A LETTER FROM YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER!

A LETTER FROM YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER!

The following words come from the heart of God. After all
God loves you, and He is the Father you have been looking
for all your life. This is His Love Letter to you!

My Dear Child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. (Ps 139:1) I know when you sit down and when
you rise up. (Psalm 139:2) I am familiar with all your ways. (Psalm 139:3) Even the very hairs on
your head are numbered. (Matthew 10:29-30) For you were made in my image. (Genesis 1:27) In me you
live and move and have your being. For you are my offspring. (Acts 17:28) I knew you even before
you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:4-5) I chose you when I planned creation. (Ephesians 1:11-12) You
were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
(Psalm 139:15-16)

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. (Acts 17:26) You are
fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) I knit you together in your mother's womb. (Psalm
139:13) And brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6) I have been misrepresented by
those who don't know me.
(John 8:41-44)

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. (I John 4:16) And it is my
desire to lavish my love on you. (I John 3:1) Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
(I John 3:7) I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. (Matthew 7:11) For I am the
perfect Father. (Matthew 5:48) Every good gift you receive comes from my hand. (James 1:17) For I
am your provider and I meet your needs. (Matthew 6:31-33) My plan for your future has always been
filled with hope.
(Jeremiah 29:11)

Because I love you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3) My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore. (Psalm 139:17-18) And I rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah
3:17) I will never stop doing good to you. (Jeremiah 32:40) For you are my treasured possession.
(Exodus 19:5) I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
(Jeremiah 32:41)

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. (Jeremiah 33:3) For if you seek me with all
your heart, you will find me.
(Deuteronomy 4:29)

So, Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalm 37:4)

For it is I who gave you those desires. (Philippians 2:13) I am able to do more for you than you
could possibly imagine.
(Ephesians 3:20)

For I am your greatest encourager. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17) I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
(2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. (Psalm 34:18) As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have
carried you close to my heart.
(Isaiah 40:11)

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. And I will take away all the pain you have
suffered on this earth.(Revelation 21:3-4) I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son,
Jesus.
(John 17:23)

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. (John 17:26) And to tell you that I am not counting
your sins. Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. (2 Corinthians 5;18-19) His death
was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
(I John 4:10)

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
(Romans 8:31-32)

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. (I John 2:23) And nothing will ever
separate you from my love again.
(Romans 8:38-29)

When it's time for you to Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. (Luke
15:7) I have always been your Father, and will always be your Father.
(Ephesians 3:14-15)

My question is....Will you be my child? (John 1:12-13) I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11-32)

With Love, Your Father,
Almighty God

Thanksgiving

Every year millions of your citizens take part in a day dedicated to acknowledging the great blessings that have been bestowed upon them. It is a celebration unique in both form and purpose. For many it is a time for family and friends to come together in love and devotion. It is a time to rejoice and a time to give thanks to the One who made it all possible.



Although other countries have similar holidays, there has never been a people in history that owes their Creator a greater debt of gratitude than those who bare your name. Americans are hands-down the beneficiaries of the most extraordinary gifts ever bestowed upon one people.



But what have we done with these gifts, and how have we expressed our appreciation for these blessings? Today, Thanksgiving has become more about indulgence and excess than about genuine, heartfelt gratitude. Perhaps this is because these moral defects have become such a great part of American life. Today we worship the god of convenience and pleasure, not the God of moral purity. We seek out what makes us FEEL good, not what MAKES us good. And what have we gotten for it? Are we a better country because we can't tell the difference between freedom of speech and pornography? Has religious freedom somehow been strengthened by laws that make prayer in our schools a crime?



What does it say about the thankfulness a nation when snuffing out the life of an unborn child is actually defended as a sacred right? What does it say about the thankfulness a nation when its legislators proudly defend sodomy as the moral equivalent of one husband and one wife? And just how thankful to God can a nation really be, when at every turn, it removes Him from public life -- in the name of freedom, no less.

Today our moral and ethical compass is is built on the principal of "ME FIRST," and our obsession with "self" consumes our daily lives. In that world God is only allowed to make a guest appearance.



The original intent of Thanksgiving was truly noble and it still can be. Sadly this day has been threatened by our own arrogance. While we may offer up a quick prayer before "digging in," we conduct our lives as though God didn't exist. Perhaps Abraham Lincoln said it best.



"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own."



A Final Thought

When colonists first settled in this land, the days were hard but the future held a great hope. Today we seem to have everything, but our future looks so uncertain. Why does it have to be this way? Is it possible that the courageous men and women who built this nation truly depended on God Almighty to preserve them. It would certainly seem so. God was so real to them. He was spoken of with pride and confidence and most of all respect. Today we profane His name, mock His word, and dismiss His authority.

Finally, it would seem to us that the wealthiest nation in history would be better served on its knees before God in humble supplication and reflection. Furthermore, if it is truly thankful it should declare its gratitude by obedience and not just words.



Respectfully,

Blow the Trumpet

Thanksgiving day

Good News
November 1959
Vol. VIII, Number 11


QUESTION BOX

Your questions answered in these columns! Your opportunity to
have discussed those problems pertaining directly to members of
God's Church.

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW THE AMERICAN CUSTOM
OF CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING DAY?


The Thanksgiving holiday was established in comparatively
recent years. It is, of course, not mentioned in Scripture --
but the principle of attending and celebrating national holidays
is made clear in scripture.
Thanksgiving Day was established by the early colonists, not
by any divine authority. But this in itself does not make it
wrong to celebrate with good fellowship. Notice the example of
Jesus Christ. In John 10:22 we find that Christ attended the
"Feast of Dedication," which was established by the Jews years
before to commemorate the purification of the temple at
Jerusalem. That day was celebrated on the anniversary of the day
that the reestablishment of Divine workship occurred after
Antiochus Epiphanes had been vanquished and the Temple purified
about 165 B.C.
Jesus' attendance at that annual holiday clearly illustrated
that it is not wrong to attend or celebrate a national holiday
established for an honorable purpose. There was nothing wrong in
the Jew's celebrating the dedication of the temple and giving God
special gratitude on that day. God led Esther and Mordecai to
establish the Feast of Purin in commemoration of the miraculous
deliverance of the Jews from bloody Haman (see the last chapter
of Esther).
The national holidays celebrated by the Jews has, of course,
no special significance for the non-Jew -- just as Thanksgiving
Day holds no special significance for our non-American brethren
scattered around the world. God permits these customs only if
they do not get out of hand. WHAT GOD EXPRESSLY FORBIDS IS THE
OBSERVANCE OF PAGAN FESTIVALS WHICH WERE INVENTED AS DELIBERATE
SUBSTITUTES FOR THE PLAN AND PROGRAM OF GOD. We are not to adopt
in God's worship those customs which the heathen used in serving
their gods. But it is proper and fitting for national leaders to
set aside time for the whole nation to give God special thanks
for his unique bounty to this nation.
Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621
after their first harvest had been entirely reaped. On that day
they paid tribute to God for all their bountiful and undeserved
material and spiritual blessings. Thanksgiving Day gradually
became neglected and was revived during the Civil War as a day of
special national thanksgiving for preserving this nation. This
American thanksgiving day does NOT have a pagan origin despite
the claims of certain fringe sects. It is not usually celebrated
with pagan ceremonial customs in honor of pagan traditions and
gods, as are Christmas, Easter and Hallowe'en. If this national
holiday becomes corrupted, then it would be high time to reject
it -- but it generally is not so celebrated today.
This day of national thanksgiving can be enjoyed by our
brethren in America with an especially deep understanding because
we know that our personal and national prosperity have come
solely as the result of God's promise to Abraham -- and as a
result of His choice of this nation as the springboard for his
Church in this generation.
Our brethren in other nations do not celebrate this holiday
any more than we celebrate the Jews' feasts of Dedication and
Purim. What we all do celebrate are those divinely appointed
Holy Days and Festivals established by God in His Word for all
men. We NEVER regard a national holiday with the same respect,
awe and reverence as we do God's Sabbath and His Holy Days.
National HOLIDAYS are just that -- holidays, not Holy Days. They
are a time of secular pleasure and gratitude, nothing more.
But in the midst of the Thanksgiving season, let's not neglect
Paul's command in Ephesians 5:20 to "give thanks always." Let's
not make a mockery of God's special blessings to this nation.

Thanksgiving Day ... What does it mean to you?

The Plain Truth
November, 1969


Thanksgiving Day ... What does it mean to you?

To many Americans Thanksgiving Day means sumptuous turkey
dinners, family reunions and football games. Most seem to forget
that the very name of this traditional holiday means to give
thanks. But give thanks to whom? For what? And why?

by Eugene M. Walter


IN 1630 the little 350-ton "Arbella" was plowing westward
through the rough Atlantic to the Massachusetts coast. From its
deck John Winthrop preached a striking sermon that accurately
predicted America's future.
"Wee shall be," prophesied Winthrop, "as a Citty upon a
Hill, the Eies of all people are uppon us; soe that if wee shall
deale falsely with our god in this worke we have undertaken and
soe cause him to withdraw his present help from us, wee shall be
made a story and a by-word through the world."
Those are remarkable words! They indicate that at least some
of the early colonists sensed that their endeavors were being
favored by the hand of God.
These early settlers seemed to grasp that they were being
given very special opportunities, special blessings -- and
special responsibilities. For all this, the indications are, some
were grateful, at first.

The Early Thanksgivings

In 1621 the first American thanksgiving was held by Plymouth
colony. It was observed in gratitude for the ending of a
difficult year and a bountiful harvest. The native foods --
fruits and vegetables, wild turkeys, pumpkin pies and such --
constituted the fare of that first thanksgiving day and became
the traditional food for the day.
In succeeding years, thanksgiving festivals became very
popular in New England. The colonists celebrated thanksgiving
days in recognition of such happy events as good harvests and
victories over Indians. President Washington issued the first
presidential thanksgiving proclamation in honor of the new
constitution in 1789.
During the 19th century, an increasing number of states
observed the day annually, each appointing its own date.
As America grew, there was ever more to be thankful for. In
the years that had passed since John Winthrop's prophetic sermon,
America had truly become the "Citty upon a Hill." As the Civil
War ended, the downtrodden masses of the world looked expectantly
to America as the new land of hope and opportunity. Immigrants
from many lands arrived on American shores to try to catch the
American dream.
But success and prosperity were bringing the problems and
pitfalls which John Winthrop had so vividly foreseen. President
Lincoln also recognized these problems and was quick to act.

Lincoln's Sober Warning

"We find ourselves," Lincoln said, "in the peaceful
possession of the fairest portion of the earth, as regards
fertility of soil, extent of territory, and salubrity of climate
fundamental blessings. We toiled not in the acquirement or the
establishment of them."
On April 30, 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed a national
day of fasting and prayer. In making this proclamation he said:
"It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their
dependence upon the overruling power of God ... and to recognize
the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by
all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the
Lord .... We have been the recipients of the choicest blessings
of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and
prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no
other nation ever has grown; BUT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD! We have
forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and
multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly
imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these
blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our
own."
President Lincoln saw a nation drunk with success not due to
its own efforts. He saw a nation taking all the credit and glory
to itself. This great president called upon the nation for a day
of fasting and prayer to confess this national sin before God.
That petition was heard -- and the nation was then spared.
Later that same year, on October 3, Lincoln proclaimed the
last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day -- a day to give
thanks to God for the multitudinous blessings He had bestowed.
(Today Thanksgiving Day is observed on the fourth Thursday of
November as set by Congress in December, 1941).

America's Greatest Years -- and Now

In the years that followed Lincoln, America rose to become
the greatest single power, and the most wealthy nation this world
has ever known.
At the zenith of her power, America's six percent of the
world's population possessed some 50 percent of the world's
wealth. In commodity after commodity, and in product after
product, America led the world.
But with the Korean War in the early 1950's, America began
to slip. Troubles began to mount on all sides -- at home and
abroad. Where, before, everything seemed to turn out in our
favor, now it seemed that nothing was turning out well.
What happened -- and what is continuing to happen? Why is
America fast losing its reputation as a "Citty upon a Hill"?
Today America is torn by strife and dissension. We have no
national goal. We have recklessly squandered our fabulous wealth,
and indescribably polluted our beautiful land.
Greed, selfishness and ingratitude form the warp and woof of
society. "Has the American Dream become the American damnation, a
formula for selfishness rather than equality and excellence?"
asks "Time" (Jan. 24, 1969).
Other nations are no longer impressed with America and the
way Americans do things. "Very few people are enamoured of the
American way of life," says British historian Sir Denis Brogan.
Historians are now speculating on whether the tenure of the
U.S. as the first power in the world will not also be one of the
briefest in history.
What does all this mean -- and what does it have to do with
Thanksgiving?
Just this: our careless, godless, decadent way of life has
stripped the value and meaning from the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

How to Make Thanksgiving Meaningful

There is nothing necessarily wrong with good food, family
reunions and football games on Thanksgiving Day. But all too many
use these activities wrongly and forget the purpose for the
holiday. Many glut themselves with far more food than they ought
to eat; few, however, stop to give God thanks for this food --
even on Thanksgiving Day.
Family reunions all too often turn out to be family brawls.
Many a tense Thanksgiving Day with relatives ends in violence.
And in recent years, there have been several cases of someone
jumping up from the Thanksgiving dinner to grab a gun and shoot
some member of his or her family!
Millions of others push and shove one another in large
crowds at football games and parades, and kill one another on the
highway as they madly strive to make sure they get their fair
quota of pleasure.
And where is the giving of thanks in all this? In the
overwhelming vast majority of the cases, it is nowhere to be
found! What a travesty!
As we observe Thanksgiving Day this year, we need to stop
and soberly reflect on why we have so much, why we are losing it
so fast, and where we are headed. As perhaps no other literature
you might read, our free book on "The United States and British
Commonwealth in Prophecy" will help you do this. If you have not
yet received your copy, write for it immediately.
But Thanksgiving is not just for Americans and should not be
limited to one day a year. It should be a daily occurrence for
all of us. We all have much to be thankful for -- all the time.
Now as never before, we need to stop and thank God for the
many blessings we still have -- and change from our wrong ways so
that the blessings we have lost can be restored.
If we fail to do this, and if we fail to acknowledge God as
the Giver of all our blessings, He will surely "withdrawe his
present help from us, [and] we SHALL BE made a story and a
by-word through the world."

