The Apostolic Assembly began zealously to witness the truth of the MessiYah's advent to the world. They took this message into the far reaches of the known world. Especially outstanding was the Apostle Paul, who accomplished much through his extensive travel, preaching throughout the Roman Empire.
But, a very strange thing took place. Ancient ethnic peoples could not maintain sound doctrine. The pagan people appropriated the account of the supernatural person of Yahweh's true MessiYah, and superimposed His life upon their pagan customs and practices but they want salvation also.
With unreasoned abandon the people of the Western World spend lavishly for gifts which they cannot afford. They indulge in parties featuring alcoholic beverages. They feast on a variety of seasonal delicacies. All of these traditional practices are done in the name of celebrating the birthday of the one they profess to be their king. As a matter of fact the reverse is true. Through false doctrine the MessiYah becomes subservient to their own human concepts. Would Yahshua the MessiYah approve of such loose conduct to celebrate His birth? Obviously not!
The traditional practices of nominal churchianity never find a foundational basis in the Scriptures. Decorative lights displayed upon colorful trimmed christmas trees, the hanging of evergreen leaves and missletoe, are never mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, much less commanded. Holding a boars head festival, sending christmas cards, and having midnight masses or church services on December 25th cannot be found anywhere in the word of Almighty Yahweh.
Actually the diligent Bible student already knows that nowhere without the pages of our Bibles can you ever find any commandment to celebrate a birthday, especially that of the MessiYah. As a matter of fact three times birthdays are mentioned in the Bible, and on each of these occasions a violent death occurred. Gen.40:9-22; Job 1:4 & 9; Matt. 14:3-12.
The celebration of birthdays was unknown in primitive Judaism, so it is certain that the MessiYah never celebrated His birthday. Apparently the Almighty Yahweh did not wish it to be observed, and consequently we can readily understand the reason for omitting mention of a specific day in the scriptures.
Many times authors will confess sheepishly that Dec. 25th is not the MessiYah's birthday. Did you know that it was actually 200 yrs. after the birth of the MessiYah before anyone ever fixed Dec. 25th as His birthday? Apparently the first to set this as the date of the MessiYah's birth was Julius Sextus Africanus, a historian of Alexandria, Egypt, who composed a chronicle of events of the world to 221 CE.
Two and a quarter Centuries!
The MessiYah Not Born December 25th.
Several scriptural passages prove that the MessiYah could not have been born in the winter, on Dec. 25th.
ZachariYah, the Priest, was a member of the course or section of AbiYah. If we calculate correctly, the MessiYah would have been conceived around the middle of December, rather than being born at that time. such information is quite staggering, when you realize that Luke pinpoints the conception of John to have occurred two months after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which occurs in the spring. The course of AbiYah was the eight priestly section to serve in the Temple. 1 Chronicles 24:10. These priests served 8 weeks after the conclusion of the spring sacred season. see Luke 1.
" The first rain falls in the month of Marchesvan which answers to the latter part on November... from whence it appears the MessiYah must be born before the middle of October, since the first rain was not yet come." The Two Babylons.
Here we discover accurate historical information set forth by an objective writer. Ample proof that the MessiYah was not born during the dead of winter, but at a time when the shepherds were still grazing their flocks out in the fields near Bethlehem, can be read in Luke chapter 2.
Logically, the only time that can accommodate all facts of evidence concerning when our savior was born would be the fall of the year.The crops were harvested, people were traveling to The Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem anyway, the weather was still agreeable enough to impose no extreme hardship upon the women and children, and revenue was readily available to pay the tax. all of these points combined will direct the Bible student to focus his attention upon the fall of the year, around the annual feast days of the seventh month which are legislated in Leviticus 23.
It is no coincidence that we should encounter the confirmation of John 1:14 where The Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition, translates: " And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, ( and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father ), full of grace and truth. " Yahshua the MessiYah took upon Himself a human existence. He came to tabernacle ( live temporarily )
with the human family He was appointed to save.
Frequently, at the winter holiday season, we discover obvious similarities between the christmas traditions and the ancient Roman Saturnalia. When we understand that this ancient Roman observance was celebrated close to the winter solstice, the association between christmas and the feast of the ancient pagans becomes more obvious.
