Easter

and "Good Friday"
Post 182

As I watched the news this week it seemed that it should have been refreshing that the media focused for a moment on the memorializing events taking place on the Via Dolorosa. *1
With all the great turmoil brewing in the world, there seems to be a heightened sense of faith that surely must be a good thing… right?
But what I saw were large crosses being carried up the crowded path, some bearing living men acting out the crucifixion of Jesus. There were people in costume as Roman centurions and some drenched in representations of blood acting out Jesus. The entire scene looked no different that any other religious celebration around the world.

Along the defined rout, established not in fact but by design of the Catholic Church, there are nine Stations of the Cross commissioned by the Pope which celebrate questionable events that tradition claims took place on that fateful day, but only possibly 6 of the 9 can be found in the scriptures at best, and most of those are not located in the proper place. *2

My intent here is not to criminalize the memorial… No, actually it is.
The Catholic Church has successfully bastardized the whole event of Jesus’ Crucifixion, actually going so far as to excommunicate the early memorializers of the actual events on Thursday morning, the latest day the death of the Crucifixion could have taken place according the math in Scripture. *3

What I saw in the news taking place on “Good Friday” was a paganization by heathens *4 of the historic events.
Very harsh words I know.
But viewing the memorializing events as they take place in reality, what makes the acts of our Savior, and those of the memorializers now any different than those self-abasing monks of Buddha, or the glass crawlers of Hindu, or the pilgrimage of Islam? We have created a religion out of our faith!
There is nothing more destructive to faith than religion, because faith is based on something real while religion is based on fabrications of the mind and emotions.

Islam is a real faith because they worship the real Devil though they call him Allah.
Yet in Islam they too have a problem with followers making a religion of their faith. Those religious but unfaithful are what we now call Islamic moderates.
Since the faith of Islam is dark and murderous, the faithless moderates are a welcome diversion.
And in this warm socializing acceptance comes the natural demand that Christians become faithless moderates as well, it just makes us all happier bed-fellows in our new "virtue" of globalization.

The confusion continues to grow thicker as the blasphemous Catholic Church that once burned alive the faithful Christians, is now itself identified to the world AS Christian. *5
So today when the Catholic Church does this or that, the world is told it is Christian just as the pagan activities on the Via Dolorosa are claimed to be Christian though they now represent almost nothing actually Christian, yet highly religious.

Just in case your not confused enough, they also now call the memorialization of Jesus' subsequent Resurrection; “Easter” after a Babylonian goddess Ishtar *6 the goddess of sex and fertility which is the source concept of all the rabbits and eggs now associated with Jesus’ Resurrection.
Fertility - New life, it all fits so nice!

In stead of saying; "Happy Ishtar Day" (Easter), the early Christians greeted each other with; "He is Risen!" and the reply was; "He is Risen in deed!"
But those days are long gone for the "modern Christian".

* * *

Why am I making a big deal out of this?
Because in days long ago Christians were burned at the stake for defying the Catholic Church regarding the Bastardization of the faith, but today there is hardly a Christian home that does not color eggs and decorate with rabbits though they have no clue how blasphemous this is!
For one hour some might go to church and in solemn ceremony contemplate the sacrifice of God our Savior on our behalf. But the rest of the week is full of Ishtar’s glory.

When God sent the Jews into exile for worshiping other gods, what do you think they were doing? Like us, it was all just innocent fun! *7
But when you spend more time and devotion with Ishtar than with Jesus, ON THIS DAY after his sacrificial death for you!, what do you suppose should be His reaction?

* * * * * * *

*1 "The Via Dolorosa (Latin for Way of Grief or Way of Suffering) is a street, in two parts, within the Old City of Jerusalem, held to be the path that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to his crucifixion. The current route has been established since the 18th century, replacing various earlier versions. It is today marked by nine Stations of the Cross; there have been fourteen stations since the late 15th century, with the remaining five stations being inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The route is a place of Christian pilgrimage." - Via Doloraosa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Dolorosa)

*2 The Curse:
"And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven." Deuteronomy 29:19-20,
"And there shall in no wise enter into it (New Jerusalem) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Revelation 21:27
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Revelation 22:18-19
"...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10

By manipulating, adding to, or subtracting from the word of God, we cause what was true prophecy to fail. This leads to confusion and loss of faith.

