| by David Klopfenstein (Kendallville, Indiana) |
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| WHAT ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL? Since Christmas is one of the most celebrated religious holidays by Christianity today, wouldn’t you think that it must have come from the Bible? Therefore, Christianity should not object to an investigation of this tradition to see whether it is true or not. Many will say: “The birth of Messiah is in the scriptures, so why is there a need for an investigation?” Yes, the birth of Messiah is in the scriptures, and for the message of Messiah’s birth I do rejoice. Paul also rejoiced when the Gospel was preached regardless of the intent. Philippians 2:15 Some indeed preach Messiah even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:16 The one preaches Messiah of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Messiah is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. But where is there any instruction of how to celebrate Christmas in the scriptures? As much as it is celebrated around the world by Christians and non-Christians alike, surely there should be some kind of instruction on how to celebrate it. The word “CHRISTMAS” is NOT in the scriptures! It is a compilation of two words “Christ” and “Mass” invented by the Catholic Church many years ago. “Christ-Mass,” from these two words came the word “Christmas” that we have today. We all know that Christmas supposedly is a celebration of the birth of Messiah that Daniel prophesied would come (Daniel 9:24-27.) The Savior declared that “If the world hated Him, they would hate you also.” So how come the world does NOT hate Christmas? They love it because it is a multibillion-dollar business each year and they plan their advertising so the people will buy more of their merchandise of Christmas idols! Did the Wise men bring the Savior gold, frankincense, and myrrh for birthday gifts? Did they celebrate by giving gifts one to another as people do today? Where did this custom come from? Prove All Things Paul declared in I Thessalonians 5:21 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” Going to the scriptures in the New Testament where it speaks of the birth of Messiah and telling the story of His birth does NOT tell us to celebrate or how to celebrate His birth or tell us that He was born on December 25! He was not born on December 25! First of all, celebrating the birth of a son is celebrating their beginning, right? The Savior pre-existed long before He became a human being, so if He existed at creation (which He did), when are you going to celebrate His beginning? Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. FEAST CELEBRATIONS IN SCRIPTURES There are three feasts mentioned in the Old Covenant to be kept. In Deuteronomy 16:16 it mentions these three feasts: 1) Feast of Unleavened Bread, 2) Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), 3) Feast of Tabernacles. The same are mentioned in the New Covenant. John 7:2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. 10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he (Yahoshua) also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. Acts 12:3 And because he (Herod) saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) Acts 20:6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days. There isn’t one text in the New Testament where the disciples celebrated the Messiah’s birth or gave a hint to do so. We are commanded not to learn the way of the heathen and not to worship the Creator as the heathen did their pagan gods with their pagan customs! LEARN NOT THE WAY OF THE HEATHEN Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto YHVH thy Elohim (God): for every abomination to YHVH, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. Similarity of the Christmas Tree Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith YHVH, Learn NOT the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.5 They are uprght as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Here in Jeremiah, we are told that the heathen customs are vain. They cut a tree out of the forest, nail it down with nails and hammer and decorate it with silver and gold. Does this sound familiar? Today it is too costly to decorate the Christmas tree with real silver and gold, so silver and gold colored tinsel is used in place of the real silver and gold! What does the Christmas tree have to do with the birth of Messiah anyway? The tree is tied in directly with the pagan worship of the sun gods on Sundays and whose birthdays were on December 25 and the teaching of the Santa Claus lie! Several examples: In the book, The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop, on page 97, 98 & 102 we will take a few quotes in relation to Christmas and the tree. (First printing in England, 1913). The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm-tree; in Rome it was the fir; the palm tree denoting the Pagan Messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as Baal-Berith. The mother Adonis, the Sun-God and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state to have brought forth her divine son. If the mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the “Man the Branch.” And this entirely