The Christian Letter, Volume One: Chapter 55
From the hymn Silent Night to Oh, Come all Ye Faithful, to What Child is This, and more, there are several songs about the Saviour I truly enjoy hearing. I even sing them, that is when no one is around. Yet, something is amiss this season. I walk down the streets of brightly lit homes, and see nativity scenes nearly buried in snow, and statues of Santa Clause just a few feet away. I shudder, for reasons aside from the cold, and consider Halloween, “Everyone can look and see how pagan that celebration is with its demons and monsters.” I shudder again, “Yet, so many did not see the druid practices of egg laying rabbits, or that even the name of that festival, Easter, is the name of a pagan goddess.” … All I can do is stand still, as my foggy breath escapes, too faint to hear, “What if, just what if, I am still not worshiping Him His Way?”
Sometimes to get somewhere, you have to know where you are. To understand a person, we yearn to know what he or she has done, is doing, and is planning on doing. Let us, therefore, get to know our Creator better by asking Him about the true history of Christmas past, present, future … and beyond, even unto His Kingdom. As for me, if the Almighty wanted me to bake Him a birthday cake—I would! It would not matter if the whole world watched and laughed, I would bake Him a cake. … However, what if the One we love more than our traditions, does not want us to keep these traditions? I know my answer.
What is yours?
We all get offended when someone attacks what we believe. However, I ask you not to be offended by my telling you this. Be offended that no one else has told you before. In addition, be encouraged that you will now have a chance to grow in faith and ministry. I just ask that you give me the chance to expound, and that you give yourself the time needed in prayer and personal study as you listen to His Word.
Christmas Past: As you have done before, I encourage you to study deeper than the media and Christian glazed surface of Christmas. Look for yourself to find the origin of traditions concerning Christmas that was in practice long before Joseph and Mary, such as the following: the sources of the wreath, missile toe, balls on the tree, the tree, holly wreaths surrounding an erect candle, the yule-log, Tammuz, Ishtar, and Mithra.
“When Yahoweh your Elohim does cut off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, guard yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire about their mighty ones, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their mighty ones? And let me do so too.’ Do not do so to Yahoweh your Elohim, for every abomination which Yahoweh hates they have done to their mighty ones, for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their mighty ones. All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it—do not add to it nor take away from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:29-32).
I know this is not a pleasant topic at all, but it is imperative we know the roots of common customs. In Christmas past, men would take three month old babies, and place them in a pot-bellied idol, burning red and white hot with coals. The statue had a cut out in the belly where the baby would be placed, along with lists of the people’s desires from their idol of prosperity. As the babies screamed, the idols Chemosh, Tammaz, God (while sometimes written out as Gawd, it is pronounced: God), and Molech would burn away the flesh of children. Men would then bow to the phallic symbol (an obelisk that was often a tree) and, in bowing to it, would receive, not just a gift of mere stuff, but acceptance from the community.
To be honest, though, I feel like I am preaching to the choir. Most Christians already know that Santa Claus and the oddities associated with this holiday are erroneous at best. Therefore, I have only given you a stepping-stone to further your journey of discovery. I will give you some Scripture, but you must make the effort to see. Visit your library and look up these things in dictionaries, encyclopedias, Bible history books, and archeological studies. You are worth it, sure, but to show the Father love makes this task beyond measure of worth!
Christmas Present(s): Christmas, or Get-mas, does not differ much from the old way. We still write lists of things we want from the idol of fortune, and teach our children to do the same. Then we place our terrified child on the lap of Chemosh … err Santa Clause. We do this in hopes, or at least in the rehearsal of the idol worshipers we got it from, for a prosperous new year. Are we better than the Child-mass of two thousand years ago, as we do not kill the children? Make no mistake, though; we still sacrifice our children to the false idols our forefathers forbade, only they’re still alive. We sacrifice them as servants to greed and the falsehood of our lies.
Christmas Future: Advertisements are pointless if you can see that each one is geared to make you unhappy with what you have, and give you the illusion that with this new item you will regain your happiness. However, on Christmas, people of all ages are upset with the experience of their gifts before they are even done opening all the presents. Why? Stuff is stuff. Spirit is Spirit. You cannot have a spiritual experience, such as joy, by filling your heart and mind with desires of the world, or by profaning His Name with false worship. If you do, then there will be no room for the Spirit of joy. Stuff is stuff. Spirit is Spirit. A shopper’s holy day cannot compare to the true joy of loving our Loving Creator as He desires to be loved. The week following Christmas is historically the peak week of the year for suicides. Where as a week following the Messiah is as wonderful as wonderful can be. It is indeed eerie that the Christian adopted celebration of Christmas has more greed, pagan history, and a higher suicide rate than any other holiday celebrated in America, including Halloween. What will the future hold? Depression and fake joy in pretending to worship the Creator? Or will it be better with every step. Lie? Or Truth?
