CHRISTMAS--- ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!

 

THE FACTS ABOUT CHRISTMAS!

CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 25 - is the day designated on our calendars as the day of Christ's birth. But is this really the day upon which Christ was born? Are today's customs at this season of the year of Christian origin? Or, is Christmas another result of a mixture between paganism and Christianity? WHEN WAS CHRIST BORN? The word "Christmas" is not found anywhere in the scriptures of course, and as we shall see, December 25 is definitely not the date on which Christ was born. It is evident that our saviour was not born during the middle of winter, for at the time of his birth the shepherds were living out in the fields with their flocks. As the scripture says: "There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night"(Luke 2:8). As is well known, the shepherds in Palestine do not "abide in the fields" during the winter season. The shepherds always bring their flocks in from the mountain slopes and fields not later than about the fifteenth of October. It is quite evident then that Christ was not actually born in the middle of the winter season. But, on the other hand, do the scriptures tell us what season of the year He was born? Yes, the scriptures indicate that He was born in the FALL of the year. For example, our Lord's public ministry lasted for three and a half years (Dan. 9:27, etc.). His ministry came to an end at the time of the Passover (John 18:39), which was in the Spring of the year. And so three and a half years before this would make the beginning of His ministry the FALL of the year. Now, when Jesus began His ministry, He was about thirty years of age (Luke 3:23). This was the recognized age for a priest before he could become an official minister under the Old Testament (Numbers 4:3). Therefore, since Christ began his ministry at the age of about 30, and since this was in the fall season of the year, then thirty years before this would mark His birth as being in the early FALL, not December 25. While the scriptures do not tell the exact date of the birth of Jesus, there is a way to figure the approximate time of the birth of John the Baptist; and since John was born six months before Jesus. By comparing the two, we can again determine at least the SEASON in which Christ was born, as we shall see below. John's father, Zacharias, was a priest in the temple at Jerusalem. During those times, each priest had a definite period of the year in which to serve in the temple. There were 24 such time divisions or "courses" when each priest would serve during the year. The names of these courses are given in I Chronicles 24:7-19. According to Josephus [Antiquities of the Jews, Vol.7, p.14,7], each of these courses lasted for one week, the first course began serving in the first month, Nisan, in the very early spring (1 Chron. 27:1,2). Each priest in order would then serve his course. After six months, this order of courses would be repeated, so that each priest served a week - twice a year. Then three weeks out of the year all of the priests served together - during the periods of the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. With these facts for our foundation, let us notice what course it was that Zacharias served: "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, OF THE COURSE OF ABIA" - or, in Hebrew, Abijah - "and it came to pass that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course there appeared unto him an angel." The angel revealed that to him and his wife Elizabeth - though they were advanced in years - a son would be born (Luke 1:5-13). But what time of the year was it that Zacharias served the course of Abijah? According to 1 Chronicles 24:10, the course of Abijah was the EIGHTH in order. This would have been lyar 27 to Sivan 5; that is, June 1 to 8. Following his week of service in the temple, Zacharias was obligated to remain another week - for the following week was Pentecost. But as soon as this ministry was accomplished, he returned to his home in the hill country - which was approximately 30 miles south of Jerusalem, and his wife conceived (Luke 1:23-24). This was about the middle of June. By adding nine months then, we arrive at the approximate date of John's birth. According to this, John was born in the early spring of the year. Now, since Jesus was six months younger than John (verses 26,36), we simply add these six months to the time of John's birth in the early spring and come to Mid-September as the approximate time of the birth of Christ. Again, the evidence indicates that our Lord was born in the FALL of the year; not December 25. Still further proof of this conclusion may be seen from the fact that at the time Jesus was born Joseph and ~Mary had gone to Bethlehem to be taxed (Luke 2:1-5). There are no records of this period whatsoever that would indicate the middle of the winter was the time of taxing. On the other hand, there is evidence that taxes were paid in the fall season of the year. This was the logical time for the taxes to be paid - since this was at the end of their harvest. There is also evidence that when Joseph and Mary made this trip it was the time of a great feast at Jerusalem. This is the most logical reason why Mary went with Joseph - to attend the feast (as they also did on later occasions - See Luke 2:41), for there was no law that required a woman's presence at a taxing. We know that the time they went to pay taxes was also the time of one of the great feasts at Jerusalem because of the enormous crowd - so enormous, in fact, "there was no room in the inn at Bethlehem (Luke 2:7). Jerusalem was normally a city of only 120,000 inhabitants, but, according to Josephus, during the feasts sometimes as many as two million Jews would gather there. With such vast throngs of people coming to the feast, not only would Jerusalem be filled, but the surrounding towns also, including Bethlehem, which was only five miles to the south. Mere taxation would not cause a crowd this big to be in Bethlehem, for each person returned to his own city to be taxed. And so, taking all these things into consideration, it seems evident that Joseph and Mary made the journey, not only to pay their taxes, but also to attend a great feast at Jerusalem. This was at the end of the harvest season that they were taxed; and this was also the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. All of this - as well as the evidence already given - would mark the birth of Christ in the fall, not December 25th. HOW DID WE GET CHRISTMAS? Since Christ was not born on December 25, then how did this particular day come to be a part of the church calendar? History has the answer. Instead of this day being the time of our Saviour's birth, it was the very day and season on which the pagans for centuries had celebrated the birth of the Sun-god. A study into this shows how far apostate church leaders went in their effort to merge Christianity and paganism into one apostate religion - even to placing the birth of Christ on a date to harmonize with the pagan birthday celebration of the sun-god. It was in the FIFTH Century that the Roman Catholic Church commanded that the birth of Christ be observed forever on December 25 - the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol (one of the names of the sun-god). [Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. 6, p.623] In pagan days, this birth of the sun-god was especially popular among that branch of the "Mysteries" known as Mithraism. Concerning this, we read: "1. The largest pagan relIgious cult which fostered the celebration of December 25 as a holiday throughout the Roman and Creek worlds was the pagan sun worship - Mithraism. This winter festival was called 'the Nativity' - the 'nativity of the SUN.' " [The Golden Bough, p. 4713]. And not only was Mithra, the sun-god of Mithraism, said to be born at this time of the year, but Osiris, Horus, Hercules, Bacchus, Adonis, Jupiter, Tammuz, and other sun-gods were also supposedly born at what is called the "Christmas" season - the winter solstice. [Doane, p. 474; Hislop, p.933]. Says a noted writer: "The winter solstice (was) the time at which all the sun-gods from Osiris to Jupiter and Mithra had celebrated their (birthdays), the celebration being adorned with the pine tree of Adonis, the Holy of Saturn, and the Mistletoe tappers represented the kindling of the newborn sun-god's fire..." [Man and His Gods, p.2013]. Now, the fact that the various sun-gods that were worshipped in different countries were all believed to have been born at the same season (in the old fables), would seem to indicate that they were but different forms (under different names) of the original son of the sun-god, Tammuz, of Babylon, the land from which sun-worship originally spread. In Babylon, the birthday of Tammuz was celebrated at the time of the Winter solstice with great feasts, revelry, and drunkenness; the same way many celebrate it today. The ancient celebration spread and became so much an established custom that "in pagan Rome and Greece, in the days of the Teutonic barbarians, in the remote times of ancient Egyptian civilization, in the infancy of the race East and West and North and South, the period of the winter solstice was ever a period of rejoicing and festivity." [Curiosities of Popular Customs, p.242]. When this mid-winter festival came to Rome, it was known as the Saturnalia (Saturn being but another name of Nimrod or Tammuz as "the hidden god"). This feast was the most vile, immoral feast that ever disgraced pagan Rome. It was a season of license, drunkenness, and debauchery, when all restraints of law were laid aside. And it was from this very feast at Rome that the merry-making of this season passed into the Roman Catholic Church and on down to our present civilization: "It is a matter of common knowledge," says one writer, "that much of our association with the Christmas season - the holidays, the giving of presents and the general feeling of geniality - is but the inheritance from the Roman winter festival of the Saturnalia survivals of paganism." [The Legacy of Rome p.242]. GIFT GIVING AT CHRISTMAS Surely the giving of gifts is taken from the nativity story, some will say. But if we read carefully we shall see that the gifts were given to CHRIST - not exchanged among themselves. So, from where did this custom of people exchanging presents between themselves come from? In the book "Christian Feasts and Customs" by Francis Weiser [p.110-111], we read this: The practice of giving presents was also an old Roman custom, called "strenae." On New Year's Day the people of ancient Rome, exchanged gifts of sweet pastry, lamps, precious stones, and coins of gold or silver, as tokens of their good wishes for a happy year. This custom and even its name (etrennes) have been preserved among the French people to the present day. In most countries, however, the present-giving has become a part of the actual Christmas celebration. In Germany the packages of Christmas gifts were called "Christ bundles." They contained candy, sugar plums, cakes, apples, nuts, dolls, and toys; useful things like clothes, caps, mittens, stockings, shoes and slippers; and things "that belong to teaching, obedience and discipline," such as ABC tables, paper, pencils, books; and the "Christ rod." This rod, attached to the bundle, was a pointed reminder for good behavior. Another form of presenting gifts was the old German custom of the "Christmas ship," in which bundles for the children were stored away. This was adopted in England to some extent, but never attained general popularity, though special carols for the occasion were sung in both countries. GIFTS AND GIFT-BRINGERS A popular Christmas custom in Britain is "boxing" on the feast of Saint Stephen, December 26. It originated because in medieval times the priests would empty the alms boxes in all churches on the day after Christmas and distribute the gifts to the poor of the parish. In imitation of this practice, workers, apprentices, and servants kept their own personal "boxes" made of earthenware, in which they stored savings and donations throughout the year. At Christmas came the last and greatest flow of coins, collected from patrons, customers, and friends. Then, on the day after Christmas, the box was broken and the money counted. This custom was eventually called "boxing" (giving and accepting presents). Each present is a box, and the day of presentation is Boxing Day. Tertullian mentions that the practice of exchanging gifts at this season was a part of the pagan Roman Saturnalia. When this midwinter festival was adopted into the Roman church, this custom was also adopted. As usual, however, apostate leaders tried to find some point of similarity between the pagan and Christian religion - to make the merger seem less obvious. In this case, reference was made to the fact that the wise men when they came to see the Christ-child presented