The Nativity of Yahshua HaMashiach powerpoint

And he said to them all, If anyman will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23 (KJB)

LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 1

Our Lord Jesus ChristBy Gary Stephen Crous


We will look extensively at what the Holy Scriptures tell

us of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Yahshua from

the Gospel according to Saint Luke from 1:1 to 2:40



MONTH

PRE- / POST

EXILIC

OF YEAR

SACRED /

CIVIL

MODERN

EQUIVALENT

MONTHS

Abib / Nisan 1 / 7 March / April

Ziv / Iyar 2 /8 April / May

Sivan 3 / 9 May / June

Tammuz 4 / 10 June / July

Ab 5 / 11 July / August

Elul 6 / 12 August / September

Ethanim / Tishri 7 / 1 September / October

Bul / Heshvan 8 / 2 October / November

Kislev 9 / 3 November / December

Tevet 10 / 4 December / January

Shevat 11 / 5 January / February

Adar

Adar I

12 / 6

13

February / March

Leap Year

According to 1 Chronicles 24:1-19, the Levites werecommanded by YHWH (the LORD) to serve in the Templeduring a 24 course cycle. Further, in accordance withDeuteronomy 16:16 ~ Three times in a year shall all thy malesappear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shallchoose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast ofweeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall notappear before the LORD empty:

These three main feasts can be viewed in Leviticus 23.

Therefore, during a Hebrew year the priesthood would appearbefore the LORD once in the first half of the year and once inthe second half the year in accordance with 1 Chronicles 24 . . .


. . . and three times in accordance with Deuteronomy 16:16.

Therefore, the Hebrew year consisted of 51 weeks which ismade up as follows:





24 + 24 + 3 = 5124 Courses multiplied by 2 Temple duties a year equals 48

weeks, plus the three pilgrimage weeks which totals 51 weeks.




24 + 24 + 3 = 5124 Courses multiplied by 2 Temple duties a year equals 48

weeks, plus the three pilgrimage weeks which totals 51 weeks.

As the Hebrew calendar is a lunar/solar calendar based on a30 day month, being a 360 day year, the 51 weeks times 7days per week = 357 days per annum that fits within the 360day year.

The starting foundation to ascertain the nativity of the onlybegotten Son of God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, isfound by the following historical event: A certain priest namedZecharias of the course of Abia (Abijah)(Luke 1:5). The courseof Abia was the eighth course according to the Law written in 1Chronicles 24:10, being week eight of the Hebrew calendar.

However, according to Deuteronomy 16:16 ~ The Law of theFeasts:

Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before theLORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feastof unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feastof tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORDempty: LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 12

Therefore, all the priests had to appear together at these threeJewish feasts to minister in the Temple.

According to Leviticus 23 we can find out when the feasts ofDeuteronomy 16:16 shall appear in the Hebrew Calendar.

Feast of Unleavened Bread was celebrated starting on15th Nisan (see Leviticus 23:6-8); [Passover on 14th Nisan]

The Feast of Weeks [Shavuot (Pentecost)] fifty dayslater after Unleavened Bread in “Sivan” (see Leviticus 23:15-22); and

The Feast of Tabernacles starts on the 15th day of theseventh month “Tishri” (see Leviticus 23:33-44).

As two of these three feasts are celebrated in the first half ofthe year, Zechariah is found executing his priestly office ofburning incense at the altar of incense (see Luke 1:8-11) inweek ten of the Hebrew calendar, i.e. 8th course of Abijah +two feasts (Unleavened Bread and Pentecost) = Week 10.


Zechariah had his vision while serving in the eighth course ofAbijah, which fell in the tenth week of the year, calculatingfrom the beginning of the sacred year in the month Nisan. InLuke 1:23,24 we read that as soon as the days of hisministration were accomplished he finds himself at home andafter those days his wife Elizabeth conceived. This couldpossibly have taken place in the next four weeks. Firstly, aswith the manner of women, let us add two weeks to complywith the purity laws (Leviticus 15:19,25) for soon thereafterElisabeth would be fertile, and secondly this would then bringabout the conception of John in or about the 12th-14th week ofthat year in late Sivan / early Tammuz. If John was born aboutthirty-nine weeks (nine months) later (for we are not sure . . .


