Beth Chai Minitries
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				THE ROOTS AND THE ORGIN OF THE TERM "EASTER" PART II by James Issa Continuing from last week, we learned that the word "Easter" with its symbols of easter bunnies & eggs, have no relation to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus nor to the three Biblical Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread & First Fruits. The calendar the world follows is no longer the Jewish Biblical Calendar, but one that was instituted by Pope Gregory. The season that we refer to as "Easter" has three biblical mandated feasts to keep. These feasts are not kept for the sake of attaining righteousness. Jesus alone is our righteousness. 2nd Corinthians 5: 21, Ephesians 2:15. Leviticus 23:2, instead these feasts are convocations or "rehearsals." In other words, their fulfillment and performance was in the future-Hebrews 10:1. They are to be kept by Christians for its significance. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said he came to fulfill the Law & the Prophets. In other words he came to fulfill the Hebrew Bible-"Tanakh" which is usually referred to as the "Law (Torah) and Prophets (Neviim). What law did He come to fulfill? How can we know this law if we do not know our Jewish roots. How did Jesus fulfill this law? At Passover, Jesus died and became our substitute, just as the animal was the substitute in Egypt-Matthew 27:45, 1st Corinthians 5:7. He was buried during the feast of Unleavened Bread -Matthew 27:62, Matthew 5:8. He rose from the dead on the feast of First Fruits-Matthew 28:1, 1st Corinthians 15:20, 23, Colossians 1:18. The Feast of First Fruits represents giving God the first fruits of the Barley harvest. On this day, the barley is waved before the Lord. This was a to signify that the full harvest will be gathered in. In the same way Jesus' resurrection signifies, the full harvest of the resurrection of the dead in Christ will be gathered. -1st Corinthians 15:23. In Leviticus 23:11, the feast of First Fruits was to be celebrated the day after the Sabbath-which is Sunday (Saturday evening to Sunday evening).