February 30, 2024 – Delmarva Times
This is probably something you never thought about or even considered. Why do most Christians eat ham on Easter, also known as Resurrection Sunday?
When Jesus was crucified, Jesus was separated from God and took on the sins of the world. Jesus suffered a crucifixion beyond comprehension. After Jesus took his last breath, there was an earthquake, and the thick veil in the temple tore into two from above.
Matthew 27:50-52 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
At this point, sin and death was conquered. God showed us that His Son Jesus Christ fulfilled the law of the Torah, or today known as the Old Testament. The biblical timeline became new at this point, separating the Old Testament and the New Testament in the bible. However, they are by no means separate. The Old Testament testifies of Jesus from beginning to end. At this point of Jesus taking His last breath, we are no longer under the law of the 10 commandments or Levitical laws, because Jesus fulfilled all of them.
We could not perfectly keep these laws without failing. It doesn’t matter how good you are, because nobody is good. God knew that, and that’s why He made His Son the Messiah the sacrificial Lamb, to make a way to cover our sins once and for all, by the ultimate sacrifice of His Son for us.
The Old Testament law stated not to eat anything with cloven hooves because it was unclean.
Deuteronomy 14:3-8 3 “You shall not eat any detestable thing. 4 These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the mountain goat, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. 6 And you may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof split into two parts, and that chews the cud, among the animals. 7 Nevertheless, of those that chew the cud or have cloven hooves, you shall not eat, such as these: the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax; for they chew the cud but do not have cloven hooves; they are unclean for you. 8 Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.
Because Jesus conquered sin and death, we are no longer under the law. Eating ham on Easter is a symbol of being set free from sin and death, being made clean by His blood, and that we are no longer under the Old Testament law.
1 Corinthians 10: 25-26 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
1 Timothy 4:1-5 : Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
John 3:13-17 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Those who believe in Jesus (faith), repent of their sins (stop practicing sin), forsake themselves to follow Him (action), will be saved from sin and death (hell) and have eternal life (heaven).
Happy Resurrection Sunday as you reflect on God’s amazing gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and one more thing…. enjoy your ham!
-Staff Writer, Delmarva Times
