From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 03:07:15 +0000
Subject: The Origins of Christmas
From: Luana Fabry & Toni Goriss <sos@fan.net.au>
Organization: Beit Yeshua Ministries
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
The Origins of Christmas
It is often said that we should judge a thing by its fruit, but I would
think it would be even wiser to primarily judge it by its root. For
almost two millennia, people who profess to believe in the God of Israel
have been totally engrossed in keeping traditions which have nothing to
do with Him. In this publication we have discussed the concept that God
is HOLY; He does not mix, nor share His glory with others. He and His
ways, are totally set apart and distinct from the ways of the nations.
Since we are nearing the big "C", it is an appropriate time to closely
examine the roots from whence it came and also look at some of the
issues which affect both Christians and Jews every year. Let us begin by
looking at the "origins of Christmas" according to historical sources.
"Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church ... the
first evidence of the feast is from Egypt." (Catholic Encyclopaedia 1911
edition)
"The winter solstice was regarded as the birthday of the sun and at
Rome a pagan festival of the nativity of "sol invictus" was introduced by the
Emperor Aurelian on the 25th December 274 CE. The church, unable to
stamp out this popular festival, spiritualised it as the Feast of the
Nativity of the Sun of Righteousness. When Christianity spread
northwards it encountered a similar pagan festival also held at the
winter solstice - the great Yule feast of the Norsemen. Once again
Christians absorbed heathen customs. From the various sources came the
Yule Log and the Christmas tree." (Chambers Encyclopaedia 1970 edition
page 530)
"Indeed it is admitted by the most learned and candid of writers of all
parties that the day of our Lord's birth cannot be determined and that
within the Christian church no festival as Christmas was ever heard of
till the 3rd century, and that not till the 4th century was far
advanced, did it gain much observance. How then did the Romanish church
fix on December 25th as Christmas day? Long before the fourth century
and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated
among the heathen at the precise time of the year in honour of the Son
of Babylonian Queen of Heaven: and it may fairly be assumed 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 part of the
Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early adopted ... upright
men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all their efforts the
apostasy went on, until the church, with the exemption of a small
remnant, was submerged under Pagan superstition. That Christmas was
originally a pagan festival is beyond all doubt. The time of the year
and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated proves its origin.
In Egypt the Son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the Queen of Heaven,
was born at this very time, about the time of the winter solstice." (The
Two Babylons by Alexander Hyslop, pages 92 and 93)
"The worshippers of Mithras... held Sundays as sacred, and the birth of
the god was celebrated annually on December the 25th." (Ecole
Initiative: Mithraism)
It is clear that the "Church" (not the early Jewish believers in Yeshua)
changed God's times, dates and seasons and took it upon themselves to
"Christianize" paganism for the purpose of gaining numbers. Rather than
holding on to the true root, the Church based her "new religion" on the
myths and rituals of the pagan "Mystery Religions" of the time. The
result was a global entity, full of religious mixtures, suited to unite
the world under a common religious system. This of course speaks of the
harlot, Babylon, drunk with the wine of her idolatries. The problem
however, is although we point to Rome as the "harlot", most in the
Church keep her ways. Each Christian denomination which branched itself
from Rome, did not in fact uproot itself but retained some aspect of her
idolatries. For this reason the Scripture clearly says, "Come out of her
my people that you may not participate in her sins" (NASB. Rev. 18:4;
Jer. 51:6,7,45). It is clear that God's people are still in her and
participating in her sinful practices.
But does it really matter whether we celebrate the 25th December or
not?, We know Yeshua wasn't born then, so why not just keep it for fun?
Yes it does matter, for it is no different than acknowledging or
celebrating the Islamic festival of Ramadan, Halloween or the Hindu
festival of Divali. The days are coming and here already, when a
one-world religion will be set up, incorporating all non-Biblical
religious festivals. Even today, 85% of Hindus celebrate Christmas. Why
do you think that the whole world feels so comfortable with celebrating
Christmas? Because it has no relation to the God of Israel. He is the
only God which stands apart; His is the only Word which doesn't mix with
the ways of the nations, and Israel is the only Nation which keeps God's
Sabbaths at a Government level, whether the people living there like it
or not.
But what about our children? Won't they feel left out and different?
Yes, they will. But are we so different to the Jewish people, who
throughout history have lost their lives rather than bend the knee to
the `Church'? It is highly unlikely at this time that we will lose our
lives for refusing to put up a Christmas tree. How small a price we pay
for the sake of truth, when millions of Jews were slaughtered simply for
upholding the same truth. As for the children? Tell them the truth. As
Yeshua said, "the truth will set you free." Even to this day Jewish
children do not celebrate the Christian festivals, because they are Jews
- the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the midst of a world
which has taken the mark of Rome, the Jews continue to stand apart. As
believers in Yeshua and in the God of Israel, we too are called to stand
apart. Jeremiah 10:1-4 says:
"Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus
says the LORD:
Do not learn the way of the nations,
And do not be terrified by signs in the sky ,
though the nations are terrified by them.
For the customs of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest
and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter."
What about an unbelieving spouse who insists on putting up the Christmas
tree? Well, rather than create a division, water the whole thing down as
much as you can and just grin and bear it. In the end, truth always wins
when it's backed up with love and prayer.
Does it matter when we celebrate Yeshua's birthday? To begin with, we
don't celebrate his "birthday" at all; we celebrate God's Feasts. We
remember that Yeshua was born during Tabernacles, as the Word of God
coming to dwell among us. We need to understand that we cannot worship
God how we want and when we want. In Ezekiel 11:12, God says, "...you
have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the
nations around you." And again in Deuteronomy 12:4, "You must not
worship the LORD your God in their way." God has laid out clearly in the
Scriptures when and how we are to come before Him. (Leviticus 23:2)
It was wonderful being in Israel this year seeing a whole nation keep
the Appointed times of the LORD. It was extraordinary witnessing
Jerusalem shut down on Yom Kippur, because the Government said so - no
TV, no radio & of course, no shops.
Well, I hope this makes a difference to you and. Have a happy Hanukkah,
and remember that Hanukkah is all about the Jews rededicating the
Temple, after it had been defiled by the pagan religion of the time, to
which they refused to bend the knee.
"What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: `I will
live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God,
and they will be my people. Therefore come out of them and be
separate, says the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:16,17
Luana Fabry
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