*TO CHRISTMAS OR NOT CHRISTMAS by Steve Yong Kim*

To Christmas or not to Christmas?

by Steve Yong Kim on Friday, 30 November 2012 at 10:54 ·

           

   About this time of year, there are many misinformed Christians who participate in spreading out bad information regarding Christmas. Humans are visual creatures. We tend to more believe when something is put on video than on text. Even in the real world of news, just because it is from the mainstream media does not always mean it is truth. Many Christians utilize YouTube and the internet and they give it much weight and validity not even knowing the author or their fruit. However, we must first ask a basic question. Who is the author? The media venue can be manipulated to spin toward a bias opinion. Although, I am not against such mediums (internet/media) and I do utilize it myself, we must be more careful on who we choose to listen and believe as they present information. Do they have history? Do they have fruit? You must take it all in prayer and ask they Holy Spirit.

 

Christmas or Not to Christmas? The Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah during the season of Christmas is a Jewish holiday. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November-late December on the secular calendar. Jesus is considered the "Light of the World (Festival of Lights). Coincidence? Jewish Tradition states that the birth of the world is on the month of Elu 25th."   

 

John 8:12 (AMP) Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.

 

Rosh Hashanah recalls the creation of the world, as we see from the prayer, "Today the world was born." According to Sages, however, the world was created on the 25th of Elul, so that Rosh HaShanah actually marks the sixth day of creation, the day on which G-d created man." If we take the words of Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning" in Hebrew and rearrange them, you get phrase "aleph b'Tishri" or "On the First of Tishri". Tishri 1st is the hebrew month after Elul.

 

"Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Rosh HaShanah literally means “Head of the Year” in Hebrew. It falls in the month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar." Poplular Judism considers Rosh Hashanah as the date for the creation of the world. But Elul 25 is 6 days before Rosh Hashanah. Jewish tradition believes man was created on Rosh Hashanah and the universe 6 days before. Jewish numerology studies called gematria points the hebrew words for "Let there be" to equal 25 and therefore Elul is the date for the original work of creation. My point is Elul 25th. Coincidence?

 

There has been some argument in which some Christians believe Jesus Christ was really born during the Feast of Tabernacles or around October/September and therefore December cannot be the true month. Pastor Perry Stone did research on traditional Jewish counting of birth years. Unlike western culture where we count birth year 1 at birth, the traditional Jews counted birth at conception.  If you take 9 months back from the Feast of Tabernacles, we get December time zone. Perhaps, the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in December and He was then born during the Feast of Tabernacles or Booth.

 

Last year, I was reading a book called "A Prophetic Calender, The Feasts of Israel" by Jill Shannon. The author had questioned Christmas and the Lord answered her this way. She had mentioned reading "Heaven is So Real" by Choo Thomas of Choo's testimony in which the Lord, Jesus, appeared in an elegant robe on Christmas Eve. Jill Shannon, herself, had for years believed Jesus was not born on Christmas 25th but during the time of Tabernacles. 

 

Jill Shannon wrote to Choo Thomas in regards to her dilemma. But as she waited, she had prayed to the Lord and asked if she had been teaching it falsely? She said she felt the Lord answer her in her spirit with the following. 

 

 

"The Roman calender is the only one available to many nations, including your own culture. I chose to be born in the midst of the Roman Empire, and its influence and calendar are still with us. It is important for My people to have historical dates to link with the critical events in My ministry on earth: My Birth, My Crucifixion, and My Resurrection. Since these dates are the only ones they know, I honor these days with My People if they are honoring ME in their hearts. I love them and want to be in fellowship with them as they celebrate ME."

 

We may not be able to determine the exact date but is the date really that important or is the event more important? Yes, I agree, Christmas is NOT a time of santa claus, reindeers, snowman nor honoring just a holiday. Christians need to discern and separate themselves from the world of santa claus and its secular influences and get back to the pure essence of God. Christmas is a time when our Savior was born. Let us celebrate and honor HIM. 

 

By the way, Jeremiah 10 does not talk about a Christmas tree. People have taken this text out of context as with many other scripture verses. You do not need the hands of a craftsman to carve out a tree. You do need the hands of a craftsman  to carve out an idol. 

 

God does not counterfeit or copy anyone or anything. It is the other way around. The devil will come to defile and overlap his poison onto Truth. Trees are not a symbol of paganism. In the bible, trees are used to describe and symbolize different things. We are even symbolized as trees to either bear good fruit or bad fruit. In the Garden of Eden, there were many trees including the TREE of Life!  

 

Genesis 21:33 (AMP) Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 

 

Abraham planted a tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord. Was Abraham worshiping the tree? No, obviously not!

 

Last year because some Christians were so adamant about Jeremiah 10 regarding the Christmas tree, my wife and I called up Pastor Kim, Yong Doo. For those who know him, he is the author of "Baptize by Blazing Fire." He said his church celebrates the Lord's birthday and they have a Christmas tree.

 

If we dig things up, you will find paganism roots in many things including our calender such with word for Sunday through Saturday. Many of our corporations have symbols of paganism. Our US Dollar bill has a paganism symbol of the Masonic symbol of the all seeing eye. This world is under the authority of Satan. He has the lease hold right if you will. We Christians must discern and separate certain things. We are not of this world but in it. We will have to deal with some things of the world. Otherwise, you can go live in the mountains and not use money or anything the world has.

 

We have TV but we have the choice not to watch licentious, violent, or demonic shows. We have alcohol and drugs in this world but we have the choice not to participate in it. The secular world is going to attempt to commercialize and defile Christianity. It is our choice whether we participate such added things of the world or stay pure and holy celebrating the core essence of Christmas which is the birth of our Lord and Savior. Let us be a people separated from the world. A people walking in holiness and truth.

 

I will choose to celebrate Christmas and Resurrection Day to honor HIM. May HE be Glorified.

 

Psalm 98:2-4 (AMP)The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness has He openly shown in the sight of the nations.3He has [earnestly] remembered His mercy and loving-kindness, His truth and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have witnessed the salvation of our God.4Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

Fire of God Ministries International
Steve Yong Kim
December 3, 2011