Christmas Beyond: Christmas beyond does not exist. Yes, in the Kingdom of Heaven, the trees will praise Yahoweh, and none of them are Christmas trees. It is unmistakable that Heaven has no rehearsal of Christmas or Easter. The selection of these days was based solely on idol worship; men later contrived the means by which to incorporate them into the Christian religion. Many Christians would be horrified if someone they knew declared themselves an idol worshiper, yet, through the celebration of Christmas, they actually portray one. Christmas beyond does not exist.
The Messiah did not honor Christmas, nor did His disciples, nor the apostles, nor any believer for hundreds of years after His death and resurrection. December 25th is the same day that, for thousands of years before the Messiah, every sun god had allegedly been born on. Every one of them. What day could His birth be? Scripture shows Yahoshuah was born during the warmer months of the year. The cold months in Israel are generally too severe for traveling to pay a tax, as Yoseph did. Was the Messiah born on Sukkot? Sukkot is a festival of Yahoweh that requires a trip to Yerushalayim. But the journey would be slow with an expecting bride. The Inn had no room for a woman about to give birth, and so Mary and Yoseph stayed in the Sukkot. Could this be why it is said He Sukkoted amongst us? Or tabernacled amongst us? “And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only broughtforth of a father, complete in favour and truth.” (John 1:14).
I urge you to research many of the customs of Christmas that are held dear. Why are there three wise men at a manger, when the Scriptures clearly state that an undesignated number of men found Him at the boy’s house? Yoseph and Mary preformed the sacrifice required by Torah, but it was the poor man’s sacrifice (Leviticus 12:6-8 and Luke 2:22-24). Clearly, they where not holding gifts like gold and offering up a poor man’s sacrifice. Why is it called Christ-mass when it is allegedly the Messiah’s birth and not sacrifice? I said Child-mass earlier because during the time of our Messiah, and for hundreds of years thereafter, this is what the celebration was called. If we could go back in time and ask someone about Christ-mass they would think you were talking about sacrificing a Greek deity, since every one of them was called Christ. You would be killed or smiled at … either way, no one had ever heard of it.
The truth is not welcome in the comfort zone of many homes today, or most churches. Is it welcome in yours? It is a matter of a believer’s maturity to accept the facts, and turn away from the falsehoods that have been accepted for a lifetime. How important is this? My words cannot express! This is worth studying! It is not worth rationalizing sin! Jews look at this “Jesus” and see a heathen, not because of Who He is, but because of what His alleged believers rehearse. If we rehearse Sukkot, Passover, Sabbath, and all of Yahoweh’s festivals, and abandon, in the love of our Creator, all the pagan ones, we would move from just being believers, to actually becoming followers, thereby being a light to all nations.
Christmas is all about trees, presents, and depression. Passover is about our Saviour, freedom, and the fruit of the Spirit. The Messiah has told us to celebrate one of these. Our answer to this, by which one we perform, becomes our sermon to the world.
It is not just, me though. If Jeremiah were here today, what do you think he would say about Christmas trees in our homes and churches? He would boldly proclaim: “Hear the word which Yahoweh speaks to you, O house of Yisra’el. Thus said Yahoweh, ‘Do not learn the way of the gentiles, and do not be awed by the signs of the heavens, for the gentiles are awed by them. For the prescribed customs of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They adorn it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it does not topple. They are like a rounded post, and they do not speak. They have to be carried, because they do not walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they do no evil, nor is it in them to do any good.’” (Jeremiah 10:1-5). To celebrate, people would cut down an evergreen tree, and the decorate it with their idols of Tammuz’s, or Zeus’s, or any sun god’s, gold and silver balls (their self-castrated testicles). (Please read all of chapter ten, along with Ezekiel 8:14-18 and Psalms 115:4-7.) How are these acts any different from the demonic acts of Halloween?