The Plain Truth About CHRISTMAS

The Plain Truth About CHRISTMAS

Chapter 1, by Herbert W. Armstrong, copyrights 1952, 1972, 1974 Chapter 2, by Keith W. Stump, copyright 1985 Chapter 3, by John Halford, copyright 1985 Chapter 4, WCG, copyright 1986



Where did the world get. Christmas?...from the Bible, or from paganism? Here are the astonishing facts which may shock you! Test yourself. How much do you know of the origin of the Christmas tree--of "Santa Claus--of the mistletoe--of the holly wreath--of the custom of exchanging gifts?



Chapter 1

THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTMAS

WHEN I was a very little boy, I was taught to hang up my stockings on Christmas eve. When I awakened the next morning, they were filled with small toys and sacks or little boxes of candy and nuts. And beside the mantle, from which my stockings hung, a Christmas tree had suddenly appeared, decorated with shiny tinsel. And on it hung presents. Other presents for us children were piled on the floor underneath. I was told Santa Claus had come down the chimney during the night and left all these things. But did I question what my parents had told me? Of course not. I accepted it--took it all for granted. Didn't you? Stop and think a moment! Very few have ever reflected on why they believe what they do--why they follow the customs they do, or from where those customs came. We were born into a world filled with customs. We grew up accepting them without question. Why? Sheep instinct? Well, not exactly. But by nature we do tend to follow the crowd, whether right or wrong. Sheep follow others to the slaughter. Humans ought to check up where they are going. How--when did Christmas originate? Does Christmas really celebrate the birthday of Christ? Was Jesus born on December 25th? Did the original apostles, who knew Jesus personally and were taught by Him, celebrate His birthday on December 25th? Did they celebrate it at all? If Christmas is the chief of the Christian holidays, why do so many non-Christians observe it? Do you know? Why do people exchange presents with family members, friends, relatives, at Christmas time? Was it because the wise men presented gifts to the Christ-child? The answer may surprise you. Most people have "supposed" a lot of things about Christmas that are not true. But let's quit "supposing" and get the facts!

What Encyclopedias Say

The word "Christmas" means "Mass of Christ," or, as it came to be shortened, "Christ-Mass." It came to non-Christians and Protestants from the Roman Catholic Church. And where did they get it? NOT from the New Testament--NOT from the Bible--NOT from the original apostles who were personally instructed by Christ--but it gravitated in the fourth century into the Roman Church from paganism. Since the celebration of Christmas has come to the world from the Roman Catholic Church, and has no authority but that of the Roman Catholic Church, let us examine the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, published by that church. Under the heading "Christmas," you will find: "Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church...the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt." "Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas." And in the same encyclopedia, under the heading "Natal Day," we find that the early Catholic father, Origen, acknowledged this truth: "... In the Scriptures, no one [who obeyed God] is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners [like Pharaoh and Herod] who make great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world" (emphasis ours). Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1946 edition, has this: "Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ).... Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church...." It was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, or by Bible authority. It was picked up afterward from paganism. The Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition, says: "Christmas.... It was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth...." (The "Communion," which is instituted by New Testament Bible authority, is a memorial of the death of Christ.) "... A feast was established in memory of this event [Christ's birth] in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed." Now notice! These recognized historical authorities show Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first two or three hundred years--a period longer than the entire history of the United States as a nation! It got into the Western, or Roman, Church, by the fourth century A.D. It was not until the fifth century that the Roman Church ordered it to be celebrated as an official Christian festival!


Jesus Not Born December 25th

Jesus was not even born in the winter season! When the Christ-child was born "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8). This never could have occurred in Judea in the month of December. The shepherds always brought their flocks from the mountainsides and fields and corralled them not later than October 15, to protect them from the cold, rainy season that followed that date. Notice that the Bible itself proves, in Song of Solomon 2:11 and Ezra 10:9, 13, that winter was a rainy season not permitting shepherds to abide in open fields at night. "It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the first rain," says the Adam Clarke Commentary (Vol. 5, page 370, New York ed.). Continuing, this authority states: "During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As...the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November [begins sometime in October], we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole summer. And, as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground, the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact..." Many encyclopedias and other authorities affirm that Christ was not born on December 25. Even the Catholic Encyclopedia frankly states this fact. The exact date of Jesus' birth is entirely unknown, as all authorities acknowledge. Chapter 2 of this booklet covers scriptures which at least strongly indicate it was in the early fall--probably September-- approximately six months after Passover. If God had wished us to observe and celebrate Christ's birthday, He would not have so completely hidden the exact date.


How This Pagan Custom Got into the Church

Then how did this pagan custom creep into the Western Christian world? The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains it clearly, in its article on "Christmas": "How much the date of the festival depended upon the pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24), and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the 'new sun'... cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence .... The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ's birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival." Remember, the Roman world had been pagan. Prior to the fourth century, Christians were few in number, though increasing, and were persecuted by the government and by pagans. But, with the advent of Constantine as emperor, who made his profession of Christianity in the fourth century, placing Christianity on an equal footing with paganism, people of the Roman world began to accept this now-popular Christianity by the hundreds of thousands. But remember, these people had grown up in pagan customs, chief of which was this idolatrous festival of December 25th. It was a festival of merrymaking, with its special spirit. They enjoyed it! They didn't want to give it up! Now this same article in the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains how the recognition by Constantine of Sunday, which had been the day of pagan sun worship, and how the influence of the pagan Manichaeism, which identified the SON of God with the physical SUN, gave these pagans of the fourth century, now turning over wholesale to "Christianity," their excuse for calling their pagan festival date of December 25th (birthday of the SUN-god), the birthday of the SON of God. And that is how "Christmas" became fastened on our Western world! We may call it by another name, but it's the same old pagan sun-worshipping festival still! The only change is in what we call it! You can call a rabbit a "lion," but it's still a rabbit, just the same. Again from the Encyclopaedia Britannica: "Certain Latins, as early as 354, may have transferred the birthday from January 6th to December 25, which was then a Mithraic feast...or birthday of the Unconquered SUN... The Syrians and Armenians, who clung to January 6th, accused the Romans of sun worship and idolatry, contending...that the feast of December 25th, had been invented by disciples of Cerinthus...."


The Real Origin of Christmas

But if we got Christmas from the Roman Catholics, and they got it from paganism, where did the pagans get it? Where, when, and what was its real origin? It originated in ancient Egypt in the days of King Osiris and Queen Isis, and their son Horus, about 3,000 B.C. Yes, it stems from roots whose beginning was long before the Flood! From many ancient writings, considerable is learned of this man, who started in Egypt a great organized worldly apostasy from God that has dominated this world until now. After the untimely death of King Osiris, his wife, Isis, propagated the doctrine of the survival of Osiris as a spirit being. She claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump, which symbolized the springing forth unto new life of the dead Osiris. On each anniversary of his birth, she claimed, Osiris would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts upon it. December 25th was the birthday of King Osiris reborn as the son Horus. This is the real origin of the Christmas tree. Through her scheming and designing, Isis became the "Queen of Heaven," and Osiris under various names, became the reborn "divine son of heaven." Through the generations, in this idolatrous worship, Osiris also became, among the later Phoeniceans, Baal the Sun-god. In this false system, reintroduced at Babylon, after the Flood, by Nimrod (see Genesis 10 and 11), the "Mother and Child" (Isis and Osiris reborn) became chief objects of worship. This worship of "Mother and Child" spread over the world. The names varied in different countries and languages. In Asia the worship passed under the names of Cybele and Deoius. In Rome, Fortuna and Jupiterpuer. Even in Greece, China, Japan and Tibet is to be found the counterpart of the Madonna, long before the birth of Christ! Thus, during the fourth and fifth centuries, when the pagans of the Roman world were "accepting" the new popular "Christianity" by the hundreds of thousands, carrying their old pagan customs and beliefs along with them, merely cloaking them with Christian-sounding names, the Madonna and "Mother and Child" idea also became popularized, especially at Christmas time. Every Christmas season you'll hear sung and chanted dozens of times the hymn "Silent Night, Holy Night," with its familiar "Mother and Child" theme. We, who have been born in such a world, reared and steeped in these things all our lives, have been taught to revere these things as holy and sacred. We never questioned to see where they came from--whether they came from the Bible, or from pagan idolatry! We are shocked to learn the truth--some, unfortunately, take offense at the plain truth! But God commands His faithful ministers, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression!" Shocking as these facts are, they are the plain facts of history and the Bible! The origin of Christmas goes back to ancient times. It is bound up in the apostasy which has gripped a deceived world these many centuries! In Egypt, it was always believed that the husband of Isis (Egyptian name for "Queen of Heaven") was reborn as the son Horus on December 25th. Through the influence of Egypt and, later, Babylon over civilization, the nations celebrated this famous birthday over most of the known world for centuries before the birth of Christ. December 25th is not the birthday of Jesus the true Christ! The apostles and early true Church never celebrated Christ's birthday at any time. There is no command or instruction to celebrate it in the Bible-- rather, the celebrating of birthdays is a pagan, not a Christian custom. Thus the ancient idolatrous "Mysteries," have been handed down through the pagan religions under new Christian-sounding names.


Origin of Holly Wreath, Mistletoe, Yule Log

Now where did we get this mistletoe custom? Among the ancient pagans the mistletoe was used at this festival of the winter solstice because it was considered sacred to the sun, because of its supposed miraculous healing power. The pagan custom of kissing under the mistletoe was an early step in the night of revelry and drunken debauchery--celebrating the death of the "old sun" and the birth of the new at the winter solstice. Mistletoe, sacred in pagan festivals, is a parasite! Holly berries were also considered sacred to the sun-god. The Yule log is in reality the "sun log." "Yule" means "wheel," a pagan symbol of the sun. Yet today professing Christians speak of the "sacred Yule-tide season"! Even the lighting of fires and candles as a Christian ceremony is merely a continuation of the pagan custom, encouraging the waning sun-god as he reached the lowest place in the southern skies! The Encyclopedia Americana says: "The holly, the mistletoe, the Yule log...are relics of pre-Christian times." Of paganism! The book 10,000 Answers to Questions, compiled by Frederic J. Haskins, says: "The use of the Christmas wreath is believed by authorities to be traceable to the pagan custom of decorating buildings and places of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as our Christmas." Also: "The Christmas tree is from Egypt, and its origin dates from a period long anterior to the Christian Era" (italics ours).


Yes, and Even Santa Claus!

But what about dear old Santa Claus? Is he as benevolent and holy as many suppose! The name "Santa Claus" is a corruption of the name "St. Nicholas," a Roman Catholic bishop who lived in the 4th century. Look in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, volume 19, pages 648-649, 11th edition, where you'll read: "St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, a saint honored by the Greeks and Latins on the 6th of December.... A legend of his surreptitious bestowal of dowries on the three daughters of an impoverished citizen...is said to have originated the old custom of giving presents in secret on the Eve of St. Nicholas [Dec. 6], subsequently transferred to Christmas day. Hence the association of Christmas with Santa Claus...." Through the year, parents punish their children for telling falsehoods. Then, at Christmas time, they themselves tell their little children this "Santa Claus" lie! Is it any wonder many of them, when they grow up and learn the truth, begin to believe God is a myth, too? One little fellow, sadly disillusioned about "Santa Claus," said to a playmate, "Yes, and I'm going to look into this 'Jesus Christ' business, too!" Is it Christian to teach children myths and falsehoods? God says, "Thou shalt not bear false witness!" It may seem right, and be justified by human reason, but God says, "There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death!" "Old Nick" also is a term for the devil! Is there a connection? Satan appears as an "angel of light," to deceive! (II Cor. 11:14; Rev. 12:9.) And so when we examine the facts, we are astonished to learn that the practice of observing Christmas is not, after all, a true biblical practice, but a human custom--one of the ways of Babylon our people have fallen into! But when it comes to the most important part of all in this Christmas observance--the Christmas shopping season--the buying and exchanging of gifts--many will exclaim triumphantly, "Well, at least the Bible tells us to do that! Didn't the wise men give gifts when Christ was born?" Again, we are due for some surprises, when we learn the plain truth. Let's look at the historic origin of trading gifts, then see exactly what the Bible does say about it.


