One pagan based tradition is getting ahead of the other and before our national holiday of Thanksgiving in the middle of them, which isn’t looking so bright. Christmas overtook Thanksgiving long ago. Black Friday became a tradition. Wonder why they called it Black Friday? Now Christmas stuff is out before Halloween. Wow, those merchants sure are getting ahead of themselves in these latter days! (Rev. 18) I’m sure inflation will put a dent in it all! But, I suppose most folk will go in debt just to keep the long held traditions of man. So hard to let go of I guess! Thanksgiving is a national holiday that does not have pagan roots. One out of three ain’t so bad; and can save a lot of credit card debt.

Something to consider!

Can Halloween Be a Fun Holiday for Christians?

From the article:

If someone’s conscience allows them to participate in Halloween joyfully, so long as you are honoring Christ in how you do it, then celebrate joyfully. And as you enjoy it, consider the missional opportunity that this day presents.

The other day, I walked into the local hardware store and was greeted with ghouls, ghosts, chainsaws, bloody vampires, werewolves, and other creatures on one side, and Santa Claus and Christmas decorations on the other. Was this a battle between good and evil?

Christmas is a Christian holiday, right? And Halloween is a pagan holiday, right? Should Christians celebrate one and not the other?

It’s a foregone conclusion that Christians can and will celebrate Christmas. It is a fun holiday. Our celebration of Christmas includes presents, trees, cookies, garland, and tinsel. But can Christians also have fun on Halloween?

Do the Origins of Halloween Mean I Shouldn’t Participate?…

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Origins of Halloween

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Origins of Christmas

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When was Jesus born?

From Missing Links, Chapter IX:

Christmas is another pagan tradition that Christianity has adopted. You can read its complete history in any encyclopedia. The shepherds tending their flocks by night would have been in the spring/summertime. Winter rains in the region is what brings about green grass in the spring. By the end of summer and early autumn, the grass is dry and if tall enough usually cut as hay for winter forage. During the winter months, sheep and goats were kept in lower rooms, barns, or caves. Although a Christmas tree is found in Jer. 10:1-4, man has philosophized with various doctrines a humanistic defense of the Christmas tradition, but none are scriptural. It is difficult for man to change generations of tradition. But the King of Kings and Lord of Lords surely will! (Is. 66:23)

If Christ really wanted us to celebrate his birthday, the scriptures would give us a clear clue as to when he was born. The most accepted year is 5 BC. What was the month and date? Have you ever searched for something while it was right under your nose the entire time? Luke begins his first letter with the parents of John the Baptist. (1:5-25) Elisabeth conceived and hid herself five months; then, Luke directs his narrative to Mary.

Verse 26 begins with the angel Gabriel going to Nazareth in the sixth month. This is a sacred calendar month, not the sixth month of Elisabeth’s

pregnancy, which is a fact stated in verse 36. Elisabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy ironically happened to be in the sixth month of the sacred calendar when Gabriel visited Mary! Carefully read the first chapter of Luke. He wrote to a friend who was a high official of Rome and would not have duplicated the same fact in such a confusing matter as most preachers preach. (Lk. 1:1-4)

The sixth month of the sacred calendar is Elud (Aug. – Sept.) When Mary had come to full term nine months later, Jesus was born in the third month of Sivan (May – June) the following year. (Lk. 2:5-7) On the eighth day, after purification of separation, he was brought to the local Levitical priest, circumcised and named. (Lk. 2:21-23; Lev. 12:2-7) The festival of Pentecost (Firstfruits or Weeks) is in the month of Sivan. (Lev. 23:10-22) Was Jesus was born on Pentecost? Christ is the firstfruit of salvation! (1 Cor. 15:20-23) Most likely, Jesus was born seven days prior to Pentecost just as he ascended to heaven seven days prior to Pentecost. Was he circumcised on the annual Sabbath of Pentecost? (Jn. 7:21-23) Let’s do the math in Lev. 23:15-18, Lk. 24:46-53, Acts 1:3-5 and 2:1. Pentecost counts seven Sabbaths after Passover and adds one day. [7 x 7 + 1 = 50] Christ was crucified on a Wednesday late afternoon, in the grave three whole days, and then resurrected on a Saturday (Sabbath) late afternoon. He ascended to heaven after spending forty days with the disciples. Pentecost was not many days hence. The counting of seven Sabbaths following Christ’s crucifixion on a Wednesday (Passover) began three days later – Saturday, which was the day he arose and the first Sabbath following Passover. [3 + 40 + 7 = 50]

Sivan (May – June) is about the middle of our solar year because the summer solstice is June 21. Jesus was born sometime in the late spring 5 BC. Mathematically, his birth date would be between 5.25 BC and 5.5 BC. Recall the math in Chapter VI in the Seventy Weeks Prophecy? Nisan is the first and Sivan the third month on the sacred calendar, a lunar type, which can vary as much as 28 days with today’s solar calendar. Jesus was crucified one to two months short of his 34^th birthday. [30 (years old when He was baptized) + 3.5 (years of ministry) = 33.5]

John the Baptist was born late Chislev (Nov – Dec). Should we start celebrating his birthday on the 25^th of December? [If so, say Merry John-the-baptist-mas] You could research the year 5 BC, cross reference the Jewish lunar to the Julian solar, correct it by the Gregorian and find Jesus’ birthday on today’s calendar. Should we bake him a cake and sing happy birthday?

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How to get Roman converts?

I suppose there were some false apostles who discovered the best way to sell a new religion was to repackage the old one by altering its manufactures’ instructions and sell it as new and improved.

The Origins of Christmas: Pagan Rites, Drunken Revels and More

From the article:

We all know the story of Christmas: Jesus, Mary and Joseph; no room at the inn; a virgin birth. But in ancient Rome, there was a December celebration that may feel oddly familiar: Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, Romans exchanged gifts, sang songs and decorated their homes with evergreens. Instead of Jesus Christ, though, Saturnalia celebrated the Roman god Saturn. In fact, December 25 was the winter solstice on the Roman calendar, the shortest day of the year. We can still see the pagan origins of Christmas in many holiday traditions, including mistletoe, which symbolized fertility to pre-Christians and new life even in the depths of winter….

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All roads lead to Rome!

Come out of Babylon for her judgement is near!

LOLGB+