The Bible warns us against emulating the practices of other nations and their idolatrous worship (Leviticus 18:3, 20:23, Deuteronomy 12:29-32). Many modern Christians unintentionally follow paganism by celebrating holidays for which they have no knowledge of the origins. Easter is one of those holidays that has its roots in pagan culture.
At the Last Supper, Yahusha and his disciples observed Passover rather than Easter (Luke 22:15; John 13:1). The resurrection is associated with Passover, which occurs on the lunar Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:4-6). This calendar begins with Nisan as its first month.
Easter, on the other hand, was established by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, which can result in dates differing from Passover. The bigger picture is that the Easter we observe today was more about Nimrod than it was about the resurrection of the Messiah.
How Nimrod and his Mother Invented Easter
After the Great Flood, Nimrod, a powerful figure, emerged and introduced pagan practices that still influence cultures today. Many scholars consider him the father of paganism because his reign in Babylon marked the start of paganism and idolatry in the region.
As the great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod ruled in Shinar and was dubbed the “mighty hunter before the Lord” (Genesis 10:9) for two reasons: his intimidating Nephilim size and his boldness, which was demonstrated by his purported plan to invade heaven and oppose the Creator. This fearlessness inspired worship, with many recognizing him as a deity.
He accumulated numerous titles, including ‘Sun God,’ Baal, and Moloch, reflecting his immense power and influence. His followers practiced idolatry, reinforcing his divine status. Abraham, a well-known figure, even faced Nimrod’s wrath before God instructed him to flee the persecution.
However, Nimrod was not the only one to gain influence in Babylon. He was said to have committed an abomination by marrying his mother, Semiramis, who later became his second in command when it came to idol worship.
In the end, Semiramis would be far worse than Nimrod because she elevated paganism to a point where people would regard living people as gods. Her statue was even erected as the Queen of Babylon.
Semiramis was pregnant weeks before Nimrod’s death and had already begun positioning herself as the mother of the Messiah. After Nimrod died, she fabricated a story, claiming she was a virgin and attributing her pregnancy to Nimrod’s spirit, which she said had impregnated her via a sun ray.
She named the child Tammuz, which means ‘heavenly divine child,’ and claimed he was Nimrod’s reincarnation. This story cemented Tammuz’s godlike status, established Semiramis as a revered mother goddess, and gave her the title Ishtar, Queen of Heaven. The origins of Easter can be traced back to Ishtar, with the name Easter likely derived from a misspelling of Ishtar.
The Ishtar festival was an annual Babylonian celebration that honored Semiramis, the mother goddess. It featured rituals that represented life and fertility cycles, such as orgiastic rites commemorating Semiramis’ conception of Tammuz.
The festival included sacred cake baking and other rituals. Tammuz was commemorated with a 40-day mourning period known as Lent, which included reflection on sacred mysteries and the sign of the cross. This period culminated in a feast of cross-marked cakes on the first Sunday following the full moon. Rabbits, eggs, and other fertility symbols were associated with these festivals, which reflected themes of renewal and life cycles.
It was so bad that everyone worshipped the Queen of Heaven. God was so dissatisfied with Babylon’s worship of Ishtar or Semiramis that his displeasure was recorded in Scripture. The passages are found in Revelation 17:1-18, Ezekiel 8-12, Jeremiah 7:17-19, and 44:19-29. Furthermore, in Judges 10:6 and 1 Kings 11:5, she is referred to as Ashtaroth.
Ishtar worship spread throughout the world, influencing many cultures. The next destination was Rome, where her worship became the dominant religion.
How the Romans continued the Legacy of Semiramis (Ishtar)
In ancient Rome, Ishtar festival merged with Saturnalia, a celebration honouring Saturn during the Winter Solstice. This week-long extravaganza included gift-giving, singing, candlelight, feasting, and tree decorating, resulting in a carnival-like atmosphere that temporarily reversed social conventions.
The Roman Empire’s adoption of the Ishtar religion resulted in the inclusion of her divine triad in Catholicism. The name “Ishtar” was corrupted to “Easter,” reflecting Emperor Constantine’s efforts to merge pagan traditions with Christianity. The triad of father, mother, and son was adopted, with Nimrod representing God, Semiramis/Ishtar representing Mary, and Tammuz representing Jesus, the son of God.
Early Christian churches incorporated Ishtar’s pagan traditions, blending them with Christian customs. Easter symbols such as eggs, hams, and hot cross buns became popular and were adopted by many cultures including ours.
Easter Eggs
In the Ishtar Religion, eggs symbolized fertility and rebirth, representing female reproductive power. The fertility was a symbol of Nimrod’s rebirth in Tammuz.
Women seeking children would offer rabbits, known for prolific breeding, to Ishtar, believing her husband Nimrod’s influence granted her power to bless them with offspring. This fusion of egg and rabbit symbolism evolved into the Easter Bunny tradition.
However, some ancient Ishtar festivals included disturbing practices such as child sacrifice, in which infants were sacrificed and eggs were dipped in their blood to determine fertility and mortality.
Eating Ham
Eating ham on Easter Sunday was also associated with the Ishtar religion. Semiramis/Ishtar’s son Tammuz was killed by a wild boar, so she decreed that a pig be eaten every year in remembrance.
As a result, eating ham on Easter Sunday became a tradition to honor Tammuz’ memory. This practice spread from Babylon to other cultures, and which includes Christianity.
Hot Cross Buns
In the Ishtar cult, worshippers baked sweet breads, precursors to hot cross buns, as offerings to Ishtar on the Friday before Easter. The cross symbol, initially a “T” sign, honored Tammuz. This custom is referenced in Jeremiah 7:18 and evolved into the modern hot cross bun tradition, rooted in ancient Ishtar worship.
Conclusion
As you have just read, Easter originated in Babylon and is attributed to one woman, Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven, who is described in the Bible as the mother of all harlots (Revelation 17:5).
Even though Easter has no biblical connection to Yahusha, the Roman Catholic Church incorporated it into its doctrine, which increased its popularity. Instead of Easter, observe the Passover feast, which, unlike Easter, has a solid biblical foundation (Leviticus 23:5, Exodus 12:1-28).
Photo by Sebastian Staines on Unsplash
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