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HOW GOD MAKES ALL THINGS NEW
In considering how God makes all things new, I have a question. Should Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
Every year just before the beginning of winter, we come to the end of a time of great joy and celebration that was held during the Feast of Tabernacles. This time is followed by a precious time of giving thanks to God at Thanksgiving. Each seasonal event ends with a grateful heart. We are all full of wonder at the things God has shown us about life.
Then, just as we are feeling so happy and joyful and so warm and cozy, we have to get hit in the face with that same agonizing question that most Christians fear answering.
Should we, as children of God and born-again believers, celebrate Christmas?
MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS
Typically, most Christian communities do celebrate Christmas. They do so even though they know they have this date in error. Most realize Christ was probably born in the Fall during the feast of Sukkot. Some just wish to overlook that Mary and Joseph probably housed him in a temporary shelter called a sukkah most likely built to shelter the animals during the Sukkot festivities.
A whole lot of people seem to know by the time December 25th rolls around on that particular year; baby Jesus was about 3 or 4 months old. In December he was no longer an infant baby in a manger.
We all know how the pagans (over the centuries) celebrated the birth dates of their different deities and false gods on December 25 (Nimrod, Saturn, Zeus, and many more.) Network television reeks with the legends of these false gods. Series after series teach their ways to our children who have been conditioned to not pay attention to the details.
Most people seem to know this date of December 25th is the shortest and darkest day of the year. It is common knowledge that witches, warlocks and demons love this time for its darkness. They love the fact that winter is coming when the sun no longer shines so bright. This is the best time of year for them because their evil deeds can remain more hidden from the world. As a matter of fact, today’s culture celebrates a movie called “Wicked” and promotes “wickedness” in the streets. None of what I say here is new news.
COMMON KNOWLEDGE
Almost everyone has heard about the sun worship that used to take place even before some of these later pagan activities existed.
We know about the Druids, and basically everyone understands how children have annually been tricked into believing in Santa Clause (same letters in the name Santa as Satan, just rearranged) instead of encouraged to worship the Messiah. We are all after the shinny wrappings and the presents, the things that the world has to offer.
It becomes increasingly obvious that the importance of belief in God’s ways have been pushed back and often replaced in a lot of homes. These ways have been side-tracked by materialism, worldliness, and the constant bombardment of many pagan practices. However, ignorance seems to be bliss and all practices go on as if they were normal and good for all.
We know all of this stuff. Everyone understands pagan sins and false worship have existed in some form, shape or fashion since the first sin took place in the garden and Satan was cast to earth. From the very first day on the planet, we have swallowed deceptions in large doses. Jesus warned us.
In this world of constant bombardment of false-knowledge; we can’t help but to know how some men have willingly or unknowingly been tricked by the devil into observing the wrong times and dates for the birth of Jesus.
THE OLD TRICK OF WEARING DOWN THE FAITHFUL
It is all old news. Every year we come to examining this question all over again. We attempt to double-check our motives simply because we understand that the things of God cannot be mixed with the things of Satan. Pulpits boldly proclaim that the truth cannot be mixed with a lie. It just would not be right.
This battle is old and tedious. Satan would love to know he has finally worn us out from it. He wants to see that we have thrown in the towel and said “whatever happens – happens!”
Those things are very plain to us, but how plain to us is the fact that The One and Only God of Heaven and Earth is bigger than all of the lies and tricks of the devil? https://www.torahclass.com/topical-teachings/942-hanukkah-is-for-christians/.
HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
Who still believes that God can take what men and demons meant for harm and evil and turn those things to good?
I’m standing with Joseph (Son of Jacob/Israel) on this old saying. It feels very true because that is what God has put on my heart this year. The story of Joseph, who was trapped in prison in the land of Egypt long before the Israelites were even trapped into slavery, has so many great implications for our own lives. These implications definitely apply to modern times.
Many, many times in life things do come against us that seem and often ARE evil. Joseph learned that God is able to use even these things intended for evil for good.
Have we forgotten that this can happen?
WE SERVE A GOD OF GREAT REVERSALS
In relation to what we deal with each year at Christmas, have we forgotten to look for this miracle that has happened over and over in almost all of the biblical stories?
It happened in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Again, it happened in the story of Esther. Of course, there was the story of Jonah. It happened in our history books on that first Hanukkah when the oil for the lamp was only enough for one day but it continued to burn for eight days. The worst time it happened was when Jesus was crucified on a cross.
God kept changing evil to good. He kept reversing bad situations over and over again.
Today, I’m here to tell you of yet another reversal. It has even happened with the whole concept of the season of Christmas!
What?
How so?
GOD’S THINKING IS SO FAR BEYOND OURS
Because when Satan tried to trick and deceive men into believing that Christ was born on a different date and time; God knew something that we didn’t think about. His mind is so far above and beyond our thinking.
God knew when the Christ child was conceived!
On the darkest, and most evil of all nights, God sent down hope. He placed His only begotten Son inside the womb of a young virgin named Mary.
Nine months before the time of the fall harvest; in late December, the power of God overshadowed Mary. God’s Holy Spirit formed a child inside her womb. This holy child would grow for the next nine months into the Savior of the world. He would be born in a sukkah (a temporary dwelling place) and laid inside a feeding trough during the late Fall. The birth would happen while the whole world was busy celebrating the blessings of the harvest in Jerusalem.
The whole amazing process started in that little town called Nazareth. In the dead of winter, on a dark, dark night which seemed hopeless; God came to Mary. He placed a holy child inside her womb.
EVEN IN NAZARETH
When evil was so rampant that God should have destroyed the world as He had done in the days of Noah, God decided to take another route.