. . . of the exact date of conception calculated at about 39weeks from Elisabeth’s last menstruation cycle) that wouldbring us to the birth of John the Baptist in or about thePassover festival.

The calculation looks as follows:

8th Course (Abijah) 1 Chronicles 24:10 8

+ Two Festivals (Unleavened Bread and Pentecost) 2

+ Four weeks (manner of women and conception) 4

+ Elisabeth’s pregnancy of nine months (39 weeks) 39

Total Weeks 53

According to Jewish tradition this is when Elijah is expected toappear as we will see later at the Passover seder table.


Now when Elisabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy (seeLuke 1:24-26), the angel Gabriel is sent by God “To a virginespoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house ofDavid; and the virgin's name was Mary.”(v.27). Mary is told,“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring fortha son, and shalt call his name JESUS [YAHSHUA].”(v.31). Inverse 36 we are told that when Mary conceives, her cousinwould be already six months with child, as we read: “And,behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son inher old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who wascalled barren.” YHWH’s only begotten Son Jesus wasconceived by the Holy Spirit six months (about 26 weeks) afterJohn the Baptist’s conception. This means the Christ child wasconceived about the 38th week of the year around the festivalHanukkah, late Kislev (i.e. early December). This festival is notrecorded in Leviticus 23. However, there is significance in thatthe Light of the world [see John 1:9] was conceived during . . .


. . . the festival of lights! Conceived, not born in flesh enteringinto the world, as the Xmas holiday dictates – there is a hugedifference here!

We are told that Mary arose in those days (Luke 1:39) andwent and visited her cousin Elisabeth, “And Mary abode withher about three months, and returned to her own house.”(Luke 1:56). Therefore, Elisabeth’s six months pregnancy plusthe three months of Mary’s visitation results in Luke 1:57 “NowElisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; andshe brought forth a son.” This is in fulfilment of what isexpected by Jewish tradition and also the fulfilment of theprophet Malachi’s prophecy, as it is written:

5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the comingof the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6And he shall turnthe heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of thechildren to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with acurse. ~ Malachi 4:5,6



On the Seder plate is:•zro’ah (Shank bone) symbolizes the lamb that was sacrificed in ancient days•beitzah (Roasted Egg) represents the Passover offering of ancient days as well as the wholeness and continuingcycle of life•maror (Bitter herbs, horseradish or romaine lettuce) reminds us of the bitter lives of the Hebrew slaves•Charoset (the mixture of apples, nuts, sweet wine/grape juice, cinnamon and sugar in the Ashkenazic fashion ordates, nuts and sweet wine/grape juice in the Sephardic tradition), reminds us of the bricks and mortar made bythe Hebrew slaves•karpas (Greens) symbolizes the springtime of the year when Passover takes placeAlso placed on the table:•Three matzot (pl. of matzah), on a plate with a cloth or napkin cover•Salt water, a reminder of the tears shed by the Hebrew slaves•Cup of Elijah—Kos Eliyahu

The Jewish tradition during the Passover feast has a chair leftopen and a wine goblet set at Elijah’s place at the seder tableeach year awaiting his arrival.

The word seder is:

Hebrew for “set order”; the ritual Passover meal that isobserved in specific order. (Christ in the Passover, Ceil &Moishe Rosen, Moody Publishers, Chicago, page 10 underdefinitions)

A quote from the book titled Christ in the Passover will alsoset out the setting of a traditional Jewish Passover seder table:

“Also at the seder table, beside each place setting are smallwine goblets – small because four times they will be filled . . . ”


“ . . . with sweet, red Passover wine during the seder. Thecustom of drinking four cups dates back to ancient Templetimes. The Mishnah [Hebrew for the collection of oral law thatforms the basis of the Talmud; compiled by Judah ha-Nasi (c.AD 135 to 220) – page 9 under definitions] teaches that,according to two authorities, Rabbi Yohanon and RabbiBenayah, these four cups correspond to the four verbs inExodus 6:6-7, describing God’s redemption: I will bring youout; I will free you; I will redeem you; I will take you to be Mypeople.