Isn't Exchanging Gifts Scriptural?

From the Bibliotheca Sacra, volume 12, pages 153-155, we quote: "The interchange of presents between friends is alike characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and must have been adopted by Christians from the Pagans, as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows." The fact is, this custom fastened upon people of exchanging gifts with friends and relatives at the Christmas season has not a single trace of Christianity about it, strange though that may seem! This does not celebrate Christ's birthday nor honor it or Him! Suppose someone you love has a birthday. You want to honor that person on his or her birthday. Would you lavishly buy gifts for everyone else, trading gifts back and forth with all your other friends and loved ones, but ignore completely any gift for the one whose birthday you are honoring? Rather absurd, when viewed in that light, isn't it? Yet this is exactly what people the world over are doing! They honor a day that is not Christ's birthday by spending every dime they can scrape together in buying presents to trade back and forth among friends and relatives. But I can say by years of experience, as I believe most pastors and ministers can say, that when the month of December rolls around, nearly all professing Christians forget to give gifts to Christ and His cause almost altogether! December often is the most difficult month to keep Christ's work from dying! People are too busy trading gifts to think of Him and His Work, it seems. Then, in January and even into February it seems they have to catch up from what they spent for Christmas, so they seldom get back to normal in supporting Christ and His Work before March! Now consider what the Bible says about the wise men giving gifts when Christ was born. It is in Matthew 2:1-11. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?... 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." Notice, they inquired for the child Jesus, who was born KING of the Jews! Now why did they present gifts to Him? Because it was His birthday? Not at all, because they came several days or weeks after the date of His birth! Are we to see in this an example for us, today, to trade gifts back and forth among ourselves? No, notice carefully! They did not exchange gifts among themselves, but "they presented unto HIM gifts." They gave their gifts to Christ, not to their friends, relatives, or one another!


Gifts for a King

Why? Let me quote from the Adam Clarke Commentary, volume 5, page 46: "Verse 11. (They presented unto him gifts.) The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. The custom is often noticed in the Old Testament..." There it is! They were not instituting a new Christian custom of exchanging gifts with friends to honor Christ's birthday. They were following an old and ancient eastern custom of presenting gifts to a king when they came into his presence. They were approaching Him, born KING of the Jews, in person. Therefore custom required they present gifts--even as the Queen of Sheba brought gifts to Solomon--even as many people today take a gift along when they visit, for example, the White House for an appointment with the President. No, the custom of trading gifts back and forth does not stem from this scriptural incident at all, but rather, as quoted from history above, it is the continuance of an ancient pagan custom. Instead of honoring Christ, it invariably retards His Work, often sets it back, at the Christmas season every year.


Does It Really Honor Christ?

Now come two arguments often used to justify Christmas observance. (1) Many will reason this way: "But, even though the exact date of Jesus' birth is unknown, should we not select some date to celebrate as His birthday?" The answer is positively no! Did you not notice the statement quoted earlier from the Catholic Encyclopedia that sinners alone celebrate their birthdays? The celebration of birthdays is not a Christian, but a pagan custom, observed by sinners! (2) But, many still reason, "Even so--even though Christmas was a pagan custom, honoring the false sun-god, we don't observe it to honor the false god, we observe it to honor Christ." But how does GOD answer in His Word? "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them [the pagans in their customs]...that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods" (Deut. 12:30-31). God says plainly in His Instruction Book to us, that He will not accept that kind of worship, even though intended in His honor. To Him, He says, it is offering what is abominable to Him, and therefore it honors, not Him, but false pagan gods. GOD says we must not worship Him according to the "dictates of our own conscience"--a term we often hear. But Jesus said plainly, "God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). And what is truth? God's Word--the Holy Bible--said Jesus, is truth (John 17:17); and the Bible says God will not accept worship when people take a pagan custom or manner of worship and try to honor Christ with it. Again, Jesus said: "In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:9). Christmas observance is a tradition of men, and the commandments of God, as quoted, forbid it. Jesus said, further, "full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." That is precisely what the millions are doing today. They ignore the commandment of God. He commands, regarding taking the customs of the pagans and using them to honor or worship God: "Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God." Still, most people today take that command of God lightly, or as having no validity whatsoever, and follow the tradition of men in observing Christmas. We have professed to be Christian nations, but we're in Babylon, as Bible prophecy foretold, and we don't know it! "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues"--soon to fall--is the warning of Revelation 18:4. Make no mistake! God will allow you to defy and disobey Him. He will allow you to follow the crowd and the traditions of men. He will allow you to sin. But He also says there is a day of reckoning coming. As you sow, so shall you reap! Jesus was the living Word of God in Person, and the Bible is the written Word of God. And we shall be judged, for eternity, by these words! They should not be taken lightly or ignored.



Chapter 2

JESUS' BIRTH--THE UNTOLD STORY

Was Jesus born in December? If not, when was he born? And in what year? Anyway, what difference does it make? These are questions often asked. It is time they were answered!


A Visit to Bethlehem

In late December of each year, thousands of tourists flock into the small town of Bethlehem in the Judean Hills south of Jerusalem to participate in annual Christmas celebrations there. Some make the 6-mile journey from Jerusalem on foot. Upon arrival, they crowd with silent awe into the paved expanse of Manger Square in front of the revered Church of the Nativity, built over the traditional site of Jesus' birth. Inevitably, some of these tourists arrive in Israel unprepared. They have not thoroughly studied their guidebooks. As they step off their plane, they receive a real shock! November through early March is "winter" in Israel! The weather gets cold, especially at night. Often it rains--or even snows! Yet many arrive in Israel carrying luggage bulging with summer attire, reasoning that it is always hot and arrid in the Middle East. So they hurriedly purchase coats and sweaters in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem for their pilgrimage down to Bethlehem. Nevertheless, most of those who stand in Manger Square on December 25 each year--prepared and unprepared alike--fail to perceive the message being proclaimed by the very weather around them! Notice this plain testimony of your Bible: On the day of Jesus' birth "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8). The shepherds were living out in the open fields, tending their flock through the night. The point? Ask any biblical scholar, or any modern Israeli: This never could have occurred in Judea in the month of December--nor even in November, or late October for that matter! In ancient times as today, shepherds brought their flocks in from the fields and penned them in shelters not later than the middle of October! This was necessary to protect them from the cold, rainy season that usually followed that date. (The Bible itself makes it clear that winter in Palestine is a rainy season; see Ezra 10:9, 13; Song of Solomon 2:11.) Yet Luke 2:8 tells us that at the time of Jesus' birth, the shepherds were yet abiding in the fields--by night, at that! They had not yet brought their flocks home to the sheepfolds. Clearly the cold, rainy season had not yet commenced. Thus, on the basis of Luke's testimony alone, we see that Jesus could have been born no later than mid-October--when the weather is still pleasant at Bethlehem. A December 25 nativity is too late!


More Proof

Additional biblical evidence lends further support to the foregoing conclusion. Luke 1:24-38 informs us that the virgin Mary miraculously became pregnant with Jesus when her cousin Elizabeth was six months pregnant with a child who would later be known as John the Baptist. Jesus, then, would have been born six months after John. If we could know the time of John's birth, we could then simply add six months and know the time of Jesus' birth. Does the Bible reveal the general time of John's birth? Notice: Elizabeth's husband Zacharias was a priest at the temple in Jerusalem. Luke 1:5 records that Zacharias was "of the course of Abia [in Hebrew, Abijah]." In the days of King David of ancient Israel (10th century B.C.), the number of priests had so increased that they had to be divided into 24 courses or shifts, which would take turns in performing the priestly duties (I Chron. 24). Each course served one week at a time, beginning and ending on a weekly Sabbath day (II Chron. 23:8). The course of Abijah was the eighth course or shift in the rotation (I Chron. 24:10). The Talmud (collection of Jewish civil and religious laws and commentaries) records that the first course performed its duties in the first week of the first month of the Hebrew calendar. This month (called Abib or Nisan) begins about the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The second course worked the second week. The third week--being the annual festival season of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread--found all 24 courses serving together, sharing the heavy duties of that special time. The third shift then took its turn during the fourth week of the year. Projecting forward, the eighth course--the course of Abijah, in which Zacharias served--worked the ninth week of the year. But Zacharias' course then stayed on at the temple to serve the 10th week also--the week of the annual Pentecost festival--along with all the other courses. It was during that two-week period of work--near the end of spring-- that the announcement by the archangel Gabriel came to Zacharias regarding his wife's imminent conception (Luke 1:8-20). When his two weeks'service was completed, Zacharias and Elizabeth went back to their home and Elizabeth conceived (verses 23-24)--sometime late in June or early July. The rest is a matter of biology and arithmetic. Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy would have been in December. She would have given birth three months later--in late March or early April of the following year. Six months after that, Jesus would have been born, in late September or early October--before the sheep were brought in from the fields, as we have seen! Clearly, Jesus was not born in December. Late September or early October was also the time of year that taxes were customarily paid--in the fall, at the end of the harvest. Joseph and Mary, it will be remembered, had journeyed to Bethlehem to be taxed (Luke 2:3-5). The fact that there was "no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7) also suggests the time of the autumn harvest, because the annual fall festivals occurring at that time attracted multitudes of Jews to Jerusalem and nearby towns, filling all available accommodations.


Jesus Born "Before Christ"?

An even more frequent question received from readers concerns the year of Jesus' birth. Few subjects are fraught with so much confusion and misunderstanding. This immediately brings up a preliminary question: How could Jesus have been born in a year "B.C."--Before Christ--as most authorities suggest? It would seem to be a contradiction in terms! First, understand that the manner of reckoning time according to B.C. and A.D. was devised hundreds of years after Jesus' birth. It was invented in the sixth century A.D. by a monk in Italy name Dionysius Exiguus. This Dionysius misunderstood the time of the reign of Herod the Great, king of Judea. So he reckoned the birth of Jesus to have occurred in December of the year 753 AUC (ab urbe condita--"from the foundation of the city [of Rome]"). In past ages, time was often reckoned using the founding of Rome as the starting point for counting. Thus, in Dionysius' new system, January 1, 754 AUC, became January 1,-- A.D. 1 (anno Domini, "in the year of the Lord"). That is, he assumed Jesus was born on December 25, just a week before January 1, A.D. 1.


Error Later Discovered

Later, it was discovered that Dionysius had been incorrect in his reckoning of the reign of Herod and hence of the commencement of the Christian era. Jesus had been born some years earlier than Dionysius had thought. But by then, the new chronology was in general use and it was too late to change! It has continued in use throughout most of the world to the present day. With that understanding, we can now proceed to determine the year of Jesus' birth. There are several ways of doing so. Notice, first, this ancient prophecy from the book of Daniel: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build from Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks..." (Dan. 9:25). The commandment or decree to restore and build Jerusalem was made in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes I, king of ancient Persia (see Ezra 7:8)--according to the autumn-to-autumn reckoning of the Jews, in 457 B.C. The archangel Gabriel told Daniel that there would be a total of 69 prophetic weeks from that time until the public appearance of the Messiah. Sixty-nine weeks is equivalent to 483 days (69 x 7). A day of prophetic fulfillment is a year in actual time (Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6). So 483 prophetic days (69 prophetic weeks) is 483 years. Simple arithmetic now takes over. Four-hundred-eighty-three years from 457 B.C. (the year of the decree) brings us to A.D. 27--the year when Jesus, the Messiah, began his public ministry. (In calculating this, be aware that you must add 1 to compensate for the fact that there is no year zero.) Now consider further: It is generally understood that Jesus entered upon his ministry in the autumn of the year, immediately after his baptism. (His ministry lasted 3 1/2 years, ending in the spring, at Passover time.) In Luke 3:23 we learn that Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when he began his ministry. If he was about 30 years old in the autumn of A.D. 27, then he must have been born in the end of summer or early autumn and in 4 B.C.! (remember, there is no year zero.) It thus stands clearly revealed from Daniel's prophecy that Jesus was born in 4 B.C. But there is yet further proof!


