Test Your Knowledge of Easter

Are you pretty up on things surrounding the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ? Let's find out (answers below and page links to where answers were gained)...

1. Each Easter Americans buy the following amount of Marshmallow Peeps shaped like chicks, bunnies and eggs (of which yellow is the #1 color chosen): (a) 7 million; (b) 70 million; (c) 700 million; (d) 80 million.

2. The day of Easter varies from year to year. How is the date determined?(a) mark 12 weeks from Christmas, multiply that by 3, then divide by 2; (b) 7 possible dates are taped to a wall. The Pope then plays pin the tail on the donkey; (c) it is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the blue moon that takes place on or after the vernal equinox of March 21; (d) it is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon that takes place on or after the vernal equinox of March 21.

3. What percentage of Americans believe that Jesus rose from the grave after having died? (a) 100%; (b) 75%; (c) 50%; (d) 25%.

4. Among other things, the use of eggs on Easter stands for: (a) the start of Spring; (b) new life; (c) an empty tomb; (d) fruitfulness.

5. The bunny as a symbol of Easter is believed to have it's origins in: (a) Germany; (b) Italy; (c) Israel; (d) America.

6. In its infancy Easter was celebrated on changing days of the week. Which political figure ruled that Easter must fall only on a Sunday? (a) Henry the VIII; (b) Julius Caesar; (c) Constantine; (d) Cleopatra.

7. The first one to see Jesus alive on Easter Sunday was: (a) an angel; (b) Pontius Pilate; (c) the Virgin Mary; (d) Mary Magdalene.

Answers: 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (c) 7. (d)

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: The Christian Post, Easter - 123Holiday.net, Easter Candy Facts, Easter Egg - Wikipedia, Easter Bunny History, and Bible Gateway and The History of Easter.)

God in Human Terms

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry" (Psalm 34:15). Of course, the Lord doesn't have "eyes" or "ears." These are what's called "anthropomorphisms," which is just a big word for when God is described using human terms. This is how the Bible Encyclopedia defines anthropomorphism: "[It's a] figure of speech whereby the deity is referred to in terms of human bodily parts or human passions. ...Exodus 24:10 speaks of the feet of God. The commandments were written witht he finger of God (Ex. 31:18). Moses sees God's 'back' but not His 'face' (33:23). Actually, this last instance is questionable. The Heb. word here is not the regular word for 'back' but can mean 'after effects.' That is, Moses saw the glory, but not the essence of God. ...The Psalms illustrate the use of anthropomorphisms. The highly poetic Psalm 18 pictures God as breathing forth smoke (v. 8) uttering a voice of thunder (v. 13) and whose breath is the wind (v. 15). God's eyes and eye lids test the children of men (Ps. 11:4). Second Chronicles pictures the eyes of the Lord as running throughout the earth (16:9)" (Zondervan Pictorial Bible Encyclopedia, Vol I; 177-78). Now coming back to Psalm 34:15 for a moment. What we gain as far as application for our own lives as regards the "eyes" of the Lord on the righteous and His "ears" attentive to their cry - again, God doesn't have eyes and ears in a literal sense, but He does perceive in a very real way what each of us is dealing with in the present and He's ever ready, willing and able to respond to our needs. He's concerned and working on our behalf, beloved. It's a good word from the "mouth" of God! Did you need to hear it today?