The apostles would also be equally against continuing these heathen customs. Christmas wreathes were brought to those whom the heathens thought to be Zeus and Hermes in Acts 14:11-20. They had wreathes back in Paul’s day, but they were not celebrating the Messiah’s birthday, rather Zeus’s, who, unlike the Messiah, was born on December 25th. Alas, many preachers and religious leaders today, condone the whole thing, and delight in the pagan festivities. With twisted reasoning, church authorities say these pagan customs are innocent as long as they, “Put Christ back into Christmas.” However, how can anyone put Christ back into Christmas … when He was never in it in the first place? We must stop trying to put the Messiah into sin!
Many upright Christians in the past have taken part in Christmas to some extent, and for such I cannot criticize because they did it as I did … in ignorance. Nevertheless, it is indeed time to inquire, “And what agreement has Messiah with Beliya’al? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:15).
“And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4). Let us be separated for our King! Let us truly have nothing in common with an unbeliever!
Alas, some people who begin to walk in this truth do so in a manner that is just as wrong as walking in the lie of Christmas. They become high and mighty by hurting those who still feel that Christmas is a blessing, as we once considered it. At first, sometimes it is best to ask people, such as eager parents or grandparents, give gifts at another time for another reason, as it is usually very important to give gifts if the heart is right. They just might not know the best way to go about it, yet. Be patient with those not yet at your step in the race. That’s right. Step. You’ve not run so far that you can no longer see them. However, you have traveled enough ahead that it would be foolish to take that step back, thereby having family and friends miss your testimony. “Well, he won’t celebrate Christmas, yet he’s here and his kids are getting presents. I think he’s confused.” Or, “He won’t bring his kids here because he says we’re all practicing devil worship!” Or, “Well, we gave his kids gifts a different day. He said he wanted his kids to know the gifts were out of a tradition of love, where gifts are random and always from the heart, and not simply because of what is, as he put it, an un-Biblical celebration.” I have overheard conversations like these many times. One of those three bears a grand testimony, the other two do not.
My wife and I tried to see our families around Christmas for years. It just did not work. Each time we went, some thought we approved of their false worship, and, even when they said it would not be, it was a Christmas, not a family, get together (there is a big difference). We simply wanted to see family that was around or had the day off. It was rough, to be honest, but if you are true to the Truth, then in time families may do as mine has done. We get together on the American New Year’s Day and give gifts to start the year off right. There are no Christmas overtones of any kind, only overtones of love, peace, and a desire to live the year according to the love of Yahoweh. Maybe that is not a perfect time, but it is a time families can get together nonetheless. I know families who get together on Christmas break that never do a single thing related to Christmas. They just visit, read Scripture, praise His Name, and cherish the days with family as this is a time they have free long enough to come and see one another.
To say you need to celebrate Christmas for the children is like saying you need to celebrate Ramadan (an Islamic fast) to lose weight. At first, people do not want to stop celebrating Christmas because it is nice to give gifts, and to receive them from family and friends, but all the joy of Christmas is just a painting, not reality. Alas, the reality will never be known until He is given ample chance. Some of us may not want to stop having Christmas, and start observing the Messiah’s celebrations, but if we do, if we give Him that chance, we will find true joy; His Light will wash away the darkness we once thought so bright.
What should you say when seeking people wish you a merry Christmas? “We don’t celebrate Christmas, but we do celebrate Sukkot, which is more likely when the Messiah was born, and we also celebrate Chanukah—without that miracle the Messiah could not have come. I also celebrate His birth into my life everyday. Since no one in the Scriptures celebrated Christmas, and some places warn against it, we, therefore, choose not to. But I hope you have good New Year!”
What should you say when non-seeking people wish you a merry Christmas: “You have a good New Year.”
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who listens to advice is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15). After being programmed with error over many centuries, the Truth will sound like rubbish to almost everyone’s ears.Save you pray earnestly in all willingness for the Spirit to circumcise your ears!
Job sacrificed for his children, thinking they may have sinned when they got together on their birthdays (Job 1:4-5). We see no disciples celebrating birth, but only Pharaoh (Genesis 40:20) and Herod (Mark 6:21). Both were wicked men, full of pride and vanity, but should we celebrate our own? “And Ya‘aqob said to Pharaoh, ‘The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.’” (Genesis 47:9). Here we see Jacob counted the days of the years of his life. We should count each day as a blessing; by counting our days, we begin to appreciate each day and live it to its fullness. “Teach us to number our days, and let us bring the heart to wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12). We count our days so that we may apply our hearts unto to wisdom, not so we may apply candles to a cake. We are not here long, and much time is already gone. Wisdom is this: Love Yahoweh. To love Yahoweh we seek to do as He shows us to do, but this is counting days, not just years governed by birth.
