Posted on 09/22/2013 5:26:16 PM PDT by Errant
It is an amazing fulfillment of prophecy and well worth the time to research thoroughly.
Yep, but unlikely in the middle of winter (i.e., Dec 25th).
ALL of the Jewish feasts mandated in the bible are either prophetic telling what will someday happen or in remembrance of events concerning Christ which have already happened. They are part of Gods regularly scheduled events to keep us fully aware of Christ and major events concerning Him.
It is extremely unfortunate that the Romans wanted to replace all of Gods mandated feasts with ‘holy’ days of their own creation thereby impacting us on exactly what He wants us to remember.
It is important that the Roman Catholic church has replaced Gods mandated feats with their own devised ‘holy’ days attempting to destroy all things Jewish in an effort to convert the world to their own belief system.
Those specific feasts mandated by God are extremely important in keeping us reminded of Gods specific plan of salvation of man by allowing us to celebrate those very specific events.
Actually, the Romans didn’t celebrate anything at the winter solstice (as in sunny Italy, and the Mediterranean region, winter isn’t very fearsome), until about AD 180, when already about at least 25% of the Empire were Christians. It’s true that the pagans of the far north (Germany, Scandanavia, British Isles) did celebrate solstice celebrations, however, they were not in the Empire, and had different pagan beliefs...hence their practices didn’t affect the Romans, pagan or Christian.
In about AD 180 an emperor switched a holiday to the Roman sun god, “Sol Invictus” from summertime to 25 Dec...and no one really knows why. One reason though, could of been to paganize an already existing Christian holiday.
Shepherds watching flocks is easy. Biblical Archeological Review has had articles showing evidence for a permanent flock in and around Bethlehem—to supply the Temple, ALL YEAR ROUND for their daily sacrifices. This is different from traditional bedouin herds of today, or roaming herds in previous eras.
Just as today near Jerusalem, not every December night is ice cold either (though many are)....so its entirely plausible that shepherds (a totally despised, outcast, almost-homeless group at the time of Jesus) would be out-of-doors watching the Temple-supply flocks—at any time of year.
In the 1600s a Puritan scholar—who, as was typical of the day, was certain ANYTHING the Roman Catholic church did was evil....came up with the theory that Christmas (which Puritans actually made illegal to celebrate) was really a wicked pagan holiday, which the corrupt & wiley Roman Catholics Christianized.
Today we know a lot more about ancient Rome, and we know that: a) solstice holidays were not traditionally Roman or Greek and, b)the Sol Invictus holiday, on the 25th of Dec., didn’t become that...until AFTER Christianity was a major religion in the Roman empire.
Therefore it is entirely plausible that celebrating Jesus birthday came first....and the pagans tried to stop such practices by the despised (and often low class, slaves & servants) Christians, by making it into a pagan holiday, NOT visa-versa.
And yes, I’m well aware that after the time of Constantine, (from the early 300s on) it was common to convert pagan temples into churches. I don’t think that’s a bad thing necessarily either....as I’m sure they were big buildings, in central locations—and they stopped pagan worship that way too.
I just get tired of all the people that like to jump up and down to try to “prove” ancient Christian traditions are all somehow wrong (or even evil) as I do not think that serves the gospel of Jesus Christ well....when Christians are always trying to point at other Christians saying “YOU’RE WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! IN MY LITTLE CHURCH WE’RE SO MUCH SMARTER THAN YOU!!! NAH NAH NAH!”
Does anyone know for sure when Jesus birthday really was? NO. Every theory has its problems. For all the arrogance of traditionalism though, non-traditionalism is as arrogant or more...
Unless one can build an air-tight case from holy Scripture against traditional celebrations and dates—I believe it is important to honor existing Christian holidays.
The dating of Christmas, to me, is an affirmation of life beginning at conception: born at Tabernacles; CONCEIVED at Christmas, when He began to dwell among us.
Because it is THAT Yashua was born not the importance of when he was born.
Never equated Zeus with Yashua -Because it is THAT Yashua was born not the importance of when he was born.
Once in a while I like to throw in a “huh’ ha?” - keeps people on their toes and get them to loosen up a bit, makes them stop and think a second before they see the humor in it.
I kinda threw that in to liven things up a bit.
Every once in a while a bit of humor has to be injected in order to lighten things up a bit and not get too serious. Just about every Christian and Jew knows that Yashua wasn’t born on the 25th. of December. The early Christians took that date because it was a pagan holiday and wanted to have a definite remembrance of the birth of Christ. All evidence points to sometime in the fall. The whole point is not when He was born but That He was born to save mankind from sin; that those that truly believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Wow! That's really going to play havoc with my Nativity scene. ;)
I’m guessing you like to perform a barrel roll now and then for the same reason? lol
We will be celebrating the Feast Of Booths when He reigns for a thousand years. I always thought He could have been born on Oct 31 since Satan has made it a celebration of death and fear.
Resurrection Day is my favorite Holy Day. Our Wounded Warriors celebrate their alive day. Not the same but precious none the less.
But when I do, I never inform my passengers right after beverage service.
In truth.....life begins ‘before conception’ in the mind and heart of God....He knows all men before their conception and birth......”Before I formed you in the womb I knew you”.... Jeremiah 1:5
...Christmas celebration is all about Jesus Christ....The name Christmas would have no meaning without Christ...and since He is God in the flesh He has no beginning or end...He is the Alpha and Omega....
The Old Testament is all about ‘He’s Coming’...the Gospels are all about ‘He’s Here’....and the rest is “He’s Coming Again”.
The entire Bible is all about Jesus....from the beginning to the end.
The feasts are not necessary for one to find favor with God...nor does celebrating them affect our Salvation or standing with God. It is through Christ's finished work we stand before Him...it is through Jesus we have Peace with God.
When we ‘add’ requirements we make His sacrifice incomplete..and thereby insufficient....which completely opposes HIS 'finished'work on our behalf.
We celebrate Christmas for the Joy that HE came and lived among us....’Emmanuel’.
I remain standing on the facts .....Christians do not celebrate Christmas as a pagan holiday....it is celebrated as Jesus Christ entering our world .........We celebrate Easter as His resurrection from the dead. It is really not a complicated issue as some want to make it.
Sorry you can’t seem to grasp this and somehow desire to say otherwise... because without Christ there is no Christmas nor Easter.
Some here seem very much set to discredit these events.....rather than focus on the Savior they are caught up in dates and times...which always will distract from the ‘centrality’ of Christ and the relationship we have with Him and He with us......Christ within us is our hope....not dates, times, and seasons.
Shepherds kept sheep ‘year around’....for the temple sacrifices....didn’t matter what the seasons were..they still had to tend them night and day.
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