Click to join the conversation with over 500,000 Pentecostal believers and scholars
Click to get our FREE MOBILE APP and stay connected
Библията Тв | PentecostalTheology.com
Happy Easter or Ishtar?
The word Easter appears once in the King James when Herod put Peter in prison, “intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people” (Acts 12:4). The original Greek word is not Easter, but Pesach (Passover). ancient
Babylonians marked beginning of Spring with honoring the resurrection of their god, Tammuz killed by a wild boar. Tammuz was returned to life by his mother/wife, Ishtar (after whom the festival was named) with her tears.
Ishtar was actually pronounced “Easter.” “Asherah” the Greek form of this word from the Septuagint is “Astarte”, who is the Babylonian goddess of the sea, sea being symbolic of people, and consort of the god El. She was the mother of several gods, including Ba’al, the Babylonian god of the sun
La Palabra De Dios [04/05/2015 12:53 PM]
AMEN!
Frank Adkins
Might want to do some more research on this. Snopes would be a good place to start.
Mary Ellen Nissley
God never forbade the children of Israel to begin to keep days He didn’t prescribe in the Law, to commemorate things He had done. And He also never commanded them to carefully avoid celebrating any of His works, on the days the heathen kept, for fear of making a holiday like theirs.
For instance, Hanukah falls on roughly the same days as the old pagan days of winter solstice. Hanukah was an extra-biblical feast day, which was being kept at the time of Christ. Did Christ observe Hanukah? or did He make an issue of avoiding it?
I think the gospels are clear that Christ went to Jerusalem for Hanukah, as recorded in John 10: 22-23.
Now, as children of redemption, why should we recoil in fear of Christmas or Easter? We do not celebrate heathen gods on those days! The Jews were free to keep Hanukah. Why should we not be free to redeem any day from pagan worship, and dedicate that day instead to praise our God for what HE has done?!
This focusing on pagan holidays, and hiding in fear, lest we perhaps defile ourselves with idolatry, if we commemorate Christ’s birth or resurrection on those days… it’s exactly what Satan wants us to do! In doing so, we not only allow fear to rule us, and to make us all negative, but we also hand those days over to Satan, acknowledging the idea of his mastery over those days.
I refuse to allow Satan to have ANY day! In the Name of Jesus, I claim those days for MY GOD. And I am free to redeem those days, making them high and holy days to remember my Messiah.
Varnel Watson
Ishtar was actually pronounced “Easter.” “Asherah” the Greek form of this word from the Septuagint is “Astarte”, who is the Babylonian goddess of the sea, sea being symbolic of people, and consort of the god El. She was the mother of several gods, including Ba’al, the Babylonian god of the sun
Jevan Little
Ishtar sounds nothing like Easter. Where are you getting your info?
Joseph D. Absher
Mr Troy Day
Sorry If this is off topic.
Just a question for the pastors that preach every week. What would the most likely or “natural” follow up be for the Sunday after the resurrection.
I’m thinking heaven, Jesus led captivity captive. My friend says prayer as the veil was torn in two. Been invited to preach next Sunday. Never asked this question before. But pastors often build along a certain line or topic. Part 1 part 2 etc. So I thought I’d ask.
I’m just blessed of I get invited at all, or invited back. lol
Scotty Searan
Many people will tell you they are not convicted of practices that Happen on Religious holidays.
It may be that we didn’t know that these practices are wrong (sinning through Ignorance).
When it is brought to our attention we have 2 choices:
1. To continue on in the sin, which is rebellion and maybe even stubbornness. Remember King Saul did not believe he was doing wrong, by doing part of what Samuel instructed Him. This is also called idolatry.
2. We can repent of the sin and do what is right and God will forgive,
Lev 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
Lev 4:28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
It is not wrong to have a holy day. That isn’t what we are speaking about here. We are talking about taking the practices of a pagan holiday, even having the name of a false goddess on and celebrating it in a Christian day. Oh some of the practices may look innocent, But these innocent acts create the seed of rebellion.
We cannot be held guiltless if we continue in the practice as innocent as they seem.
Scotty Searan
Many people will tell you they are not convicted of practices that Happen on Religious holidays.