Herod's Eclipse

Students of the Bible recognize that Jesus was born before the death of Herod the Great (Matt. 2:15, 19). When did Herod die? The first century A.D. Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews (book XVII, chapter vi), tells of an eclipse of the moon late in Herod's reign. I have before me, as I write, the authoritative Solar and Lunar Eclipses of the Ancient Near East by Kudlek and Mickler. Its tables reveal that the lunar eclipse in question occurred on March 13, 4 B.C. Continuing with Josephus' account, we discover that sometime after the eclipse, Herod--afflicted with a painful and loathsome disease--went beyond the river Jordan to bathe himself in hot springs there. The cures he undertook were unsuccessful. His condition worsened and he returned to Jericho. There, in a wild rage, he plotted the deaths of many prominent Jews. He also ordered his own son, Antipater, slain. All these events required some months. Josephus further reveals (chapter ix) that Herod's death occurred sometime before a spring Passover. This Passover would have been 13 months after the eclipse, or the Passover of April, 3 B.C. This confirms our previously calculated 4 B.C. birthdate for Jesus. Further corroborating this, Josephus also records (XVII, viii, 1) that at his death, Herod had reigned 37 years since he had been declared king by the Romans. That had occurred in 40 B.C., a fact that Dionysius overlooked. Herod's death therefore took place late in 4 B.C.--more specifically, according to a Jewish tradition, on the seventh day of the lunar month Kislev in the Hebrew calendar (equivalent to November/December on the Roman calendar)--shortly after Jesus' birth in the early autumn of 4 B.C. This is the only date that is consistent with all the provable facts!


The "Star" of Bethlehem

A word is necessary at this point about the celebrated "Star of Bethlehem" (Matt. 2) that guided the wise men (Greek, Magi) across the deserts of the East to Bethlehem. The Plain Truth receives many letters about this each December. Scholars have tried to pinpoint the date of Jesus' birth by means of astronomical calculations related to the appearance of this mysterious "star." For centuries, theologians and astronomers have debated this perplexing question. Dozens of theories exist purporting to explain what this "star" actually was and when it appeared. Some hold it was a comet. Others postulate a nova (exploding star). Still others say it was a meteor, or a planet, or a conjunction of two or more planets. (A conjunction takes place when planets appear, from our earthly viewpoint, to briefly become a single bright object as their paths cross the sky.) Dates for proposed celestial phenomena usually range from 7 B.C. to 2 B.C. But the heart and core of the star controversy goes beyond matters of astronomy. To one who believes that the Bible is the Word of God and is to be taken at face value, the account of the star in Matthew's gospel can have only one explanation. It was clearly and incontrovertibly a miracle, of supernatural, not natural origin! What natural phenomenon in the heavens--whether comet, meteor, exploding star or planet--could "go before" the Magi and "stand over" a specific house to precisely pinpoint it (Matt. 2:9-11)? And if it was attributable to a nonmiraculous agency, how can we account that it appeared and reappeared to the Magi and apparently went generally unnoticed by others? Natural explanations are sheer astronomical foolishness! If the biblical account cannot be accepted in all its details, why should anyone believe it has any merit at all? The star was clearly a special miracle of God, of divine origin defying all the proposed natural explanations of liberal scholarship. It is quite possible that the Star of Bethlehem was simply an angel sent to lead the Magi to Jesus, since the Bible often symbolically uses stars to signify angels (Job 38:7; Jude 13; Rev. 1:20; 9:1; 12:14; et al.).


In Jesus' Name?

We have seen the proof that Jesus was born in the early autumn, not in the winter. But, some will ask, what difference does it make? Is it not the thought that counts? What is wrong with celebrating a day--any day--in honor of Jesus' birth? Each December, articles inevitably appear in newspapers and magazines pointing out the ancient origins of today's Christmas customs. All authorities agree that the customs surrounding Christmas--the Christmas tree, mistletoe, holly wreaths, yule logs, stockings on the hearth, exchanging gifts and so on--were practiced in connection with pagan religious celebrations centuries before the birth of Jesus. None are of Christian origin! Anciently, December 25 was the date of the pagan Roman Brumalia, the final day of the popular weeklong Saturnalia celebration, celebrated in honor of the god Saturn. It was the day of the "invincible sun"--a winter solstice festival. "Christmas" was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. It was not until the mid-fourth century that Pope Julius I decreed December 25 to be Christmas ("Christ-Mass") Day. He sought to overshadow the popular Brumalia by imparting "Christian" connotations to the day. But again, some will ask: What is so wrong with borrowing some of those early customs and using them to honor Jesus? May we not continue to celebrate December 25, as long as we do it in Jesus' name? Can pagan practices be "Christianized" in this way? More than 34 centuries ago, the rebellious children of Israel fashioned a pagan idol--a golden calf--in the wilderness (Ex. 32). It was the god Apis, the sacred Egyptian bull deity worshiped at Memphis on the Nile. Aaron declared that the pagan, Egyptian rites by which the Israelites worshiped the calf were "a feast to the Lord" (verse 5). Did God feel honored? Did he approve of their using pagan customs to worship him? Absolutely not! It was a great sin (verse 21), and 3,000 paid with their lives (verse 28)! They had deceived themselves that what they were doing was right. We are commanded not to seek to worship God with customs borrowed from other religions (Deut. 12:29-32). "Learn not the way of the heathen," God declares (Jer. 10:2). True Christians never meet paganism half way. Pagan worship--whether "in Jesus' name" or not--remains pagan worship! Christianity mixed with paganism is not Christianity at all. Righteousness has no fellowship with unrighteousness (II Cor. 6:14). God simply will not accept that type of false "worship." If God had wanted us to observe Christ's birthday, he would have given us the exact date and specific instructions on how to observe it. But he has not! Christmas is an invention of man, issuing from pagan worship.


Chapter 3
SO YOU ARE NOT KEEPING CHRISTMAS?

SO You have decided it's time to make some changes. This year you and your family are (sssh--don't let the neighbors know!)--not going to keep Christmas! But it isn't quite as easy as that though, is it? Christmas has become so much a part of most people's lives that not to observe it can mean a major disruption. No Christmas cards. What will Aunt Tess think? No relatives over for Christmas dinner. No decorations. No lights or Santa Claus. You'll have to try to avoid the office party, and you'd better write to the school explaining that you don't want little Fred to play an angel in the Christmas play. And no tree. I remember the first time we didn't have a tree. It had always been a feature in our house. We would go to a lot of trouble to decorate it beautifully, and then put it in the front window for all to see. A good-looking tree was a status symbol in our neighborhood and, though I do say it myself, ours was one of the best and most impressive. But we noticed in the Bible where God made some pretty pointed remarks about decorated trees. Check it for yourself in Jeremiah 10:3-4. God said it was a futile, pagan custom--a clear case of worshipping Christ in vain. So--no tree. Even though we knew we had done the right thing, we really missed that tree. The neighbors all had them, sparkling in their windows, but our window remained dark. We missed it so much that we cheated a bit. We put up a few decorations--not a tree, mind you, just a few bits and pieces to make the place look more cheerful. And we had a Christmas dinner, only we didn't call it that. It was only a celebration." We felt guilty about it, because we knew we had compromised. It was just that the old way seemed so comfortable and without a tree and all the rest of the paraphernalia, Christmas just didn't seem like--er, Christmas. Jesus Christ knew this would happen. He explained to His disciples that they would indeed miss some aspects of the old way of life, and that even as they learned the truth from him they would look back nostalgically from time to time. Jesus taught an important lesson in Luke 5:36-39: "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old" (verse 36). Any seamstress understands that. New, unshrunk material cannot be used to patch old, worn garments. When it shrinks, it will tear the old cloth even worse than before. Jesus' second analogy is not quite so easy for us to follow in the 20th century: "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins" (verses 37-38). In New Testament times glass bottles were rare, so wine was often transported in animal skins, usually from goats. They made a strong, airtight and moisture-proof container, but you had to be careful. New wine that had not finished fermenting gave off gas that would expand the skins. A new wineskin had some "give" to it, and would allow for the expansion. But old, used skins lost their elasticity. They would burst. The wine would be spilled and the wineskin ruined. But why tell people that? Jesus Christ's business was not to give the multitude helpful household hints. Jesus was using a familiar situation to teach an aspect of Christian living.


Withdrawal symptoms

When someone begins to understand the teachings of the Bible, it is a totally new experience--unlike anything he or she has ever known--like new wine or an unused piece of cloth. Now, what most of us do is try to fit this new truth into our old way of life. That is only natural, because it is hard to change, and no one likes to admit having been wrong. The old way of life is familiar and comfortable, and we want to hang on to as much of it as possible. How about you? Perhaps you have fond memories of the Easter sunrise service, the fun of Halloween and those beautiful candlelight carol services down at the old family church. The truth comes smashing into inherited religious ideas and preconceived notions of right and wrong. It challenges comfortable beliefs, making you question things you have always done. This new way--even if it is right--sometimes seems like an unwelcome intruder, and you find yourself resenting it. Jesus warned us that that could happen: "And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better"' (verse 39). It is not surprising that so many people, even though they acknowledge the truth, still prefer to cling to their old beliefs. Or perhaps they do as my family did when we met the truth halfway, with a sort of "unChristmas" celebration. We didn't enjoy our "unChristmas." You never can if you know that you are compromising with what is right. We were trying to put our new wine in the old bottle, and we spoiled everything.


All the way

Don't make that mistake. If you are beginning to understand what it means to be a real Christian, realize that it is going to demand positive action on your part. You can't have it both ways, observing this world's customs and still expecting the blessing of the world tomorrow. "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the things which I say?" Jesus thundered (Luke 6:46). He expects total commitment. He demands that we come out of the Babylon of confusion that characterizes so much religion today. So along with the excitement of learning new truth comes the responsibility of making some painful decisions. Don't compromise. God does not want to take from us anything that is good. His way of life is filled with exciting experiences that mean something and lead somewhere, not empty, senseless but often very expensive rituals. As you take the plunge and follow God's way of life, you will begin to miss the "old wine" less and less. You will see it for what it is--a hollow counterfeit of the real thing. God is showing you the way to freedom from all that. Instead of looking back at the fraudulent ways of this world, you will begin to anticipate the excitement of helping others learn the truth in the world tomorrow.


Chapter 4
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

EACH YEAR our Personal Correspondence Department answers numerous inquiries regarding the holiday season.

1. You say that Christmas observance does not come from the Bible. Where does it come from, then?

Where Christmas customs came from is really no secret. You can read the origins of Christmas customs in encyclopedias and other reference works, as well as in newspaper and magazine articles that often appear during the Christmas season. The facts are readily accessible. At the end of December and the beginning of January festive celebrations were taking place in various nations of Europe centuries before Jesus was born! When that festive season rolled around, little children were filled with anticipation and excitement. The whole family got busily involved in putting up decorations. Boughs of holly and evergreen were assembled and placed about the house. The mistletoe was hung. A tree was chosen and decorated with ornaments. It was a season of giving and receiving presents, a time to sing songs, admire all the pretty lights and burn the Yule log. There were parades with special floats, sumptuous meals and merrymaking. All this and Jesus wasn't even born yet! In ancient times, many of the earth's inhabitants, realizing their dependence upon the sun for light, heat and the growing of crops, watched the sun's yearly course in the heavens with deep interest. At different seasons, feasts and celebrations were held to help, it was thought, the solar orb on its way. The end of December was an especially significant time in the Northern Hemisphere. The days were short. The sun was at its lowest point. Special festivals of thanksgiving and encouragement to the sun were held. When, at the winter solstice, the days began to lengthen, there was great celebration lasting into the first part of January. The sun--the light of the world--had been (re)born! Such festivities, once meant to honor the sun and its god, were freely adopted by the spreading and increasingly popular "Christian" religion. Why not, in the same way, honor Jesus--the real light of the world (even though He was not actually born in December)? The modern version of the Christmas tree is supposed to have originated in German lands in the Middle Ages. Since evergreens were green throughout the dead of winter, people looked upon them as especially imbued with life. It was in honor of the tree spirit or the spirit of growth and fertility that greenery was a prominent part of ancient pagan winter celebrations. The Romans trimmed trees with trinkets and toys at that time of the year. The Druids tied gilded apples to tree branches. To certain peoples an evergreen decorated with orbs and other fruit-like objects symbolized the tree of life in the garden in Eden. Branches of holly and mistletoe were likewise revered. Not only do these plants remain green through the winter months, but they actually bear fruit at that time, once again a type of the spirits of fertility. Still today, catching someone under a branch of mistletoe can serve as a convenient springboard for romantic activity. Few people stop to wonder what in the world such strange customs have to do with the birth of Jesus! The ancients lit festive fires in the last part of December to encourage the waning sun god, just as Christmas bonfires, candles and other lights burn today at the same time of the year. Use of the "Yule log," part of the "Yuletide" season, hearkens back to the ritual burning of a carefully chosen log by the Druids. The word Yule comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word hweol, meaning "wheel," a round wheel being an appropriate symbol for the sun. You thought the Christmas shopping spree was a 20th century phenomenon? Listen to how fourth-century writer Libanius described end-of-the-year gift-giving and partying in the ancient non-Christian Roman Empire: "Everywhere may be seen ... well-laden tables.... The impulse to spend seizes everyone. He who through the whole year has taken pleasure in saving ... becomes suddenly extravagant.... A stream of presents pours itself out on all sides" (as quoted in Christmas in Ritual and Tradition). Of all times in the year, it was indeed the season to be jolly. Drunkenness was widespread. Fortunately, however, the modes of transportation in those days did not lend themselves to the high rate of drunken-driver-induced traffic fatalities that are part of the Christmas season in many nations today. An important part of the pagan harvest festivities--beginning in October-November with what has become Halloween--involved good and bad spirits. In many lands, visitors--usually bringers of good or evil--made their appearance in the winter season. Through blending pagan legends with traditions about saints, certain figures emerged, with similar personalities. We recognize them today in different nations as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St. Nicholas, St. Martin, the Weihnachtsmann, Pere Noel. Whatever name is used, all these winter visitors fulfill a similar role. These fictional persons--Christianizations" of the pagan Germanic deities- -clearly perpetuate certain folk-ritual themes wherein varying degrees of rewards and punishments were dealt out to the celebrants. Through the centuries these customs came to be centered around children. It is not too hard to see a connection between Santa using the chimney or the shoes and stockings hung by the fireplace and the ancient superstitions about hearth spirits. For thousands of years, especially among the Chinese, it was customary to sweep and scour the house in preparation for the visit of the hearth spirit. Each year, dressed in a pointed, fiery red cap and red jacket, this fire god traveled from the distant heavens to visit homes and distribute favors or punishments. Today he is welcomed in the Western world each Christmas season. Popular Christmas customs, as we can see, plainly reflect non-Christian legends and practices. Some of the very Christmas customs observed today were once banned by the Catholic Council of Rome, the English Parliament and the Puritans of New England. The logical question to ask is, What is there about Christmas that is Christian?

