?
Ah! no! he smites me. The depth of the darkness of Egypt for thee, and the horrible torments of the pit from which none can escape! Ah! my dear hearers, could I preach as I could wish, could I speak to you without my lips and with my heart, then would I bid you seek that sprinkled blood, and urge you by the love of your own soul, by everything that is sacred and eternal, to labour to get this blood of Jesus sprinkled on your souls. It is the blood sprinkled that saves a sinner.
But when the Christian gets the blood sprinkled, that is not all he wants. He wants something to feed upon.
And, O sweet thought! Jesus Christ is not only a Saviour for sinners, but he is food for them after they are saved. The Paschal Lamb by faith we eat. We live on it. You may tell, my hearers, whether you have the blood sprinkled on the door by this: do you eat the Lamb? Suppose for a moment that one of the old Jews had said in his heart, "I do not see the use of this feasting. It is quite right to sprinkle the blood on the lintel or else the door will not be known; but what good is all this inside? We will have the lamb prepared, and we will not break his bones; but we will not eat of it." And suppose he went and stored the lamb away.
What would have been the consequence? Why, the angel of death would have smitten him as well as the rest, even if the blood had been upon him. And if, moreover, that old Jew had said, "there, we will have a little piece of it; but we will have something else to eat, we will have some unleavened bread; we will not turn the leaven out of our houses, but we will have some leavened bread." If they had not consumed the lamb, but had reserved some of it, then the sword of the angel would have found the heart out as well as that of any other man. Oh! dear hearer, you may think you have the blood sprinkled, you may think you are just; but if you do not live on Christ as well as by Christ, you will never be saved by the Paschal Lamb.
"Ah!" say some, "we know nothing of this." Of course you don't. When Jesus Christ said, "except ye eat my flesh, and drink my blood, ye have no life in you," there were some that said, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" and many from that time went back—and walked no more with him. They could not understand him; but, Christian, dost thou not understand it? Is not Jesus Christ thy daily food? And even with the bitter herbs, is he not sweet food?
Some of you, my friends, who are true Christians, live too much on your changing frames and feelings, on your experiences and evidences. Now, that is all wrong. That is just as if a worshipper had gone to the tabernacle and began eating one of the coats that were worn by the priest. When a man lives on Christ's righteousness, it is the same as eating Christ's dress. When a man lives on his frames and feelings, that is as much as if the child of God should live on some tokens that he received in the sanctuary that never were meant for food, but only to comfort him a little. What the Christian lives on is not Christ's righteousness, but Christ; he does not live on Christ's pardon, but on Christ; and on Christ he lives daily, on nearness to Christ. Oh! I do love Christ- preaching. It is not the doctrine of justification that does my heart good, it is Christ, the justifier; it is not pardon that so much makes the Christian's heart rejoice, it is Christ the pardoner; it is not election that I love half so much as my being chosen in Christ ere worlds began; ay! it is not final perseverance that I love so much as the thought that in Christ my life is hid, and that since he gives unto his sheep eternal life, they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand.
Take care, Christian, to eat the Paschal Lamb and nothing else. I tell thee man, if thou eatest that alone, it will be like bread to thee—thy soul's best food. If thou livest on aught else but the Saviour, thou art like one who seeks to live on some weed that grows in the desert, instead of eating the manna that comes down from heaven. Jesus is the manna. In Jesus as well as by Jesus we live. Now, dear friends, in coming to this table, we will keep the Paschal Supper. Once more, by faith, we will eat the Lamb, by holy trust we will come to a crucified Saviour, and feed on his blood, and righteousness, and atonement.
