THE BIBLE SPEAKS DAILY (NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024)
TODAY'S VERSE: GALATIANS 4:9-10.
"...But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years..."
Every 25th of December, the religious World celebrates a holiday which they called "Christmas", presumably to celebrate the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This celebration is supposed to be the BIRTHDAY of our Lord Jesus Christ!!! It should be kept in mind that the Gospel accounts reveal only a few incidents in connection with the early life of Jesus Christ. The following chronology of these events should be helpful:
a. Birth of Jesus: Matt. 1: 2 5, Luke 2: 1-7
b. Visit of Shepherds (Same Night): Luke 2:8-20.
c. Jesus' Circumcision (Eight days old): Luke 2:21.
d. Jesus' Presentation (at least 40 days old): Leviticus 12: 2-6; Luke 2:22-38.
e. Visit of Wise Men: Matthew 2:1-12.
f. Journey to Egypt: Matthew 2:13-15.
g. Male Children Killed: Matthew 2:16-18.
h. Return to Nazareth: Luke 2:39; Mt. 2:19-23.
It should be seen easily that there is no reference in any of these passages to any annual celebration of His birth. No study of the New Testament reveal either a command to celebrate, or an example of celebrating his birth.
The fact is that, we do not even know when He was born. In Egypt, about 200 A.D., one reads about the first "Christmas" feasts. But these were observed on May 20th. According to the CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, Lightfoot thought Jesus was born in September. Others, according to BRITANNICA, assign His birth to April 19th or 20th. Clement of Alexandria set His birthday on November l7th. Yet others commemorated Christ's birth on March 25th or January 6th.
Such division as to when Jesus was born should be proof that the Bible does not indicate the time of His birth. Had God intended for us to have some special celebration of His birth, at least we would have been told when to have it. We do remember His death, but we remember His death weekly, rather than annually (I Cor. 11:23-26). By the Order Of Liberius, Bishop of Rome, December 25th was chosen as the Birthday of Christ, but this edict was not issued until 354 A. D. So the celebration began from the wrong source (a Catholic Bishop) and at the wrong time (354 A.D.) to have divine authority back of it. The mere naming of the feast as Christmas (from "Christ's mass") should indicate to us its origin.
We must not object to families getting together at this time (or at any other time) to exchange gifts and to enjoy a nice meal. Nor do we think it is wrong to eat a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, just because some others make of it a special day of worship. But when we participate as Christians in these times which to us are no more than Civil Holidays, let us be sure that we do not make of these joyous occasions something that God never intended them to be:
"...But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years..."
Galatians 4:9-10.
It is not wrong to observe National holiday or Civil holidays. But we should remember that the Bible neither tells us when Jesus was born nor to commemorate His birth. This practice of connecting Jesus' birth with a holiday on December 25th is an invention of Man, and not God!!!
The Bible said,
"Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain." (Gal. 4: 10, 11). Let us not be guilty of making some day "Holy" which God did not make holy.
a. Could we possibly have ignored the lessons we must learned from the incidents relating to Uzzah:
"...So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals..." II Samuel 6:3-5.
How wrong was Uzzah, to have considered it good and necessary to put forth his own hand to steady the Ark of God, for the Oxen bearing the Ark was stumbling:
"...And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God..." II Samuel 6:6-7.
Or,
"...Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron held his peace..." Leviticus 10:1-3.
Lessons:
a. Do not go beyond His command.
b. Do not disobey His command, for any reason.
c. Necessity, not enough reason to disobey His command.
d. On anything religious, seek for the command of the Divine God.
e. God's silence on a matter must not be considered as an authority to go ahead!!!
f. Those who worship the Almighty God, through Jesus Christ, must regard Him as Holy, and before all people He wants to be glorified. Lev. 10:3.
Questions For You:
a. Did God tell you plainly in the Bible which day and month Jesus Christ was born?
b. Did God tell you plainly in the Bible how many Wise Men came to Jesus Christ to worship Him?
c. Did God require that you celebrate the Birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ?
d. Was His Birthday ever celebrated in the whole Bible record.
e. Did Jesus Christ celebrate His own Birthday?
f. Did His Parents celebrate His Birthday for Him?
g. Did His Disciples celebrate His Birthday for Him?
h. Was there a custom of Birthday celebration during His time? Yes, even many years before His birth.
Read it:
i) "...Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants..." Genesis 40:20.
ii) "...But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod..." Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:21.
Be careful what you do in religion.
Do not despise God.
Obey His command.
Obey His ways.
He will judge by His World by His Word:
"...He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” John 12:48-50.
Were you commanded by any Apostle of Christ to celebrate Christmas? If not, anyone who disobeys His Apostles will be cursed, with a Divine Curse:
"...But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed..."
Galatians 1:8-9.
If anyone adds to the Word of the Bible:
"...For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book..." Revelation 22:18-19.
Do not decorate your house with any symbol of idolatry called Christmas.
Do not take your Children to the Father Christmas.
Do not wear Christmas dresses.
Do not eat any Christmas food.
Think about this: Christmas Tree; Christmas Santa Claus; Christmas Light; Christmas Knock-Out; and etc. Were these things related to the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ?
HOW TO REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST.
a. "...And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19.
b. "...For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me..." 1Corinthians 11:23-25.
Why did the Whole World neglect that which Jesus Christ commanded, and got stucked to the celebration of which He never commanded. It is because the people of the World doesn't know Jesus Christ. But, do you know how Him? Then, obey Him, from today:
"...But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name..." John 1:12. (His NAME, is His Authority.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, preserve me from these beggarly elements from which I have been set free, by the precious Blood of my redemption, through Jesus Christ.
Help me to be steadfast in the faith.
Help me to endure all temptations, and be faithful to the end.
Father, help to heal the Sick and provide for the Needy around us, AMEN!
credits: Cecil Willis; Benson Omole.
For questions and comments please contact us on:
+2348060066660; +2347069554486; +2347070020042.
Or:
benoomole@gmail.com; omolebenson@gmail.com
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This work is under the oversight of the Church of Christ Ekute Quarters Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria.
THANKS.
God shall renew your strength and make your efforts in the service of our Creator fruitful.
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