2. All right. So Christmas is based on pagan traditions and myths. What is wrong with borrowing some of those customs and using them to honor Jesus on His birthday?

If we are supposed to celebrate Jesus' birthday, why doesn't the Bible give us the date of that event? Elsewhere in the Scriptures, when God revealed certain days He wanted His people to observe, no room was left for doubt as to when those days occurred. The instructions were specific because God wanted His people to observe those particular days. Why, then, the silence as to which day Christ was born? The plain truth is that the Bible nowhere commands us to observe birthdays in the first place! But an even more important point to consider is this: When Jesus' name is applied to borrowed pagan ideas and practices, does Jesus really feel honored? After all, it was Jesus Himself who told His people Israel not to seek to worship Him with customs borrowed from other religions (Deut. 12:29-32). Time and again He made it clear through His prophets that He wanted His people to remain "cleansed ... of everything pagan" (Neh. 13:30, Revised Authorized Version).

3. Even though I have ceased to celebrate Christmas, is there anything wrong in continuing to exchange gifts out of the motive of giving rather than wanting to follow pagan customs?

There is nothing wrong with giving to others. Part of God's overall purpose for our existence is that we learn to give instead of seeking to get. But a Christian needs to be careful about giving a gift around Christmas time. The reason? Christians are to be lights to the world. They must set the example of righteous living. To engage in gift giving with those who are celebrating Christmas may give the appearance to them that you are participating right along with them in Christmas festivities. God tells us to come out of the religious system of this world and to be "separate" (11 Cor. 6:14-18). How can a person be separate from such goings on and continue at the same time to dabble in them? Why not give gifts at other times of the year when they will be appreciated as spontaneously sincere and heartfelt?

4. How do I tell my friends and relatives that I no longer wish to exchange presents?

With a smile! That's right. Show firmness, yet at the same time be relaxed and friendly about it. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to come across as a religious fanatic fired up with purple-veined emotion on the subject. There's no need to make friends and relatives feel condemned and guilty by what you say. Your example will be testimony enough to them. Most of them haven't the faintest idea where Christmas customs came from or why they are following them. It's more superstition than it is religion. They're just doing what everyone around them does. Many of the problems arising from the Christmas season can be resolved if you apply three principles: (1) Stress your objection to the commercialism of the season. Immediately you have everyone, with the possible exception of some shopkeepers and commercial interests, on your side. Who can deny that Christmas is a crassly commercial holiday, that it is budget-bustingly expensive? Who would not--especially as general economic conditions worsen--rather spend the money on more needful items, like maybe heating the house? Who does not dread the wearisome Christmas shopping experience, the time-consuming uncertainty as to what to buy for whom? All you have to say is you've had enough of it, that when you give a gift you want to do it spontaneously instead of as a slave to some custom. After the initial shock wears off, most people will respect your stand and secretly wish they had the courage to do likewise. Some, in fact, heartened by your example, may do just that! (2) Maintain a sense of humor. Let's face it, cutting trees down and then setting them back up loaded with ornaments, the whole gift-trading rigmarole, the thought of an overweight, bearded individual decked out in flamboyant red and traveling through the air in a sled or some other conveyance when he is not slithering up and down someone's chimney--these and so many other traditions are ridiculous. Feel free to point that out. Who can deny it? (3) Put the burden of proof on those who are celebrating Christmas. It's not that there isn't overwhelming proof to back you up in your decision to cease celebrating Christmas. There certainly is. But most people have neither the time nor the interest for a detailed explanation. So shift the burden of proof to them. Say, in effect, "If you can show me where the Bible says I ought to observe Christmas, or where it says early Christians celebrated Jesus' birthday, I will celebrate it also!" The discussion will probably end very suddenly at that point. Of course, if the person to whom you are speaking shows an obvious interest in learning about the real origin of Christmas, you should be prepared to give an appropriate answer.

5. What happens if someone gives me a gift anyway? Should I return it?

If a person is testing you to see how deeply your religious convictions lie, returning the gift is a proper response. On the other hand, in cases where the person sincerely doesn't know or comprehend your stand, a polite note of thanks for the gift and a brief statement that you no longer observe the Christmas holiday may be sufficient. By the way, you will find that most people will stop giving you Christmas gifts anyway after a year or two of not receiving a gift from you in return.

6. My friends and relatives continue to send me Christmas cards. Should I write back to each of them and explain that I have quit celebrating Christmas?

A brief note to that effect may be in order. As with gifts, most people will cease sending Christmas cards when they stop getting them in return.

7. What do I tell my children now that they will no longer be receiving presents at Christmas?

Why not tell them the truth? Why not tell them that you have come to understand that the world is wrong in its observance of Christmas and that you are going to do God's will because it is better than Christmas? Be sure to emphasize the positive side--that God's way is better than Christmas. As proof of this, tell your children you are going to give gifts to them throughout the year because you love them all year long, not just on Christmas Day. That, in turn, is precisely what they can tell their friends who will be showing off their Christmas gifts. It is important not to leave a void in your children's lives by removing Christmas observance and putting nothing in its place. Arrange special activities with them often, and especially centering around the Holy Days God has ordained in the Scriptures--the days He does want us to observe. (For more information, write for our free booklet Pagan Holidays- or God's Holy Days--Which?)

8. Is there anything I can do to prevent my child from having to participate in Christmas activities at school?

One of the most important steps you as a Christian parent can take is to discuss the subject with the children's teachers, addressing the problem ahead of time. Politely inform the teachers involved that you do not observe certain holidays and that you do not want to have your children take part in celebrations centering around those days. Seek to avoid, as much as possible, leaving a teacher in a difficult situation with children to teach but not knowing what to have them do while others, for example, are drawing Santas. You can advise that your children may draw winter scenes or snowmen instead of things immediately associated with Christmas. If the whole class is having a Christmas party perhaps you could offer to come to school and take your children home that afternoon to relieve the teacher from having to find something else for them to do. In any case, try to be very cooperative with school officials. Above all, ask God for wisdom, grace and favor in their sight. Your children themselves, especially as they get older, will be a determining factor as to whether they become involved in worldly religious holiday activities at school or elsewhere away from home. You can't be with them every minute. This underlines the absolute need to provide positive instruction at home. If children are convinced in their own minds that they should not participate in certain activities, much of the battle is already won.

9. It is a standard policy for the company where I work to give all employees a Christmas bonus. Should I accept this bonus?

Bonuses given at the end of the year are usually not considered as Christmas gifts. They are often given in gratitude for work done throughout the preceding year. It is logical to wait until the end of the year before giving such a bonus, and Christmas seems to be as good an occasion as any. Most large companies are not interested one way or the other in the personal convictions of their employees and, when that's the case, there is no reason to refuse the bonus. If you are working for a smaller company where you know your employer personally, it may be advisable to mention to him or her that you don't celebrate Christmas. If he or she wants to give you the bonus regardless, as simply a gift or token of appreciation, you can accept it with a clear conscience.

10. Some relatives have invited me to their house for dinner on Christmas Day. Should I refuse the invitation?

Not necessarily. It depends on the nature of the occasion. Since you understand the truth about Christmas, to you the day will be just another ordinary day of the year. And to you the simple fact of eating a meal with others on that day is no different from eating one with them on any other day. What matters in this case, though, is how your relatives will regard the occasion. If they look on the meal as part of Christmas festivities and place religious significance upon it, then you would be out of place there. Your attendance could give the impression that you are observing Christmas with them or, if they know about your beliefs, that you are willing to compromise on your beliefs. On the other hand, if the meal is merely a convenient opportunity for a family get-together, and there is no objectionable connotation placed upon the meal, then it might be all right to accept the invitation. Better be prepared to answer some questions, though, because sooner or later the conversation is sure to focus on why you don't observe Christmas.

11. What should I say when someone wishes me "Merry Christmas"?

It is often sufficient to respond with a question such as "Where has this last year gone?" or "It's that time of year again, isn't it?" or "Do you think it is going to snow?" or even a parting statement on an entirely unrelated subject such as "Good-bye now" or "Have a good day!" The surprising fact is that few individuals will even notice that you haven't wished "Merry Christmas" in return, so meaningless is the expression. At other times, a smile and a "Thank you" (meaning you are grateful for their concern) may be more appropriate.

The Truth About Christmas

By
Art Braidic
and
Dennis Fischer



© 2000 Art Braidic & Dennis Fischer
All rights reserved.

* * *



H ave you ever wondered about Christmas? From the time you first found out there really was no Santa Claus, did you ever question other aspects of this incredible holiday – one that so much of the world takes for granted? Did you ever wonder where Christmas came from? Is it in the Bible? From where do all the unusual symbols surrounding the celebration of this day come? Why a Christmas tree? Where did the idea of Santa Claus originate? Why does Santa wear a red suit with fur? Why does he supposedly come down the chimney? Why are stockings left on the fireplace? Why is this day celebrated on the 25th of December? Where did the Christmas wreath come from, or the Yule log? How about the exchanging of gifts? What about mistletoe? What do all these symbols and festivities really mean? What does the Bible say about this holiday? And what is God’s perspective on these things? If you were surprised when you first discovered the truth about Santa Claus, you will be even more surprised by the rest of the story.



Childhood Memories


From our earliest childhood, most of us looked forward to Christmas more than any other holiday. We were given time off from school. Stores were decorated and downtown city streets were brightly lit. Additionally, many neighborhood homes would put up lights and other decorations. For weeks, we would anticipate and fantasize about all the presents we would receive. Then the whole family would go out looking for just the right tree. Once found, it was brought home and showered with tinsel, balls, and lights. The family would work together to decorate the tree to everyone’s delight. Then, as the great day arrived, we hung our stockings up and went to bed, hardly able to sleep because of our excitement about what the morning would bring. When morning came, we would run to the tree, and there we would kneel down before it and receive our gifts according to whether we had been "bad" or "good."


This was the experience of so many of us as we grew up. None of us ever questioned any of these things deeply. We simply took all of it for granted. When told that we celebrated all this to honor Christ, we did not study the Bible to find if any of it were true. Perhaps as some of us found out the truth about Santa Claus, we were somewhat disillusioned, but most of us did not question these practices any further.


Now, however, it is time! We need to make informed choices about this issue because it affects our worship of God and as such, our very salvation. It is time to follow the Bible’s admonition and "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (1Thess. 5:21).



The Business of Christmas


Recently, Hallmark, one of the nation’s top three wrapping paper manufacturers announced that during the Christmas season, it will produce over 24,000 miles of wrapping paper. Additionally, the number of Christmas trees sold in Los Angeles alone will top 1.1 million. Further, Americans will spend over seven billion dollars on children’s toys during the Christmas season. Collectively, agencies and photo studios suit up and ship out as many as 20,000 Santa Clauses to malls, parades, and parties. It has been estimated that retail stores can generate $35,000 in additional income simply by having a photographer and a rented Santa Claus for the season. Further, it is estimated that mall traffic increases by 15% when Santa Claus is in one of the big stores.


The city of Los Angeles alone consumes over ten million kilowatt hours of electricity to support its Christmas lights. This is the average monthly usage for many third world countries. The average American family will receive 26 cards while 3000 letters addressed to Santa Claus will go through the Los Angeles Post Office alone. Additionally, 650 million Christmas packages will be sent to friends and loved ones through the mail during this season. The city of Beverly Hills will spend over one million dollars on their holiday decorations while See’s Candy will sell over 12 million pounds of candy. Tragically, however, 35% to 40% of Americans will become so depressed they will use alcohol or drugs to simply cope with the emptiness they feel at this "joyous" time of the year.


In this light, many religious leaders, reacting to the gross commercialism of Christmas have been heard to exclaim: "We ought to put Christ back in Christmas." The truth is Christ was NEVER in Christmas and He never will be!


As shocking as this may sound, Jesus Christ was not born on or near December 25. Further, the original apostles who knew Jesus personally never celebrated this holiday. Additionally, the Bible nowhere encourages the celebration of Christmas, but rather condemns such observances.



