Christmas: What's it really all about?
Long before the month of December a change can be seen in the media advertisements, the stores and the community. People are purchasing trees, lights and decorations in preparation of the coming December 25th nationally recognized holiday: Christmas. There are people singing songs and decorating their homes and churches with boughs of holly. Many people will go into debt with their spending during this time of the year. According to the American Consumer Credit Council, Americans spend approximately $935 per year on Christmas gifts. Why do they do this? Why spend all the money? Why the tree? Is this what God has told us to do? Did He tell us in His word to observe the birth of Christ? Has God told us to don our homes with evergreen boughs or holly and ivy? Has He told us to hang a sprig of mistletoe for good luck? Should we burn the Yule log or sings songs and teach our children that a man with white hair and a beard, all dressed in red, flying in a sleigh from the north is all-seeing and all knowing? Children are even taught to expect this visitor to enter through the fireplace and his sleigh to be pulled by magical reindeer that fly. Why do people place a star or an angel atop the tree? There are many questions which can be posed. Many answers can be found with patience and research. Today let's focus on answering a few of the questions.
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The date of December 25 was formerly recognized as the Celebration of the Sun God, Mithras. Mainly from the first to the fourth century Mithraism became the official religion of Rome. The first day of the week, Sunday, was officially dedicated to prayer to Mithras. For those who question that Sunday is the first day of the week, there will be more information regarding this in an upcoming article. The early Christian church later adopted Sunday as the holy day as well as the 25th of December being the birthday of Christ.
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Many other names have also been given to December 25th.
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Yule
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Winter Solstice
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Alban
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Arthan
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Finn's Day
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Festival of Sol
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Yuletide
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Great day of the Cauldron
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Festival of Growth
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All these days are festivals of observance to the Winter Solstice. These festivals honor the Holly King and yule logs are burned. Yule is a Wiccan practice which celebrates the winter solstice. It was a day of observance of death and rebirth, as that particular day of the year is known for having the shortest daylight hours ad the longest night of the year. The evergreen wreath which hangs on many doors throughout the nation represents the continuity of life and the wheel of the year. The sprig of mistletoe is hung for good luck. The red, green and white colors which are worn and displayed during this time of year are representative of the druidic holiday. Also, December 25th is the pagan feast of the birthday of the the invincible sun, which is also known as the feast of Saturn.
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Regarding Santa Claus, there are many similarities to a Norse, mythological god of war named Thor.
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Both travel in a sky chariot. Santa Claus' sleigh is pulled by reindeer while Thor's chariot is pulled by goats.
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Both have white hair and a beard.
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Thor and the Catholic version of Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, both are friends of the common people.
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Both live in the north land.
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Both are partial to chimneys and fire places. Thor is considered to be a god of fire. If they are good, why would they desire to enter a home through the fire?
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These are just a few of the obvious similarities about Christmas and the pagan celebrations. Here are some things which the Bible says about such observance:
Jeremiah 10:1-5 discusses the word which was given from the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah:
1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3For 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.
4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5They are upright 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.
Also, in Deuteronomy 5:6-8 it reads:
6I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
7Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
8Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
Therefore, the stars and angels which are in the sky are not to be created as a graven image. They are not to be worshiped or placed on a tree, which God also directly warned His people to not engage in the practice, through the prophet Jeremiah.
Aaron even participated in pagan observances after the exodus from Egypt, which can be found in Exodus 32:1-10 when he legitimized the practice of pagan worship:
1And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
2And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
3And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
4And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
5And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
6And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
7And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
9And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
God was so angry that He was ready to kill all that were engaging in the pagan worship. And Aaron not only helped create the molten idol, he also said that the next day, after they had worshiped the idol, that the people could bring burnt offerings to the Lord and place it at the altar which he had created.
We can find hundreds of reasons to try to legitimize participating in the traditions of men, but what about the truth? God's word is truth. It goes from everlasting to everlasting. He is the Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. The first and the last. His word does not change.
In Deuteronomy 4:2 it states:
There is so much more that I would like to share on this subject but unfortunately it will need to wait until my next article.
How many people now knowing the truth will repent and change their ways?
May the True and Living God direct your path and your heart in these last days. Peace be with you.