to Him gifts. Some suppose that this is where the custom of exchanging gifts at Christmas time came. But not so. The wise men did not exchange gifts among themselves. They presented their gifts to JESUS, who was born king of the Jews (It was an Eastern custom to present gifts when coming into the presence of a King). But these gifts were not birthday gifts. When the wise men arrived, it was some time after the day on which Jesus was born. By this time he was no longer in a stable, but in a HOUSE (Matt 2:9-11). Obviously, the gifts of the wise men were not Christmas gifts. THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS Certainly, no one claims that the jolly fat man with a long white beard, known as Santa Claus, is taken from the Bible. Where then did he come from? Francis Weiser says: "After the Reformation, the feast and veneration of Saint Nicholas, the patron of little children, were abolished in many countries. Soon people in those countries forgot the saint who had once been so dear to them. Only here and there a trace of him would linger on; as, for example, in the pageant of the 'Boy Bishop' in England, and in the name Pelznickel (Fur Nicholas), which many people in western Germany gave to their Christmas Man (Pelsnichol - now among the Pennsylvania Dutch). When the Dutch came to America and established the colony of New Amsterdam, their children enjoyed the traditional 'visit of Saint Nicholas' on December 5, for the Dutch had kept this ancient Catholic custom even after the Reformation. Later, when England took over the colony and it became New York, the kindly figure of Sinter Klaas (pronounced like Santa Claus) soon aroused among the English children the desire of having such a heavenly visitor come to their homes, too. The English settlers were glad and willing to comply with the anxious wish of their children. However, the figure of a Catholic saint and bishop was not acceptable in their eyes, especially since many of them were Presbyterians, to whom a bishop was repugnant. In addition, they did not celebrate the feast of saints according to the ancient Catholic calendar. The dilemma was solved by transferring the visit of the mysterious man whom the Dutch called Santa Claus from December 5 to Christmas, and by introducing a radical change in the figure itself. It was not merely a 'disguise' but the ancient saint was completely replaced by an entirely different character. Behind the name Santa Claus actually stands the figure of the pagan Germanic god Thor (after whom Thursday is named). Some details about Thor from ancient German mythology will show the origin of the modern Santa-Claus tale: Thor was the god of the peasants and the common people. He was represented as an elderly man, jovial and friendly, of heavy build, with a long white beard, His element was the fire, his color red. The rumble and roar of thunder were said to be caused by the rolling of his chariot, for he alone among the gods never rode on horseback but drove in a chariot drawn by two white goats (called Cracker and Gnasher). He was fighting the giants of ice and snow, and thus became the Yule-god. He was said to live in the 'Northland' where he had his palace among icebergs. By our pagan forefathers he was considered as the cheerful and friendly god, never harming the humans but, rather, helping and protecting them. The fireplace in every home was especially sacred to him, and he was said to come down through the chimney into his element, the fire." Your Bible says that GOD is the GIFT GIVER - not Santa Claus. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights ....." (Jam. 1:17). When we teach our children otherwise, we put another god before them and us. The true and only God says we are not do it: "You shall have NO OTHER gods beside (in place of) me" (Ex.20:3). THE YULE LOG The World Book Encyclopedia says: "The custom of burning the yule (pronounced yool) came from the Norse and Anglo-Saxons. They burned a huge oak log once a year to honor Thor, the god of thunder. After the Norse became Christians, they made the yule log an important part of their word yule to mean Christmas. In Lithuania, the word for Christmas actually means 'log evening'. The yule log became equally important in England. The English considered it good luck to keep an unburned part of the log to light the next year's yule log." THE MISTLETOE Francis Weiser, in his book "Christian Feasts and Customs" has this to say regarding the mistletoe: "THE MISTLETOE. The mistletoe was a sacred plant in the religion of the Druids in Britain. It was believed to have all sorts of miraculous qualities, such as the power of healing diseases, making poisons harmless, giving fertility to humans and animals, protecting from witchcraft, banning evil spirits, bringing good luck and great blessings. In fact, it was considered so sacred that even enemies who happened to meet beneath the mistletoe in the forest would lay down their arms, exchange a friendly greeting, and keep a truce until the following day. >From this old custom grew the practice of suspending mistletoe over a doorway or in a room as a token of good will and peace to all comers. A kiss under the mistletoe was interpreted as a sincere pledge of love and a promise of marriage, and, at the same time, it was an omen of happiness, good fortune, fertility, and long life to the lovers who sealed and made known their engagement by a kiss beneath the sacred plant. After Britain was converted from paganism to Christianity, the bishops did not allow the mistletoe to be used in churches because it had been the main symbol of a pagan religion. Even to this day mistletoe is rarely used as a decoration for altars. There was, however, one exception; e.g. At the Cathedral of York at one period before the Reformation, a large bundle of mistletoe was brought into the sanctuary each year at Christmas and solemnly placed on the altar by a priest. In this rite the plant that the Druids had called 'All-heal' was used as a symbol of Christ, the Divine Healer of nations. The people of England then adopted the mistletoe as a decoration for their homes at Christmas. Its old, pagan religious meaning was soon forgotten, but some of the other meanings and customs have survived: the kiss under the mistletoe; the token of good will and friendship; the omen of happiness and good luck; and the new religious significance." THE HOLLY When the earth turns brown and cold, the holly, with its shiny green leaves and bright red berries, seems to lend itself naturally to Christmas decoration. Its appearance in the homes of old England opened the season of feasting and good cheer. Today, holly is not only hung at doors and windows, on tables and walls, but its green leaves and red berries have become the universal symbol of Christmas, adorning greeting cards, gift tags and labels, gift boxes and wrapping paper at Christmas time. Medieval superstition in England endowed holly with a special power against witchcraft. Unmarried women were told to fasten a sprig of holly to their beds at Christmas to guard them throughout the year from being turned into witches by the Evil One. In Germany, branches of holly that had been used as Christmas decoration in church were brought home and superstitiously kept as charms against lightning. Another superstition claimed that holly brought good luck to men, and that ivy brought it to women. The holly, therefore, is always referred to as "he," while the ivy is the distaff plant. THE IVY In pagan Rome, the ivy was the badge of the wine god Bacchus, and was displayed as a symbol of unrestrained drinking and feasting. For this reason it was later banished from Christian homes. The old tradition in England ruled that ivy should be banned from the inside of homes and should be allowed to grow only on the outside. Accordingly, the use of ivy as a Christmas decoration was opposed by most people in medieval England. On the continent of Europe it was hardly ever used for that purpose. But a symbolism of human weakness clinging to divine strength was frequently ascribed to the ivy; and this prompted some poets in old England to defend ivy as a decoration at Christmas time. CHRISTMAS CARDS People did not exchange Christmas cards until fairly recent times. The first specially-designed Christmas card is believed to have been printed by a London company and placed on sale in 1843. Charles Goodall & Sons of London began printing and selling Christmas cards on a wide scale in 1862. Printed cards soon became as popular as the handwritten personal notes that people had exchanged. Louis Prang, a Boston lithographer, began printing multicolored Christmas cards in 1865, and marketed them in Europe. In 1875, he sold them in the United States. THE CHRISTMAS TREE And, finally, in connection with the customs of the "Christmas" season, we will mention THE CHRISTMAS TREE. An old Babylonish fable went like this: Semiramis, the mother of Tammuz, claimed that overnight an evergreen tree sprang up from a dead tree stump. The dead stump supposedly symbolized her dead husband Nimrod. The new evergreen tree was the symbol that Nimrod had come to life again in the person of Tammuz. This idea spread and developed so that the various nations all have had their legends about "sacred trees." Among the Druids, the oak was sacred; among the Egyptians, it was the palm; and in Rome, it was the fir, which was decorated with red berries during the Saturnalia [Curiosities of Popular Customs, p. 242]. The Scandinavian god Woden or Odin was believed to bestow special gifts at Yuletide to those who honoured him by approaching his sacred FIR TREE [Festivals, Holy Days, and Saints' Days, p. 222]. And even as other rites of the Yuletide season were absorbed into "Christianity" so also is the widespread use of the tree at this season a carryover of an ancient practice. "The Christmas tree .... recapitulates the idea of tree worship gilded nuts and balls symbolizing the sun .... all of the festivities of the (pagan) winter solstice have been absorbed into Christmas day .... the use of holly and mistletoe to the Druidic ceremonies; the Christmas tree to the honours paid to Odin's sacred fir ...." [Ibid, p. 23]. In at least ten Biblical references, the "green" tree is associated with idolatry and false worship [Deut. 12:2; 1 Kings 14; 2 Kings 16:4, 17:10; 2 Chron. 3:6, 13; 17:2; Ez. 6:13]. Now, of course, all trees are green at one time or another. Apparently then, the references to the "green" tree refer to a tree that is especially noted for being green, the evergreen or a tree of that family. Taking all of this into consideration, it is interesting to notice the reading of Jeremiah 10:1-5 and compare it with today's custom of decorating a tree at the Christmas season: "The customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They fasten it with nails and hammers. They deck it with silver and with gold." Jeremiah may not have actually been referring to our modern practice of cutting and decorating the popular "Christmas tree" as such, but it was something of the same nature. It was what the heathen did to a tree within a part of their festival worship towards their false gods. Now, of course the people in the days of Jeremiah, as the context goes on to show, were actually worshipping and idolizing the tree. We do not mean to infer that people who today place Christmas trees in their homes and churches are WORSHIPPING the tree. What we are saying is that today's use of the tree is plainly a carryover from paganism - in a much modified form, of course. But whatever the difference may be between the ancient use of the tree as compared with present-day customs, no one can deny that these things of which we have been speaking are customs of men. And God says: "The customs of the people are vain" - worthless, empty... They add no power to true worship. The Eternal plainly teaches us in this passage from Jeremiah that we are NOT to learn the ways of the heathen in our worship practices towards Him. The Lord is just re-iterating what He gave to Israel a long time before through Moses. It is found in the last verses of Deuteronomy 12. CHRISTMAS ONCE OUTLAWED With the Reformation in the sixteenth century, there naturally came a sharp change in the Christmas celebration for many countries in Europe. The Sacrifice of the Mass - the very soul of the feast - was suppressed. The Holy Eucharist, the liturgy of the Diving Office, the sacramentals and ceremonies all disappeared. So did the colorful and inspiring processions, the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. In England the Puritans condemned even the reduced religious celebration that was held in the Anglican Church after the separation from Rome. They were determined to abolish Christmas altogether, both as a religious and as a popular feast. Pamphlets were published denouncing Christmas as pagan, and its observance was declared to be sinful. In this anti-Christmas campaign these English sects were much encouraged