By PJ Stratton
On Resurrection Sabbath let us reflect on the facts of what Yeshua actually did for His children at the cross. He gave up His physical earthly life resulting in death. By doing so He defeated what satan did in the Garden of Eden, overcame death and hell to give eternal life in Heaven to all those who confess Him as their Savior.
A Sunday morning resurrection is not what the Bible teaches. We believe Jesus was resurrected on Saturday evening at about 6:00 p.m.
Jesus was placed in the tomb at around 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Seventy-two hours later would be around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Even at this hour the Jewish Sunday night begins at Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.
Yeshua rose three days later on the Sabbath so we may enter His Kingdom, and the Glory and Power Forever in Heaven!
Let us be clear about another thing: Yeshua’s Resurrection is not about “bunny rabbits, hunting painted boiled eggs, and/or other pagan holidays.”
If Yeshua were here to see the abominations going in His name, I assure you He would react as He did with the moneychangers in the temple and many so called Christians would be convicted of their idolatry, paganism, and fall on their face in repentance.
Lastly, if one observes Resurrection Sabbath, then at the very least get the actual date right. Is it no wonder why this date varies by several weeks from year to year? Our Savior rose from the dead on one date, not three or four depending on when the moneychangers change it to fatten their coffers just as they did in 30 AD.
He is risen and we celebrate this fact on the eve of the Sabbath at 6 p.m. While we are speaking of ‘facts’ let us ruminate on the watering of His word of truth, which led to the mixing of Christianity with Baal worship to appease the ‘gods’.
With this in mind, how did the first Believers determine when to celebrate the Feasts? The answer is found in the Torah.
God commanded the Israelites to celebrate seven Feasts: Passover and the Feast of Unleavened, Bread, Feast of First Fruits, Feast of Latter Fruits, Yom Teruah (The Day of the sounding of the Shofar), Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles) and Shabbat.
All of these Feasts correspond to a fixed date (versus a day) on the calendar. Even Shabbat is every seven days. Yeshua brought the Jewish Feasts of Passover, First Fruits and Latter Fruits to their fullness with His Death, Resurrection and infilling of the Ruach HaKodesh . Yeshua also fulfilled the Feast of Tabernacles with his Birth.
The only reason why the Resurrection is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Spring Equinox is Constantine’s hatred of the Jewish people.
I am also sharing the following excerpt, Warriors of the Heart by Danaan Perry.
Ponder, if you will, how Yeshua might have approached each ‘trapeze’ that He reached for in faith as a milestone to fulfill His life’s purpose.
For us it might have been a daunting task to see through His eyes as each fulfillment of prophecy came to pass day by day, month by month, and year by year. Right up until His death on the cross, three days in the tomb, and arisen on the third day!
Thank our Heavenly Father for His mercy and grace!
Bless you! PJ
THE TRAPEZE
Sometimes, I feel that my life is a series of trapeze swings. I’m either hanging on to a trapeze bar swinging along or, for a few moments, I’m hurdling across space between the trapeze bars.
Mostly, I spend my time hanging on for dear life to the trapeze bar of the moment. It carries me along a certain steady rate of swing and I have the feeling that I’m in control.
I know most of the right questions, and even some of the right answers. But once in a while, as I’m merrily, or not so merrily, swinging along, I look ahead of me into the distance, and what do I see? I see another trapeze bar looking at me. It’s empty.
And I know, in that place in me that knows that this new bar has my name on it. It is my next step, my growth, my aliveness coming to get me. In my heart of hearts, I know that for me to grow, I must release my grip on the present well-known bar to move to the new one. Each time it happens, I hope—no, I pray—that I won’t have to grab the new one. But in my knowing place, I know that I must totally release my grasp on my old bar, and for some moments in time I must hurtle across space before I can grab the new bar.
Each time I do this I am filled with terror. It doesn’t matter that in all my previous hurdles I have always made it. Each time I am afraid I will miss, that I will be crushed on unseen rocks in the bottomless basin between the bars. But I do it anyway. I must.
Perhaps this is the essence of what the mystics call faith. No guarantees, no net, no insurance, but we do it anyway because hanging on to that old bar is no longer an option.
And so, for what seems to be an eternity but actually lasts a microsecond. I soar across the dark void called “the past is over; the future is not yet here.” It’s called a transition. I have come to believe that it is the only place that real change occurs.
I have a sneaking suspicion the transition zone is the only real thing, and the bars are the illusions we dream up to not notice the void. Yes, with all the fear that can accompany transitions, they are still the most vibrant, growth-filled, passionate moments in our lives.
And so transformation of fear may have nothing to do with making fear go away, but rather with giving ourselves permission to “hang out” in the transition zone…between the trapeze bars allowing ourselves to dwell in the only place where change really happens. It can be terrifying. It can also be enlightening. Hurdling through the void, we just may learn to fly.
Excerpted: Warriors of the Heart by Danaan Perry.
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References:
When Did The Resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus) Occur? – Congregation Beth Adonai
Istoria Ministries Blog: Jesus Died and Rose from the Dead at 33 in A.D. 30 (wadeburleson.org)
What was the exact date Jesus rose from the dead? (ebible.com)
WHEN DID JESUS RISE FROM THE DEAD? (biblelineministries.org)
The Pagan Reason We Celebrate Easter With Eggs & Bunnies | Debra Macleod | YourTango
The Ancient Pagan Origins of Easter | Ancient Origins (ancient-origins.net)