THE GRAVEN IMAGES OF CHRISTMAS - Amazon Web Services

THE GRAVEN IMAGES OF CHRISTMAS

Christmas is here again. The lights, the decorations, the family get-togethers, holiday shopping, holiday traffic, Christmas carols, Santa Claus, presents and of course the Christmas tree. You can't get away from it. It's here. It's in the city and in the country. It's portrayed on your streets and in your neighbor's yard. It's all over the TV, the newspaper and on the radio. It's in your local bank, the post office, the grocery store. It's a national tradition; reinforced by the lighting of the `National Christmas Tree,' oops, I mean `Holiday Tree.'

In the traditions of our before them, we have from our youth. Some of Christmas; and oh, the joyful time of year. This is a being in the Spirit of parties and Christmas important thing about the birth of Jesus Christ.

fathers, and their fathers grown up with this tradition our earliest memories are of presents. This is such a time of celebration and of Christmas with Christmas dinners. And the most Christmas is the celebration of What could be wrong with this?

This is the focus of this this. What this study will the celebration of the birth holiday. It is a holiday built worship of other gods.

study. There is plenty wrong with show you is that Christmas is not of Christ. It is not just a fun around paganism and the

Here is your spiritual Miranda

warning. If you choose to not read

any further, that is your choice. You are denying the truth, and you will receive your

reward. If you choose to read further, you will find out the truth about Christmas and

everything that is associated with it. You will want to put away, and distance yourself

from this pagan practice immediately if you love the Truth. You would be wise to do so.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve." Joshua 24:15

I would like to pose a question to you. If Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, then why is there not only a description of a Christmas tree about 563 B.C., but also a description of an artificial Christmas tree in scripture from about 740 B.C.? A description of Christmas trees approximately 600 to 700 years before Christ was ever born? How can this be a celebration of His birth? I would say the timing is just a tad off. Yes it is, by 600 to 700 years.

If this is then not the celebration of His birth, then what is it? What does it represent? How are we to know? This study will show you exactly what Christmas and everything associated with it represents.

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There is a reference in Ezekiel 8:17 of putting the branch to the nose. How many of you have put your nose to a branch of a Christmas tree or wreath to smell the fragrance of spruce, pine, or fir? This passage in Ezekiel is speaking about abominations. There are other references in scripture about worshiping `gods' under every green tree. See Deuteronomy 12:2, 1 Kings 14:23, 2 Kings 16:4, 2 Kings 17:10, 2 Chronicles 28:4, Isaiah 57:5, Jeremiah 2:20, 3:6, 3:13, and Ezekiel 6:13.The verses speaking about `under every green tree' are referring to worshiping and serving idols. The quoted passages have an inference to Christmas but they are not a very definitive description. For an irrefutable description of a Christmas tree, we will be focusing our attention on passages in Jeremiah and Isaiah.

Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: [2] Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. [3] For 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[4] They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. [5] They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Jeremiah 10:1-5

Now, what does that describe? That passage is most definitely describing a Christmas tree and a pretty good description at that. Let's take a closer look at these verses.

In verse 2, we are told not to learn the way of the "heathen." The word heathen is the same word used for "Gentile" in both the Old and the New Testaments.

"Heathen" and "Gentile" in the Old Testament means; apparently from the same root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile....Gentile, heathen, nation, people.1

"Heathen" and "Gentile" in the New Testament means; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially. a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan)...Gentile, heathen, nation, people.2

One must understand who is a true Jew and a true Gentile in a spiritual construct. "....For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly...." Romans 2:29 "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly...." Romans 2:28 The true Jew is a spiritual Jew, one that abides in Jesus Christ in the truth. It has nothing to do with the flesh, or if you were born Jewish.

This also means that the true Gentile is also not one which is a Gentile outwardly, but one that is a Gentile inwardly. This would be a person that does not abide in

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Jesus Christ, and this would also include those that `say' they are Christians, but abide not in the truth. They have false doctrine and are believing in a lie.

When you substitute the word "Gentile" for "heathen", to read "Learn not the way of the Gentiles," this gives us a deeper understanding. In other words, what the text is getting ready to describe is something that the Gentiles do. If one does these practices, they are a spiritual Gentile, not a spiritual Jew. If they are a spiritual Gentile, they are not allowed into the kingdom of God, for only a spiritual Jew in Christ is the receiver of the promises of the New Covenant. For more on this, see "The Remnant of Israel" available from Christian Media Network.