December 25th has been celebrated as a holiday in ancient pagan worship from antiquity. In fact, one of the names given to the Saturnalia series of royal festivals in mythology was " Paganalia! " Possibly this is the origin of the term " Pagan Worship, " that is often conferred upon false, unscriptural worship of any kind. Please see Larousse's Encyclopedia of Mythology, page 219.
The Saturnalia was a festival popular in ancient Rome, and observed for a duration of from five to seven days, beginning with Dec. 17th. This pagan festival was characterized by unrestrained festivity. It began with a religious ceremony to honor Saturn, which was followed by an immense, gluttonous feast. The etymology of the name " Saturn " means " abundance."
From the McClintock & Strong's Bible Cyclopedia article " Christmas " we find the following: " Trynne says in his strong way ( in histrio-mastix), our Christmas lords of misrule, 'together with dancing, masks, mummeries, stage players, and other such christmas disorders, now in use with christians, were derived from these Roman Saturnalia and Baccanalian festivals, which should cause all pious christians to abominate them!"
Sun Worship Holiday - December 25th.
" The choice of December 25th was probably influenced by the fact that on this day, the Romans celebrated the Mithraic feast of the sun G-D ( natalis solis invicti ) and that the Saturnalia also came at this time. " ( Article, " Christmas, " Colliers Encyclopedia ).
Yahshua the MessiYah was never born on December 25th. Observance of the winter solstice was derived entirely from pagan superstitions. Christmas is not named in the scriptures. It has never been sanctified by Almighty Yahweh. Mankind cannot make it holy, however fervently the people observe it.
In The Golden Bough, Frazer shows that Augustine and Leo the Great both explained away the concept that the sun was being worshipped, although they admitted tacitly in their writings that many " christians " were given to associate the "sun " with the " Son."
Paganism Imitates The Truth.
The ancient pagan peoples saw the sun gradually moving south in the heavens and the days growing shorter. with their superstitious minds they thought the sun was departing never to return. By using the decorations and religious ceremonies they believed their devotion would influence the sun to return.
When they beheld the sun slowing down in its southward movement and then stop, the heathen believed their petition to it had been successful. A time of unrestrained rejoicing broke out. Feasting and revelry were indulged. Drinking alcoholic beverages heightened the excitement. ( Even to this day the Xmas and New Years observances are some of the worst occasions for drinking, and drinking related crime. Approved of Yahweh? I don't think so! )
Then, when the pagans saw the sun again moving northward and a week later could determine that the days were getting longer, a new year was proclaimed. The ancient peoples were known to plant stones or poles in the earth to mark the shortest and longest days ( the stonehenge in England for example. )
The Mother And Child
At the celebration of christmas each year you will observe the mother and child figures in the nativity scene frequently in use. Almost every pagan culture however, yields the historical record of a veneration of a mother and child. This traces back to Nimrod, who was said to be reincarnated in his new son ( sun ), Tammuz.
Furthermore why make an idol out of the mother and child crib nativity scene , anyway?
It was not the birth of the MessiYah that will save us, but, His death upon the tree of Calvary and His righteous life which was lived as an example for us. a child cannot save the world, but the righteous, dynamic, teacher of Nazareth will be the Captain of our salvation.
Christmas Trees
Have you ever puzzled why a pine tree is brought into the house at christmas time and decorated with bright tinsel and lights? Nowhere can you find a command to do this in the Bible. This heathen custom also stems from the worship of Nimrod.
When Nimrod was executed by Shem ( Noah's son ) for his apostasy against the Almighty Yahweh and His ruling Kingdom, he was depicted in mythology by a dead tree that had been cut down. Mythology represented him by the serpent symbol, Aescalapius ( the life restorer ) that twisted around the dead stump. By the side of the dead stump a new tree springs forth to life from the dead roots. Actually, we must remember that the serpent in the Bible stands for Satan the Devil, Rev. 12:9 and Gen. 3.
This pagan mythology ( the dead tree and the new shoot ) symbolizes the dying sun, and the new sun restored to splendor at the December 25th solstice each year.
