Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | DOES THE BIBLE TALK ABOUT CHRISTMAS TREE | Judg 4:4 | Makarios | 23309 | ||
Greetings Magnum! I'm sorry, but I'll have to disagree with you here, and agree with Hank. Jeremiah 10:2-5 is speaking of the Gentile worship of celestial bodies, including the sun, moon and stars (v. 2), and it concludes with a description of how idols were often carved from wood (v. 3) and ornamented with gold or silver (cf. v. 9). Some were molded from clay (Judg. 18:17; Isaiah 42:17). The context points out the impossibility (vv. 3-5) of such non-existent gods punishing or rewarding humans. To 'assume' that Jeremiah 10:2-3 is describing Christmas trees is to deliberately add to the text your own interpretations. We simply cannot assume that a verse is 'speaking' about a particular object simply because that is the only object that we can think of that would relate to the verse. To do so would be to "opinionize" Scripture (speculation), rather than to take Scripture at face value. Jeremiah 10:2-3 is not discussing a Christmas ornament, but is addressing idolatry, and most specifically, to the celestial realm. There are many more sources that I can draw from that would support the 'broader', more wide-ranging aspect of this verse, rather than making Christmas trees fit into this verse. Blessings to you, Nolan |
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2 | DOES THE BIBLE TALK ABOUT CHRISTMAS TREE | Judg 4:4 | Norrie | 24400 | ||
WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY But what the harm? We would be fair enough to say there is no harm and that such is the True Story of Christmas and all its origins, if it were not for the Scriptures. But the Scriptures speak. 1. As to the Christmas Tree, the Scriptures speak plainly. Turn to Jeremiah, chapter ten, and we find that even in the ancient time of that prophet, that Christmas, with its Tree, was already a worldwide custom! The chapter begins, "Hear the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel. Thus saith Jehovah,"--the words which follow, then, are words of Jehovah God, twice over declared so! Why this great stress on fact that what follows is from Jehovah God instead of being some cranky or silly notion? What does He say? "Learn not the way of the nations--." Then here is something which is already international, worldwide, in its scope! What is it? "For the customs of the peoples are vanity!" The dictionary defines "vanity" as meaning "empty, destitute of reality." Then we are going to learn of a custom that is "destitute of reality," that is not what it is represented as being, but it is a sham. That is, it is a custom that celebrates a thing as being something which really it is not! What is the custom that thus is warned against by Jehovah God? "For one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe." Here, then, is a going to the woods and the getting of a Tree. What next? "They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not." "They deck it" means they dec-orate it, and we are told with the golden and silver tinsels. Here also is the nailing it upright. "Like the palm tree" either means it is ever some evergreen, or, perhaps refers to its uprightness, that it fall not over, the why of its being fastened with hammers and nails. Then come the presents on and about it, verse 9: "There is silver baten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men." Now what is this but disclosure. Cont. |
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3 | DOES THE BIBLE TALK ABOUT CHRISTMAS TREE | Judg 4:4 | Norrie | 24403 | ||
Part 2 But, do you ask, what means verse five, that "they can neither do good nor can they do evil"? Why this gift-laden tree celebrates one as a god, declared so in this same passage. And this verse tells us the one celebrated can do nothing, is but a dead man--a funny kind of a god wouldn't such an one be? "But,"--on the contrary,--"Jehovah God is the true God," showing this gift-tree is tied up to a false god. What further about him? "Thus shall ye say unto them,"--say to all Christmas observers,--"the gods that have NOT made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens." Verse 11. And in this same passage we hear God say observance of such honors to this god (simply Christmas, as shown by the Christmas Tree) is going to bring such "indignation" from Him that "the Nations" (plural) shall "not be able to abide His indignation"! 2. As to eating in connection with Christmas,-- which means Christmas candies, cake, pies, Christmas dinners,--the Scriptures are again very plain. Eating is a chief characteristic of the Yule season. Look now at Isaiah 65:11-12. "But ye that forsake Jehovah, that forget My holy mountain that PREPARE A TABLE for fortune, and that fill up mingled wine unto Destiny, I will destine you to the sword, and ye shall bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but ye did that which was evil in MINE eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not!" "Fortune" is one of the literal names for this god as we have seen above (Cicero's Works, De Divitione, vol. 3, p. 77). The King-James (Authorized) version retains the words "Gad" and Meni." Gad is the perfect participle of the verb that means to assault, and is a name for Nimrod as the originator of war as the records of antiquity abundantly show him to have been; and Meni means the Numberer,--a name for the Moon which numbers the months. Just as the Babylonian messiah was worshipped as the star constellation of "Orion, the mighty hunter," so he was also deified as the "Lord Moon," or, "The Man in the Moon." Divinely destined to the Sword are all who partake of Christmas "eats" says Old Testament in Isaiah! What says New Testament? New Testament commands that we never drink or eat any thing in memory of Jesus Christ save the "Lord's Supper" which we are told is never candy, pies, cake or a meal, but is the bare ceremonial partaking of unleavened bread and a sipof the fruit of the vine. This, says New Testament, is the ONLY eating permissable in connection with remembering the Lord Jesus Christ! And yet, you are a "New Testament Christian," are you? Very well, then, if you really are,out go all Christmas candies, drinks, pies, cakes, dinners,--according to both Old and New Testaments! 3. As to Christmas Gifts,--still the Scriptures speak very plainly. Such gifts are described in Jeremiah, chapter ten, which we reviewed above,--the gold and silver gifts, the articles of clothing, the toys and articles all the work of "skilled workmen." All such are there positively forbidden by positive command,--"learn it not"! Also it is there where the Christmas gifts are told of that Jehovah God says His "indignation" shall be poured forth for such on all Nations wherein people so observe, that they shall "not abide His indignation"! Then in Psalm 16:4 (American Revision) we read that Jehovah God says of those who give gifts in connection with a god (in connection with any god) that "their sorrows shall be multiplied" and that He will not take their names on His lips! |
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