“Two of the wine goblets at the table are usually larger andmore ornate than the rest. They have silver, intricate picturesof the Bible history crafted into the metal. One of these gobletssits at the head of the table for the ruler of the feast; the otheroccupies a prominent place at the foot of the table, before anempty chair. It awaits the lips of Elijah, who, according toMalachi 4:5, is to announce the coming of the Messiah. . . . ”


“ . . . The prophet is the invited guest of honor at every seder,for, should he come, it would indeed be the most festive ofPassovers! The Messianic hope prevails more strongly atPassover than at any other time, for Midrashic tradition says:“Nisan is the month of redemption; in Nisan Israel wasredeemed from Egypt; in Nisan Israel will again be redeemed”(Exodus Rabbah 15:12 Cf. chap. 6, 64-66) (Christ in thePassover, Ceil & Moishe Rosen, Moody Publishers, Chicago,pages 82-83)

During the Passover traditions, a child goes and opens thehouse door to see if Elijah has “arrived”, to accept theinvitation to come inside and announce the coming of theMessiah, and as he is not outside the door, tradition has it thatthe Jewish Passover celebrators keep his place open awaitingthe “arrival” possibly next year! This goes on year after year.Now let us read what Scripture says about John the Baptistcoming in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17).


At the transfiguration of Christ, Moses and Elijah appeared toJesus Christ and His disciples Peter, James and John. And thisis recorded in Matthew 17:10-13 ~

10And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say thescribes that Elias must first come? 11And Jesus answered andsaid unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore allthings. 12But I say unto you, That Elias is come already[see Matthew 11:13,14], and they knew him not, but have doneunto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son ofman suffer of them. 13Then the disciples understood thathe spake unto them of John the Baptist. [See also Mark9:10-13 and Luke 9:33][my emphasis in bold and throughout]

In the Gospel according to John 1:19-23 we also read ~

19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priestsand Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20Andhe confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the . . .


. . . Christ. 21And they asked him, What then? Art thouElias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And heanswered, No. 22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? thatwe may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thouof thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in thewilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said theprophet Esaias. [Isaiah 40:3]. ~ John 1:19-23 *Lord = kurios (LORD / YHWH)

As YHWH sent His messenger John the Baptist, so too was thebirth of His Only Begotten Son precisely when God chose forHis Son to enter this world – on time to the last detail, as weread:

4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth hisSon, made of a woman, made under the law, ~ Galatians 4:4

Six months after John’s birth at the Passover feast in themonth of Nisan, the Jewish Messiah came to tabernacle . . .


. . . at the autumn (fall) Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in themonth Tishri (i.e. September/October). God gives us aRevelation of when He revealed Himself as His Son, conceivedof the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin and entered into this worldas the Divine God-Man? – “And the Word was made flesh, anddwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of theonly begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John1:14) – “Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us”(see Matthew 1:23).

We will now confirm the Historical account giving furtherevidences why our Great God, Lord of lords, King of kings andGod above all gods was born at the Feast of Tabernacles(Sukkot) on the third feast in the latter half of the year inaccordance with Deuteronomy 16:16. Let the TRUTH beknown.


This all points towards the Festival of Sukkot as we examinethe Biblical Historical account:

Bethlehem was “booked out.” This was a combination oftwo aspects – firstly, the taxing (or enrolment) that CaesarAugustus decreed:

1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out adecree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should betaxed. 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius wasgovernor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one intohis own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of thecity of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which iscalled Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage ofDavid:) ~ Luke 2:1-4


And secondly, every Jew was required to come toJerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16)and this would also have had the effect of Jerusalem being“booked out” where the Temple was situated as well asBethlehem just five miles away. Therefore, it would beunderstandable that there was no room in the inn. But, we alsomust remember that Jews attending the Feast of Sukkot wouldbe residing in booths for the duration of the festival accordingto the Jewish law. (See Leviticus 23:33-44)

We also read in Genesis 33:17 ~

17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house,and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the placeis called Succoth*. [*That is Booths]

The word “booth” in this verse is the Hebrew word in theStrong’s Complete Word Study Concordance [5521 sukkâh,sook-kaw’: feminine of 5520; a hut or lair – booth, cottage, . . .


. . . covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent. A feminine singular nounmeaning a booth, a thicket. This term is used for temporaryshelters used to cover animals (Ge 33:17); warriors (2Sa 11:11);and the prophet Jonah (Jnh 4:5). It is used poetically to referto the clouds (Job 36:29; Ps 18:11). A specialized usage isemployed for booths constructed for the fall harvest festival(Le 23:42,43). The festival was known as the chaghassukkôwth (2282), the Feast of Booths (Dt 16:13,16). Thiswas to remind the Israelites that they lived in booths when theLord brought them up from Egypt (Le 23:43).]


