Let's play a little Easter themed word game. While the world debates over "Easter" and its origin, my preference is to focus on the two most likely biblical references William Tyndale referred to when he translated the Holy Bible into the King James Version.
Where Easter Came From
First off, I wrote this article from the perspective of someone who is notorious for playing word games. Although I wouldn't consider myself an expert, I am good at it. When I played Scrabble tournaments I was good enough to take on and beat some of the players who took part in world championships.
So what does that have to do with my take on Easter's origins and what it means? As a bible believer, I'm familiar with its scriptures, along with the stories it told. This includes the Book of Esther and the events that took place during the Passover when Jesus Christ was persecuted, killed, and resurrected.
Book of Esther
The Book of Esther is found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. This story begins in 483 BC when Esther replaced Vashti as the new queen of Babylon. She was a Hebrew orphan woman who was chosen out of several other potential brides to become the new wife of King Xerxes.
Esther was raised by her uncle, Mordecai. Although proud of their Hebrew heritage, Esther's ethnic origin wasn't revealed until she realized her people were facing annihilation by one of the king's most trusted advisors, Haman.
It was during this timeline, after Esther discovered her fellow Hebrews were in great danger, she declared a three-day fast that included prayer. Collectively, they pleaded with God to spare the Jewish population from a hate crime Haman intended to carry out.
Queen Esther was careful and methodical as she dealt with her husband, King Xerxes. She was completely honest and respectful with him and was able to open his eyes to the evil Haman had in mind for a population that included Mordecai. Xerxes remembered Mordecai as the man who saved his life from an assassination attempt that was intended for him.
Upon learning more about the great evil intended for a group of people who didn't deserve it, he had Haman and those closest to him hanged. Their acts were treacherous and they deserved to be exposed for the hate crimes they tried to carry out. By the end of the Esther story, Mordecai was honored and the Hebrews during this time were no longer considered as social outcasts. Instead, they became the most respected members of a society who recognized God answered their prayers and saved them.
The Passover
The Passover's origin begins with the Book of Exodus. While the Hebrews endured harsh living conditions in Egypt by a pharaoh who hated them, God decided it was time to fulfill the promises he made to their ancestors. That promise began with Abram (Abraham). It was first passed to his son, Isaac, and then finally to Jacob (Israel) and his twelve sons.
Chosen by God to lead the Jews was Moses. He and his brother, Aaron, followed God's orders by instructing their fellow Hebrews what to do so they could make their great escape from the clutches of the oppressive Egyptian government. On the fateful night when God took away the first born sons of every Egyptian, the Hebrews avoided this fate by having their first ever Passover Feast.
From that point onward, the Passover became an annual event, as commanded by God through his servant Moses. For the most part, the Hebrews upheld what became the most significant event in history. Even today, Passover is still celebrated as one of the most important holidays among the Jewish people.
The Passover is also celebrated among many Christians who recognize the significance of this event as well. This group is usually classified as Messianic Christians as they value the Old Testament as much as the New Testament. It's this group who recognize Jesus Christ as the famed Messiah sent by God as his miracle son.
The Eastern Star
For thirty-three years, Jesus Christ roamed the earth who lived the kind of life the majority of the social elite frowned upon. He also became an enemy of the most powerful political and religious leaders the moment he was born. As a newborn, he was hunted down by a Roman ruler known as King Herod. The reason why Herod wanted Jesus dead was because of a prophetic statement that was made he felt concerned him.
What was the statement?
Matthew 2:2 stated, “We have seen His star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When word of this reached King Herod, he sent for three men, urging them to find the child. He deceptively told them he wished to worship Jesus (then named Emmanuel) as well as them. When these three men were alerted by God regarding Herod's deception, they chose to protect Jesus instead. As a result, a paranoid Herod ordered the death of every male child under the age of two years old.
So what does "Easter" have to do with this story? As an adjective, this means "eastern." Take note of the Matthew 2:2 scripture about the famed star in the east. Is this coincidence? No, I don't think so.
Easter vs. Eastra
Many choose to downplay the significance of Tyndale's "Easter" as a term describing the most famous weekend celebrated by devoted Christians. They prefer to go with "Resurrection Day" to describe the event that witnessed Jesus rise from the dead after he was crucified two days prior.
Part of the reason why Resurrection Day is favored over Easter by many Christians is because they find Easter's wording has too much in common with Eastra. Also referenced as Eastre and Eostre, it's recognized by the Saxons as the goddess of spring. She was also referenced as the goddess of fertility.
Year after year, the Saxons honored their goddess at the same time the Christians and Jews celebrated the Passover. It is true by the time the eighth century hit, Anglo-Saxons adopted "Easter" as a term to describe the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
However, Tyndale's approach to Easter had nothing to do with the traditional celebrations associated with Eastra. He favored Easter as an event that strictly focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His Easter has much more in common with the Book of Esther and the Passover. Both events witnessed a three-day run of biblical significance that turned imminent death into a resurrection of a people who chose God instead of favoring the trends of the world.