And now, in concluding, let me ask you, are you hoping to be saved my friends? One says, "Well, I don't hardly know; I hope to saved, but I do not know how." Do you know, you imagine I tell you a fiction, when I tell you that people are hoping to be saved by works, but it is not so, it is a reality. In travelling through the country I meet with all sorts of characters, but most frequently with self-righteous persons. How often do I meet with a man who thinks himself quite godly because he attends the church once on a Sunday, and who thinks himself quite righteous because he belongs to the Establishment; as a churchman said to me the other day, "I am a rigid churchman." "I am glad of that," I said to him, "because then you are a Calvinist, if you hold the 'Articles.'" He replied "I don't know about the 'Articles,' I go more by the 'Rubric.'" And so I thought he was more of a formalist than a Christian. There are many persons like that in the world. Another says, "I believe I shall be saved. I don't owe anybody anything; I have never been a bankrupt; I pay everybody twenty shillings in the pound; I never get drunk; and if I wrong anybody at any time, I try to make up for it by giving a pound a year to such-and-such a society; I am as religious as most people; and I believe I shall be saved." That will not do. It is as if some old Jew had said, "We don't want the blood on the lintel, we have got a mahogany lintel; we don't want the blood on the door-post, we have a mahogany door-post." Ah! whatever it was, the angel would have smitten it if it had not had the blood upon it. You may be as righteous as you like: if you have not the blood sprinkled, all the goodness of your door-posts and lintels will be of no avail whatever. "Yes," says another, "I am not trusting exactly there. I believe it is my duty to be as good as I can; but then I think Jesus Christ's mercy will make up the rest. I try to be as righteous as circumstances allow; and I believe that whatever deficiencies there may be, Christ will make them up." That is as if a Jew had said, "Child, bring me the blood," and then, when that was brought, he had said, "bring me a ewer of water;" and then he had taken it and mixed it together, and sprinkled the door-post with it. Why, the angel would have smitten him as well as anyone else, for it is blood, blood, blood, blood! that saves. It is not blood mixed with the water of our poor works; it is blood, blood, blood, blood! and nothing else. And the only way of salvation is by blood. For, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. have precious blood sprinkled upon you, my hearers; trust in precious blood; let your hope be in a salvation sealed with an atonement of precious blood, and you are saved. But having no blood, or having blood mixed with anything else, thou art damned as thou art alive—for the angel shall slay thee, however good and righteous thou mayest be. Go home, then, and think of this: "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us."
So, that which would come to pass with that blood on the door The Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians when He sees the blood upon the Lintel and on the 2-side posts...The Lord will PASSOVER the door and will not suffer (allow) The Death Angel aka as The Destroyer to come into your houses to smite you. The question that Christians today need to be asking is WHO is this "desroyer"? Well it is The Devil, Lucifer, Satan also called Death. So lets get that straight right now so as to truly understand the importance of observing Passover instead of Easter as Christians do today in ignorance I know. Therefore, this is an education to catch the "whomsoever wills" up to speed because my dear brothers and sisters, sons and daughters...it is getting late in the day and The End is Upon Us.
So you see it is Passover is what SHOULD worship and not Easter. Its Passover that keeps Satan out of The Family when you have the TRUE BLOOD OF THE LAMB on the doorposts (which merely is saying BEING IN CHRIST). As long as you have Christ...you have The Truth of The Blood of The Lamb you were "redeemed". Satan HAD to "pass over". God forced him by "ordering him" that he could not touch you. Passover becomes extremely important for the Christian in this particular generation today of the end-times for a very special reason.
In Revelations chapter 9:3-4, there God tells this Angel of the Destroyer which is to say Apollyon from the base 622 in the Greek (look it up in your Strongs Concordance) which is The Devil, THE "Destroyer". It is SIMPLY Satan's name IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE. Like in the English we might say the word is HOUSE but in the SPANISH LANGUAGE the same word is CASA...same "thing" just a different tongue or language. So, here in Revelation 9 God is speaking and says you (Satan) can go DOWN (physically at the 6th Trump to Planet Earth) BUT those that have The Seal of God IN (not on but IN) their foreheads (that's your brain-the Seat of Intelligence and Truth or Deception).