If Jesus was born on the first day of Sukkot, “. . . The fifteenthday of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles forseven days unto the LORD” (Leviticus 23:34), then He wouldhave been circumcised on the “eighth great day” a festivalfollowing Sukkot. Shemini Atseret (“Eighth Day of SolemnAssembly”) is a festival observed immediately after Sukkot(Tabernacles), i.e. on 22nd Tishri (i.e. the seventh month), . . .


. . . as laid down in the Pentateuch: “On the eighth day youshall observe a holy occasion . . . it is a solemn gathering(Atseret); you shall not work at your occupations” (Lev. 23:36;cf. Num. 29:35). The term Atseret (lit. “concluding festival”) isalso applied to the last day of Passover (Deut. 16:8) and, by therabbis, to Shavu’Ot (RH 1:2; Shev. 1:1). This day was theoriginal “Simchat Torah” (Rejoicing of the Law) {n. Judaism Afestival celebrating the Law of Moses and the completion ofthe year’s cycle and subsequent new beginning, observed onthe 22nd or 23rd day of Tishri (September/October) – which isnow held the following day in Rabbinic Judaism. [Hebrewśimhat tôrâ, rejoicing in the Torah, Simchat Torah: śimhâ, joy(from śāmēah, to rejoice) + tôrâ, torah.]}

(www.answers.com/topics/shemini-atseret).

Sukkot is symbolic of God dwelling in a “tabernacle” (body)with us. John 1:14 reads ~


14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and webeheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of theFather,) full of grace and truth.

The word “dwelt” is recorded in the Strong’s Complete WordStudy Concordance as [4637 – skēnoō from 4636; to tent orencamp, i.e. (figurative) to occupy (as a mansion) or (special)to reside (as God in the tabernacle of old, a symbol ofprotection and communion):- dwell].

See also Hebrews 9:11 that Christ is our tabernacle ~

11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come,by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made withhands, that is to say, not of this building;

In this Hebrews’ verse the word “tabernacle” is recorded in theStrong’s Complete Word Study Concordance as the Greekword [4633 – skēnē, skay-nay’; apparently akin to 4632 and4639; a tent or cloth hut (literal or figurative): - habitation,tabernacle. LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 30

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in thefield, keeping watch over their flock by night. ~ Luke 2:8

The word “abiding” is the only time that this word is used withthe Greek word agrauleō in the Strong’s Complete Word StudyConcordance [63 – agrauleō from 68 and 832 (in the senseof 833); to camp out – abide in the field.] The shepherds werecamping out which would not be the case if they were in themonth of December. Winter would have set in and the latterrainy season would have commenced from late October and itwould be unlikely that the shepherds would have their flocksout in the fields at night. When the rainy season started in thelate fall, where temperatures would also be freezing, theshepherds would have already brought their sheep in from thefields and sheltered them.LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 31

From the Adam Clark Commentary, Volume 5, page 347, welearn “[i]t was an ancient custom among the Jews of thosedays to send their sheep to the fields and deserts aboutPassover (early spring) and bring them home atcommencement of the first rain.” The authority continues,“during the time they were out, the shepherds watched themnight and day, as . . . the first rains began early in the month ofHeshvan, which answers to part of our October and November(begins mid October), we find that the sheep were kept out inthe open country during the whole summer, and as theseshepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is apresumptive argument that October had not yet commenced,and consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th ofDecember, when no flocks were out in the fields by night. Onthis very ground, the nativity in December should be givenup.”


From the Mede’s Works, 1679, Discourse xlvii we read: “It isevidenced that Jesus was not born during the middle of winter,for at the time of His birth, the shepherds were living out inthe fields with their flocks. As the bible says: “There were inthe same country shepherds abiding in the field, keepingwatch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). As is well knownthe shepherds in Palestine do not “abide in the fields” duringthe winter season because of the extreme, cold temperatures.The shepherds always bring their flocks in from the mountainslopes and fields no later than October 15th!”