* * *
Lets examine one such example:
According to tradition and the Catholic Stations, clearly sanctioned by the Church, there were at least three "falls" of Jesus on his journey to the cross.
But Scripture gives us only one suggestion of anything that could be interpreted as such, though prophetically a fall of Christ is impossible.
So lets read the verse to see if we can confirm that Jesus ever fell on his way to the cross;
"And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus." Luke 23:26 (see also Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21)
Now what we get from this example is the practical validation of Jesus' direction to his followers;
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24, (see also Luke 14:27)
Simon was the physical representation of how we must follow Jesus in a very practical way, not in some intangible mental game, but with our whole being we endure the burden of the cross laid on us as we follow behind in Jesus path. "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matthew 10:22
Note that Simon did not volunteer to bear the cross, it was put upon him by those who killed our LORD. But notice too that Jesus did not need Simon's help to successfully make it to the crucifixion. There is no scriptural evidence that Jesus ever fell.

Why did the Romans who so mercilessly treated Jesus earlier, make Simon now bear his cross?
Was it their own idea, or did God put it into their minds to fulfill a prophetic message...or both?
"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them..." John 16:1-4a
It is our roll as followers to bear the cross of Christ which we are given. And today by the thousands Christians are suffering and giving their lives just as Jesus prophesied. Persecution (http://www.persecution.com/public/newsroom.aspx)

Again this cross bearing of Simon was a type and shadow of how each of us must bear Christ's spiritual cross and tangible suffering as we partake of his example. This participation is also evidenced by our water baptism as we die to ourselves and rise to a new life in Christ in the example of his own death and resurrection.
These are not just nice religious ceremonies, they are events which supernaturally alter our life when applied with understanding.

God's message in prophecy is so important that a slight infraction by Moses cost him from ever entering the promised land.
His severe punishment was not because what he did was so horrible, but because he did not follow God's instruction and so marred the prophetic message of the Christ.
In the first of two events, God instructed Moses to STRIKE the rock for the water to come forth, (Exodus 17:6) and everything went as planned.
But in the second similar event, God instructed Moses to SPEAK to the rock for the water to come. (Numbers 20:8) But Moses got in the way of the prophetic message and forgot himself.
In frustration with the people, and perhaps a bit of self confidence from having done this once before, he STRUCK the rock to get the water, not even once but twice.(Numbers 20:9-11)
This did not please God, and cost him entry into the promised land. (Numbers 20:12)

The reason why this was a big deal to God, is because the life saving water to spring from an impossible source, was a prophecy of the arrival of the Messiah from the obstinate Jewish people...twice.
We usually interpret this prophecy to mean; the first time he came he would be stuck. And so he was.
But the second time he comes he is to be requested;
"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Matthew 23:39
I submit that for an accurate application we must understand that Jesus the Christ is represented by water, the rock represents the Jewish people.
God intended the people to be struck the first time, and the Messiah would come.
But in Moses failure to follow instructions, he brought on the "double beating" of the Jews which now must come in order to fulfill the prophecy which Moses created by his disobedience to the instruction.
This concept is carried in the prophecy; "...for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction." Zechariah 1:15b

God's prophecy is very specific and important to him as there is virtually nothing in any creation anywhere as sure as God's prophecy, not even a voice from heaven itself! (II Peter 1:18-19)

So now how accountable do you suppose the Catholic Church is for officially declaring against the report of scripture that Jesus fell three times on his way to the cross?
or declaring that Jesus was killed on Friday making a lie of Jesus declaration of 3 days and 3 nights in the grave?
"...O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12b
How accountable are the pilgrims who make a grand religious experience out of walking the historical (but wrong) footsteps of Jesus in an emotional connection before heading home to continue in their daily sin while feeling extra righteous for the effort?
Am I saying a vacation to the Holy Land is ill advised? no.
But care must be taken not to turn your faith toward emotional imagination. (Romans 1:21, Jeremiah 13:10)