Now what is this "SEAL" that God is referring to ? Its The Truth of God's PLAN of "allowing" Satan(the entity in full personage defacto) to come TO THIS EARTH to "Deceive" those who are biblically illiterate to God's Word because they didn't CARE ENOUGH ABOUT HIM to study HIS WORD, HIS WARNINGS, HIS TRUTH, HIS GUIDE. Then, naturally there is no way Satan CAN DECEIVE YOU because YOU'VE BEEN WARNED and you KNOW hes coming. You KNOW that to "worship" him is to go to hell because it is an abomination to take another god "as God" for The Commandment says "Thou shall have no other gods". For a Christian, this is a sad state of affairs to have professed WITH THEIR MOUTHS they love Christ, and then sit in church every Sunday listening to "preaching" yet they NEVER COME INTO THE FULL KNOWLEDGE of The Truth "because their HEARTS were far off from Him and the evidence of they lacked a "relationship" with Him--and at the LAST HOUR (this same hour Sprugeon speaks of when he ends his sermon of there is ANOTHER HOUR COMING) worship Satan, The Devil, Lucifer, The Destroyer, The Death Angel, The Son of Perdition "INSTEAD OF" (Anti) Christ Our Lord and Savior who like with EVE in The Garden of Eden in the beginning WHOLLY SEDUCED Eve "taking FULL ADVANTAGE" of her "innocence", in the end times will do the same to MANY "NOMINAL" Christians in the VERY NEAR FUTURE because AS A CHRISTIAN "at this moment" upon "repentance" YOU TOO ARE "INNOCENT" as YOUR SINS are "PAID FOR" being "redeemed Of The Lord". I urge you to WORSHIP He (that Christ) who hung from the cross NOT THE IMPOSTER "playacting" in his STARRING ROLE as The ANTI-CHRIST (the "instead of" Christ).
It's gonna be a made for Hollywood Blockbuster hit when he gets on the stage in Jerusalem. His 'image" will go around the globe, every major channel carrying the "goodnews" of the Return of Jesus Christ ONLY it is NOT CHRIST...it's ANTICHRIST, Satan the FAKE imitating Christ. Right now my blood is boiling for what he has done to Our People preying upon your fears, weaknesses, doubts and insecurites. HE DESERVES THE PIT! But God is "using him" for a while to seperate out the sheep from the goats, the True Christians from the fake in name only self-righteous and pious ones.
So, this is the ORDERS from The LORD to Satan "Touch not mine annointed". YOU CAN NOT TOUCH THOSE! Why? Because of Passover! The Lamb slain IS our Passover! When YOU "annoint" THE DOOR of your MIND with His Truth not seminary truth, newsletter and pamplets, but His Truth from His Word His Letter to each of us on a personal basis)....SATAN MUST "by order" PASSOVER you! He can't "touch" you when he comes to this Earth as Anti-Christ which translated means "instead of Christ". Anti-Christ for the English speaking Christian can be a bit hard to comprehend and understand because in our "tongue" (language) ANTI usually means "against" like an anti-war protester. But in the GREEK, this word is very specific here meaning "INSTEAD OF". It all boils down to meaning Satan (the individual cherubim) comes INSTEAD OF Christ "pretending" to be Christ because Father "allows" it a sort of "litmus test" as to who took His Name and hung it above the door as a "righteous status symbol" for everyone to see, and those who entered into that "rest" (Sabbath) with Christ "engaging in a RELATIONSHIP WITH Him".
In the book of Daniel it speaks of this. Satan will be standing in the Holy Place showing the world "he" is Christ and those who are not "informed", WARNED, or those who have "kept God's Word", read it (eating it) absorbed "IT" and all "its" Truth will be "deceived" PERIOD. No ifs, and, or buts about it. And really no excuses because He wrote that love letter to each one of us on a personal basis and each of us can understand it IF we are in a "relationship" with The Lord and He speaks to you and granting understanding because He "feels" that connection and love coming FROM you to Him. You will not have anyone to BLAME but your OWN SELF. You won't be able to say my "Pastor" said "this or that was the truth", or my "Grannie" taught me "this or that".
Brothers and Sisters, Sons and Daughters, it boils down to Free-Will, The Love Letter was written to you "personally" and the beauty of it ALL is- just like in the Courtroom today-and IF you have ever had the honor of making a courtroom appearance before The Judge because you had broken The Law (whether in ignorance of The Law or not...whatever THE CASE may have been) my point being, its YOU, The Judge, Your Advocate/Attorney, and the CASE presented "in the form" of the "offense" (BURGLARY for example) or "law broken". Ignorance of the law is not a DEFENSE. YOUR 'defense' can't be my friend "tricked me and deceived me" into believing it was okay to "enter into that house through the window", or they "dared me". My point here is THE LAW IS THE LAW.