accounts for the putting of the Yule Log into the fire on Christmas-eve, and the appearance of the Christmas-tree the next morning. As Zero-Ashta, “The seed of the woman,” which name also signified Ignigena, or “born of the fire,” he has to enter the fire on “Mother-night,” that he may be born the next day out of it, as the “Branch of God,” or the Tree that brings all divine gifts to men. – (page 98) –Therefore, the 25th of December, the day that was observed at Rome as the day when the victorious god reappeared on earth, was held at the Natalis invicti solis, “The birth-day of the unconquered Sun.” Now the Yule Log is the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the sun-god, but cut down by his enemies; the Christmas-tree is Nimrod redivivus—the slain god comes to life again. – (page 102)—There can be no doubt, then, that the Pagan festival at the winter solstice—in other words, Christmas—was held in honor of the birth of the Babylonian Messiah. In the Encyclopedia International under the word Christmas, it states: December 25 was already a major festival in the pagan Roman world, the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or “Birthday of the Unconquered Sun,” falling within the week-long celebration of the Saturnalia, a feast honoring the renewal of the sun at the winter solstice. Pagan celebrations on December 25 had included feasting, dancing, lighting bonfires, decorating homes with greens, and giving of gifts. So, when this became a Christian festival, the customs continued, but with a Christian meaning imparted to them. Throughout the Middle Ages, Christmas was a richly varied religious holiday. However, during the Commonwealth, the English Puritans, repelled by both the pagan practices and the religious ceremonies, forbade any religious or secular celebration of Christmas. The English celebration returned with the restoration of the Stuarts, but Christmas observances were still outlawed in Puritan New England for many years; and not until the 19th century did Christmas become a legal holiday in America. Mithra, Pagan Persian God From Funk & Wagnalls® New Encyclopedia© (Emphasis mine). ******************************************************************************************************************************************** One of the major religions of the Roman Empire, the cult of Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light and wisdom. In the AVESTA (q.v.), the sacred Zoroastrian writings of the ancient Persians, Mithra appears as the chief yazata (Avestan, “beneficent one”), or good spirit, and ruler of the world. He was supposed to have slain the divine bull, from whose dying body sprang all plants and animals beneficial to humanity. After the conquest of Assyria in the 7th century bc and of Babylonia in the 6th century bc, Mithra became the god of the sun, which was worshipped in his name. The Greeks of Asia Minor, by identifying Mithra with HELIOS, (q.v.), the Greek god of the sun, helped to spread the cult. It was brought to Rome about 68 bc by Cilician pirates whom the Roman general Pompey the Great had captured, and during the early empire it spread rapidly throughout Italy and the Roman provinces. It was a rival to Christianity in the Roman world. Mithraism was similar to Christianity in its ideals of humility and brotherly love, baptism, the rite of communion, the use of holy water, the adoration of the shepherds at Mithra’s birth, the adoption of Sundays and of December 25 (Mithra’s birthday) as holy days, and the belief in the immortality of the soul, the last judgment, and the resurrection. Mithraism differed from Christianity in the exclusion of women from its ceremonies and in its tolerance of polytheism. The similarities, however, made conversion of its followers to Christian doctrine easy. ******************************************************************************************************************************************** The religion of Mithra ran as a rival to Christianity for nearly 200 years and was finally absorbed into Christianity because of the similarities of doctrine. The only thing is they brought in the observance of Sunday and December 25 for the birthday of Mithra and transferred them from Mithra to Iesous (Jesus). When Constantine, the Emperor of Rome, became a so-called Christian, he ordered Sunday to be observed and to abandon the Jewish Sabbath in 321 A.D. according to history. Paul gave warning to the saints concerning going back and re-adopting pagan days, months, times, and years. This text in Galatians 4 is NOT referring to bible Sabbath days, months, times, and years as many false teachers claim! Galatians 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not Elohim (God), ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9 But now, after that ye have known Elohim (God), or rather are known of Elohim (God), how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. [pagan days, months, etc.] 