It may be that we didn’t know that these practices are wrong (sinning through Ignorance).
When it is brought to our attention we have 2 choices:
1. To continue on in the sin, which is rebellion and maybe even stubbornness. Remember King Saul did not believe he was doing wrong, by doing part of what Samuel instructed Him. This is also called idolatry.
2. We can repent of the sin and do what is right and God will forgive,
Lev 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
Lev 4:28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
It is not wrong to have a holy day. That isn’t what we are speaking about here. We are talking about taking the practices of a pagan holiday, even having the name of a false goddess on and celebrating it in a Christian day. Oh some of the practices may look innocent, But these innocent acts create the seed of rebellion.
We cannot be held guiltless if we continue in the practice as innocent as they seem.
Varnel Watson
The word Easter appears once in the King James when Herod put Peter in prison, “intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people” (Acts 12:4). The original Greek word is not Easter, but Pesach (Passover). ancient
Babylonians marked beginning of Spring with honoring the resurrection of their god, Tammuz killed by a wild boar. Tammuz was returned to life by his mother/wife, Ishtar (after whom the festival was named) with her tears.
Joseph D. Absher
Anybody can believe that Jesus was born and that he died. It’s believing in the resurrection that makes a man a Christian. It is God’s miracle power that raises a man from the death of sin to a life of Righteousness, joy and peace.
Joseph D. Absher
That’s the historical context. How does it make a difference in modern America? Is it wrong then to call the Lord’s resurrection Easter. I’m not sure I follow your thinking here.
DorothyJuicy
I often visit your website and have noticed that you don’t update
it often. More frequent updates will give your page higher rank & authority in google.
I know that writing posts takes a lot of time, but you
can always help yourself with miftolo’s tools which will shorten the time
of creating an article to a few seconds.
Varnel Watson
YES if you are too busy dying eggs today
Link Hudson
No, we are abstaining from the egg hunt. I’m not to crazy about it. My wife is from Indonesia where they call it Paskah, not Easter, and it is a church thing with no bunny and no eggs, and comes here and sees people putting ghosts in front of their houses for Halloween, and bunnies and eggs this time of year. It seems really pagan to her, so I have to be concerned with her conscience, and I’m not to thrilled about the egg thing. I’m not sure the historical root of the eggs. Some s ources that try to associate rituals with Ishtar or eggs seem a bit dubious to me.
Varnel Watson
its probably cause its just raining anyway 🙂
Link Hudson
There does not seem to be a clear historical link to tie ‘Easter’ to Ishtar, Astarte, or Ashteroth. The Anglo-Saxon monk Bede said the festival was named after a month that was named for Eostre, which was apparently a goddess the Saxons worshipped. That may also be the word for east or dawn, or related to it.
Whether Eostre was conceptually related or was the same demon as one of those goddesses in the middle east, I do not know. I suspect there is no way to make a clear historical connection. But that does not matter that much.
I don’t care for calling it ‘Easter’. I prefer ‘Resurrection day.’ Calling it ‘Resurrection Sunday’ reminds me of sun worship as I speak of something holy. Why couldn’t use English and German speakers have called it something like ‘Paska’ like the rest of Europe. Even Scandinavian languages went with something along those lines.
It’s a bit confusing, though, since Indonesian went with ‘Paskah’ and the word does not differentiate between Passover and the day of Christ’s resurrection.
Jared Cheshire
Link Hudson all those goddesses were the same being. Only separated by time culture and the confounding of language at Babel.
Link Hudson
Jared Cheshire how do you know that? I think 2 or three of them were different beings in middle eastern mythologies. Hoelw many demons are there?
Jared Cheshire
Link Hudson it takes more study than can effectively be done on this format, but if you take some time and study it you will begin to see. She is the goddess of love, war, and fertility. The bringer of light, sembolized as the morning star Venus. I am about the loose my internet for a bit or I would get into it more. It is an interesting study to be sure.
Link Hudson
Jared Cheshire if there are 2 pagan deities from different cultures with similar characteristics that does not make them the same. How do you know if there is onky one demon behind all the Zeus idols as opposed to one or more behind each one?
Varnel Watson
2 pagan deities walked into a bar …
Link Hudson
Troy Day 2 or 1 or 15.