In the 10 commandments GIVEN to Israel it is written "Thou shall have no other gods". Well worshipping Satan is breaking that one! Also it is written and commanded, "Do not take my name in vain (emptiness)". This does not mean while hammering a nail you miss the nail and hit your finger and you yell out "GD". This is "cursing" and thou not becoming a Christian is NOT "breaking The Law". Sin is "breaking The Law". So, to take the name of Christ "becoming" CHRISTIAN and you run up to Satan "believing" he IS Christ--this is taking His Hame in EMPTINESS! You "worshipped" Satan "instead of" WITNESSING AGAINST him and "Bearing Fruit for Christ." You "at that LAST HOUR (called The Hour of Temptation aka that particular 5 month period when he is here on Earth), YOU worshipped the EVIL ONE...The Devil!
Now get THAT down in your guts and understand NOW MORE THAN EVER just how important it is as it is written in 1 Corinthians 5:7 THAT CHRIST IS OUR PASSOVER! We do not go out and slaughter and sacrifice a lamb anymore for the PURPOSE of putting blood on the door posts either! Why? Christ was crucified whereby HIS blood now puts that "sign" (tav) on the door...that sign is being the FACT that you are a Christian. Your life shows it. Thats not being a "holier than thou goody two shoes typer person either! But in TRUTH and knowledge of the GOOD NEWS, The GOOD plan of God, Satan MUST Pass "YOUR HOUSE" Over. This is WHY "PASSOVER" is the Highest HOLY Day in Christianity...its THE most important day...all the "ordiances and sacrifices" of old were NAILED TO THE CROSS on THAT day "FOR" that day He would PAY THE PRICE for sin "for us"!
That "specific" day replacing ALL "others" basically. When you say Christ is your Passover what your saying is - SATAN, NOR ANY OF HIS DEMONIC MINIONS- can touch you or your family! Because he (Satan, The Devil) MUST (by direct order) PASSOVER YOU! Therefore that is why SATAN whould very much like to remove the word "PASSOVER" (or Pascha) from the Bible, or rather from the Greek Manuscripts from the words of Paul himself and CHANGE IT to Easter (Ishtar)! Satan knows the scriptures better than most Christians and would like nothing better. He has in all "effect" and actuality "accomplished it" if you look around today. How? Well look at this season right now. This very weekend will mark Passover and how many churches are observing it? Even right now as I write this-ALL THE CHURCHES (irregardless of the denomination) are ALL "preparing for EASTER. Have you looked at Commerce? Go into any retail store right now, and look at all the Chocolate Easter Bunny Rabbits, the little chicks PEEPS, Easter Eggs, Easter Baskets, and all the "FERTILITY" Goddess signs which have inadvertantly worked there PAGANISM right into the VERY HOUSEHOLD OG God in "Fertility Worship" yet Christians "in DECEPTION" believe they are honoring Christ on The Cross at Calvary and His Death and Ressurrection but very few are taking communion this weekend for Passover which DOES HONOR His Ressurection from the grave. HE DEFEATED DEATH (Satan).
Don't "celebrate" Easter (and inadvertanly worship Queen Ishtar the goddess of fertility)!
OBSERVE Passover. We find through Gods Word the word Passover is documented 85 times in the book of Exodus 7 times, Ex12:1 the next we find in Leviticus the Feast of the Passover and unleavened bread Lev23:4, we find Passover documented 11 times in Numbers 9:1, and again in Deuteronomy 4 times 16:1, and in Joshua 2 times 5:10, and in 2nd Kings 3 times 23:21, and in 1st Chronicles 1 time 7:33, and in 2nd Chronicles 17 times 30:1, and in Ezra 2times 6:19, and in Ezekiel 1 time 45:21, and in Matthew 4 times 26:2, and in Mark 4 times 14:1, and in Luke 7 times 2:41, and in John 9 times 2:13, now we come to 1st Corinthians where Christ is teaching us about leaven symbolic of sin and false doctrine, we also find that Christ became our Passover the blood of The Holy Lamb of God sacrificed on the cross of calvary 1st Corinthians 5:7 , and in Hebrews 1 time 11:28, so now we see that Christ is our Passover.
Get a Strongs Concordance, A Greens Interlinear which is the closest thing to having the ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS and PROVE ME WRONG! Look-up the word Easter and you will see that what I have shared here is accurate and correct and is THE TRUTH! See Satan again is up to his ole tricks and has taken God's Childrens eye off of Him, and onto Paganism "all in the name of Religion" and Christianity. No wonder when we "change bodies" at the 7th Trump...and folks want to go up to Christ speaking of all the great things they did FOR HIM in His Name...He turns away and says Get out of my sight I never KNEW you (in relationship).