Tree Worship Condemned
Let us hear Almighty Yahweh speak to us in JeremiYah 10: 2-8. " Thus says Yahweh, ' Learn not the ways of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it moves not. They art like a palm tree of turned work, and speak not; they must necessarily be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them because they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.' There is no one like You O Yahweh; you are great, and your Name is great in might. Who should not fear you O King of the nations? For to you does it pertain; since among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you. But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! It is but a stock. "
Xmas Wreaths
Made from evergreens, the wreaths are most frequently round. Evergreen means eternal life, a never dying existence in pagan mythology. The round form stands for the sun, just as do the halo's in most religious art. Consequently the the round christmas wreaths stand for an eternal sun, a undying or self renewing sun. In addition the round form can also relate to the sign of the female which stands for the regeneration of life. Such symbols appear throughout christian art and were copied from ancient Canaanite religion. Please study Numbers 25, among other passages.
Santa & His Reindeer
Where did the man in the little red suit, who is to represent the spirit of christmas originate? He was called saint ( ? ) Nicholas, shortened to Saint Nick! Have you ever considered who " Nick " really is? It is a " nick " name for Satan the devil! Prove this fact from any good dictionary.
Why must parents tell their children a lie like the Santa Claus myth at christmas. ( What a " wonderful " way to celebrate the supposed birth of the Son of our Heavenly Father! Lie to your children! )
Santa Claus is reputed to have been a contraction of the name Saint Nicholas. However from research, a strange fact emerges. Little is known about this" saint " from the fourth century. A Nicholas is mentioned in Act 6:5, where he was ordained one of the first deacons, but nothing is known of him except he is described as a proselyte. In Websters New World Dictionary we read, " 4. Saint, fourth century A.d.; bishop of Myra: patron saint of Russia, of Greece, and of young people, sailors, etc.: his day is Dec 6th: cf SANTA CLAUS."
One can readily tie in the term Nicolaitanes here. Commentators assert that this must have been an apostate sect founded by Nicholas ( perhaps the one in Acts, or another ), but they readily admit their uncertainty. By checking the Lexicons we learn that Strongs Exhaustive Concordance lists it as # 3531 ( the 1901 ASV corrected the spelling to Nicolaitans ). The word is then traced to # 3534 Nikos. If this is true ( and there is no reason to disbelieve it ), then the root of the word Nicholas is Nike! The latter part of the word would then # 2992-Laos-a people.
( The people of Nike? )
Who was Nike? It was the pagan winged victory, the evangelist of Zeus. Many times you can still see Nike portrayed on trophies even in our modern times. Look for it. Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, or St. Nick, brings gifts to herald ( proclaim ) the advent of the birth of Jesus Christ. Obviously there exists another very remarkable, close association here with paganism.
Pilgrim Fathers Rejected Christmas
Many of the immigrants came to the New World with the intention of re-establishing the true faith of Yahshua the MessiYah, and the faith of the Apostles outside of Roman, papal persecution. The Pilgrim Fathers who were essentially Puritans, came to the New World at an early date, ( 1620 ) and settled in New England. It was their intention to serve their Heavenly Father and Yahshua the MessiYah in Spirit and in truth.
The following is quoted from the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 11th Edition: In 1644 the English Puritans forbad any merriment or religious act ( associated with xmas ) by act of Parliment, on the ground that it was a heathen festival, and ordered it to be kept as a fast. Charles II revived the feast, but the Scots adhered to the Puritan view.
In fact, for centuries the true Messianic worship was never large or extensive. It was always composed of a few people, perhaps two or three individuals or families, who earnestly sought Yahweh, and refrained from association with idolatry or false worship. Very little is heard from them through the reports of the worlds historians. But, nevertheless, occasionally small groups do make historical headlines, such as the Nazarenes, the Waldenses, and the Pilgrim Fathers.
Why do people today in our modern times cling tenaciously to customs which are derived from pagan superstitions? Why do they never question from whence they came? Why not read the Bible and obey the inspired Scriptures rather than trying to support traditional, unscriptural observances with the scriptures?
We who would come out of Babylon must eliminate such rank paganism from our lives as memorialized in religious art and
pagan symbolism. We must root out all that could possibly displease Yahweh, our Heavenly Father!
For more extensive material on this and other subjects write to: The Assemblies of Yahweh, Bethel Pa. 19507