by the example of similar groups in Scotland, where the celebration of the feast was forbidden as early as 1583, and punishment inflicted on all persons observing it. When the Puritans finally came to political power in England, they immediately proceeded to outlaw Christmas. The year 1642 saw the first ordinances issued for-bidding church services and civic festivities on Christmas Day. In 1644, the monthly day of fast and penance was appointed for December 25. The people, however, paid scant attention to these orders, and continued their celebrations. There was thus inaugurated a great campaign of two years duration (1645-1647). Speeches, pamphlets and other publications, sermons and discussions were directed against the celebration of Christmas, calling it "antichrist- Mass, idolatry, abomination," and similar names. Following this barrage of propaganda, Parliament on June 3, 1647 ordained that the Feast of Christmas (and other holidays) should no longer be observed under pain of punishment. On December 24, 1652 an act of Parliament again reminded the public that "no observance shall be had on the five-and-twentieth of December, commonly called Christmas day; nor any solemnity used or exercised in churches in respect thereof." Each year, by order of Parliament, town criers went through the streets a few days before Christmas, reminding their fellow citizens that "Christmas day and all other superstitious festivals" should not be observed, that market should be kept and stores remain open on December 25. During the year 1647 popular riots broke out in various places against the law suppressing Christmas, especially in London, Oxford, Ipswich, Canterbury, and the whole county of Kent. In Oxford there was a "world of skull-breaking;" in Ipswich the festival was celebrated "with some loss of life;" in Canterbury "the mob mauled the mayor, broke all his windows as well as his bones, and put fire to his doorsteps." An ominous note was sounded against the republican Commonwealth at a meeting of ten thousand men from Kent and Canterbury, who passed a solemn resolution saying that "if they could not have their Christmas day, they would have the King back on his throne again." The government, however, stood firm and proceeded to break up Christmas celebrations by force of arms. People were arrested in many instances but were not punished beyond a few hours in jail. Anglican ministers who decorated their churches and held service on Christmas Day were removed from their posts and replaced by men of softer fibre. Slowly and relentlessly, the external observance of Christmas was extinguished. December 25 became a common workday, and business went on as usual. But in spite of these repressive measures many people still celebrated the day with festive meals and merriment in the privacy of their homes. DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE? To use PAGAN practices to worship makes no difference - IF THERE IS NO GOD. But IF THERE IS a God it does make a difference. For God has the right to... tell us HOW to worship Him. It is not for man to decide HOW he will worship God - only whether we will worship Him the WAY God Himself sets. Catholics believe that even though a rite or custom was originally paganistic, if it is applied to Christ, then it is acceptable to God, even though it has no Scriptural basis. But this is mere human reasoning - a reasoning that is completely contrary to the written word of God. Let us notice this carefully. Let us notice how this was the case in the days when the Israelites set up the golden calf (Ex.32). None who read this account would deny that such worship as they engaged in was false, heathenistic, and an abomination in the sight of God. They wanted a god they could see - a sort of supplement to their worship of the invisible and Eternal God. And so they set up the golden calf - a symbol of the son of the sun-god. They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. They practiced heathenistic rites in which they made themselves naked (verse 25). Whatever these rites may have been, they were no doubt rites that they had learned in the pagan land of Egypt; which, in turn, had received its paganism from Babylon. We have record that in Babylon there were certain heathenistic rites that priests carried out naked. Nevertheless, it is evident that the worship of the golden calf into which the Israelites fell was paganistic to the core. YET - and this is the main thing we wish to point out - they claimed that they were having a "feast to the LORD" - the true God. Here then wax a MIXTURE - an attempt to merge heathenistic rites into their worship and call it a feast to the LORD. Did God approve of this worship? We all know the answer. About three thousand fell by the sword as a result of such apostasy. Now, if God did not accept such worship then, even though they said it was a feast to the LORD, then why should we suppose that He accepts worship today that is likewise a MIXTURE - a mixture between paganism and Christianity? During the forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Amos 5), the children of Israel carried the Tabernacle of God. They were strong believers in the true God, as we all know. However, some of them were not content with this; so they added something. They made unto themselves a Babylonian tabernacle that they carried with them also. As God said: "But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun, your images" (Amos 5:26). This apostasy is also mentioned in the New Testament where these idol gods they carried are called Remphan and Chiun, which are but different names of BAAL (Nimrod) and ASTARTE (the Mother- Goddess). Because of this mixture, God rejected their songs of worship, sacrifices, and offerings. Though these were made to Him - to the true God - yet such worship was not accepted because it was a MIXTURE. To cite another Biblical example of how paganism and the worship of the LORD were mixed together, let us notice the 17th chapter of Second Kings (II Kings 17). In this chapter, we read that the children of Israel fell into false worship. They instituted secret rites; built high places; worshipped the sun, moon and stars; used divination and enchantments; caused their children to pass through the fire; (verses 9-17). As a result, they were driven from their own land. Then the king of Assyria brought men from various nations, including Babylon, to inhabit the land from which the children of Israel had been driven. These nations also practiced heathenistic rituals and God sent lions among them. Seeing that the LORD was against their paganism, they sent for a man of God that had been carried away in the captivity. They wanted him to teach them how to worship and fear the LORD. "Howbeit every nation made gods of their own." And these gods are listed in verses 29-31. They attempted to worship these gods and the LORD also - a MIXTURE. "SO" - in this way - "they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests ..... they feared the LORD, and served their own gods" (verse 32). Such worship was rejected by God. He hates a mixture. Even though these nations claimed to worship the LORD, they served idols also. Today, likewise, Romanism claims to worship the LORD; but it is obviously a system that is a mixture of idol worship. In the days of Zephaniah, another attempt to merge heathen worship with the worship of the true God occurred. Concerning this, our Lord said: "I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place ..... and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham" (Zeph. 1:4,5). Why was God going to destroy them? Were they not worshipping the LORD? Yes, but this worship of the LORD was mixed with Baal worship. God requires a pure worship and rejects a mixture worship. In the 17th and 18th chapters of Judges, we read that a certain man had a "house of gods" - a special chapel in which statues of pagan deities were placed. It had a priest called "father." And the description plainly shows that such worship was idolatrous and false. Yet - and this we mention to show another example of MIXTURE - these people claimed to be seeking the favour of the LORD (17:3, 13). And the young father-priest claimed to speak the word of the LORD (18:6). So here again was a case of an attempt to MIX heathenism with the worship of the true God. Another example of a MIXTURE of paganism into the worship of the LORD is found in Ezekiel 8. Right in the very entrance of God's temple, the people had erected an idol. Inside the temple of God, even the ministers were offering incense to false gods. In this case, these abominations were pictures upon the walls - pictures of creeping things, beasts, idols, etc. This was plainly Babylonish; for such pictures are also found on the Ishtar Gate in Babylon. Also connected with the House of GOD were "women weeping for Tammuz" - the false Babylonian messiah - and men with their "backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east" - worshipping the symbol of the Babylonian sun-god. These people that had mixed such rites into their worship were people who had known the true God, the house of Judah (verse 17). Though their worship was carried on in the House of God, though they prayed to God - the true God - yet God refused their worship (verse 18). God does not bless a mixture. In Ezekiel 23 we read of a time of apostasy when the people who had known God caused, "their sons ..... to pass for them through the fire" and practiced other pagan rites. Concerning this, our Lord said: "Moreover, this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary ..... For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the SAME DAY into my sanctuary to profane it." (verses 38, 39). Jeremiah also wrote of this apostasy. His message was to the people who claimed to be the people of God. These people when they came to the temple of the LORD, came, "to worship the LORD" (Jer. 7:2). But, notice that along with their worship of the LORD, other rites had been mixed in that were of paganistic origin. "Behold," God said, "Ye trust in lying words that cannot profit. Ye ..... burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods ..... and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name" (verses 8-10). And this same people who came to the house of God, this people who claimed to worship the LORD, not only shipped Baal, but the worship of the pagan Mother; the "Queen of Heaven "was mixed into their religion also: (verse 18). By repeated examples then, we can see from the scriptures that God WILL NOT ACCEPT A WORSHIP THAT IS A MIXTURE. As Samuel preached to the children of Israel when they attempted to worship God and still at the same time hold on to paganism: "If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth (the pagan Mother worship) from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him ONLY: and He will deliver you ....." (I Sam. 7:3). And this is still the unchanging message of our God today. Worship and serve the Lord ONLY, with no mixture of paganism, with no mixture of rites and doctrines whose roots are in heathenism. ....................................... Written 1980 by Keith Hunt The Truth About Santa THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT THE JOLLY FAT MAN FROM THE LAND OF THE SNOW AND ICE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS SANTA CLAUS) by Keith Hunt You may want to tell me, "oh, we've heard about Saint Nicholas the Roman Catholic for decades, so what do you have that's new?" Well I have a great deal, so keep reading, because you probably have never heard what I'm going to relate to you. I cannot remember it ever being written about in any Church of God publication(but possibly it has at some time, somewhere). This truth I discovered way back in the winter of 1961/62, when I was discovering all the false pagan adaptions and adoptions in our common Christianity. I was at the local library investigating all the books I could find on the subject of our so called "Christian feasts." A fascinating and well documented book I found was by Francis Weiser of the Roman Catholic church, called "Christian Feasts and Customs." He relates the truth about how we got our modern Santa Claus, the fellow with the jolly "OH,OH" - white beard, and coming from the land of the north, with its ice and snow. This friendly guy was one of the many gods that man invented. We shall let Weiser tell us the story, and discover the English founders of the USA nation were not so religiously pure as many want to believe. Quote: "After the Reformation, the feast and veneration of Saint Nicholas, the patron of little children, were abolished in many countries. Soon people in those countries forgot the saint who had once been so dear to them. Only here and there a trace of him would linger on; as, for example, in the pageant of the 'Boy Bishop' in England, and in the name Pelznickel (Fur Nicholas), which many people in western Germany gave to their Christmas Man (Pelsnichol - now among