Use MATURITY and KNOW I AM NOT TALKING DOWN TO ANYONE who might be reading these words right now..but just KNOW Satan is really really good at "deception". My mission in life is to punch as many holes in the web of lies he has used to ensnare God's Children where YOU in your own strength and knowledge can "deliver yourselves OUT" of his deception by hearing the Truth for IT alones sets you Free. Christ PAID THE PRICE for "your sins". I'm telling you THE TRUTH here. You are faced now with a FREE-WILL "choice". We both have "sold you"-- "pitched" you...but The choice is in wht YOU chose "to buy". Be careful and mature.
I'm trying IN LOVE to gently lead you back in The Truth. I truly understand the heart of Christians--ALL YOUR LIVES, you've heard that one word EASTER, and it is all you know. I understand that! But what I am asking you to "consider" for just one moment that "maybe" YOUR WRONG, and not that "I Teresa" am right...but that God loves you enough that he reached down from on high, and said Teresa, in all YOUR sins, and in all YOUR shortcomings, I chose you to be my vessel. I want you to tell My People the Truth, they most likely won't believe you-they KILLED me! So, be prepared for mockery, disbelief, and keep the Passover in My Name. Bear Witness to My Good Plan. For I know the LOVE, COMPASSION, and MERCY IN your HEART. Teach them and leave "the REST" up to me...for I search the hearts, and I WILL open "their understanding" accordingly.
It is in obedience to My Lord, that I humbly post this this weekend. May God Bless all who read it, and may He open eyes, and touch hearts. We can not awaken this Nation until the Church is awakened to the things we do in ignorance which aren't pleasing to our Father and mock Christ. Amen
In order to observe Passover and Take Communion take some pure virgin olive oil for "anointing" ask the Lord to "Bless it" as Christ being "the anointed one", then anoint yourself and prepare your ingredients, a bit of grape juice or wine is fine too, and an unsalted unleaven wafer or cracker. You can get in the word and commune with Christ readingas follows:
Matthew 26:26 ,"and Jesus took bread and Blessed it and break it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body, take your unsalted cracker break it and eat it" (now eat your cracker/wafer),follow that by reading:
Matthew 26:27 "and He took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drank ye all of it", (take your grape juice and or wine and drink it now)and follow this by then reading:
Matthew 26:28 "for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Follw this by then reading:
Matthew 26:29 but I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drank it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom, now we know this will not be until the 7th trump has sounded you can read this same account of communion in Mark 14:22,Luke22:17.
The rest of this article will contain "indepth" INFORMATION from Paul S. Taylor of Eden Communications on The Pagan Origins of Easter previously touced on above although briefly as to the fertility and pagan symbols of Easter Eggs, and Bunny Rabbits, as well as Ishar. Hope you find it educational, and give pause to the celebration of Easter in the future! As I have stated through-out this article OBSERVE PASSOVER not Easter!
The name "Easter" is highly pagan in origin. 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. For these reasons, it is preferred to use the term "Resurrection Sunday" or... Resurrection Day" rather than "Easter" when referring to the annual Christian remembrance of Christ's resurrection.
PAGAN ORIGIN
Most reference books say that the name "Easter" derived from the Eastre, the Teutonic goddess of Spring. 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.
The Flood was a divine judgment sent on mankind after evil had become all pervasive and all people everywhere were totally unresponsive to God. The Bible says that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" Genesis 6:5.
It is not difficult to imagine that life must have been almost unbearable at this time in history. God gave humankind a second chance by preserving the righteous man Noah and his family (a total of 8 people).
After the Flood, Noah had a talented, but evil, grandson named Nimrod (Genesis 10:6-10) rebelled greatly against God. The Bible says that he was "a mighty one"[1] Jewish tradition indicates that Nimrod was a tyrant "who made all of the people rebellious against God."[2] It is evident from history that Nimrod was not only a political leader, but also the lead priest of a form of Satanic worship.[3]
King Nimrod, Queen Semiramis (Easter), and Tammuz (the "reincarnated" Nimrod). Nimrod built and organized major cities. The Bible notes that these included BABEL,
Asshur http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Asshur
Nineveh http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Nineveh+
and Calah http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Calah
(Genesis 10:10-12).