Another quoted source reads: “Israeli meteorologists trackedDecember weather patterns for many years and concluded thatthe climate in Israel has been essentially constant for at leastthe last 2,000 years . . . broadly speaking, weather phenomenaand climatic conditions as pictured in the Bible correspondwith conditions as observed today” ~ The Interpreter’sDictionary of the Bible (R.B.Y. Scott, Vol. 3, Abingdon Press,Nashville, 1962, p.625). LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 33

The Bible also states that winter is a rainy month:

11For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; ~ Songof Solomon 2:11

and

9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gatheredthemselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It wasthe ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and allthe people sat in the street of the house of God, tremblingbecause of this matter, and for the great rain. . . . 13But thepeople are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are notable to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two:for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. ~ Ezra10:9,13

The ninth month referred to in the preceding verses is themonth Kislev (November / December) according to the sacredJewish calendar. It is also worth noting the “clothing” that . . .


. . . the baby Jesus was wrapped in at the time of His birthwhich would not be appropriate for the middle of winter. Weread the account pertaining to the swaddling clothes ~

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days wereaccomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she broughtforth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for themin the inn. ~ Luke 2:6,7

The word “swaddling” is in the Greek [4683 – sparganoōfrom sparganon (a strip from a derivative of the base of 4682meaning to strip or wrap with strips); to swathe (an infantafter the Oriental custom): - wrap in swaddling clothes.] Wecan see that Joseph and Mary were not only poor by theoffering that they offered at the Temple, “. . . a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24 and see Leviticus12:6-8), but the clothes were also strips of wrap.

From the evidence provided dispels a December winter birth.LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 35

We need to consult the Scriptures in Matthew 2:1-12, 16-18 tosee the correct events as they happened. When the wise mencame from the east to Jerusalem after seeing “his star in theeast” (Matthew 2:2) the baby Jesus had already been born.The wise men saw the appearing of the star and then set out tocome and worship the King Jesus. Once they saw the star andset out on their journey from the land they found themselvesin, it must have taken them many months, for when theyarrived in Jerusalem, they asked where is he that is born Kingof the Jews. When king Herod heard this – in order to fulfilScriptures – “he demanded of them where Christ should beborn” (Matthew 2:4b).

Herod then diligently enquired of the wise men at what timethe star appeared (see Matthew 2:7) and when they had . . .


. . . told him they went to see the Christ. Now we must put intoperspective the visit by the wise men when we see that theshepherds of Bethlehem were visited by angels telling them,

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you;Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lyingin a manger. ~ Luke 2:11,12

15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away fromthem into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let usnow go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is cometo pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16Andthey came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, andthe babe lying in a manger. ~ Luke 2:15,16

The shepherds were the first to see the baby Jesus lying in amanger and they broadcast the good news (see Luke 2:17,18) –the first evangelists!


The word for “babe” is recorded in the Strong’s CompleteWord Study Concordance as the Greek word 1025 brephos,bref’-os; of uncertain affinity; an infant (properly unborn)literal or figurative:- babe, (young) child, infant.

However, when we read the account of the wise men meetingJesus, He is a “young child in a house” and the Greek word for“child” in Matthew 2:11 is 3813 paidion, pahee—dee’-on;neuter diminutive of 3816; a childling (of either sex), i.e.(properly) an infant, or (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl;figurative an immature Christian:- (little, young) child,damsel.

We know that at least two years must have elapsed from thetime the star first appeared to the wise men, and theminforming king Herod, for when Herod saw that he was“mocked” by the wise men who did not report back to him, hefulfilled an ancient prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15 whenhe killed the children, as we read:


16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wisemen, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all thechildren that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof,from two years old and under, according to the time which hehad diligently enquired of the wise men. 17Then was fulfilledthat which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18InRama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, andgreat mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and wouldnot be comforted, because they are not. ~ Matthew 2:16-18

The other thing to remember is that when these wise mentravelled they had large caravans (of camels) with many peopletravelling together and because three gifts are named whichwere presented to Jesus when they worshipped Him, being“gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” from their “treasures”(see Matthew 2:11), the number of the men cannot be limitedto three. No Scripture confirms the number of wise men in theparty. This is the account of Scripture and not the heresydepicted at Xmas time. LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 39

“Finally, in connection with the customs of the “Christ-mas”season, we will mention the Xmas tree. An old Babylonishfable went like this: Semiramis, the mother of Tammuz,claimed that overnight an evergreen tree sprang up from adead tree stump. The dead stump supposedly symbolized herdead husband Nimrod; the new evergreen tree was the symbolthat Nimrod had come to life again in the person of Tammuz!

