Easter
Also consider the Easter sunrise services that take place in the spring. Many
churches will meet before the sun rises and recount how the disciples found the
empty tomb. Some will meet in a field and face the east to greet the ascending
sun as the story is told.
ìAnd when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they
might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the
first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of
the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away
the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked,
they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And
entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the
right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were
affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek
Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here:
behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his
disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there
shall ye see him, as he said unto you.î Mark 16:1-7
A literal translation of ìAnd very early in the morning the first day of the week,
they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.î is translated thus:
ìAnd very early on the first of the week, the sun having risen, they
came upon the tomb.î The Interlinear Bible (emphasis mine)
One of the most crucial points in all of Christendom is the fact that Jesus did
indeed overcome death and rise from the dead. However, this practice of holding
worship services at sunrise also comes from pagan celebrations and a form of
Jewish mysticism called Cabala. In these rites there is a ritual very close to a
sunrise service.
By using the mathematical calculations as outlined in the Cabala, those that
follow these mysteries believe they have calculated the exact time that the LORD
began Creation.
ìAccording to tradition, that very moment of Creation
occurred on Wednesday, the fourth day of Nisan, at the
beginning of the spring equinox.î 2