the Pennsylvania Dutch). When the Dutch came to America and established the colony of New Amsterdam, their children enjoyed the traditional 'visit of Saint Nicholas' on December 5, for the Dutch had kept this ancient Catholic custom even after the reformation. Later, when England took over the colony and it became New York, the kindly figure of Sinter Klaas(pronounced like Santa Claus) soon aroused among the English children the desire of having such a heavenly visitor come to their homes, too. "The English settlers were glad and willing to comply with the anxious wish of their children. However, the figure of a Catholic saint and bishop was not acceptable in their eyes, especially since many of them were Presbyterians, to whom a bishop was repugnant. In addition, they did not celebrate a feast of saints according to the ancient Catholic calendar. "The dilemma was solved by transferring the visit of the mysterious man whom the Dutch called santa Claus from December 5 to Christmas, and by introducing a radical change in the figure itself. It was not merely a 'disguise', but the ancient saint was completely replaced by an entirely different character. Behind the name Santa Claus actually stands the figure of the pagan Germanic god THOR(after whom Thursday is named). Some details about THOR from ancient German mythology will show the origin of the modern Santa Claus tale: "THOR was the god of the peasants and the common people. He was represented as an elderly man, jovial and friendly, of HEAVY BUILD, with a LONG WHITE BEARD. His element was the FIRE, his color RED. The rumble and roar of thunder were said to be caused by the rolling of his CHARIOT, for he alone among the gods never rode on horseback but drove in a chariot drawn by two white goats(called - CRACKER and GNASHER). He WAS FIGHTING THE GIANTS OF ICE AND SNOW, AND THUS BECAME THE YULE- god. He was said to live in the 'northland where he had his palace among the icebergs. By our pagan forefathers he was considered as the cheerful and friendly god, never harming the humans, but, rather, helping and protecting them. The FIREPLACE in every home was especially sacred to him, and he was said to come down through the chimney into his element, the fire." Well, that is how we came to acquire our present modern Santa Claus. The so called religious "puritans" did not stay very pure(if they really ever were) for very long, but even added more paganism and falsehoods to the established false festivals. Ah, as Paul Harvey says, "Now you know the.....rest of the story." Christmas - Questions and Answers Answers for those Not observing Christmas by Keith Hunt This study is especially for those new to the understanding that God the Father and Christ are NOT into CHRISTMAS. This popular Christian feast was not even celebrated for 400 years or more in the large Roman Catholic church. All the truth and facts on the ins and outs of this feast I have already covered in another in-depth study on this Website. The historic truth can also be found in your Encyclopedias at the local public libraries or on the Internet. This study is specially for those new ones who have decided that Christmas celebrating should no longer be part of their living practices and custom keeping. It will no doubt also help some who still have questions about how to handle this season, that may have stopped celebrating it some time ago. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1. HOW DO I TELL PEOPLE I WILL NO LONGER BE OBSERVING CHRISTMAS? In all of this we need to remember Jesus' words to be as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove. We need to keep in mind that truth is from God (Jesus said of God the Father, "Thy Word is truth" - John 17:17). And unless God calls and grants us to His revealed truth, we are blind and unable to find truth. Read and keep in mind Romans 9,10. Yes, we have our part in obtaining truth, we are to hunger and thirst after righteousness (Mat.5), but it certainly takes the Spirit of the Lord to guide and lead us into all truth(John 16:13). We need to keep in mind that without this working of the Spirit, we would be blinded to many things that are truth. We would remain deceived about many things, for we grow up in a ready made world, and are taught and shaped by our cultures, societies, parents, schools we attend, and how all that is functioning, according the prevailing religious or none religious attitudes that make up all we come into contact with as we grow from new born babies to adulthood. We should never look down upon others with a vain proud self-righteous mindset, for without the mercy of the Lord we would still be in our ignorance over many things. We need to remember that most "religious" people are sincere in their faith and practices. You have come to see that Christmas is not really Christian, that it is not a part of the feasts of the Lord. You have decided to no longer observe the Christmas season with all its trappings. How do you tell your friends and loved ones of your new way of life that does not include the observance of Christmas, Easter, and other common feasts that most Western countries and people observe? How much work this will take will depend on how many and how close to you, your friends and relatives are in physical contact and emotional ties. Some families (sad to say) are not that close to each other. Very seldom visit each other for many reasons (which could include thousands of miles of distance from each other). Some blood families just do not get along (or parts of them) and could care less about what the other is doing, believing, or practicing. Some people do not have real close friends either, just people they work with, but no deep close bond with anyone. I guess if you are in this position in life, then it may make it a whole lot easier, as you will not feel obliged to explain your new beliefs and life style, in the same way as those with very close family and friend relationships. Those of you in the latter category need to be very LOVING, and GENTILE, as you relate to them your new position in life. You may find it best to talk to them in a letter. Start by telling them how much you love them and what they mean to you as family and/or friends. Praise them for their friendship, help, comfort, support etc. they have been to you over the time you have known them. Relate some specifics if you like. Gently tell them what you have come to see, but do not preachy preach to them, especially if you know they are not a religious person. To come across with a snobby religious attitude will surely do a lot to break what still could continue to be a respectful (even loving) relationship with them towards you and you towards them. Make sure you tell them that though they will not receive Christmas cards and presents from you any more, you will remember them with cards and gifts at other times of the year. Finish on a positive upbeat, telling them you still care for them, love them, appreciate them and their friendship. You need to be SOFT and KIND in your words, and certainly in no way coming through as condemning them for observing Christmas and the like, if you know they do. 2. WHAT ABOUT SENDING CHRISTMAS CARDS AND PRESENTS? With people knowing you no longer observe Christmas, they will naturally expect to receive no more "Christmas" cards or presents from you. You simply stop giving and sending them. Some will forget (especially the first few years you no longer observe this season) and will call or write you on the matter. You may have to do the above once more. Eventually most will "get the message" and will not be looking for anything from you that is to them a Christmas thing, at that time of the year. Remember, cards and presents are not wrong of themselves, so do give your loved ones those presents and cards at other appropriate times of the year. 3. WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE GIVING YOU CHRISTMAS CARDS AND PRESENTS? For some this is what they do, as a way of life, and it makes no difference to them what you do or do not. They are going to send you a card or give you a present come hell or high water as they say. You must remember this is their belief and attitude. They are probably very sincere and have a good heart in practicing what they practice. If some are this way towards you, even knowing you do not celebrate along with them, the best I believe, is to say thank you for their thoughts and their love, accept the card and present. I teach music (have for now over 25 years) and always get some who give me cards and gifts at the Christmas season. I thank them for their kind thoughts, tell them and their parents I appreciate their friendship, which indeed I am sincere about, as they are sincere about what they want to give me. I often get hand made cards just telling me how they think I'm great as their teacher of music. For a lot of people it's their time of the year to say, "Thank you, and here's something to show I really appreciate you." Smile, be happy, somebody cares for you. Don't rain on their parade day, and they will not rain on yours if you want to give them something at the Feast of Tabernacles celebration. Some will want to give you things when THEY want to give you things, even knowing what you observe or do not observe. Just accept it and be thankful they love you. 4. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO "HAVE A HAPPY CHRISTMAS"? We've all encountered it at the store check out with the cash clerks. Many other situation will arise when people will say this to us during the last weeks leading up to December 25th. A lot of the time, it comes as a formal expression of habit, a polite expression from clerks, again their thought and heart for you is in the right place. Most people are quite sincere in wishing you a very happy Christmas. It is after all the name that most Western nations call this part of December and it is their holiday time. I may just say to them when they wish me a happy Christmas, "Thank you" and go my way. I may say, "You have a good day." Most of the time they never notice how I've responded to them. I've personally never had anyone question my response to them this way. I guess if I ever did I would be ready to politely tell them I observe what they would know as the "Jewish Feasts" and do not observe Christmas. Then I would let the conversation go from there depending how they want to further converse on the subject. 5. WHAT ABOUT ACCEPTING WORK BONUSES AT CHRISTMAS TIME? Many companies use the Christmas season (also the end of the year on the Roman calendar) to hand out bonus checks to its employees. It is the time of the year they choose to do this. Some use other times of the year, and some every quarterly or every half year. I see nothing wrong with accepting bonus checks at any time of the year. Frankly, even if it was given to me as a specific "Christmas gift" I would accept it for reason already stated above. Now, of course, if it is not of faith as the apostle Paul said, if your conscience is bothered and it just does not sit well with you to accept a $500 or a $1000 or a $10,000 bonus check at Christmas time, you can refuse it or tell them to give it to a worthy charity in your name (and maybe get a tax receipt and claim it on your tax return under charity donations). At least you'll be helping the needy as Jesus and the NT church clearly taught that we should. 6. SHOULD YOU ATTEND WORK CHRISTMAS PARTIES? Or other Christmas parties that may not be related to specific work companies. Again, many work firms, factories, companies, offices etc. hold their annual "party" - "get together" - "staff/employee appreciation dinner evening" at this time of the year, in the month of December. It MAY or MAY NOT be very "Christmassy." Some are indeed with all the Christmas trappings including a visit from Santa. They make no bones about it being a full trappings Christmas party, with the Xmas tree and gift exchanging among the staff. With others there is none of that. Some may call it on paper a "Christmas party" but that's more because it will be held in December than anything else....a figure of speech title. And they will have no Christmas attitude or even any of the typical Christmas trappings. Just a plain staff get together, with a meal and fellowship. I have literally known of many such December meal fellowship parties, deliberately not done in a Christmassy way, because they know many of their staff are Jewish, or of some other religious faith, that do not celebrate "Christmas." So they make their December social event as neutral as possible to not offend anyone. You as a decerning Christian, with the wisdom and Spirit of God, must size the situation, and so determine if you will attend. Now, some none trappings of any kind parties, can still not be the place for a Christian to be at, because of drunkenness, sexual looseness, wrong conversations, dirty talk and jokes, and all that goes with some parties of this world. Now, it is possible you decide that you think you can attend, but find while there that you have made a mistake and it just ain't the place for you to be for various reasons. Well, none of us are perfect in wisdom or knowledge or foresight. We will go through life making mistakes from time to time. It's part of being still human in the flesh. Just pick yourself up and move on out. You are still I hope in a free country and not forced to do anything you feel you should not be doing. 