Celebrating Easter Today
Today, dedicated Christians continue to celebrate Easter as they pay homage to the life and death of Jesus Christ. As for the Jews and Messianic Christians, they look upon Easter Sunday as Passover. These biblical believers tend to follow Mosaic Law over the traditions laid out by political and religious leaders who'd rather do things their way. This includes rejecting the customs that have most in common with Eastra.
The commercialized version of Easter mostly caters to children with its famed Easter Bunny, chocolates, and decorated eggs. This approach to celebrating a holiday weekend follows the cultural customs that were primarily fused together by the Anglo-Saxons and the Orthodox Catholic Church. Among Christians, Jesus still remains at the center behind their Easter celebrations. As for nonbelievers, he is kept out of the equation entirely.
Among the nonbelievers of Jesus Christ are certain members of the Jewish community who completely disregard the gospel shared in the Holy Bible's New Testament. Although they believe in God, they don't believe the Messiah is the son mentioned in the prophecies shared in the Old Testament. Within these ranks, there are some Jews who detest the concept of Jesus Christ so much that they go to great lengths to discredit the Christians who believe he honestly is the real deal.
Those great lengths include discriminating and persecuting against Christians who choose to side with Jesus Christ. While some of these Jews engage in this practice, they're not the only ones. The world's animosity against Christians continues to grow. This is seen through new and existing laws that are doing the exact same thing to the Christians of today that were committed against the Jews during the timeline of Queen Esther and Mordecai.
So, are those unbelieving Jews among a group of people to blame as this world continues to descent into darkness? Truth be told, not entirely. According to the Book of Revelation (Revelation 12:9), the whole world is deceived. It was also brought up in Matthew 24:24 that even the elect would be deceived. Just before Jesus died on the cross, he even pleaded to God, "“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Matthew 23:34)
Easter's Future
As if the world hasn't become ludicrous enough, the discrimination against Christianity continues to be on the rise. At the same time, so is racism and social unrest. Is this a coincidence? No, this is done by design as Satan knows the return of Jesus Christ, as promised, is nearly at hand.
Today, the global elite have amped up it's war against people who choose Jesus instead of the trends they've laid out for the entire population. This is seen in the increasing discrimination Christians (and some Jews) receive whenever they try to celebrate their sacred holidays.
Right now, the two biggest holidays targeted is Christmas and Easter. People who have a serious hatred against Jesus Christ and his followers consider Christmas and Easter to be holidays that are too "racist" for their liking. Even the Jewish-based holidays, especially Passover, are being targeted as a form of "hate speech."
Adding to the absurdities Christians and Jews face is the hypocrisy of a world who discriminates against these two religious beliefs while at the same time favor a few others. This includes favoring Islam and Satanism. If governments are supposed to remain impartial as a means to properly run their nations then why play favorites?
It's not the first time the world has witnessed favoritism that has put Christians and Jews on the receiving end of unjust criticism and brutality. Before, during, and after the events that took place in Exodus, religious factions who hated Christianity and Judaism carried out one horrific act after another. Unfortunately, this continues today.
What's Coming Next
What so many haters against Christianity and Judaism fail to realize is they're fulfilling biblical prophecy in a manner that will backfire against them. When that day comes, they're going to be on the receiving end of a judgment call by God. They're going to realize Jesus and God are indeed the same, along with the Holy Spirit.
As bad as the world has become today, if it wasn't for the Holy Spirit things would be much worse. The biblical aspect of Easter would have been completely eliminated if this was the case. This also applies to Christmas and anything else that has to do with Christianity.
However, since the world is so bent to reject Christianity, it will get what it thinks it wants. That will be brief, though. It will, however, feel like a lifetime among a population of nonbelievers who will learn the hard way Jesus is for real. I really don't want to be in their shoes when this happens because it won't be pretty.
In addition to the nonbelievers who will be on the receiving end of God's wrath will be the evildoers and members of the lukewarm church. Details of what happens to all of these people are accurately laid out in the Book of Revelation, one event after another. Most of it is taking place right now. The rest is yet to come.
Happiest Easter
When the religious leaders of the world arranged for the execution of Jesus, their evil was exposed the second he died on the cross. The veil was torn, allowing both the Christians and the previously duped Jews to see the deception exposed. Upon his resurrection on what we know today as Easter Sunday, additional truths were revealed.
Despite this, the majority of those religious leaders were able to convince some of its followers to stay with them instead of siding with Jesus. Many witnesses who were there were forced to stay silent as they and their families were threatened by men who exercised an authority they didn't deserve to have. Because of their silence, it made things more difficult for truthers to prove what really happened.
This is a problem that continues today. The veils of deceit will be yet shredded again as Jesus returns. As soon as that happens, that's going to be the happiest Easter devoted Christians will experience yet.