No More Christmas?!?

I have found that our decision to no longer participate in Christmas has not gone unnoticed, and I have had a surprising amount of people ask why we have taken this drastic step. 

In reading through the Old Testament (specifically, the first 5 books) this year, we saw how many times God told His people not to adopt the culture of the people around them. 

I had known the pagan roots of Christmas for a few years, but I justified continuing in it, because  we made OUR celebration all about the Lord (and we truly DID). We did not do Santa, or materialism. We kept a simple Advent filled with a special Bible study.

But in studying Exodus, Deuteronomy, Numbers... He made it clear to me that He is not pleased with us using pagan practices to worship Him. He said over and over and over to be separate, and stay away from what everyone else does. He NEVER said redeem evil things and use them to worship Him. 

 I have been asked how our children took the news. We had done all our reading together and we discussed what the verses meant for us, as we read. And when I told them about my Christmas conviction, they were not surprised. They understood where it came from and were fine with it. They wanted to do what was right before God, rather than hold on to tradition. I have checked with them often since we made the decision,  and we feel we are not missing out, and instead have replaced that holiday with much richer and more fulfilling celebrations. (The Biblical feasts)

 We believe Jesus was most likely born at Tabernacles, which is one of the biggest holidays God commands us to keep in His Word.  We have really enjoyed making that our main holiday (alongside Passover). We use the week long celebration to bless loved ones with gifts, to celebrate Yeshua (Jesus)'s coming, and go all out with decorating our home.   (Plenty of posts here on the blog about how we have learned to keep the Biblical feasts, if you want to know more.)

The following verses by no means are an in depth study. I did not keep specific notes on this topic as we were reading, as the conviction came upon me slowly. These are just what comes to mind immediately, as I write this post. There is so much information online about the real beginnings of Christmas. If you feel  the Lord leading you, please pray about it, and research for yourself.

 
Jeremiah 10: 10 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

2 Kings 17:15 They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the LORD had commanded them not to do like them.

Deuteronomy 12:31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way,

Deuteronomy 16:21 You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah or any kind of tree beside the altar of the LORD your God