Christmas Is Not Christian!


The word "Christmas" comes from the term "Mass of Christ." Shortened, the term simply became "Christ-mass." The celebration of this holiday actually existed centuries before Jesus was born and did not enter Christianity until centuries after His death. This fact is confirmed by the testimony of both religious and secular authorities. The 1911 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia illustrates that Christmas did not originate in Palestine but rather in Egypt.

Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church...the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt... Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas.

Origen (A.D. 186-238), a leading third century theologian and the man regarded by some to be the "father of Biblical criticism," wrote:

...In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners [like Pharaoh and Herod] who make great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world. (1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, article Natal Day)

The celebration of Christmas was not embraced during the days of the apostles or the early New Testament church. Consider the words of the Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition which states:

Christmas... was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth.



The Origin of Christmas


Virtually all Biblical authorities and secular historians agree that the celebration of Christ’s birth did not enter the church until hundreds of years after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It was not until the fifth century that the Roman Catholic church ordered this day to be celebrated. Furthermore, the church directed this celebration to take place on the same day as the pagan festival dedicated to worshiping the sun god.


The connection between Christmas and a variety of pagan practices is thoroughly documented. Not only the day, but its symbols, are intimately connected to religious practices embraced by the pagan world. William Walsh, a recognized authority on Christmas, writes:

...the Christmas festival...is a gradual evolution from times that long antedated the Christian period... It was over laid upon heathen festivals, and many of its observances are only adaptations of pagan to Christian Ceremonies. (The Story of Santa Klaus p. 58)

Walsh went on to explain that the celebration of Christmas was intimately connected to the Greek veneration of their god Dionysus (also called Bacchus). The Greeks paid homage to Bacchus with a celebration bearing his name (Bacchanalia).

It was on or about December 21st that the ancient Greeks celebrated what are known to us as the Bacchanalia or festivities in honor of Bacchus, the god of wine. In these festivities the people gave themselves up to songs, dances and other revels which frequently passed the limits of decency and order. (p. 65)

According to Walsh, the Romans celebrated the Bacchanalia as well as the Saturnalia during the same period as today’s celebration of Christmas.

...the Saturnalia, held in honor of Saturn, the god of time, began on December 17th and continued for seven days. These also often ended in riot and disorder. Hence the words Bacchanalia and Saturnalia acquired an evil reputation in later times. (p. 65)

The excesses and decadence practiced during this festival were legendary. Gerard and Patricia Del Re document this.

At its most decadent and barbaric, Saturnalia may have been the excuse among Roman soldiers in the East for the human sacrifice of the king of the revels. (The Christmas Almanac, p.16)

Why December 25?


Today, most of the world celebrates Christmas on the twenty-fifth of December. However, the actual date of Christ’s birth cannot be determined with absolute certainty. There is, however, strong biblical evidence that suggests Jesus was born in the fall. As for the celebration of December 25, this too, traces its roots directly to the pagan world.
Werner Keller writes in The Bible as History:

December 25 is referred to in documents as Christmas day in A.D. 324 for the first time. Under the Roman emperor Justinian [in the 500's] it was recognized as an official holiday. An old Roman festival played a major part in the choice of this particular day. December 25 in ancient Rome was the ‘Dies Natali Invictus,’ ‘the birthday of the unconquered,’ the day of the winter solstice and at the same time, in Rome, the last day of the Saturnalia, which had long since degenerated into a week of unbridled carnival... (p. 331)

The Encyclopedia Britannica adds some interesting insights with respect to the December 25th celebration of Christmas. Not only did the day coincide with the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, but other pagan deities are directly connected to this date.

...In the Roman world, the Saturnalia was a time of merrymaking and exchanging of gifts. December 25th was also regarded as the birth date of the Iranian Mystery god, Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year houses were decorated with greenery and lights and gifts were given to children. To these observances were added the German and Celtic Yule rites...Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir tree, gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian. (Vol. II, 1973)

Christmas is so inextricably linked to celebrations practiced by the ancient Roman world that if a Roman citizen of that day were somehow raised from the dead to live in our age, he would immediately recognize Christmas today as the same holiday celebrated so many centuries ago.


It is clear from the record of history that Christmas originated during pre-Christian times and was celebrated by the pagan world for centuries after the death of Christ. This day then became embraced by the Roman Catholic church in the fifth century. However, one very important question remains. Where did the pagans get their ideas regarding such a celebration?



The Tower of Babel


Virtually all pagan practices had their beginnings in the city of Babylon during the time of Nimrod. Nimrod was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah (Gen. 10:6-8). He was the founder of Babylon (v. 10). Nimrod formed cities instead of going out and replenishing the earth as God had commanded Noah to do. One of Nimrod’s accomplishments was building the tower of Babel. Some believe he did this to protect people from the potential threat of another flood from God. The scriptures reveal that Nimrod was "a mighty hunter before the Lord" (Genesis 10:9). The word "before" is better translated "against" and it is clear that he became the first post-flood dictator. The name "Nimrod" is translated from the Hebrew word "marad" and literally means "he rebelled. Ancient traditions regarding this apostate leader show that he rebelled against God, and in so doing, created a worldwide apostasy. According to tradition, Nimrod married his own mother, Semeramis.


Then, upon his death, Semeramis began to teach that her son had been reincarnated in the form of a full-grown evergreen tree which supposedly sprang up from a dead tree stump. On each anniversary of Nimrod’s birthday, December 25, Semeramis would visit this evergreen tree, claiming that Nimrod would leave gifts for her there.


Through her politics and the use of her son’s name, Semeramis became the queen of Babylon, the home of the Chaldee Mysteries. She was also regarded as the "queen of Heaven" and "the mother of the divine son." After generations of these idolatrous practices and traditions, Nimrod came to be considered the son of Baal, the sun god. He and his mother became the chief entities of worship as a Madonna and child.


This belief and practice spread to Egypt, where the names of the gods were Isis and Osiris. The son Osiris was born December 25. In Asia it was Cybele and Deonius. In Rome they were called Fortuna and Jupiter. Throughout the world we still find the remnants of mother and child worship to this day. It is no surprise that this same system still exists at the end of the age. It is called "Mystery Babylon" (Revelation 17:5). Shockingly, it is disguised as Christianity and is still practiced in the celebration of Christmas.



From Paganism to Christianity


The great historian Will Durant described how paganism actually took upon itself Christianity and converted it to pagan purposes.

Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it... From Egypt came the idea of a divine trinity... [and] the adoration of the Mother and Child... From Phrygia came the worship of the Great Mother... The Mithraic ritual so closely resembled the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass that Christian fathers charged the Devil with inventing these similarities to mislead frail minds. [Modern day] Christianity was the last great creation of the ancient pagan world. (The Story of Civilization, p. 595)

It is clear that a wide range of pagan practices became assimilated into the Roman Catholic church. It began with embracing the birthday of the sun god and establishing the date of this celebration as December 25.


It is interesting to note that the practice of sun worship began in early Egypt. There the priests would make a round wafer to represent the sun. The celebrants would eat the wafer, symbolizing the sun god’s life and the nourishment of man’s soul. Clearly, the church was embracing paganism in an attempt to increase its numbers and draw in a non-believing world. In reality, it was the church being absorbed by those who practiced beliefs totally contrary to Christianity. Alexander Hislop, in his book, The Two Babylons characterized it this way:

Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen at that precise time of the year, in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven; and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of Christians to meet paganism half-way was very early developed... (p. 93)

The church eventually adopted and merged several different pagan ceremonies to eventually end up with the modern day practice of Christmas and the New Year celebrations we witness today.



Christmas Through History


During the latter part of the third century, Deus Sol Invictus became the official deity of the Roman Empire. At that time, a great temple was built in honor of the sun and the sun’s birthday was officially set as December 25. This date was chosen because it was the accepted date of the winter solstice. Less than 100 years later, Emperor Constantine came to power in Rome. At the beginning of Constantine’s rule, it was a violation of Roman law to practice Christianity. Christians were hated by the state and were subjected to great persecution which included torture and even burning at the stake.


However, Constantine saw something in Christianity he believed could be very valuable in holding the empire together. Despite great persecution, Christians remained dedicated to their faith. This commitment so impressed Constantine that he issued "The Edict of Toleration" in 313 A.D. and made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. As a result, state persecution of Christians stopped. However, the news was not all good. Because Christianity became the state religion, the church became very political and the doctrines embraced by the church were watered down and seriously compromised. Jesse Hurlbut describes this period in his book, The Story of the Christian Church.

...the establishment of Christianity as the state religion became a curse... Everybody sought membership in the church, and nearly everybody was received. Both good and bad, sincere seekers after God and hypocritical seekers after gain, rushed into the communion. Ambitious, worldly, unscrupulous men sought office in the church for social and political influence...

The services of worship increased in splendor, but were less spiritual and hearty than those of former times. The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship.

The emergence of pagan practices in the church is well chronicled in history. Historian John Romer characterizes this subtle incursion this way:

Subtly, so subtly that the bishops themselves had not seen them, the old gods had entered their churches like the air of the Mediterranean. And they live still in Christian ritual, in the iconography and the festivals of Christianity. When Julian arrived in Antioch in 362... the great Christian city was in mourning, bewailing in the Levantine manner the annual death of Adonis, Venus’s beautiful lover. At Ephesus, though the sanctuary of Diana, goddess of the city, was taken down... her statues were carefully buried in dry sand. And when the Third Council of the church assembly at Ephesus solemnly voted that henceforth the Virgin Mary should be honoured with the title of Theotokos, the God-bearer, Ephesus, itself for centuries the city of the virgin hunter Diana, became the city of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. In Egypt, too, the ancient sign of life, the ankh, which the gods had carried in their sculptures for thousands of years, was easily transformed into the Christian cross; the figure of Isis nursing her child Horus, Isis Lactans, became the figure of the Virgin with Jesus at her breast.

At Rome, Romulus and Remus were swapped for the biblical saints Peter and Paul. And still in the fifth century, the Pope had to stop the early morning congregation of St. Peter’s from walking up the church steps backwards so as not to offend Sol, the rising sun god. Similarly, 25 December, now Christ’s birthday, was also the day of Sol Invictus’ festival and Constantine’s birthday. This festival was celebrated by cutting green branches and hanging little lights on them, and presents were given out in the god’s name. Sol’s weekly festival Sol-day – Sunday – became the Christian Sabbath. Just as Apollo of Delphi had made a beautiful transformation to become the Roman Sol Invictus, so later he became a Christ of the sun. All three of them are sometimes pictured in their fiery chariots... with... radiant haloes. (Testament: The Bible and History, pp. 230-231)

Legalizing Christianity solved one problem for the church, but it caused another. Millions of pagans were suddenly made "Christians" literally overnight. These pagans had no desire to give up their pagan practices, however. Try as it would, the church could not prevail on the people to give up the paganism that they embraced. The church’s answer was to finally "Christianize" numerous pagan practices. Charles Guignebert, in his 1927 book, The Early History of Christianity, gave the following explanation:

Now at the beginning of the fifth century, the ignorant and the semi-Christians thronged into the church in numbers... They had forgotten none of their pagan customs... The bishops of that period had to content themselves with redressing, as best they could, and in experimental fashion, the shocking malformations of the Christian faith which they perceived around them... [To properly teach new converts] was out of the question; they had to be content with teaching them no more than the symbol of baptism and then baptizing them en masse, postponing until a later date the task of eradicating their superstitions, which they preserved intact... This "later date" never arrived, and the church adapted to herself, as well as she could, them and their customs and beliefs. On their side, [converts] were content to dress their paganism in a Christian cloak. (pp. 208-210)

This adopting of pagan festivals was not without opposition however. While many professing Christians welcomed the liberty to celebrate these pagan practices, others objected. Many at the time understood that such practices were rankly pagan, ungodly practices which should never have been brought into the church.The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge states the following.

The pagan Saturnalia and Brumailia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence...

The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in the spirit and in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ’s birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival.

Despite opposition by Christians committed to pursuing the teachings in scripture, pagan influence simply overwhelmed the church, transforming it into something far different from that raised up by Jesus through Peter and the apostles. This fact is confirmed by The Encyclopedia Americana which states:

Christmas... according to many authorities, was not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian Church... In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman Feast of the birth of Sol.

As you can see, ancient rites practiced by the pagan world were eventually grafted into Christianity. Rome had been pagan centuries before the birth of Christianity and it simply was not going to abandon its false religion. When Emperor Constantine ordered Christianity placed on equal footing with paganism, people preferred their old ways. They enjoyed those things they had always known, and simply adapted the old to appear to conform to the new. They changed from worshiping the "sun" to worshiping the "Son" and this was done retaining all their old practices.


Most people today know little or nothing of the pagan origin of Christmas. They are unaware that faithful Christians first opposed these heretical practices. Additionally, most Christians today don’t understand that believers dedicated to keeping the truth of God were forced to go underground, some suffering martyrdom rather than allowing themselves to participate in such things.