Many people do not celebrate their birthday, and consider the practice a strange vanity. Even those who are the most stepped in tradition, must easily realize that by blowing-out candles and making a wish, it is performing idolatry. Their wish to a genie is a spell performed by witches, and the rising smoke of the extinguished candles is believed by them to carry the wish into the skies. The birthday cone hat, the dunce hat, is the witch’s hat. Do we wear these, yet refuse the tzitzit?
Witches hold the day of ones birth to be important, while Scripture is silent about it. That a behaviour has a pagan origin is our cue to not perform it. We are not to learn their ways by performing their doctrines. Unlearn them by holding onto the Truth … quick! Quickly! In all urgency, make haste for His footsteps!
We are to honor our parents; therefore, would it not be wiser to give them gifts on the day of our birth? Or, rather, and indeed better, simply because you love them? And while I know I am repeating myself, I find it worthy here: Sometimes one must pray before they feel like praying. Sometimes one must love before they feel like loving.
Many leave the Messiah as a baby in a manger, just as some leave Him on the cross. The early Christian church condemned the Jewish disciples for not celebrating His birth. Yet, I wonder, did the disciples celebrate it more? Beyond any doubt or argument, the disciples celebrated His birth in their lives everyday. Remember when you accepted the Messiah into your life by proclaiming, “It no longer matters what anyone says, I’m following the Good Shepherd”? If not, then make this that day! Now we have a day to honor His birth as King of our hearts and lives that would be pleasing to Him. So I urge you to celebrate with joy and thanksgiving in your heart, on His Son’s birth into your life each day, and, if you so desire, set aside a special day as well. Announce it to your family, friends, church, town newspaper, and complete strangers. Who knows … you might just start a new tradition, a good tradition. So, “Happy birthday, or anniversary rather, of coming into my heart, my Saviour—today, and everyday—thank You for being in my life! I do not feel as if I deserve You, but I am so glad that You love me, and indeed loved me first.”
Christians often celebrate Christmas, even though the Bible does not call for its pagan observance, and atheists celebrate Christmas even though it is a religious observance. However, here is the most confusing part: If you suggest celebrating Passover, the Christian will yell that it is Jewish, and the Atheist that it is religious. People make little sense, but following Him does.
More people agree with this than you may think. They are just too afraid to do anything about it. Fear of their kids not accepting the change from gifts because of a pagan celebration, to gifts because you love them (1 John 5:21), fear of the church looking down on them if they don’t support the Christmas play (1 Corinthians 10:14), fear of business collogues for saying, “No thank you.” to the spirits of Child-mass past (Galatians 1:6-10). Fear. But I say: Stand for your faith … stand in fear of Yahoweh! Forfeit sitting in fear of men. Others will follow suit, but stand, even if it seems you must stand alone, for know that The Rabbi stands with you!
While Christians stole the winter solstice from the pagans, and capitalism stole it from the Christians, the shadows remain: the consumption of vast quantities of meat, the giving of wealth even if it means debt, and so many more wicked aspects of Christmas you will see for the first time, if you are a diligent servant. Seek truth, dear brothers and sweet sisters, and ye shall find true Spirit.
I feel that those who truly do cherish days like Easter and Christmas, for the reasons of an assumed connection with the Messiah, who do their best to honor the King of kings, will be joyful to find a better way to do so. Those who keep such days for reasons that have nothing to do with the Messiah, even though they say they do, will fight you on it to the grave. … Never fight with them. There is no point. Present the truth, live the truth, and if they will open their heart to His Spirit, then the Truth shall set them free.
Will you continue to try to Christianize the practice of Christmas, and thereby miss true joy? Choose this day. Repent. Ignore. Grab hold of the hem of the Jew (Zechariah 8:23). Or grab hold of Satan’s lies (John 8:44). You have no choice! You cannot escape it (Ecclesiastes 12:14)! You must choose whom you will serve in love (Joshua 24:15). I urge you with tears and prayer that your choice will be He Who loved you first, not the shadow pictures of child sacrifice and greed rehearsed.
Be Blessed and be a Blessing
Shalom
-Valentine Thalken Billingsley
If this blessed you, please share it.
Additional Scripture References:
John 15:18-20, John 3:19-21, Psalms 40:16, Psalms 34:1
