Grafted-In Ministries
Why I do not Celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah
By: Dave Rogers
What you are about to hear may stun you, hurt you, and be very hard to accept. Whether your religious tradition that you hold most dear is Christmas or Hanukkah, please understand that the truth from Elohim's Word may hurt at first but it brings life, life eternal. [Hebrews 4:12]
It is an abomination is to suggest that Messiah would ever endorse Christmas or Hanukkah as a set-apart day to be observed, because that would be adding to the commandments of Elohim, a sin, and we know the Messiah did not sin. It is Elohim Elohim alone who defines in Elohim's Word how we are to worship him, honor him, obey him, and please him. All of Elohim's commanded "official" and "Biblical" set-apart days are clearly outlined in Leviticus Chapter 23. Hanukkah and Christmas are not on the list and thus ARE NOT "set-apart" or "righteous" or pleasing to Elohim. To suggest otherwise will only anger Elohim because you are adding to his instructions, the Scripture, a serious crime against Elohim [Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32].
IT IS NOT that all tradition is evil, the problem is: IN ELEVATING any man-made tradition or non-Biblical commandment TO THE CONCEPT OF HOLINESS, a part of the path of righteousness, or that it pleases Elohim in any way. Elohim probably does not care if you celebrate your country's independence day with a cook-out (bbq), picnic, and fireworks show - just don't think that it will bring you closer to Elohim in any way. Don't talk about it like it is the "set-apart" or "righteous" thing to do, because by doing so you will only anger Elohim by perverting his Word, his standard - by adding to Elohim's perfect instructions (Elohim's Word).
Man-made Holidays Can Never Be Set-apart or Pleasing to Elohim
By observing Christmas or Hanukkah as set-apart, special, or set-apart unto Elohim, you have perverted Elohim's commanded set-apart Days in Leviticus chapter 23 by mixing what is common with that is set-apart AND you have just added to Elohim's Instructions (Elohim's Word). You have just committed multiple abominations and sins that Elohim hates most. So in your attempt to do something set-apart to Elohim, you have just terribly angered him and he will distance himself from you, for we are to only worship Elohim in the manner that Elohim specifically declares in Elohim's Word, and in no other way.
They have "done violence to my law and have profaned my set-apart things.
They have made no distinction between the set-apart and the common ..." - Ezekiel 22:26
In Matthew 15:13, Jesus (Yeshua) said:
"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up."
Psalms 19:7
"The law of Yehovah (YHVH) is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of Yehovah (YHVH) is sure, making wise the simple."
Perfect means lacking nothing, whole or complete. We have no need of other set-apart days. What Elohim has ordained is perfect. Leviticus Chapter 23 reveals Elohim's heart as to what his set-apart days are that we are to observe. Stand firm on the PERFECTION of Elohim's Word! Do not add to or take away from Elohim's Word [Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32]. Since when does Elohim need our help to set standards of holiness and righteousness that have already been established forever? Who are we to consult the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth?
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares Yehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
All of Elohim's commanded "official" and "Biblical" set-apart days are clearly outlined in Leviticus Chapter 23. Hanukkah and Christmas are not on the list. Who told you to observe Christmas or Hanukkah? It was not Elohim!
Elohim has never endorsed or declared Christmas or Hanukkah as "set-apart" or "righteous" because Elohim clearly defines these things as commands in the Bible - and not obeying these commands is the very definition of sin (1 John 3:4). To suggest these holidays should be observed as a way to please Elohim, to get close to Elohim, or as something that is set-apart and special - is a clear abomination because you have just added to the instructions of Elohim. Stay focused my friends! The only path of righteousness is Scripture. The traditions of men are empty calories. They may fill you up but do not feed or nourish you for they cannot. They are often a complete waste of your time, since they absolutely cannot get you closer to Elohim, nor please him in any way.
In Mark 7:7-8, Jesus (Yeshua) states: “... in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of Elohim, you hold the tradition of men...”
The Golden Calf, another well meaning man-made holiday/festival dedicated to the Elohim of Israel [Exodus 32:5], created and endorsed by the High Priest of Israel (Aaron) - YET it was not commanded by Elohim. That didn't work out for many reasons. It is Elohim who decides how we are to worship him, not us. Do not add to or take away from Elohim's Word.
Did Jesus (Yeshua) Celebrate Hanukkah?
Many who love their Hanukkah traditions from Judaism and who claim to be a disciple of Jesus (Yeshua) often quote from John Chapter 10 claiming that Jesus (Yeshua) observed it. John 10:22-23 "Now it was the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch." The entire account is recorded in John 10:22-42. SO, let us look at the rest of the chapter to understand the context.
John 10 only places the Messiah at the Temple during one of the 8 days of Hanukkah, not the entire event, in fact it said he left. Interesting enough in verse 26, Jesus (Yeshua) declares to those celebrating Hanukkah as not being among his sheep. SO is John chapter 10 conclusive proof Jesus (Yeshua) endorsed Hanukkah? No.
Here are a few highlights from John chapter 10:
(24) So the Jews gathered around him...
(26) Jesus (Yeshua) said: "but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep."
(27) "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
(30) "I and the Father are one."
(31) The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.
(39) Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
The Messiah was in the Temple many, many, many times. It is wrong assume that he endorsed everything going on there. Remember the overturning of the tables incident?
It is an abomination is to suggest that the Messiah endorsed Hanukkah as a set-apart day to be observed, because that would be adding to the commandments of Elohim, a sin, and we know the Messiah did not sin. John chapter 10 only places the Messiah at the Temple during one of the 8 days of Hanukkah, not the entire event and it never says he commanded us to observe Hanukkah, nor does it reveal he endorsed, participated, or supported Hanukkah in any way. By tradition alone, and not what is plainly written, can one connect that verse say the Messiah celebrated it. This is a sin because you have added to Scripture. What is even worse is the traditional prayers of Hanukkah stating that Elohim commanded it.