7. WHAT ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYER TELLING YOU TO PUT UP AND DECORATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE ETC. You have religious freedom as a right (unless you live in a country that does not allow religious freedom, then you may want to get out of it). You should be able to politely make your religious faith known to those you work for and tell them you cannot do, say, or practice, anything that you do not feel is within your religious beliefs. They should be willing to accept your faith in the sense that they respect your personal conscience. Most will, but if they force the issue, you do have in most cases government offices that you can appeal to for religious freedom justice in the workplace. 8. WHAT ABOUT WIVES SUBMITTING TO HUSBANDS WHO OBSERVE CHRISTMAS, EASTER AND OTHER FESTIVALS THEY DO NOT OBSERVE? The NT Scriptures do support a basic submissiveness (respect, honor, and putting oneself under. You can study the verses and the Greek words used). But the NT also says, "in the Lord." Peter made it very clear that we as Christians are to obey God first, before any man, be it a single man or a group of men forming a secular or religious party or government. In the Lord, no woman can be forced by trying to use Bible verses pulled out of context of the passage or the whole Bible itself, to do anything against her personal religious faith and convictions. Be kind, and polite, in your explaining to your husband why you will and cannot do some things he may desire you to do. If he makes a big deal about it, then you may have other marriage problems that need some professional help with. 9. WHAT ABOUT TRYING TO FORCE YOUR RELIGION ON FAMILY MEMBERS? You see things a certain way, you have certain beliefs, you have certain things you practice or do not practice as your way of life. You will make a big mistake if you try to force your ways upon your husband or wife or children that do not want to believe or practice your religious faith. Do not insist that they cannot put up a Christmas tree and the like, making your house a living hell for all who will not walk your line on the road. You will (unless you lock yourself in your house of bedroom) have to live, walk, and work, around this world during the Christmas season. Such things you will see all the time and all over the place. Just have to get used to it all per se. Trying to insist and force your faith on those who do not want your faith, is bound to cause you much grief and will if done within a marriage, often lead to other problems and maybe a divorce. 1 Peter 3:1-2 is the principle for everyone in this situation. The Greek for the word "conversation" in the KJV is "conduct." Win (if you can) your loved ones by your conduct not your arguments, or family authority you may think you have. 10. WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS MUSIC? I've covered this somewhat in another study, but suffice to say, there are many "seasonal" songs and music of the winter time that are just simply seasonal songs. Some that come to mind are Jingle Bells, Jingle Bell Rock, Frosty the Snowman, Let it Snow, Let it Snow. Nothing wrong with many seasonal songs. Nothing wrong with the birth of Christ either ( I have a full in-depth study on the question of birthday celebrations ). Many of the famous carols have fine melodies and words ( maybe some need a little change here and there ) about Christ. We sing about His life, His works, His death, His resurrection, His coming again. Why not sing about His birth also. Does not have to be at the world's Christmas time only either. We do not sing about His death only at the Passover time of the year. 11. WHAT ABOUT PUTTING UP COLORED LIGHTS? In many parts of the northern USA and Canada it is with some a custom to decorate the outside of their house and yard with various colored lights. In Canada where I live, this decoration is done way before December 25th and kept there way beyond that date. Some of course are the typical Christmas scenes of Santa and/or the Nativity scene of Jesus' birth. I am not thinking of the latter decorations, but the ones of various colored lights hung around the house and yard, for simple cheer and to give the somewhat bleak and dull winter months (in those areas of bleakness and snow) a little brightness of color. I personally see nothing wrong with so decorating your house and yard with colored lights during many of the winter months. Color is not pagan religion. Lights (candles or electric) are not pagan religion per se. Some have colored lighting in their yards and pathways all year round. I personally like it and during the snowy winter months it sure can be attractive and lift the spirits. 12. WHAT ABOUT ATTENDING FAMILY MEALS ON DECEMBER 25TH? This will depend on many things that will need be taken into consideration. I do not believe it is a dogmatic and automatic "Well, a none observing Christmas Christian cannot possibly do such a thing" attitude of mind at all. Those families who do observe all the "Christmas trimmings" stuff, with gathering around the tree, opening the presents, talk of Santa with the kids, talk of the birth of Jesus, even attending church services in the morning. You know, all the open popular (with some religious folks) things that many families will practice on December the 25th. Then, of course, this is pretty obvious the none observing Christmas Christian will have no desire to attend such family gatherings where all of this is going on. But, for those where it is simply a time to gather together because everyone has the day off, where people are not giving out gifts, talking about Santa to the kids, where no religious overtones of the birth of Jesus being on that day are mentioned, where there is just no "Christmas attitude" mindset, but a gathering of family members to enjoy a nice meal together....then I believe that can be a separate ball game, another kettle of fish as they say. This situation is probably not the most common for sure, but it can be possible. Under such a circumstance of a simple family gathering to fellowship and enjoy a meal, I see nothing wrong with attending. Now, you would have to really know the situation and the people attending, to make your decision as to attend or not attend. I do not come from a large family. I am an only child. My mother and father for decades knew I did not observe Christmas. Most of my adult life I was thousands of miles from them. But for three years in the 80s I did live in the same town as they. I would visit them and have a meal with them on December the 25th. It was all very none Christmassy, just a good opportunity to enjoy them and have a meal with them for a certain number of hours. My above situation or ones like it, may not be very common, but it is possible, and the idea that we should lock ourselves in our house or bedroom on December 25th (some people or families go to a good movie, if you can find one being shown, or eat out, or go skating in the park, or some other nice activity) is to me being somewhat fanatical, if that is what you think not observing December the 25th is all about. Of course if your whole family does not observe Christmas then there would be many things you could do as a family upon that day. For many today, in a more and more secular world, December 25th means nothing but a day off work to do something they would like to do, and has no religious significance for them. Perhaps some of them you may know would like to do something on that day with you, if you have no same minded people of your belief near at hand to fellowship with. Then again, you may just want a quiet day off by yourself to do whatever, nothing wrong with that either. We all need hours or a day for just ourselves, from time to time. 13. WHAT ABOUT VISITING RELATIVES? Those who observe Christmas will very seldom want to come and stay with you over the Christmas holiday season, knowing you do not observe it, especially if your whole family (thinking of families for a moment) is with you in not celebrating Christmas. So, visiting relatives will probably not be much of an issue, but then it could happen. You could have an inquiry from some Christmas celebrating person (some people do tend to forget things easily). If it should happen to you, then kindly remind them that you do not celebrate Christmas. You may want to suggest they would be happier staying with those who do celebrate this December feast. If it is going to take place, with tact but with upfront plain talk, make sure they know what cards are laid on the table, and that you need them to respect your home and your wishes as to how they will or will not conduct themselves as they stay with you over the Christmas holidays. Most will honor your beliefs and practices, but then after your talk to them, most will probably decide to stay in another place, if they are Christmas observers. 14. WHAT ABOUT FORCEFUL PEOPLE WANTING TO PUSH YOU THEIR WAY? And yes, it does take place, some of your friends and relatives, will argue with you, get angry with you, want to keep verbally trying to persuade you to give up what they consider is a "crazy religion" you have become enmeshed in. You can be as gentle and loving in your approach to them, but they will be angry and forceful in their approach towards you over such things as you no longer observing Christmas. Under such unpleasant events there may come a time when it is necessary to use "tough love" - when you just have to raise your voice somewhat, speak bluntly, and tell such people to "zip it up" and "close it down." Presuming you are not nagging them with your beliefs of faith (as you should not be), you tell them it is time to stop nagging you, to no longer talk about the subject from the point of them trying to pull you back into something you do not intend to be pulled back into. Tell them this is your life, to decide what you will believe and what you will practice. Tell them you desire to continue to want to be their friend and have them as a friend but that that friendship must have conditions and boundaries, one boundary being their religion (if any) and your religion are personal matters, and neither of you should be trying to force their beliefs on the other. Sometimes, nothing will help and a break in the relationship may ensue, and they will become your enemy, if not openly towards you, it will be behind your back as they converse with others in your family circles or other circles of friendships and clubs. Jesus did say that sometimes those who are the closest to you would become your worst enemy. That is just the way life is at times, not always easy, not always smooth sailing, not always winning everyone to respect you as to what you may come to accept and practice as religious faith. 15. TEACHING CHILDREN? I am here thinking of either single parents or husbands and wives (mothers and fathers) that are in agreement on not observing Christmas. How you teach and handle children about your beliefs when your painter does not believe or practice the same can vary of course, depending on the whole situation, some of which is covered above. The key still being as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove, while you humbly stand for the truth revealed to you. Those parents who are "one together" on this matter, should being from the birth of their children, teaching them (in a way at their age level to understand. You do not give a T-bone steak to a baby or toddler) the laws of God, and the facts about such things as the Christmas and Easter festivals. But where most parents fall down is to also teach their children that most do not know these things, or they and their parents simply choose to say and practice these Christmassy things anyway. Example is often the best way, kids learn by what you say and do towards others. If they see you are not proud and arrogant, conceited, insolent, disdainful, scornful, towards other who do not hold to the same beliefs and practices as your family does, they will most likely be the same way with their friends in and out of school times. Yet, it sure does not hurt to sit them down and actually tell them not to be afraid of all these things that people are doing around Christmas and Easter time. No harm is going to come to them if they walk passed a Christmas tree in the hallway of the school they attend. Tell them God is not going to strike them dead if some other child wishes them a happy Christmas or gives them a card. It basically comes down to two things. 