*3 Thursday Crucifixion Death:
Matthew 28:1-6, mark 16:1, Luke 24:1, John 20:1 all tell plainly that Jesus rose from the grave before early on the first day of the week, when the women discovered him risen. And to be sure we don’t mess it up, the passage says the first day follows Sabbath (Saturday);
“In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre...
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:1-6
So we know that Christ rose before early on Sunday morning, possibly even Saturday night.

Jesus told us before the event that he must be dead specifically three days and three nights;
“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40 (don’t forget to read and contemplate verse 41 as well!)
No matter how hard you try, you simply cannot get three days and three nights to fit between Friday and early Sunday.
The acts of the Romans conveniently show that it was public knowledge that Jesus had declared he would be dead three days;
“Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day,…” Matthew 27:64a

There is something important about the “three” days and nights duration as we see the evidence all through scripture in type and shadow;
“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Acts 20:29-31
(see also Revelation 8:12)
By the capitalization of this point, we know that if Jesus rose from the grave before early on Sunday morning, he could not have been killed after early Thursday morning, making the event of the crucifixion primarily on Wednesday with his death as early as Wednesday night and his subsequent resurrection as early as Saturday night.
"...as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week..." suggests that it was not yet Sunday Morning when the women found him already risen.
Not to make a religion out of the day, Jesus rose in secret and we celebrate his resurrection on Sunday Morning when the event was discovered, fulfilling the prophetic message of the feats.

* * *
The Catholic Church has gone to great lengths to obliterate the Wednesday-Thursday Crucifixion and the memorialization of it by obscuring the original event with their own fabricated religious memorial abusing the historical account almost beyond discovery;
"Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.
The date is always between 19 March and 22 April inclusive, but these dates fall on different days depending on whether the Gregorian or Julian calendar is used liturgically. Eastern churches generally use the Julian calendar, and so celebrate this feast throughout the 21st century between 1 April and 5 May in the more commonly used Gregorian calendar. The Mass of the Lord's Supper initiates the Easter Triduum, the three days of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday that commemorate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It is normally celebrated in the evening, when Friday begins according to Jewish tradition." - Holy Thursday (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Thursday)

*4 Heathen 1471 gowy; (Hebrew) apparently from the same root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts. - Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

*5 "Fox's Book of Martyrs" by John Foxe is a meticulous and horrifying record of thousands of Christians unspeakably murdered by the Catholic Church. A very inspiring read to strengthen your resolve as a Christian and learn about the true history.

*6 Ishtar:
“Ishtar was above all associated with sexuality: her cult involved sacred prostitution[dubious – discuss]; her holy city Uruk was called the "town of the sacred courtesans"; and she herself was the "courtesan of the gods". Ishtar had many lovers;” - Ishtar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar)

"Astarte (Greek Ἀστάρτη, "Astártē") is the Greek name of a goddess known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to Classical times. Originally the deified evening star, she is found as Ugaritic ‘ṯtrt ("‘Aṯtart" or "‘Athtart"); Phoenician "‘shtrt" (‘Ashtart); and Hebrew עשתרת (Ashtoret, singular, or Ashtarot, plural), and appears in Akkadian as Dingir, the grammatically masculine name of the goddess Ishtar; the form Astartu is used to describe her age. The name appears also in Etruscan as (Pyrgi Tablets), Ishtar or Ashtart.
Astarte was connected with fertility, sexuality, and war. Her symbols were the lion, the horse, the sphinx, the dove, and a star within a circle indicating the planet Venus. Pictorial representations often show her naked. - Astarte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astarte)

*7 “For they went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:” Deuteronomy 29:26
This memorialized plastic Jesus we glue to our dash and worship in our imagination, is just such a god whom God did not give us.
*