Fox News reported that the mass murder Monday at Virginia Tech was the "deadliest massacre of any kind on American soil in modern history." Christian radio host and author Ingrid Schlueter posted this sobering rebuttal at Christian Research Net:
Uh, no, I think that perhaps the deaths of over 40 million babies in the womb would qualify as the deadliest massacre in American history. As horrific as the murders were at Virginia Tech, we delude ourselves. The blood of these millions of babies soaks American soil and so few seem to care. Over 4,400 have died in the last 24 hours, slaughtered innocents. Who will mourn them?
For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us – 1 Corinthians 5:7
Passover is the crowning moment of the Christian faith. Just as ancient Hebrews were spared death by marking their doorposts in Egypt with the blood of a lamb, Christians today are shielded from God's wrath by figuratively applying the blood of Yeshua, the Lamb of God, on the doorpost of their heart. The first Passover was a type and shadow of a greater redemption through Messiah.
Christians traditionally observe Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and His resurrection on Sunday in the context of Easter, a tradition rooted in ancient paganism. Easter is another name for Eostre or Ishtar, a fertility goddess. Christianity adopted pagan rites and emblems – sunrise services, colored eggs, Easter lilies, bunnies and hot cross buns – as it abandoned its Hebraic foundation. Rev. Alexander Hislop exposes this assimilation in his book The Two Babylons, published in 1858: "To conciliate the pagans to normal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get Christian and pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get paganism and Christianity – now far sunk in idolatry – in this as in so many other things, to shake hands."
God abhors the violation of His appointed times. Messiah's death and resurrection were meant to be observed at Passover, not the spring equinox. The mention of Easter in Acts 12:4 of the King James Bible is a mistranslation of the Greek word for Passover, pascha. All other translations have it correctly rendered as Passover. Yeshua was crucified on the Jewish date 14 Nisan; the day of the week changes from year to year. Here is now the Passover week unfolds on the Hebrew calendar, with help from the book The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan by Peter and Christie Michas, and Robert Vander Maten:
• 10 Nisan – Exodus-era Hebrews take an unblemished male lamb into their homes for four days. It allows each family member to become attached to the lamb and impress upon them the costly nature of the sacrifice – an innocent one would die in their place.• 14 Nisan, Tuesday evening, 30 C.E. (the Jewish day begins at sundown) – Yeshua eats a celebratory or preparatory Passover meal with His disciples. The last supper is not a traditional Passover seder. No lamb is served because Yeshua presented Himself as the Lamb of God, as promised to Abraham and Isaac, for mankind's redemption. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) make reference of Yeshua eating a Passover meal with His disciples, but a lamb is never mentioned. John 13:1 says they ate supper "before the feast of the Passover."
• 14 Nisan, Wednesday daytime – Yeshua is crucified as Passover lambs are slaughtered in Jerusalem between 3-5 p.m. This is preparation day for Passover on the 15th. Burial before evening.
• 15 Nisan, Wednesday evening – Israelites eat their Passover meal on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a high holy day or annual sabbath.
• 15 Nisan, Thursday daytime – Tomb sealed.
• 16 Nisan, Friday daytime – Women buy and prepare spices after the annual sabbath.
• 17 Nisan, Friday evening – Weekly sabbath begins. Women rest according to sabbath law.
• 17 Nisan, Saturday – Resurrection. According to the Rod book, Yeshua's death and resurrection span three days and three nights. Remembering that Jews count part of a day as one, the three days are Wednesday night, Thursday night and Friday night. Just as He prophesied in Matthew 12:39-40, Yeshua fulfilled the sign of Jonah – three days and three nights – to prove He truly is Messiah. The traditional Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection fail to meet the three-night requirement.