1) Teach them not to "fear" seasons of the year such as Easter and Christmas and to be unashamed in the things you belief and practice. To hold their head up high yet not be snotty-nosed and self-righteous in attitude or words towards others. 2) And the last few words I said leads to the second point. If you are teaching your children manners, politeness, courtesy, and respect towards all others (children and adults) they will have very little trouble handling all the ins and outs of seasons like Christmas. Some things you may teach them as I've covered above, but in the main with the two basic points I've just mentioned you will find children are pretty well able to handle what comes their way. They have their minds on how to deal with what may and will come at them during such seasons. And if you have a close loving friendship relationship with your children they will come to you for help and advise in the main. Naturally, this is not the case with every child, they all have their personalities, strengths and weakness, as all adults do. So, know your child (parents should know their children better than anyone including their teachers at school), and if observant (as you should be towards them) you will notice any mood problems, and can ask if something is bothering them that they would like to talk about. Come to think about it at main meal times get them to talk about their day, you will often be surprised what they will bring up and talk about. Well the art of child rearing is a huge subject all by itself, but correct child rearing does include correctly teaching and helping them to correctly move through things like the Christmas season with the least discomfort and problems. Teach them to stand strong in a humble way concerning their beliefs and practices but also teach them to love and respect others who have different beliefs and practices of religion. Teach them that God loves all people and that it is His desire that eventually, in His time frame, all would come to His basic truths and be in His Kingdom. 16. CHILDREN AND THEIR SCHOOL TEACHERS? You are not alone in not observing Christmas, try to remember that. There are many Jehovah's Witnesses who have children in the public school system. They also do not observe Christmas. There are Jewish children and Muslim children and probably others in the schools who do not observe Christmas. So, for most teachers it is not something new or like you have hit them with a hammer between the eyes, to be told you and your children do not observe Christmas, and hence do not want your child doing things like drawing and painting Santa Clause or the decorated Christmas tree. You probably will have to talk to your child's teachers about your beliefs on this topic, maybe explaining what your child can do (such as drawing Frosty the Snowman), and that your child will politely inform their teachers what they will not do or participate in (you now have to teach your child what to say and how to say it and when to say it should it be necessary for them under a specific situation) if and when their teachers need to be informed. If handled wisely and kindly both by yourself and your child, there will usually be little problem, most teachers will try to comply with your beliefs and wishes. Should this not be the case, then take it directly to the school Principle, and demand your freedom of religion be upheld and honored by your child's teachers. OTHER THINGS? I have covered I think the most common issues that arise when a person decides to no longer observe the Christmas celebration. I'm sure there will be other issues that will arise in the individual situation of each person, some more and some less. With the Spirit of the Lord to give you His mind, His wisdom (we can ask for, see James 1), you will be able to solve your issues as you proceed to live through the Christmas season without observing it. The bottom line is as Jesus said, "Be you wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove." .............................. Written December 2001                             WHAT  ABOUT  CHRISTMAS  SONGS?  ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY by Keith Hunt      We in the Sabbath keeping Churches of God KNOW the truth of the matter regarding the ORIGIN of Christmas. We have such books as THE TWO BABYLONS by Hislop; the book BABYLON MYSTERY RELIGION by Woodrow; there is the book 4000 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS by Earl and Alice Count. We know the plain truth can be found in the ENCYCLOPEDIA in our public libraries. And of course we have had dozens upon dozens of articles published on the subject in all of the Church of God magazines over the last 150 years or more.     We in the Sabbath observing Churches of God KNOW what the Word of the Lord says regarding whether we are allowed to look at other un-converted nations and HOW, in what manner and with what customs and festivals they WORSHIPPED their gods with, and ADOPT and ADAPT those same customs to worship the TRUE Eternal God with. We are all familiar with the passages of Deuteronomy 12 and Jeremiah 10.     So, with all that background to the back and to the front of us, to the left and to the right side of us, under and above us, we tend (if not very careful) to think and even to some degree act, as if the BIRTH of Christ the Lord, belongs only to the religiously deceived and un-converted "pagans" of this world. If we are not careful, we of the Churches of God, in distancing ourselves from the observance of what the Roman Catholic Church, in the 4th century A.D. introduced into the church as a Mass, and so a Christ-Mass celebration, we forget that the BIRTH of Jesus, although not given to us to observe on a regular yearly basis(the date - day and month - not recorded anywhere for us) IS MENTIONED and IS RECORDED for us in the Holy Bible.     If we are not CAREFUL we overlook the fact that GOD THE FATHER with the heavenly host DID CELEBRATE the time, the day, that the Savior of mankind came into this world as flesh and blood. It's there brethren! Just no way around it, unless you have torn out certain pages of your Bible. The fact is that Jesus was not only born at a certain time on a certain day of a certain month, as other flesh and blood babies are born, BUT the fact is very plain to see (for those with eyes to see) that the Father in heaven CELEBRATED HIS BIRTH!!     Now, before you misunderstand what I might to leading to, let me make it plain. I am NOT advocating that we re-consider the Christmas observance teaching like Ralph Woodrow (author of "Babylon Mystery Religion") has done recently, and start observing it along with the rest of the world. By no means am I going to teach such a thing. BUT I DO want us to focus on a simple truth - the story of the Birth of the Son of God, by a virgin woman, at Bethlehem, with all that transpired that evening and that day, IS RECORDED FOR US! Those events took place and they DO BELONG to us the people of the Church of God. The WONDERFUL, MAGNIFICENT, events of the announcing to certain ones of the Birth of the Messiah, and the MIGHTY signs and REJOICING of the Angels of heaven, really did take place brethren, and they really are preserved FOR US in the holy word of the Lord - the Bible!      All the facts of history point to a September/October Birth of Jesus. It is not the intent of this article to go into all the Biblical and Historical evidence that support that statement. Most theologians of any worth, will attest that Jesus was not born anywhere near December 25th, but sometime in the months of Sept/Oct.     Whatever the actual day of Christ's birth, the important thing for us is to note the recorded fact that God does give some time and some space in His word to relate to us that HE was not going to let that day - and He certainly knew the day - go by without REJOICING in that day, and also allowing the righteous angels of heaven to rejoice in it also. Not only that, but the Eternal was going to allow certain physical people on the earth to be a part of that rejoicing day. Again, that does not mean we can set apart some specific day in the year to rejoice over the Birth of Christ, for we do not know on which day He was born, it was specifically hidden from us.     Maybe you may want to re-read those portions of the NT concerning the Birth of Jesus. Probably the better time of the year to do this is around September/October and the fall festivals of the Lord, as this is the likely time when Jesus was born in the city of David.     I have been inspired to write this article in December, as once more I hear the famous and popular "carols" being sung - the "religious" carols, which many of you will have grown up with, like myself.     I have turned to Luke and chapter two and just read verses one to twenty. First an angel was sent to announce the Birth of the Savior to some shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then more angels appeared - a multitude - PRAISING God. Some of their words are recorded for us, but I must wonder if they had many more words of praise that are not recorded.     The shepherds took off to Bethlehem, to see what the Eternal had revealed to them. It was all as they have been told! You will notice they were not told to keep it quiet, so they did not, they quickly started to tell others about what they had seen and been told.     The shepherds returned with PRAISE in their hearts towards God. Well, I guess so, you put yourself in their shoes or sandals. I'm sure their lives must have been changed from that day on, and never the same again.     Now, do you suppose that there was at least one among the shepherds that liked to write poetry or compose songs? I think it is not too big a possibility that that was the case. If it was, what do you think they would write about or sang about? Now, please do not cast aside the possibility songs were written because we have none that were handed down to us through the NT apostolic Church of God. For by the same logic, the day of Christ's birth was never handed down to us, but Mary sure knew the day, and those shepherds also knew it. How would they ever forget that night and that day? I think it was more than possible that songs of praise were written about this AWESOME AND MAGNIFICENT event. I mean it is just a part of the human make-up of the human spirit to so do such things, when events of GREAT importance happen in your life, or the life of your nation. And having Angels appear to you to tell you the Savior of the world HAS COME to earth, is no small matter.      What do you think some of the words of those poems and songs would have been? David wrote poems about events, places, and works of his life, as part of his songs. Do you think one or more of those shepherds would do any less?      I muse a little here. I contemplate and ponder for a while on this matter. Could it be possible that some songs written had words like this:  "Angels from the realms of glory Wing your flight o'er all the earth; Ye who sang creation's story, Now proclaim Messiah's birth. Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the new-born King! Come and worship, come and worship. Worship Christ the new-born King! Shepherds in the fields abiding, Watching o'er your flock by night, God with man is now residing, Yonder shines the heavenly light. Come and worship......." etc.  Angels From the Realms of Glory by Montgomery.  Do you think someone may have written a poem or sung these words during that time?  "Born is He, this Child divine, Pipe and oboe in joy combine. Born is He, this Child today. Praise we His birth with cheerful lay. See Him lying peacefully On His tiny bed of hay, See Him lying in stable bare, O what gracious a Lord is there! Jesus! Thou all-powerful Lord, Now as Baby art thou adored. Jesus! Thou all- powerful King, All our hearts to Three we bring."  Born Is He, This Child Divine by French.  With what those shepherds had been told about the Messiah now born in Bethlehem, do you suppose one of them composed words such as:  "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Glory to the new-born King! Peace on earth and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled. Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies. With angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the new-born King! Christ, by highest heav'n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Off-spring of the Virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th'in- car-nate Deity - Pleased as man with men appear, Jesus, our Immanuel here. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Glory to the new-born King! " From the spiritual song Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Wesley. The shepherds told others about what they had been witness to, do you think it possible one who believed them wrote words like the following:  "Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room - And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing! "  From Joy To The World by Watts.  