Varnel Watson
whatever you said above or 2 weeks ago
Link Hudson
There are some similarities in Canaanite mythology. Thinking of thunder god hitting mudguuard snake vs. the myth of Ba’al and Lotan. But Thor was not the head of theNorse pantheon in their mytgology. There was at least one Baal/ Zeus temple. Whether people onsidered them the same are the spirits the same? If the gods of the nations are territorial spirits and if the prince of Persia war obe of these beings should we say thespirits are the same?
Jared Cheshire
yes they are the same spirits, the reason for all the different names and slight variations is simply the different cultures the emerged out of the confounding of the languages at Babel
Jared Cheshire
They can all be traced back to Nimrod is the sun god his wife and supposed son
Link Hudson
Jared Cheshire So you think if the Canaanites had two (supposed) deities, those were both the same spirit? How do you know this? What do the other demons do?
Varnel Watson
they became the el ohims you love to reference
Jared Cheshire
Link Hudson no the Canaanites had multiple deities that were multiple spirits. They had Ba’al which was Nimrod, Astoreth which was the Queen of Heaven etc
Jared Cheshire
Ba’al was the same Spirit that was known by many many names, Gilgamesh, Nimrod, etc
Jared Cheshire
Astoreth, Inanna, Anat, Isis, Astarte, Asherah, etc was the Queen of Heaven same Spirit many names
Link Hudson
Jared Cheshire I seem to recall Astoreth, Astarte, and Asherah being considered different deities in Canaanite mythology. I suspect they would have considered Isis to be something different, but I do not know.
How can you tell these things are the same demons? Can you see them?
Jared Cheshire
Link Hudson the only difference was the culture that worship them, and yes isis was one of the names of that fake deity
Jared Cheshire
The way you know they are the same spirit, is you trace it back to the source
Link Hudson
Jared Cheshire sounds like something one could know only thru supernatural means.
Isara Mo
Passover in the OT was an event commanded to be commemorated/ observed by the Israelites for generations…
Is there any NT directive of celebrating Pasach…(Paska) not Easter?
Troy..
Varnel Watson
any word on that from the indonesian consulate? Joe Absher
Link Hudson
Indonesian consulate from which city?
Varnel Watson
ask him – he may tell ya
Joe Absher
You’re always busting me. I tagged along for the Ambassadors luncheon with a good friend. Turns out his brother is a big general. They were very gracious. We went right from the streets to the Indonesian consulate really nice people.
I thought it was kind of amusing I had the same pants on that knelt down on a dirty sidewalk to pray with a guy stoned out if mind to meet the ambassador. I was able to say a few words for our Lord but nothing about any strange gods.
Joe Absher
made a new friend too! A fisherman!
Anonymous
This junk is dumb… stop it. Easter is inherently Christian including eggs and rabbits. There is not a shred of Paganism in any of it.
Anonymous
Kyle Williams actually eggs were used in the early church representing new resurrected life. They dyed them red to show new life breaking out from the blood.
Anonymous
John Mushenhouse exactly! Dyed Easter eggs are Christian and have been. None of it comes from paganism
Anonymous
Kyle Williams Two of my granddaughters will dye eggs today with my wife. I have no problem.
Anonymous
John Mushenhouse awesome! We had our egg hunt last week.
Anonymous
The real treat is one of my daughters in law is expecting delivery today. New life . The baby might come on Easter perhaps.
Anonymous
John Mushenhouse what a blessing! I love the symbolism in that! We have two young people that will come forward for Baptism Tomorrow and receive their first communion. New life in Christ!
Anonymous
Easter from the Old German, Oster. Meaning eastern, the direction of the sunrise.
” Now when Jesus was risen early on the first day of the week at the rising of the sun.” Mark 16:1
Troy Day
which one is it ? Philip Williams Billy Monroe Poff Duane L Burgess @followers
John Mushenhouse
stop this ignorance and praise Jesus for what He has done. I am tired of many trying to show how insightful they are. Get over yourself and bow your knee to Jesus.
Troy Day
John Mushenhouse insult to legit Christian theology. again?
John Mushenhouse
Troy Day it speaks for itself.