If you know anything about ancient history, the mention of these places may send shivers up your spine. For these were cities of great, almost unimaginable practices and perversion. 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. In various cultures he later became known as Baal, the Great Life Giver, the god of fire,
Baalim http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Baalim
Bel
dictionary.com meaning) - heaven-and-earth god of Babylonian religion, from Akkad. Belu, lit. "lord, owner, master," cognate with Heb. ba'al.
Molech, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Molech, etc.
"Later, when this adulterous and idolatrous woman gave birth to an illegitimate son, she claimed that this son, Tammuz by name, was Nimrod reborn."[4] 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. "However, not only was the child worshipped, but the woman, the MOTHER, was also worshipped as much (or more) than the son!"[5] 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. According to the legends, after he was slain [killed by a wild boar] 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.[6]
Thus, a terrible false religion developed with its sun and moon worship, priests, astrology, demonic worship, worship of stars associated with their gods, idolatry, mysterious rites, human sacrifice, and more. Frankly, the practices which went on were so horrible that it is not fitting for me to speak of them here.
It was at Nimrod's city of Babel that a towering structure was first built in defiance of God as part of their Satanic religion. Archaeological evidence indicates that this was a spectacular pyramid-shaped structure (ziggurat). The Bible tells us that at this time there was only one language in the world and that most of the world's population centered in this area and participated in this religion. It was evident to God that all mankind would soon degenerate into a level of evil that would parallel that of the pre-Flood world. For humanity's sake, something had to be done to slow and frustrate this organization of an evil one world, tyrannical government.
God confused their language, so that they could not understand each other (Genesis 11:7). This is the ultimate source of the world's many languages.) As a result, many people moved away from the area in groups according to their particular new language. Most, if not all, of these people carried their evil Sun-God-based religion with them. They continued to worship the stars and practice all the other pagan rituals of their religion. Some also continued to build pyramids reminiscent of the Tower of Babel as part of this mystery religion. Today, we can still find remnants of these throughout the world (e.g., Iraq, South America, Central America, Egypt, Burma).
Babel was the origin of an idolatrous system that swept the world. The Bible says of her, "Babylon... the nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged" (Jeremiah 51:7 . The Bible often speaks of the Satanic religions which came from her. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus "witnessed the Mystery religion and its rites in numerous countries and mentions how Babylon was the primeval source from which ALL systems of idolatry flowed.[7] Austen Layard said "that we have the united testimony of sacred and profane history that idolatry originated in the area of Babylonia - the most ancient of religious systems."[8]
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").[9] In other lands, she was called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre. Other names for Semiramis, the Mother Goddess include: Wife of Baal, Ashtaroth or Ashtoreth and Queen of Heaven.[10] 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.
The Easter Egg
"The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians! They believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this marvelous egg - according to the ancient story - the Goddess Astarte (Easter) [Semiramis], was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter."[11]
The idea of a mystic egg spread from Babylon to many parts of the world.[12] In Rome, the mystic egg preceded processions in honor of the Mother Goddess Roman. The egg was part of the sacred ceremonies of the Mysteries of Bacchus. The pagan Druids used the egg as their sacred emblem. In Northern Europe, China and Japan the eggs were colored for their sacred festivals.[13]
The egg was also a symbol of fertility; Semiramis (Easter) was the goddess of Fertility. The Easter egg is a symbol of the pagan Mother Goddess, and it even bears one of her pagan names.
The Easter Rabbit or Hare
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 (Egypt, China, etc.). As you may remember, the Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is associated with the moon. In other words, the Easter bunny symbolizes the pagan Mother Goddess. Annual Spring-time fertility rituals are associated worship of the pagan Mother Goddess and Tammuz, the reincarnation of her husband Nimrod.
Conclusion
"Easter" is simply one of the names of the ultimate pagan goddess - a woman who mightily deceived the world and whose religion has caused untold suffering and misery.[14] "Easter" is clearly an enemy of Christianity, and her son Tammuz was an anti-Christ, a false messiah that ultimately deceived millions.
If you are Christian, it is not difficult to discern the bizarre deception and confusion that Satan has successfully orchestrated. For example, notice the embarrassing irony in these probably well-meant traditions:
On the day commemorating Christ's resurrection, Americans roll decorated eggs on the White House lawn and pretend the Easter rabbit hid them. The same ritual is practiced at some Christian churches.