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain. OLD SAINT NICK(?) What does the Christmas tree and Santa Claus have to do with the birth of Messiah anyway? The Messiah was born in a manger in a stable. Many claim that their Christmas trees do not have any connection with the pagan gods and Nimrod. Well doesn’t it all tie in with the big lie of Santa Claus being up at the north pole, making all these gifts and bringing them in a sleigh pulled by reindeer through the skies and coming down your chimney with all these gifts to put under your Christmas tree or in your Christmas stockings for the family? (pure mythology). The Santa songs go like this: “You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you have been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake—-.” Who is the all-seeing, all-knowing Being anyway, Santa Claus? James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Parents tell their children all these wonderful gifts come from Santa Claus, transferring the honor and glory which belongs to the Creator to honoring and glorifying the pagan god of mythology, Santa Claus! Santa Claus is nothing but a made-up myth! Christian (so-called) parents punish their children during the year for lying to them and then turn right around at Christmas time and tell the whole BIG LIE ABOUT SANTA CLAUS with the Christmas tree!! That’s hypocrisy! It’s no wonder, when children grow up, they question all the rest of their parents teaching! How much more did my parents lie to me? Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Over the years dictionary words have changed meanings for some strange reason. In my old American College Dictionary with C. L. Barnhart, Editor in Chief, Jess Stein Managing Editor, by L. W. Singer Company – Syracuse. Under the name Nick, page 819: Nick (nik), n, the devil (usually Old Nick). [familiar use of Nickolas, proper name.] The new dictionaries have omitted this name and meaning as it is in my old dictionary. Why? People have called Santa Claus “Old Saint Nick” making the devil a saint! SHEEP TAKEN IN BEFORE RAINY SEASON In Israel the ninth month is December (Chisleu, Zechariah 7:1) and is a rainy month of the year and the sheep are always brought in before the rainy season starts. In Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Volume 5, Page 370 “Bring them (the sheep) home at the commencement of the first rain.” Ezra 10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of Elohim (God), trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. Song of Solomon 2:11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; Wise Men Came to the House, Not a Manger When the wise men came to Jerusalem they inquired where the King of the Jews was born because they saw his star. When they got to Bethlehem, they went into the house where Yahoshua was to give Him the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. He was no longer in a manger for he was nearly two years old. After Herod inquired of the time, they first saw the star, he had all boys killed under two years in Bethlehem hoping to destroy Yahoshua. Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. The custom of the East is when a person goes into the presence of their King, they never enter without a gift in honor giving recognition that he is their King. These gifts were not birthday gifts! They also did not give gifts one to another as people do today! ACTUAL TIME OF YAHOSHUA’S BIRTH In Luke 1:5 Zechariah the priest was serving in the temple in the course of Abiyah which is the 8th course spoken of in I Chronicles 24:10 (4-19). The angel told him Elisabeth his wife would conceive and have a son and call his name John. After Zechariah finished his course, Elisabeth conceived. In Elizabeth’s 6th month the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (Miriam) to tell her she would conceive by the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:26-31). So, John and Yahoshua were but six months different in age. From Nisan 14 to just after the days of Unleavened Bread to the 8th course of Abiyah for Zechariah would bring him to about June for him to finish his course in the temple and Elizabeth to conceive. Mary (Miriam) conceived six months later and that would be approximately December (Chisleu). That would make Yahoshua the Messiah born nine months later, which would be approximately the latter part of September or October about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles! Yahoshua preached 3 ½ years and was crucified approximately in April (Nisan) at the Passover when He was 33 ½ years old. Just go six months forward and that would bring you to October for His birth. So, using the timing of Zechariah in the temple we can positively know that Yahoshua’s birth was NOT in December! So why should December 25 ever be celebrated for Yahoshua’s birth when it is the birthdays of all the sun gods? CONCLUSION We are commanded not to learn the way of the heathen and do these things unto Yahvah our Creator (Deuteronomy 12:30, 31; Jeremiah 10:1-5). Leviticus 18:30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am YHVH your Elohim (God). Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Master (Lord). 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots, which is Rome and her religious system (Revelation 17:5, 9, 16-18) is soon to be destroyed and Yahvah is warning His children to come out of her so they will not be destroyed with her! Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. |
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