Maybe a person from those believers wrote and sang words similar to these:  "O Come, All Ye Faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, born the King of angels, o come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord."  O Come, All Ye Faithful by Oakeley    There must have been someone among those believers who knew Israel's history and the prophecy of the coming Immanuel. Perhaps they composed a song with words like:  "O Come, O Come Immanuel, And ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice, rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, O come Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height, In ancient times did give - the law in clouds and majesty - and awe. Rejoice, rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!  O Come, O Come, Immanuel - French Traditional.    It is written the shepherds were watching their flock by night when the angels appeared to them praising God for the Birth of the Messiah by the woman Mary. It was quite a night to remember for them. someone could have written very similar words to these:  "Silent Night! Holy Night! All is calm, all is bright - Round yon Virgin Mother and Child. Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent Night! Holy Night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven a-far, Heav'nly host sing Alleluia! Christ, the Savior is born, Christ, the Savior is born."  Silent Night, Holy Night by Mohr.    Ah, remembering the words of the angel, surely a shepherd or a person one of the shepherds talked to about what happened, would have penned and put to music something like as to the following:  "While Shepherd's Watched their flock By Night, All seated on the ground, the angel of the Lord came down and glory shone around. 'Fear not,' said he, for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind, 'Glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind.' To you in David's town this day is born of David's line - the Savior who is Christ, the Lord and this shall be the sign: The heav'nly Babe you there shall find to human view display, All meanly wrapped in swathing bands and in a manger laid."  While Shepherds Watched Their Flock By Night by Tate.    Not a few in number knew about those events and that day. Not a few knew what it all meant. Was there an individual among them who may have written, and others sung such words as:  "Once In Royal David's City stood a lowly cattle shed. Where a mother laid her Baby in a manger for His bed. Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ, that little Child. He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all. And His shelter was a stable and His cradle was a stall. With the poor, the meek, the mild, Lived on earth our Savior Child. And thro' all His wond'rous childhood He would honor and obey. Love and watch the lowly maiden in whose gentle arms He lay. Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as He."  Once In Royal David's City by Alexander.         I personally just find it impossible to imagine that not one person who was witness to those magnificent events, or who believed the shepherds as they relayed the events to others, would not have written poetry and songs about those events and the Birth of the promised Messiah. This was not done in a corner! God had kings of the East travel hundreds of miles to pay homage to this King of Kings. One evil ruler had all the boy children under two years of age put to death because he feared this Child was a threat to him personally. The events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist was not done in a vacuum, so the birth of a member of the Godhead into flesh and blood was not done in complete secret, some were told and were to be witnesses, the shepherds among them, and they went forth telling others. Surely some poems and songs would have been written and sung about these events for a number of years.     Now, please do not get all bogged down in your mind with the spiritual songs I've quoted above, in the fact that in some of them other words I did not give may be technically incorrect from a pure biblical point of view. There are many hymns written that we in the Church of God know need changing in words or phrases at times. The point is there are many songs written about the Birth of Jesus Christ and the events around it, that are just fine historically and doctrinally speaking. And with such this article is concerned.      You may want to argue that the NT does not record ONE SINGLE poem/song about the Birth of the Messiah, and so that proves we should have nothing to do with composing or singing such songs. Such would possibly seem to be a logical way to reason, but it is greatly flawed. You may want to argue that the NT nowhere records anyone saying that the early NT church had hymns in their church services that reflected the events of the Birth of Jesus, and so this proves we should also have no spiritual songs in the Church of God that are even close to the words that I've quoted above concerning the Birth of Christ. This reasoning is also weak. Why do I say the above two arguments have really no foundation but sand to stand on. Here's why.     The NT does not record one single poem/song about the DEATH of Jesus that we are told was sung in the Churches of God. The NT does not record one single poem/song that was sung in the Churches of God concerning the RESURRECTION of the Lord. The NT does not record one single poem/song that was sung in the Churches of God concerning the RETURN IN GLORY to this earth of the Messiah. Yet, does that fact prevent us today in the Churches of God, from putting to poetry and song the truths and events concerning the death, resurrection and coming again, of our Lord Jesus Christ? OF COURSE NOT!     Oh, you can find sermonettes, sermons, and written teaching on the above three truths, but not one poem or song can be found in the recorded NT that the Churches of God had as part of their services, on those three subjects. Would that mean they NEVER sang about those events? To say yes would be contrary to all recorded OT Scriptures and history of the Jewish people. The early NT church was Jewish, and the Jews always put to poetry and song large important events in their religious life and history.     Can you find any verse in the NT where anyone said anything about the Church of God having hymns in services that reflected the events of the Death or Resurrection of Jesus? No! It just is not there! Does that mean they did not have such hymns and spiritual songs in their services? No, it does not mean that, or shall we say that SILENCE on that subject proves NOTHING either way.     The NT gives NO INSTRUCTION for the Church of God as to WHAT to sing about, the VARIETY of themes, topics, subjects, etc. for hymns and spiritual songs. There is possibly instruction given that Psalms should be sung, but even then, how many and what kind is not expounded (see Ephesians 5:19).     It would seem the Lord was deliberately UN-specific in the little that is mentioned in the NT about His Church with regards to making melody in our hearts with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. It would seem the Eternal has granted us MUCH FREEDOM in the Church to worship Him and praise Him in melody and song. Of course I speak all this in the context of Scriptural soundness. In the context of this article - the facts of and the events of the Birth of Christ is recorded and is Scripturally sound.     As a way of illustration to the freedom the Lord has given us in song, I will point you to the recorded fact of the gospels, that at the end of the last Passover Jesus partook of on this earth, it is recorded "they sang a hymn..." (Mat. 26:30). We are never told anywhere in the NT WHAT that hymn was, its name, nor are we given one word that the hymn contained. If we had been given either the name or the words of that hymn, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE LED TO?     People in the Church would have made that hymn into an idol. Attached all kinds of mystic power to it. Made it the number one hymn to be sung every Sabbath. What that hymn would have been turned into is fearful to imagine. But, thankfully our heavenly Father knows what human nature is like and in His wisdom and mercy He was not going to allow us to be caught up in that deceptive error. He made sure that hymn was kept a secret from us. Oh, the twelve disciples knew what it was didn't they? But it was not to be revealed to the Church. In so doing our Father was also teaching us that we have freedom in the hymn we choose to finish the Passover service with. The EXAMPLE is there for us to finish the Passover service with a hymn, but the hymn is our choice, naturally the choice will be reflected by the occasion we are celebrating.      You may also notice that there is NO command or instruction in the NT (or the OT for that matter) in regards to anyone, any minister, any apostle, saying that God prohibits the singing of THIS or THAT part of the life of Christ. That also is not there! There is no prohibiting of singing about ANY part of the truth, the gospel, and the words of our God, certainly not if it has anything to do with the Godhead's love, kindness, mercy, character, righteousness, humility, wisdom, power, might, and all other adjectives that can describe the two Deities. The birth of one member of the Godhead into the human family contains all of the above adjectives and more.      Some in the Church of God, knowing the origins of the Christmas season, knowing what the Almighty says about adopting pagan customs to worship Him with, knowing that the day of Christ's birth was deliberately hidden from us, not recorded anywhere, knowing we are not commanded, nor given any example in the NT, to observe the birthday of Jesus on any specific day of the year, AND knowing that the Christianity of the deceived world DOES CELEBRATE the Birth of Christ on a specific day that is not even close to the correct season of the year that He was born during, WILL HAVE A TERRIBLE TIME in "thinking" let alone anything else, that it may be not only within our liberty in Christ, but actually just fine with God, to sing about the truths of the events of the Birth of the Messiah as flesh and blood.     Because of our abhorrence of the false doctrine and evil deception of blinding the minds of hundreds of millions of people to the plan of God, that the Christmas festival has enslaved upon people, we tend ourselves to be blinded to certain facts of truth from the word of our God, and from certain illogical reasoning we have clung to without thinking them through in the light of other reasoning, that would show us our errors.     Let me explain. Just because the world, the deceived world out there, has a specific time to talk about, sing about, put on plays and entertainment productions about, the Birth of Christ into this physical world, many of us in the Churches of God, believe WE cannot sing AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR, hymns and spiritual songs about the Birth and events of the life of the Messiah, even when we KNOW they are recorded in the Bible and that God the Father with the angels REJOICED in the event!     Now, just a MINUTE! Stop and think! Come let us reason together says the Lord. The deceived Christian world out there, have a wrong time of the year to remember and celebrate an event that we are commanded to observe - the DEATH of Jesus! This deceived Christianity SINGS about the DEATH of Christ. They have the wrong time of the year or month to observe this commanded memorial, they do not understand the real meaning of why He had to die, they turn this grace of God into freedom to sin, they say the law was nailed to the cross, they have all kinds of false and wrong ideas and teachings regarding the DEATH of Christ, yet they SING ABOUT IT! Because THEY do all these things concerning the death of our Lord, DOES THAT MEAN WE DO NOT SING ABOUT HIS DEATH? DOES IT MEAN WE SHOULD NOT SING ABOUT HIS DEATH?     NO! THE CHURCHES OF GOD HAVE NEVER BELIEVED SUCH A THING! The DEATH of Christ BELONGS to US! It belongs to the true people of God! And we have every right to SING about it!      Yet, somehow because of what the world does, and what a false Christianity does to the Birth of Jesus, we too often believe the Birth of Christ does not belong to us, and that we should never sing about it! BUT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST DOES BELONG TO US MORE THAN TO THEM. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO HAVE TAKEN IT AWAY FROM US! JUST AS WE DID NOT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE AWAY HIS DEATH FROM US.      