Originally Posted by
Der Gebirgsjager
Christ was asked by the Pharisees, "Are you the Messiah?" His answer was that the only answer they would receive was "The sign of Jonah." Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for 3 days and 3 nights.
Christ observed the 7th day Sabbath. If he was taken down from the cross in the late afternoon of Wednesday and placed in the tomb, then Wed. night was 1 night. Thursday was 1 day. Thursday night was 2 nights. Friday was day 2. Friday night was the 3rd night. Saturday was the 3rd day. He arose near the end of the Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath, 3 days and 3 nights, completing the Sabbath day of rest. The ladies went to the tomb early on Sunday morning looking for him and found that he had risen, and did in fact see him but thought him to be a gardener. This was after the fact, the resurrection having occurred at or just before sundown the previous evening.
The crucifixion occurred on the day of Passover. The next day was a High Day (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) and so they hastened to get him into the tomb as work on that day was/is forbidden. Christ was the Passover Lamb for all of mankind, and at the moment of His death the curtain separating the Temple Courtyard from the Holy of Holies, where only certain priests could go to intervene with God for man, was rent in two, symbolizing that man could now directly access God. Priests became obsolete, and are no longer necessary. Pastors are acceptable if they follow the Scriptures and don't become filled with themselves. A Pastor should be a guide, not a ruler or demi-god. This is all indisputable Bible history and verse, and logical, but the majority of Christians refuse to believe it. Easter has nothing to do with Christ except by the precepts of man. It has everything to do with paganism, fertility symbols, and the Roman Catholic Church which incorporated it into their doctrine. As the Protestants "came out of" the Catholic Church via Martin Luther they all trace their beliefs to the mother church. The Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to Sunday. For confirmation, consult articles on the Sabbath in the Catholic Encyclopedia. Man does not have the authority to change God's commandments or Sabbaths. There are many places in the Old Testament where God (or the Lord) said that a law or commandment would be a law forever. "The Sabbath shall be a sign between me and my people forever." Forever has not happened.
Some things were modified with the New Covenant, such as blood sacrifices (lambs) being done away with by the blood of Christ, but although we are no longer required to sacrifice animals on these days, the requirement to observe the days have not changed. 1 Co. 5: 7-8 Paul said, "For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast...... There is another verse in a subsequent scripture where Paul said that he couldn't stop by to visit with a certain congregation because he had to be in Jerusalem to keep the Feast. So, it can not be said that observance of the Feasts/Holy Days ended with the death of Christ.
At about this point in this type of thread someone will jump in with a condemnation of "Legalism" and tell us how all of the Old Testament's requirements were washed away by the blood of Christ and the New Covenant and Grace. I think it's just laziness, both spiritual and physical, that they don't want to dig a little deeper and think it out. God, to my way of thinking, makes it pretty clear that he has rules, and the basics don't change. Where Grace comes into play is, being human, we fail and can be forgiven. But the rules remain. Pagan rituals and observances, no matter how modified or by whom, are an offense to God who strictly prohibits them. We can be joyful about the Resurrection at any time, and I am, but it is a "tradition of man" to observe Easter instead of the Passover.
Did you (well, maybe not because of coronavirus) attend a Sunrise Service? Another incorporation into "Christian Doctrine" by the Roman Catholic Church. The Romans worshiped Solis Invictus, the Unconquerable Sun. But, Christ did not arise at sunrise, but rather at sunset.
The Armstrong Church was mentioned in an earlier post. I, early in life in California, and by coincidence my wife in Louisiana and Arkansas, were both raised as Southern Baptists. But both of us, as young people will do, drifted away from our beliefs. At one time I even questioned the existence of God. We were both baptized as youngsters, and were married in a Baptist Church (because, where else were we to go?) but it wasn't for several years after we were married that we began to wonder and search. We attended a Southern Baptist service or two, but found that somehow it just didn't ring true. My wife began listening to Herbert Armstrong on the radio, and after a couple of years joined a local congregation of the Worldwide Church of God. I attended a few times, but it just sounded so strange and different from everything that I'd been taught (perhaps not taught well, as I'd drifted away), but my wife was deeply committed. We had some screaming arguments, and things were looking dim for our future relationship. So, I decided that I'd either have to reconcile my beliefs to hers, or lose a beautiful wife. She challenged me, as did Armstrong regularly on his radio program, to disprove their church's doctrines. I could not do so. However, I never joined that church. This reminds me of the movie "Scent of a Woman", where Lt. Col. Slade (Ret.) is giving his defense of Charlie in front of the large congregation of impressionable but intelligent boys. I am Slade, and you my fellow forum members, are the audience. Slade said, "I always knew the right road to take. Without exception, I knew the right road. But I never took it. You know why? Because it was too damn hard." Well, as applied to me and my life, I knew that I should keep the 7th day Sabbath. I told the Lord, "I just can't do it. It was very hard to get this job, it's the only thing I'm suited for, and I have to work or Saturday." My answer came just a couple of years later when I was injured and retired. No obstacle then to keeping the Sabbath. Then, I found another occupation where I could set my own days and hours. But, about that same time the "Armstrong Church" disintegrated. Like a dandelion, the wind (Satan) blew the seeds in all directions, and today there are many sprouts of various sizes. Their take on things vary a little from one to another. I have no secrets (anymore!) and since you're curious I'll say that I have one foot each in the Church of God International, and the United Church of God. Due to the circumstances of life in which I find myself, I am not the best of observers of Holy Days, and I'll hope for Grace to cover that. If not, I've got it coming.
Now I know none of this has made a dent in the breastplates of those who have put on the whole armor of paganism, but eggs, rabbits, mistletoe, evergreen trees and Santa Claus have nothing to do with Christ.
I think I've exhausted the subject from my perspective. We all go on a journey in life, searching for God and what truth may be revealed to us. I am not too far from the end of my journey. I wish you who are interested in the truth a good journey. We won't know everything until we meet our Creator. Blessings to you.
DG