"In Lancashire [England] on Easter eve boys and men have been in the habit of touring the towns and villages as 'Pace-eggers' begging for eggs before performing the 'Pace-Egging' or Pasch (i.e., Easter) play."[15]
"In Greece each person in a group bangs his red EASTER EGG against the eggs of all the others present in turn, saying 'Christ is risen,' and receives the reply 'He is risen indeed.'"[16]
For centuries Satan watched with twisted delight, as he seduced millions into worshipping people and other created things, instead of the true Creator. Through the millennia, humankind has been easily seduced into participating in every type of perversion. The seductive symbols of the pagan mystery religion that Satan inspired were incorporated into people's everyday lives, even to this day - continuing to obscure the truth of God on this spiritually dark planet. Often this happens because we willingly let it happen. Selfishly and foolishly "all we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6 )
Would it not be a better witness to the world if Christians had never attempted to "Christianize" pagan celebrations - adopting the pagan name "Easter" (Ishtar/Semiramis) in remembrance of Christ? At the very least, Jesus has been obscured by painted eggs and bunnies. Attention is shifted away from spiritual truth and toward materialism (symbolic products, clothing, symbolic candies, and food). Stores merchandise the name of Easter (not "Resurrection Sunday") and sell goods that have nothing to do with Christ's death and resurrection. We naively use symbols and practices that unknowingly perpetuate ancient anti-Christ traditions - symbolic customs followed by the same religious cults that inspired the destruction of great numbers of Christians and Jews. And the Devil laughs at us.
REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES
Genesis 10:8 and 1 Chronicles 1:10 - "...Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth" (NKJV).
The Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. 9, p. 309, as cited by Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion (Riverside, California: Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Assn., 1966).
Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion (Riverside, California: Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Assn., 1966), p. 9; and Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons (New York: Loizeaux Brothers).
Woodrow, Ibid., p. 9.; In his reincarnated form (Nimrod/Tammuz), has been known as Horus (Egypt), Attis (Italy), Crishna or Iswara (India), Deoius (Asia Minor), Janus (Rome), etc.
Woodrow, Ibid., p. 9.
"The resurrection of Tammuz [Nimrod] through Ishtar's grief [Semiramis] was dramatically represented annually in order to insure the success of the crops and the fertility of the people... Each year men and women had to grieve with Ishtar over the death of Tammuz and celebrate the god's return, in order to win anew her favor and her benefits! [Homer W. Smith, Man and His Gods, p. 86, as cited by Woodrow, p. 157.]
Ibid., p. 10; Herodotus' History, Book 2, p. 109, as cited by Woodrow.
Woodrow, Ibid., p. 11; Austen Henry Layard, Nineveh and Its Remains.
Woodrow Ibid., p. 152.
The names Ashtaroth or Ashtoreth
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ashtoreth
, and Queen of Heaven where used for Semiramis by the Israelites and the pagan peoples around them, see Judges 2:13 , Jeremiah 44:17-19 , etc. Other names for Semiramis include Astarte (Cyprus), Diana (Ephesus and throughout Asia Minor), Cybele (Asia Minor), Isis (Egypt), Aphrodite, Ceres (Greece), Venus or Fortuna (Romans), Shingmoo (China), Disa (Scandanavia), Nutria (Etruscans), Virgo-Paritura (Druids), Isi or Indrani or Devaki (India).
Woodrow, Ibid., pp. 152-153.
James G. Frazer, The Golden Bough, Vol. 12, 3rd Edition (1907-15, reissued 1935-36 and 1955); Maria Leach, editor, Funk and Wagnall's Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend, Vol. 1 (1949).
Ibid., p. 155.
This mystery religion of Babylon is well-known to still be alive in the world today in various forms. Many of its elements are even present in the New Age movement (reincarnation, astrology, channeling, claims of mysterious powers, and more).
Edwin Oliver James, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 7 (Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1967), p. 867.]
James, Ibid. [up]
Author on the Pagan origins article posted here in conclusion: Paul S. Taylor of Eden Communications
eden/home.html.
©Copyright 1998, All Rights Reserved - except as noted on attached "Usage and Copyright" page that grants Christian Answers. Net users generous rights for putting this page to work in their homes, personal witnessing, churches and schools.
No comments:
Post a Comment