Christmas: Its Symbols and Customs


The symbols and customs of Christmas convey powerful images of this holiday. Consider the Christmas tree, mistletoe, the holly wreath, and Santa Claus, just to name a few. These symbols stand as a constant reminder of the season of which they are so much a part. Religions have used symbols and traditions as a means by which to perpetuate their beliefs. Symbols are designed to add meaning to seasons and events.


The symbols of Christmas have great appeal to this holiday’s celebrants.However, after careful examination of these symbols and traditions, a much darker picture emerges. The truth is that Christianity has embraced as holy that which has its roots in religions totally contrary to the faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the apostles. Consider the following symbols and beliefs.

The Christmas Tree


The Christmas tree is arguably the most prominent symbol of this season. Millions of people bring an evergreen tree into their homes and decorate it with beautiful glass balls, tinsel, and lights. These same millions would never think of the Christmas tree as an idol which God abhors. The tradition of bringing a tree into the home and decorating it came from a fable regarding Saint Boniface. According to tradition, Saint Boniface cut down the "great oak of Jupiter," a tree worshiped by pagan Teutons in Germany.


The story is that Saint Boniface came upon a band of heathens who were worshiping a huge oak tree. This band was about to offer a human sacrifice. Boniface intervened, stopping the sacrifice. He then ordered the tree cut down. Legend has it that a small fir tree sprang up in it’s place. Boniface proclaimed that this tree was the tree of life and represented Christ. Careful examination of this story reveals striking similarities to the story of Nimrod and Semeramis. As was mentioned earlier, after the death of Nimrod, his mother Semeramis declared that Nimrod was reincarnated in the form of an evergreen tree which sprung up overnight.



History reveals that the worship of trees and nature was a common practice among pagans and continues to this very day. Many people in the New Age movement believe that trees actually have feelings. Some even believe that trees have the ability to reason. This belief is not new at all. Socrates and Plato are both credited with embracing the same beliefs.


The presence of tree worship is woven throughout history. Even the ancient people of Palestine engaged in this practice. They would often tie the tops of trees together in groves and make a shrine to nature. On certain occasions, they would cut an image such as a phallic symbol in the tree and worship before it.


It is important to understand that such practices are abhorrent to God. The tenth chapter of the book of Jeremiah illustrates this point. Here, God commands his people to "learn not the way of the heathen." He then goes into great detail describing a tradition in which the heathen cut a tree out of the forest and decorate it. God goes on to characterize this tree as a graven image. Although many argue that Jeremiah is not referring to the Christmas tree, that argument misses the point. What God revealed through Jeremiah is that His children are to avoid practices that resemble those embraced by the pagan world. He did not say that it was appropriate to modify their practices and call them Christian. The Christmas tree is clearly a symbol of a faith that was vastly different from anything advocated by the scriptures and its origin in paganism is thoroughly supported by the testimony of history. Consider the words of Alexander Hislop.

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 of Adonis, the Sun-God and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, the son must have been recognized as the ‘Man the Branch.’ (The Two Babylons, p. 97)

Other credible works on the tradition of Christmas dramatically declare that the Christmas tree is intimately connected to faiths practiced by the pagan world. The book Christmas Folklore reveals the following:

Most people have heard that the Christmas tree originates in the tannenbaum and is some sort of vestige of Teutonic vegetation worship. This is partially true. However, the custom of using pine and other evergreens ceremonially was well established at the Roman Saturnalia, even earlier in Egypt. (p. 209)

The book Festivals, Holy Days, and Saints’ Days confirms that the origin of the Christmas tree can be traced to people who knew absolutely nothing about the Bible.

The Christmas tree... recapitulates the idea of tree worship...gilded nuts and balls symbolizing the sun...all the festivities of the winter solstice have been absorbed into Christmas day...the use of holly and mistletoe to the Druidic ceremonies; the Christmas tree [today reflects] the honors paid to Odin’s sacred fir... (p. 236)

It is clear that the Christmas tree is a powerful symbol and conjures many images concerning the celebration it pictures. However, there is one thing the Christmas tree is NOT – it is not Christian. Everything about the Christmas tree can be traced to beliefs that are strongly condemned in scripture. There is no connection between the Christmas tree and the birth of Christ. It is a pagan symbol that God condemns.


In 1974, United Press International, one of the world’s leading press agencies, carried an article regarding the origin of the Christmas tree. This article spoke volumes about this symbol that has come to be strongly embraced by the Christian world.

Toward the middle of winter, as the sun began setting further in the south, and the nights grew longer, ancient pagan priests put candles which they called fairy lights on trees in an attempt to lure the sun back toward the north. (December 17)

Today, millions of Christian homes around the world are adorned with evergreen trees every Christmas. Tragically, people fail to understand what these trees picture because they simply don’t ask. Ancient Israel was once indicted for engaging in practices that included the veneration of trees.

And the children of Israel did secretly [those] things that [were] not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as [did] the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. (2Kings 17:9-12)

Santa Claus


One of the most prominent images associated with Christmas is that of Santa Claus. Every year, children around the world long for his arrival, for he is the giver of gifts. Today, Santa Claus is depicted as a lover of children and a true giver. During the Christmas season, people are even encouraged to join his great army of elves so that children around the world can be touched by his goodness. So popular is Santa Claus that adults tell children stories of his exploits. These stories are conveyed with such conviction that children believe them without question. But who is Santa Claus? And where did his story begin?


Many articles and books have been written to explain that Santa Claus was a bishop by the name of Nicholas who lived in Asia Minor during the fourth century. It is true that such a bishop did exist but much of what is attributed to him is untrue. The second Vatican council formally acknowledged that many concepts associated with him actually came from pagan sources. William Walsh wrote:

Santa Claus comes form Saint Nicholas, the saint whose festival was celebrated in December and the one who in other respects was most nearly in accord with the dim traditions of Saturn as the hero of the Saturnalia. (The Story of Santa Klaus, p.70)

Tony Van Renterghem writes the following in his book, When Santa Was a Shaman: The Ancient Origins of Santa Claus & the Christmas Tree:

In the newly Christianized areas where the pagan Celtic and Germanic cults remained strong, legends of the god Wodan were blended with those of various Christian saints; Saint Nicholas was one of these. There were Christian areas where Saint Nicholas ruled alone; in other locations, he was assisted by the pagan Dark Helper. In other remote areas... ancient pockets of the Olde Religion controlled traditions.

Here the Dark Helper ruled alone. Sometimes in a most confusing manner, using the cover name of Saint Nicholas or ‘Klaus,’ without in any way changing his threatening, Herne/Pan, fur-clad appearance.

By absorbing such pagan feasts and traditions, the Christian Church turned Herne into Saint Nicholas’ captive, chained Dark Helper; none other than Satan the Dark One, symbolic of all evil...



In Holland and several other European countries, the Saint Nicholas figure is still highly esteemed. He appears as a tall, dignified, bearded, white-haired old man, dressed as a Catholic bishop, complete with a bizarre, quite un-saintly habit of riding through the skies on a white horse, followed by his Dark Helper. It seems that our Catholic saint inherited some of these customs from the pagan god Wodan, who has also been a bearded, white haired old man, also dressed in a hat and cloak, carried a staff, rode a white horse, and dragged along the same dark slave/helper on a chain. (pp. 96-97)

Renterghem continues to explain that in Holland, "Sinterklaas" was believed to reward good children with gifts, while "Zwarte Pier" carried a sinister rod and punished bad children. Renterghem stated that in Germany, Saint Nicholas’ Dark Helper was a frightening, horned little man brandishing a besom (broom). The Worldbook Encyclopedia provides some interesting insights into some of the traditions regarding Santa Claus.



Some of Santa Claus’s characteristics date back many centuries. For example, the belief that Santa enters the house through the chimney developed from an old Norse legend. The Norse believed that the goddess Hertha appeared in the fireplace and brought good luck to the home.

Other traditions from the Druidic time suggest that Santa’s red suit is a leftover from the times when ancient peoples worshiped the god of fire. Tradition has it that this fire god came down the chimney. Consider too, that in ancient times, Druid homeowners would leave a treat consisting of milk and pastries to appease this god who came down the chimney into their fireplace. This is how the tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa began. The idea of placing stockings on the fireplace mantel also comes from this legendary pagan practice.


It is clear that the modern Santa traces his origins back to ancient pagan traditions. Over the centuries, names and customs may evolve. It is interesting that by rearranging the letters in the name "Santa," the name becomes "Satan." In light of the history of this character, it is hard to imagine that the author of this modern day figure we call Santa could be anyone other than Satan.



Christmas Presents


Most people believe the tradition of giving Christmas presents comes from the Bible. The assumption is that the wise men gave gifts to Jesus, therefore it is appropriate for us to give gifts to each other. However, careful examination of this tradition will reveal that gift giving has nothing to do with Magi or the gifts they presented to Christ. Both religious and secular history reveal a clear connection between giving gifts during the Christmas season and pagan practices. Consider the following insights concerning this practice.

The interchange of presents between friends is a like characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and must have been adopted by Christians from the Pagans, as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows. (The Bibliotheca Sacra, vol. 12, p. 153)

Tertullian wrote in his work, On Idolatry that during the pagan feast of the Saturnalia which was celebrated in December, gifts were "carried to and fro." According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, exchanging gifts at this time of the year may have been influenced by similar customs practiced by the pagans on January 1.

"Gifts are exchanged by the French on January 1, by the Spanish and Italians on January 6, and by other nationalities on December 25. In most parts of Europe it was the Christ Child who brought the gifts. After the Reformation, the day itself was personified, and the figure of Father Christmas was later combined with St. Nicholas, [who later became] Santa Claus." (p. 659)

William Walsh provides additional insights into the tradition of exchanging presents.

Christmas gifts themselves remind us of the presents that were exchanged in Rome during the Saturnalia. In Rome, it might be added, the presents usually took the form of wax tapers and dolls – the latter being in their turn a survival of the human sacrifices once offered to Saturn. It is a queer thought that in our Christmas presents we are preserving under another form one of the most savage customs of our barbarian ancestors. (The Story of Santa Klaus, p.67)

Gifts to a King


It is important to understand that the wise men did not give gifts to each other. Additionally, the gifts they brought to Christ were not birthday presents. Jesus did not receive toys from these visitors, but rather unusual offerings that many believe carry great significance. It has been suggested that gold is a gift given to a king, frankincense a gift given to a priest, and myrrh a gift given to a condemned man. The latter because myrrh was used in preparing a body for burial. It is clear that the wise men presented gifts to Jesus because they understood Him to be a great King. The protocol at that time was to never approach the presence of kings or dignitaries without bearing a gift. Adam Clark’s commentary expresses it this way:



"The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages without a present in their hands." (Vol. 5, p. 46)

The truth is that gift giving at this time of year is not scriptural and has no basis in the story of the wise men. The giving of gifts at this time of year came from the practice of the ancient Saturnalia.



Commercialism, Not Christianity


In the United States, retailers have glamorized Christmas as no other holiday. They lavishly decorate their stores, pipe in special music, and hire "Santa Clauses" all for one purpose: to lure shoppers into a spirit of consuming. So important is Christmas to the economy of the United States that the absence of such a holiday could literally paralyze the country. It has been suggested that 50% of annual profits enjoyed by retailers is generated by Christmas-related sales. Recently, an executive of one of America’s largest retail chains suggested that 75% of their profits were generated between Thanksgiving and Christmas.


Regardless of how Christmas has been packaged, it is a day dedicated to materialism wrapped in colorful paper, dressed up in a red suit, and swathed in soft fuzzy angel hair. People tell themselves they are worshiping Christ but this holiday is really about materialism and has nothing to do with Jesus Christ!



The Yule Log, Holly, Wreaths, and Mistletoe


Today, most people think the word "Yule" refers to the time of Christmas. However, this word is actually a derivative of the Nordic word geol. The Nordic people pronounced their "g" with our "y" sound. The word geol has two meanings. It can mean "noise and revelry" or it can mean "wheel." According to the Encyclopedia Britannica 11th Edition, the translation "wheel" reflected the shape of the sun and pictured the turn of the year. In essence, "Yule tide" defines a period of one month before and one month after the winter solstice which was a time of great revelry at year’s end. Alexander Hislop explains the assimilation of the Yule log into the Christmas tradition.

As Christianity spread to northern Europe, it met with the observance of another pagan festival held in December in honor of the sun. This time it was the Yule-feast of the Norsemen, which lasted for twelve days. During this time log-fires were burnt to assist the revival of the sun. Shrines and other sacred places were decorated with such greenery as holly, ivy, and bay, and it was an occasion for feasting and drinking.

Equally old was the practice of the Druids, the cast of priests among the Celts of ancient France, Britain and Ireland to decorate their temples with mistletoe, the fruit of the oak-tree which they considered sacred. Among the German tribes the oak-tree was sacred to Odin, their god of war. (The Christian Calendar, p. 22)

Gerard and Patricia Del Re explain that in the pagan world, fertility played a major part in worship and that winter vegetation was used to reflect this belief.

In midwinter, the idea of rebirth and fertility was tremendously important. In the snows of winter, the evergreen was a symbol of the life that would return...

