Spring is official and Easter is early this year. This is the first time since 1913 that Easter has happened so early, and it won’t happen again until 2160. Doesn’t that boggle your mind? Easter can happen between March 22 and April 25, the earliest and latest possible dates, all of which depends on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following spring equinox. The date for Easter is based on the lunar calendar used by Hebrews, which determines Passover.
Do you remember the Passover story? As the Lord God prepared the last plague against Pharoah because he wouldn’t let Moses lead the Hebrews on a pilgrimage, God told Moses what the people should do. Date specific, they were to select a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year and on the 14th day slaughter it, take the blood and spread it on the two side posts and upper door post of the houses. They were to cook it thoroughly with bitter herbs and eat it. Whatever wasn’t eaten before the new day was to be burned, not kept. God would “pass over.” Wherever the blood of the lamb graced the doorway, all within would be safe. But where the blood was not, the first born of every human and every beast would be slain. You can read the story in the Old Testament book of Exodus, particularly Chapter 12. This event is directly related to the Christian celebration of Easter. Good Friday was the day that the Lamb of God was crucified on the cross, his blood flowing to redeem believers in God who live by God’s, not man’s, instructions. Easter marks His resurrection on the third day and is the reunion of humanity with God, erasing permanent death and reinstating the spiritual reunion with God to last for all eternity.
The Bible has been called a book of lies, however, it is my belief that the Bible is a love letter from God. Its purpose is to provide a positive, constructive life philosophy of light and love, instruction, forgiveness, acceptance and redemption for a better, happier life. One can argue my belief, but I will not. I know what it feels like to be utterly, painfully alone with nothing to inspire even a fragment of hope. I know what it looks like in that black, bottomless pit of despair. And I know what it is like to feel the warmth and protection of God’s love embracing me, His light shining on my way and giving me hope so that I can continue to place one foot in front of the other, to win, not to be defeated.
Anything can be abused. Anything can be twisted for personal gain, including attacks on Christians and their beliefs. It behooves us to seek the Truth of God, not man’s interpretations of God’s Truth. No one should be coerced to receive God the Son or God through the Son. It is a personal matter, a personal decision with personal stakes. Care must be taken to weigh the words that are spoken, to test them and determine whether they are truth, and whose truth they are, and the tenor in which they are offered.
Easter Sunday is the annual celebration of the resurrection of the Messiah. The Easter dating method is to set Easter Sunday at the same season, and the same relationship to the preceding astronomical full moon that occurred when Christ was resurrected in A.D. 30. We who believe are blessed with hope. May your Easter celebration be one of hope, joy and love.