Jesus/Yeshua did not command the observance of his birth, Christmas or Hanukkah. Do not get confused or easily led astray. To not obey a command is a sin. Hanukkah and Christmas are not commands. Elohim's Word reveals Elohim's perfect plan for us which does not need adding to or taking away from. Did Elohim need your input to add to his perfection? I think not. Stop doing your own "feel good" things and stay focused on what Elohim really want us to do. Elohim has a perfect plan to make us set-apart, so in the path of righteousness stay on Elohim' path. Anything else is a distraction off the path of holiness.
There is nothing set-apart or righteous about Hanukkah or Christmas - so says the Elohim of Israel. Doing them does not please Elohim.
Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday?
At the heart of Christmas is the idea of celebrating the birth of Jesus (Yeshua). While this may seem innocent there is much more pagan and man-made traditions that reveal it is not of Elohim. In fact, there is very little "Christian" about it. The Bible does gives us an narrative of the Messiah's birth but here is the problem: 1) Jesus (Yeshua) did not command us to observe his birth so we know that it does not please Elohim or is in any way the "righteous" or "set-apart" thing to do. 2) Christmas (Christ's Mass) is actually a Roman Catholic holiday that adopted December 25th, the birth-date of a pagan Elohim, and then tried to "Christianize it."
Most know or "feel" that the tradition of Santa Claus might be wrong but that is just the tip of the iceberg, there is so, so much more. Without diving into the volumes of pagan traditions involved in Christmas, I will suggest you research "origins of Christmas" on the Internet. Look for articles and videos on the origins of traditions like the "Christmas Tree," "Yule Log," "Santa Claus" and such. These things will shock you, like Santa Claus eating children who are "naughty."
The Bible does actually mention the pagan worship of a Christmas-type tree in Jeremiah 10:1-4
"Hear the word that Yehovah speaks to you, O house of Israel. (2) Thus says Yehovah: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, (3) for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. (4) They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move."
Who told you to observe Christmas or Hanukkah? It was not Elohim!
In Matthew 6:24, Jesus (Yeshua) said: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. ..."
The Traditions of the Elohim of Israel are commandments and if we don't do them it is a sin (1 John 3:4). The Traditions of Men have no value if your true purpose is the please Elohim. It is important to "guard" - to hold fast to - to not turn to the left or the right away from the commandments, to not get distracted away them, to stay focused on what is set-apart, on what is righteous, on what is pleasing to Elohim.
Of all the thousands of cool things that happened in the Bible, which is worthy of making it a memorial/set-apart day? How would you choose? And how can you say one is of more value than the other? You cannot. You can only say that we should obey the commanded memorial/set-apart days (Leviticus 23) as we were taught by Torah - Elohim's own instructions. We only have a limited amount of time - let us stay focused on the commandments - which PROVE our love - which PROVE a righteous path - other ways do not.
If any traditions are okay, there is a memorial day I would value more than Hanukkah and Christmas, it would be David killing Goliath. But if I make this such a set-apart day and reverence it as others do Hanukkah and Christmas then I would be getting off track, missing the mark (sinning), TURNING to the left or the right away from Elohim's Way?
Do not Mix what is Common with what is Set-apart
We are commanded not to mix the common with the set-apart. I suggest mixing traditional holidays (Jewish or Christian) from any source and treating them with the same reverence as Elohim's Set-apart Days is a sin.
Can we worship Elohim in any manner that we want? I think not! We may only worship Elohim in a way that he specifically has outlined in the Scripture. In Leviticus 23, Elohim clearly outlines his appointed Set-apart Days that we are commanded to obey. To not do so is sin.
"... (they) offered unauthorized fire before Yehovah, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before Yehovah and consumed them, and they died before Yehovah." - Leviticus 10:1-2
"Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my set-apart things. They have made no distinction between the set-apart and the common..." - Ezekiel 22:26
"You are to distinguish between the set-apart and the common... you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that Yehovah has spoken to them by Moses." - Leviticus 10:10-11
"They shall teach my people the difference between the set-apart and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean." - Ezekiel 44:23
How does one celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas? You first start by temporarily throwing out your faith in the Messiah and following Rabbinical Judaism (Hanukkah) or Roman Catholicism (Christ's Mass), for you can only serve one master. Hanukkah and Christmas are not a commanded set-apart day by Elohim. It is not set-apart, nor does doing it make you any closer to Elohim (as Elohim has defined doing his Will in the Scriptures). Hanukkah is a tradition of Rabbinical Judaism (Pharisee-ism) and Christ's Mass is an official set-apart day of the Roman Catholic Church. These man-made holidays will make you closer to them, but not to Elohim.
Stay focused on the one who gives you salvation, the Elohim of Israel and his Word.
If you indeed seek to obey Elohim then your eternal reward is from Elohim. If you seek to obey men, your temporary reward is from men and will be destroyed.
They are Watching You!
You may not know, but many people are watching you and it is not Big Brother, it is your little brothers and sisters in the faith. They are looking to their older siblings to teach them by their example how to live a righteous life set-apart and pleasing to Elohim. So let our walk be a perfect example set by the Word of Elohimalone. For Christmas and Hanukkah are just one of a thousand traditions from Christianity and Judaism that are non-Biblical. And if we teach one non-Biblical tradition from Christianity or Judaism as the right thing to do, then does this not also lead our little brothers and sisters down the wrong path? That in their life as a disciple THEY CAN LOOK outside of Scripture to what is set-apart and pleasing to Elohim.
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Dave Rogers
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