Evergreens were used for decoration... Light was important in dispelling the growing darkness of the solstice, so a Yule log was lighted with the remains of the previous year’s log. (The Christmas Almanac, p. 18)

The book Christmas Folklore explains that the symbols of holly and mistletoe were borrowed from the Romans who used them to depict reproduction.

Many of the plants used at Christmas are symbols of fertility. Certainly any evergreen with its ability to return verdure in the barren months is appropriate, but by far the most interesting are the holly, the ivy, and the mistletoe.

Holly, with its pricking leaves, white flowers, and red berries symbolizes the male reproductive urge... holly is the male and the ivy is the female. This use of the plants was... borrowed by the Christians along with other customs of the Roman Saturnalia." (pp. 22-23)

The pagan custom of kissing under the mistletoe was part of the first steps in the revelry of the ancient Saturnalia. It came from the Druid superstition in the winter solstice that only good could pass by the parasitic plant.


As benign as these symbols may appear, make no mistake about it: they are deeply rooted in practices God condemns throughout the scriptures. God does not need the Yule log, holly, mistletoe, or any other form of vegetation used in the worship of false gods. The Bible records that while speaking to a woman from Samaria, Jesus said that God must be worshiped in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). The belief that these symbols are legitimately connected to Christ’s birth is totally false. They are pagan to the core and should be forsaken.



The Birth of the Messiah


The belief that Jesus was born on or near December 25 has no basis in fact. Actually, this date has a very sullied past. It was the birthday of the sun god Mithra and of Nimrod and is connected with many vile practices associated with paganism. Virtually all credible records indicate that the early Church did not even celebrate birthdays. The World Book Encyclopedia reveals the following:

The exact date of Christ’s birth is not known. The early Christians did not celebrate His birth, because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom. The first mention of the observance of Christ’s birthday appears about A.D. 200. For many years, several dates were used. December 25 was first mentioned in 336. (article "Christmas")



According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, it is impossible to identify the date of Christ’s birth. However, despite this, Catholic scholars have set that date as December 25.



Jesus Was Not Born in Winter


The scriptures reveal that at the time of Jesus’ birth, shepherds were "abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Lk. 2:8). This could never occur in Judea during the dead of winter. At that time, shepherds brought their flocks in from the mountains and fields corralling them around October 15. This was done to protect the sheep from the cold wet weather during this time of year. Adam Clarke relates in his commentary that it was the custom of shepherds to send their sheep out in the spring, around the time of the Passover, and to bring them back at the beginning of the first rains (Vol. 5, p. 370). Werner Keller, in his book The Bible As History, provides some clear insight regarding this issue.

At Christmas-time Bethlehem is in the grip of frost, and in the Promised Land no cattle would have been in the fields in that temperature. This fact is born out by a remark in the Talmud to the effect that in that neighborhood the flocks were put out to grass in March and brought in again at the beginning of November. (pp. 331-332)

Notice that even the Talmud indicates that Jesus could not have been born anywhere near December 25.



When Was Jesus Born?



The Bible not only rejects a winter birth of the Messiah, but actually presents a strong case that Jesus was born in the autumn. This is because the scriptures provide benchmarks that can assist in determining when Jesus was conceived. The gospel of Luke (Lk. 1:5-17) records an event in which the angel Gabriel visited a priest named Zacharias and informed him that his wife Elizabeth would give birth to a son (John the Baptist). Gabriel made this announcement while Zacharias was serving in the temple. Luke indicates that Zacharias performed this service during "the course of Abia" (or Abijah). According to First Chronicles, Abijah served during "the eighth course" (1Chron. 24:10). The great Jewish historian Josephus wrote that each course was one week long with priests rotating so that each would serve twice during the year. In this case, Zacharias would have served from Iyar 27 through Sivan 5. This period would coincide with late May or early June.


Luke’s gospel goes on to state that Zacharias returned home immediately after his days of service were complete (Lk. 1:23). Shortly after his return, his wife Elizabeth conceived. This would mean her conception would have taken place during June or perhaps July at the latest. The birth of John the Baptist would therefore have taken place in the spring (March - April), probably during the time of the Days of Unleavened Bread.


But what does this have to do with the birth of Jesus? Luke’s gospel indicates that Gabriel also spoke to Mary and informed her that she would give birth to the Messiah (Lk. 1:26-36). When Mary asked how she would know this was true, Gabriel explained that her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. (Luke 1:36)

Mary then left her home to seek Elizabeth. When she arrived, Elizabeth confirmed that Christ had already been conceived in Mary (Lk 1:39-42). The time of this visit was during the winter, probably December or January. This being the case, Jesus would have been born nine months later – in other words, in the fall.


It is interesting to note that Jewish tradition believes the world was created on the first day of the civil year, the Feast of Trumpets, which occurs in mid-September or early October. Although the Bible does not specifically identify the exact date of Jesus’ birth, some authorities have suggested that He, too, was born on this day. Clearly, however, Jesus was not born on or near December 25 and any representation to the contrary is completely false.



The Wise Men


One of the most popular scenes depicted during the Christmas season is that of three wise men offering gifts to Jesus while He is in a manger. Some have suggested that these men were magicians or perhaps astrologers. However, this is simply not true. Halley’s Bible Handbook provides a credible explanation regarding the identity of these visitors.

These wise men came from Babylon, or the country beyond the land where the human race had its origin, the land of Abraham, land of the Jewish Captivity, where many Jews still lived. They belonged to the learned class, advisers of kings. Perhaps they were familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, and knew of the expectation of a coming Messianic King. It was the land of Daniel, and no doubt they knew of Daniel’s 70 weeks’ prophecy; and also Balaam’s prophecy about "A Star out of Jacob" (Numbers 24:17). They were men of high standing, for they had access to Herod. They are commonly spoken of as the "three Wise-men." But, the Scripture does not say how many. (pp. 418-419)

The traditional view is that there were three magi, or wise men. This view is held because of the number of gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) mentioned in the scriptures. However, the gospels make no mention of a specific number of visitors. It has even been suggested that there may have been twelve, one representing each of the tribes of Israel. According to Halley, there may also have been a significant number accompanying the magi.

There were probably more, or at least they were with an entourage of scores or hundreds, for it would not be safe for a small group to travel a thousand miles over desert wastes that were infested with bandits (especially carrying gold). Their arrival in Jerusalem was of sufficient show of importance to stir the whole city. (p. 419)

Halley also explains that these wise men had four functions. The first was to pay homage to Christ as representatives from distant lands. It has been suggested that these men may have been the first Gentiles to worship the Messiah. The second function was to call attention to Jerusalem of the Messiah’s arrival. The third was to provide financial resources (the gifts) that would be used to pay for Joseph and Mary’s flight to Egypt with Jesus. And fourth, these wise men may have laid the groundwork in their country for the future preaching of the gospel. (Halley’s Bible Handbook, p.419)


It is also important to understand that contrary to most nativity scenes which show the wise men visiting Jesus in a manger, they actually visited Him in a home. Matthew’s gospel proves this conclusively.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Mt. 2:11)

Additionally, this visit may not have taken place until Jesus was several months old. According to the scriptures, the magi first visited Herod and explained the reason for their visit (Mt. 2:2). When Herod heard that the magi had come to visit the King of the Jews, he instructed them to return and inform him where this king might be found (Mt. 2:8). This was done because Herod feared such a king and wanted to have Him destroyed.


When the magi failed to return to inform Herod of the Messiah’s location, this evil ruler became enraged. He then ordered the murder of all male children two years old and younger in Judea and its surrounding areas (Mt. 2:16). Herod probably concluded, based on the discussions with the magi that several months had passed since Jesus’ birth. Therefore, he conservatively estimated that Jesus would be younger than two years old. Thus the order was given.



The First Noel


One of the most popular Christmas carols is the song "The First Noel." This song begins with the words "The first noel the angels did say..." Many Christians assume that noel refers to Christmas. However, this is not true. The word noel is of Celtic origin and comes from novo and hel. The word simply means "new sun," and again finds its roots in sun worship and ancient pagan religious practices based on the winter solstice. Once again, something that seems so beautiful on the outside has its roots in religious practices that go totally contrary to true Christianity.



Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Men


Millions of Christians around the world believe that Christ came to bring peace on earth and good will toward men. This belief is based on the words found in Luke 2:14. There, an angel informs shepherds that the Messiah was born. At that moment, the shepherds heard an angelic chorus praising God with the words "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men."


These words appear to be conveying that Christ was bringing peace to the world. However, this is not true; Jesus’ own words contradict the idea that His intent was to bring peace to mankind. Jesus clearly stated that His life produced conflict. This is because the truth that He taught compelled people to take sides – either the were for Him or against Him. Notice what He said.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (Mt. 10:34-37)

It is ironic that even as a result of His birth, an act of great violence occurred. In response to Jesus’ birth, King Herod committed one of the most violent and bloody acts recorded in scripture. He conspired and carried out a plan to murder innocent children.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. (Mt. 2:16)

With this understanding, how should Luke 2:14 be translated? When this verse is carefully examined, it is clear that the angels’ anthem was two-fold. First, it exalted God who reigns over everything. Second, the angels speak of peace, but a peace that comes only to men who seek God and on whom His favor rests. Jesus spoke of this peace to His apostles just hours before His death. On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus said:

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (Jn. 14:27)

With these words, Jesus was stating that there would be a special peace to those who followed Him. That peace is the peace of mind that comes from knowing God is actively involved in the lives of His children and that He will never forsake them. With this understanding, Luke 2:14 is better rendered "Peace on earth to men of good will." This is similar to the Knox Translation which states "And peace on earth to men that are God’s friends."


However, there are those who do not love God or His way. To those there can be no true peace, but only conflict. Jesus’ birth brought with it the potential for great peace as well as great war. It is interesting that when Christ returns to this earth to set up His millennial Kingdom, the world will be engaged in a great war. However, once the earth is conquered by the Messiah, there will be great world peace.



Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?


It is undeniable that Christmas is the most anticipated time of the year for millions of Christians. It is a time of beautiful music, delicious food, bright colors, and family reunions. However, there is one thing Christmas is not; it is not now, nor has it ever been, Christian.


The Puritans understood this vital point. William Prynne wrote the following during the time of King Charles:

Our Christmas lords of Misrule... were derived from the Roman Saturnalia and Bacchanalian festivals; which should cause all pious Christians eternally to abominate them. (Book of Christian Folklore, p. 8)

As innocent and appealing as this day may appear, it has at its very roots a dark and godless origin. Tom Flynn, in his book, The Problem with Christmas, provides a very interesting observation about the message Christmas sends.

If His purpose in coming was anything like what is supposed, then in celebrating His birthday each year Christians do violence, not honor, to his memory. For in celebrating a birthday at all, we sustain exactly the kind of tradition His coming is thought to have been designed to cast down. (p.42)



It is absolutely essential to understand that God hates a lie, no matter what form it takes. Satan himself was characterized as the father of lies (Jn. 8:44) and the deceiver of the whole world (Rev. 12:9). The scriptures also reveal that Satan appears as an angel of light. Is it any wonder that festivals honoring him would possess great beauty and appeal?


Some would argue that although the symbols are pagan, they have been stripped from the hands of paganism and offered to God. A leading evangelical minister once characterized these pagan symbols as "confiscated for Christ." This is not the first time such a claim has been made. Fifteen centuries before the birth of Christ, the children of Israel were led out of Egypt with a high hand. No sooner were they free from bondage than they wanted to return to the pagan practices they had just left. While Moses was receiving the ten commandments from God, the children of Israel appealed to Aaron to fashion a golden calf just like the idols of Egypt.

...the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, "Up, make us gods, which shall go before us..." (Ex. 32:1)

Aaron consented to their request and instructed the children of Israel to gather their jewelry so that he could fashion it into an idol (Ex. 32:2-3). Aaron then made a molten calf and declared,

These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Ex. 32:4)



Aaron then made a proclamation that seems unimaginable in light of the great miracles Israel witnessed in their deliverance. After making this idol, Aaron proclaimed "a feast to the Eternal." God was so angry at this behavior that He actually suggested to Moses that the children of Israel be wiped out.

Now 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. (Ex. 32:10)

It is clear God was furious with the Israelites for trying to "confiscate" the pagan religious practices of Egypt for use in worshiping Him. As the scriptures repeatedly demonstrate, God despises the perverse religions of man.



A Final Thought


Is Christmas Christian? The simple answer is "no;" it is an emphatic "no!" Christmas is not Christian; it is pagan to the core. Its images and symbols were embraced from pagan practices and should be abandoned by all true believers. While speaking to the children of Israel, God gave a strong admonition concerning the assimilation of false religions into the worshiping of Him.

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."

Thou shalt not do so unto the Eternal thy God: for every abomination to the Eternal, 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. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deut. 12:30-32)

The Bible reveals that Jesus Christ will return to this earth and establish His millennial Kingdom. When He comes, will He find His children have returned to Egypt? And what about you? Will you accept the teachings of a world that embraces pagan practices and dresses them up as Christianity, or will you worship Him in spirit and in truth?