“This idea spread and developed to such a degree that thevarious nations all have had their legends about sacred trees!Among the Druids, the oak was sacred; among the Egyptians,it was the palm; and in Rome, it was the fir, which wasdecorated with red berries during the Saturnalia! [Curiositiesof Popular Customs, p.242]. Among the Scandinavians, the firtree was sacred to their god Odin.


“The Scandinavian god Woden or Odin was believed to bestowspecial gifts at Yuletide to those who honored him byapproaching his sacred FIR TREE.” [Festivals, Holy Days, andSaints' Days, p.222]. And even as other rites of the Yuletideseason were absorbed into “Christianity”, so also is the wide-spread use of the tree at this season a carry over of an ancientpractice!

“The Xmas tree recapitulates the idea of tree worship, with thegilded nuts and balls symbolizing the sun. The festivities of thepagan winter solstice have been absorbed into the celebrationof Xmas. The use of holly and mistletoe come from the pagan,Druidic ceremonies, the use of the Xmas tree from the worshippaid to Odin’s sacred fir.” [Ibid, p.238].

“In at least ten Biblical references, the “green” tree isassociated with idolatry and false worship. [Deuteronomy12:2; I Kings 14:23; II Kings 16:4, 17:10; Ezekiel 6:13].

The “green” tree refers to trees that are green all year round, . .LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 41

. . . since; of course, all trees are green at one time or another.So the “green” trees that the scriptures are talking about arethe evergreen trees or trees within that family! Taking all ofthis into consideration, it is interesting to notice the reading ofJeremiah 10:1-5 and compare it with today’s custom ofdecorating a tree:

1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, Ohouse of Israel: 2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way ofthe heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; forthe heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of thepeople are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, thework of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck itwith silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and withhammers, that it move not. 5They are upright as the palm tree,but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannotgo. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither alsois it in them to do good. ~ Jeremiah 10:1-5


“The customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out ofthe forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.”“They fasten it with nails and hammers. They deck it withsilver and with gold.”

“Now of course the people in the days of Jeremiah, as thecontext goes on to show, were actually making an idol out ofthe tree. We are not inferring that people today who put treesin their homes during the Xmas season are worshipping thetree, but that the use of the tree is plainly and totally a carryover from paganism. Whatever the difference may be betweenthe ancient use of the tree as compared with present daycustoms, no one can deny that these things of which we havebeen speaking are customs of men. And God says: “Thecustoms of the people are vain” (Jeremiah 10:3) – and “thetemple of idols have nothing in common with the temple ofGod.” (II Corinthians 6:16)” (Mede's Works, 1679. Discoursexlvii).


Now that you know the TRUTH, what are you going to do withthis knowledge? I suggest DO NOT bring strange fire beforeGod as we read in Leviticus 10:1 ~

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of themhis censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, andoffered strange fire before the LORD, which he commandedthem not.

Numbers 26:61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offeredstrange fire before the LORD.

Use the “silly season” to not be a part of the pagan heathenismtraditions, but Go and preach the Gospel of our Saviour theLord Jesus Christ. Will you ~

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come afterme, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, andfollow me.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to savethat which was lost. LUKE 9:23 EVANGELISM 44


TRUTHACCORDING TO

GOD’s HOLY WORD

DECEPTIONACCORDING TO MAN’S

CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS (MARK 7:7-9)

THE LIE THREE MONTHS LATER

ON DEC. 25


We haven’t even dealt with Satan Claus who has the same attributes as YHWH – heappears to be all knowing, he knows when children are good and bad, but he alsorewards the bad ones! He appears to be all present for he visits all the homes in onenight! And when parents teach their children that they get gifts from “FatherChristmas” he is a father figure who rewards as God rewards His children. And thereare many other satanic teachings about Satan Claus. The world are deceived by thistradition and sadly so are many “Christians”! We read in 2 Corinthians 6:17,18 ~17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, andtouch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the LordAlmighty.

The Nativity of Yahshua HaMashiach powerpoint

Spiritual

Transcript of The Nativity of Yahshua HaMashiach powerpoint