For the customs of the people are vain:.. Jeremiah 10:3

Remember the definition for "Gentile" or "heathen" in the New Testament is; a race (as of the same habit). Customs is a description of traditions or habits of a particular race or tribe.3

For 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. Jeremiah 10:3

Workman means; a fabricator of any material...carpenter, craftsman, engraver, smith, mason, skillful.4 The root word for workman means; to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively to devise (in a bad sense)...5

The work of the hands of the workman with the axe, hmm, I wonder what that is describing? This is perhaps describing a family outing to go cut the family Christmas tree? Or perhaps the growers of Christmas trees that cut the trees for shipment to the stores and Christmas tree lots.

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. Jeremiah 10:4

Deck is defined as; properly to be bright, i.e. (by implication) beautiful......6

The definition for "deck" fits the bill for decorating a tree with lights and bright and shiny garland, tinsel, and pretty Christmas ornaments making the tree beautiful. Fastening it with nails and hammer, that it move not sure sounds like nailing a Christmas tree stand onto it making it stand upright.

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Jeremiah 10:5

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We will take a look at this verse and exactly what it is describing a bit later. Let's skip a few verses and go to Jeremiah 10:7-10.

Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.[8] But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. [9] Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men. [10] But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Jeremiah 10:7-10

Notice in verse 7 that Jeremiah is giving glory to the Lord. Then in verse 8 we see a change of direction with the word "But." He then compares the subject matter in verses 8 and 9 in contrast to the Lord. Verse 10 then changes direction with the word "But" again. And then compares the Lord to what was spoken about in verses 8 and 9.

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Jeremiah 10:10

Verse 10 is describing the Lord, comparing Him to the subject matter is verses 8 and 9. Notice that it says "But the Lord is the true God." If this is compared in contrast to verses 8 and 9, and it states that the Lord is a true God, then verses 8 and 9 are speaking about a `false god.' "He is a living God" would be in contrast to a `dead God.' This gives us our first real clue to what the Christmas tree is all about. It is the customs of the heathen to make a god to worship and pay homage. The customs of the heathen worship a false god and a dead god.

But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. Jeremiah 10:8

Who is the "they" in this verse that this is speaking about? We would have to refer to the previous verses which are speaking about the Christmas tree. These people that this verse is referring to are the people that have the customs of the Christmas tree. Verse 8 states that they are "brutish and foolish."

Brutish is defined as; to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); brutish...waste.7

In the dictionary brutish is an adjective; of or like a brute, savage, gross, stupid, etc.8

Looking up brute in the dictionary, we find brute defined as - [senseless, irrational] 1. Lacking the ability to reason; as a brute beast...9

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This may bring to your attention to that which is located in 2 Peter 2:12 "But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption."

Brute from in this verse means; irrational: - brute, unreasonable.10

Those that are brutish are made to be taken and destroyed and shall utterly perish. Utterly perish is the destruction of both soul and body. How are they destroyed? These are the branches that are cut off in Romans 11:22, and burned in Isaiah 27:10, 11. They are the tares in Matthew 13:30 that are gathered and burned. Now go back to the definition for brutish. "to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); brutish, waste." Those that are brutish will be consumed by fire and destroyed.

This is not sounding too good at this point. What about those that are foolish? Foolish is defined as; properly to be fat, i.e. (fig.) silly: - be foolish.11

This brings to mind the wise and the foolish virgins. When the foolish virgins didn't have enough oil to keep their lamps lit, they went to buy some oil. They came back too late. They knocked on the door saying "Lord, let us in." These foolish virgins knew Him as Lord. The Lord answered back and said "I don't know you." (Matthew 25:1-13).

To be brutish and foolish is not a good thing. The Lord does not know one who is foolish and the brutish are taken and destroyed.

But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. Jeremiah 10:8

This really begins to get interesting. The word stock in the above verse means; a tree (from its firmness); hence wood...12 The definition is a tree, that being wood. We can substitute the word `tree' for `stock.' The tree is a doctrine of vanities. But what tree are we talking about here? The Christmas tree is a doctrine of vanities.

Vanities is defined as; emptiness or vanity; figuratively something transitory and unsatisfactory...13

The under-definition of the word vanities means; to be vain in act, word, or expectation; spec. to lead astray...14

The word vain used in Jeremiah 10:3 "For the customs of the people are vain:.." is the same word as in Jeremiah 10:8 for "vanities."

By the above definitions we can see that the doctrine of the Christmas tree is "emptiness," it is "transitory and unsatisfactory," and the doctrine of the Christmas tree "will lead astray." Leading astray is leading one away from the truth. The Christmas tree,

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