The world's Christianity believes it should set aside a particular day to observe the RESURRECTION of the Messiah from physical death. They call it Easter Sunday. We know two basic truths about this. We know the origin of that Easter Sunday and we know that the NT nowhere by example or command, tells us to set any Sunday apart to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, if He was resurrected on a Sunday(which He was not, but that's another topic). The same Christianity in the world also SING hymns and songs at any time of the year, concerning the RISEN Christ, the resurrection of Jesus. Because they have a false festival day and sing songs about the risen Christ, does that mean we in the Churches of God SHOULD NOT SING ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST?     The resurrection of Christ BELONGS to us! Others cannot and they should not take the risen Jesus from us!      The deceived Christianity out there often, at various times of the year, SING about "following " the Lord, about "obeying" the Lord, about "walking in the light," about "trust and obey for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey." Because they sing about these things, yet they are blinded to the plain truth of the reality of what all this in actual fact means, DO WE IN THE CHURCHES OF GOD STOP SINGING ABOUT FAITH, WALKING WITH THE LORD, OBEYING AND FOLLOWING HIM?     Of course not, for such things BELONG to us! They are ours, and we have not allowed them to take those things from us!      Are you beginning to get the picture? Are you beginning to see where we in the Churches of God have been thinking and acting to some degree in hymns and spiritual songs, off center, out of balance? Are you beginning to see where on this issue of the Birth and events of that Birth around the first coming of the Messiah, we have, because we did not want to be counted among those who have adopted the largest false festival of the year, been PUSHED OUT, and have had TAKEN AWAY from us the reality and praise in songs to God(at various times of the year) of the BIRTH of our Elder Brother, who, because He was not ashamed to call us His brothers, partook of the same flesh and blood (Heb.2).      Even with all I have said so far, many will be shaking their heads and rolling their eyes with disconcertions if not shock. "Well the NT does not say WE MUST SING about the BIRTH of Christ and the events connected with it" some will argue. And that is indeed true. But remember, as I've pointed out to you, the NT says just about nothing as to the words of hymn and spiritual songs we are to make melody in our hearts and rejoice together with at Sabbath services. Of course it should go without saying (but I will say it anyway) all words of hymns etc. should be scripturally sound in truth and doctrine. Are we anywhere in the NT commanded to sing about the DEATH of Jesus? No! Yet we do. Is it wrong? No, as I'll prove shortly. Not one verse commands us in the NT to sing about the RESURRECTION of Christ, or His SECOND COMING, or the 1000 year reign, or the New Jerusalem, or Forgiveness, Justification, Sanctification, the Power in the Blood, the Deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the Law of the Lord, and on and on. Oh, the Bible gives us many examples where these kinds of themes, issues, truths, are put to poetry and song, but the bottom line is - FREEDOM to serve and praise the two Deities in SONG with the examples given us in the Bible. So, you may not find any command that we MUST worship God with songs about the Birth of the Messiah as recorded for us in the Bible, but ON THE OTHER HAND, there is no command that says we cannot worship the Eternal with thankful praise concerning the Birth of our Elder Brother from the virgin Mary, in Bethlehem, and all that transpired.      And looking at ALL the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs that are within the Song Books of the Sabbath keeping Churches of God(and I've seen most of them at one time or another, at least the larger organizations), WHAT TOPICS OF THE BIBLE HAVE WE NOT SUNG ABOUT? With the freedom we have been given by God on this subject of worshipping Him in Song, I see just about nothing that has been left out.....EXCEPT......yes......what this article of mine has been about. And I've explained to you why we have probably been fearful and extremely slow in TAKING BACK what RIGHTLY BELONGS TO US MORE THAN ANYONE!     Some are still not convinced we should be, or that we have Biblical authority, to sing about the Birth of Christ. Let me try to show you from some examples in the OT that we do indeed have authority to take the awesome event of a God given moment in history, and translate it into an act of worshipful remembrance towards the Eternal in poetry and song.      Israel had served as slaves in Egypt for a number of generations. They cried unto the Lord for deliverance and He did hear them. Sending Moses to them He brought the children of Israel out of the land of bondage. Not long after they had departed from the land, Pharaoh pursued after them with his army. He finally caught up to them at the Red Sea. The people of Israel were again fearful, it looked like they were doomed to die by the sea, until Moses lifted his rod and told them to behold the mighty arm of the Lord. we are familiar with the work of the Supreme Majesty - Israel crossed the sea on dry ground with the walls of water as mountains on either side of them. When the Egyptian army tried to cross the Eternal smashed the walls of water upon them and they were all killed. Great was the victory! It is then written: "Then SANG Moses and the children of Israel this SONG unto the Lord....." (Exodus 15:1). The words of the song are recorded for us from this first verse to verse nineteen.     This was a NEW historical miracle performed by the Eternal. Something so awesome and mighty it is hard to imagine, but it did literally happen. Moses and Israel were so overjoyed they naturally wanted to remember it in poetic SONG! That's the way it usually is with the mind of man. Songs are made up all the time about real life events, some become a countries National Anthem. The National Anthem of the USA is from a song about an actual event during the war of independence from Britain.     We also see it did not end there with the song of Moses and the people. Moses' sister Miriam took a trimbel and went out with the women of Israel and told them to SING unto the Lord for He had triumphed gloriously (verses 20-21).     IT IS NOT WRONG TO SING ABOUT MAGNIFICENT EVENTS OF THE LORD IN HISTORY!      After Moses had led Israel for forty years in the wilderness, as they were about to enter into the promised land, after Moses had seen the mighty work of the Lord so many times over those forty years, he gave Israel one last SONG to remember all this by. It is written in Deut.31:30, "And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this SONG, until they were ended." The words are preserved for us in chapter 32.      IT IS NOT WRONG TO SEE THE WORKS OF GOD AND TO SING ABOUT THEM IN SONG, TO REMEMBER THEM IN SONG!      The example of DAVID is perhaps one of the finest in the entire Bible concerning this matter of singing the works of the Lord and life's mountains and valleys. There was just about nothing in David's life and walk with the Everlasting One that he did not put into poetry and song. Look at Psalm 3, about when he fled from Absalom. Ps.6 was a prayer in the time of trouble. Ps. 8 about the incomparable majesty of God. Ps.14 about the foolishness of men. Ps. 19 - God's glory in works and word. Ps.23 - the shepherd song. Ps.32 - a song of the forgiven man. Ps.35 - a prayer song for divine defence. Ps.37 is a song about the Eternal's care of the righteous. And on it goes. There is the famous song and words of Ps.51, the prayer of a penitent soul, after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. There is the longest of all the songs recorded in the Bible - Ps.119 and the praise and adulation of the law, commandments, statutes, precepts, and judgments of the Most High.      So we see that as history marches on within the framework of serving and walking with the Lord, there is no part of our life with Him, the mighty acts He does and performs, that we are not allowed to put into poetry and song. Is there anything that you can think of that God has told us positively and clearly NEVER TO SING ABOUT in the context of what I speak about in this article? Yes, Paul was inspired to say concerning some forms of evil, that we should not speak about them to any degree of amplification, but besides that particular context, is there anything that our Father has forbidden us to put into song? I cannot think of ANYTHING!!     And to be sure, with that fact in our mind and heart, there is probably nothing about the Christian life and character and works and words of the One who invented song and music, that has not by someone, somewhere, been put into the language of SONG!     We see clearly from the OT Scriptures that great historical events in the life of Israel and some of her leaders, were put down on paper and remembered about WITH SONG! Is there anyone who would dare to say that the historical and mighty and mind numbing event of the Birth of God, the "I Am" of the OT, into a flesh and blood human was NOT worthy of putting into poetry and SINGING ABOUT! If there is, then all I can say is that you have MUCH yet to understand about the mind of the Supreme One, and the freedom we have in Christ Jesus to put the works of God into MUSIC and SONG!      With all that I have said, have I anywhere told you that you should start to observe the Christmas season as the world observes it, or even as some of the deceived religious Christian world observe it? NOT AT ALL! If you think I have then you have read into this article things never intended in my wildest dreams. But to sing about the wondrous events of that glorious recorded part of the history of this earth and the plan our heavenly Father is working out here-be-low, that is another matter altogether. The story and the facts of the Birth of Immanuel (God with us) into this physical world of humans, is so GREAT, is so MIND SHATTERING, so filled with HUMILITY that HE would leave the Eternal Glory He had with the Father from the eternal past, and put it to one side, take upon Himself flesh and blood, so WE could be called His brothers and sisters, to be tempted in everypoint as WE are, and to conquer sin in the flesh, to live so WE can LIVE, and to die so WE need NOT DIE, and to be resurrected so WE also can be an heir and an INHERITOR of His glory, all this is within the Birth of the Messiah. That part of the plan of God that was absolutely FOREORDAINED from before the foundation of the world.     It was announced to some, given to those whom the Father knew their hearts were right. It was given to the Church of God, it BELONGS to US! Angels were there to witness that event, they sang praises about it and were not ashamed to say that what the prophets of old had written about and foretold, was now a part of the awesome history of the Most High in heaven.      Am I saying that we in the Churches of God should gather around the piano at THIS TIME of the year and follow the rest of Christianity as they sing about the Birth of the Messiah? No! I am not saying we should do that, for that is part of their trimmings to their false worship season that the Eternal does not accept. BUT should we NEVER in the Churches of God sing with correct words, the truths of the Birth of our God and Savior into the world of humanity?     We know from the facts within the Bible itself that Christ must have been born in either the months of September or October. Would it be wrong during those months to sing about the Birth of our Elder Brother as He became one of us? NOT AT ALL BRETHREN! NOT AT ALL!     Yes, we have different seasons of the year in the calendar of our God. Yes, we have different Festivals portraying different parts of the plan of our God. And yes, we often give emphasis to certain songs that we sing more often during those times of the year. Yet, do we only leave songs about the death and mercy of God through Christ Jesus, until the Passover time? No! We SING about that part of the character and historical event of the death of our Savior and our cleansing of sin through His shed blood, AT DIFFERENT TIMES ALL THROUGH THE YEAR, as the Sabbath service or sermon would dictate, or as the Spirit of the Lord leads the song leader.     So also then, would be the singing from time to time, of the magnificent story and events of how and why one member of the Godhead came to earth to be born as a child from the womb of the virgin Mary, in a little town of David called Bethlehem.      Yes, indeed, something quite drastically new to many members in the many parts of the Churches of God. Oh, are you beginning to see why Jesus said that before He would return in glory to this earth, an Elijah like John the Baptist, would come "and restore all things" (Mat.17 with Malachi 4)?      There  will  be  songs  about  the  birth  of  Jesus  in  the  hymnal  during  the  age  to  come.     There is much yet to be restored to the Church of God!  ...............................  Written December 1997