He decided to send love down to us in the form of Christ.
God lit the spark that would grow into The Light of the World. For nine long months Mary waited patiently and lovingly to see what else God would do. When Yeshua was born, she introduced His Son to the planet that needed Him so desperately.
Today, we know what Mary held in her heart for all those months. Now we know that Christ came down to live in the flesh and walk among us and redeem us. This was the time of His conception; which is more correctly called The Incarnation.
Should we celebrate this?
CELEBRATING INCARNATION
According to all above logic; it probably happened around December 25th!
How could we NOT celebrate such a miracle?
If we are following the months of a typical year in the life of Christ, who was by now in that first year of his life (if the child was born in late September/early October) he would be three of four months old.
By now the wise men are making their way toward the star; following it patiently in search of the promise of God. They won’t arrive at their destination until the baby is about 18 months old; but by now they are on their way. Already they have seen the sign in the sky. They are excited to make preparations and begin their journey.
IT IS ABOUT THE KING
This isn’t about the baby. It is all about the King!
Should we not celebrate that our King has come to us in the lowly form of a child?
The Pharaoh’s celebrated their birthdays because they were kings. They commanded that the people do so. Not Jesus; He came humbly as a child to His birth. However, in actuality He was the ONLY REAL KING that ever came to earth.
Would this not be the REAL time to celebrate with joy?
CELEBRATING THE KING OF HEAVEN
Whether the child was one day old or eighteen months old; He was the King of Heaven!
Did not the angels sing for joy?
Do we not realize that the shepherds bowed in awe?
Did not the wise men start their journey?
Don’t you know that Mary and Joseph basked in the wonder of how great and wonderful God was to bring this child to their little home?
Yes!
We can shout a loud “Yes” to all of the above, BUT we celebrate that in the Fall when Yeshua’s birth actually happened. Our family conforms to the calendar God gave at creation. Men have tried to change its dates, but the same rhythms and patterns that God first set into motion are still in operation. Evening and morning are a day, the moon waxes and wanes, the waves rise and fall and God’s clock keeps on ticking. Using this same clock in the sky, we celebrate the birth of Christ during The Feast of Tabernacles. The stars themselves echo the truths God has shown us.
THE MOMENT OF INCARNATION
Yet; a great miracle happened in late December before that Fall birth happened. There is no denying that a great miracle happened in the month of December. It was a night in late December when Mary first heard the voice of Gabriel say to her: “Greetings favored one! The LORD is with you!”
Mary trembled when she heard those words. She knew them from the scriptures. Those same words “The LORD is with you” were the words given to Moses at the time he discovered God in the burning bush. (Exodus 3:12.)
Perhaps Mary had studied the scriptures. After all, she was a daughter of Abraham. She was a descendant of King David. Even though she had such a great heritage; she also appeared to be quite poor. It was known that she was lacking in many of the finer material things of life.
She came from Nazareth, the place of no prophets, no kings, no one worthy of note at all. Nazareth was just a little place in the Galilee region that was full of every-day common people. All of them were simply living out their every-day, common lives. Everyone knew and noted this about Nazareth. No one famous or nothing good had come from Nazareth.
Do you think that was about to change?
THE POOR DESCENDANTS OF KING DAVID
Most have noted that Mary was probably poor, though we do not know for sure. She did eventually share the income from Joseph’s carpentry work. Joseph was a descendant of King David too, but by this time in history the Jewish people were living under the Roman occupation. The glory days of being a descendant of King David were long over.
It seems that Joseph was just an ordinary man who earned his living by working as a carpenter. This work might have been hard to find in those days. He was not living among the wealthy who could pay high prices for his labor.
Whatever Mary and Joseph lacked in the form of physical blessings was compensated by their spiritual blessings.
They had God. Also, they had each other. That was quite enough.
Mary was pledged to Joseph; but they were not yet living together.
A TROUBLING GREETING
It was during this time that Mary was visited by Gabriel bringing those troubling words “Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee!”
Many seem to think Mary was troubled by the fact that an angel was standing before her. That wasn’t what bothered her so much. It was that greeting. She had heard those haunting words – “the LORD is with you!”
Why was this young girl not just pleased to know that the LORD was with her? We have to wonder; why did this cause her to feel so troubled? Then we learn from her fear, that Mary knew the Torah. We begin to grasp the fact that she had studied it extensively.
How could that be? Women were not taught to read back in those days. Nor did they have the opportunity to go to school as the men did.
MARY’S DISCERNMENT
Mary grasping the significance of these particular words from the scriptures being repeated in her ears was very unusual for a woman of her position in life. Perhaps she had somehow come to sit at the feet of the great teachers when no one was paying attention. Maybe she was listening as she went about her chores when the boys were being taught Torah, which they always had to memorize.
Can’t you just see Mary un-obviously soaking in every word that they were being taught?
Another thought to ponder is that Torah keepers always aspire to live out what they are learning and teaching. Perhaps Mary had learned Torah simply by watching her elders live out what the scriptures taught. At any rate – she knew and lived out Torah herself.
A WOMAN WHO LOVED THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
Perhaps she had also learned much from her cousin Elizabeth, whose husband was a priest at the Temple. Elizabeth seems to have loved and mentored Mary.
Perhaps Elizabeth had learned from her husband and had patiently mentored Mary from what she had been taught. Mary’s life was full of family members who were full of the Spirit of God. It could be she just soaked it into her subconscious at random family times. She might have learned much from listening to conversations around the family table.
All we really know is that Mary KNEW.
THE LORD IS WITH YOU
We don’t know why Mary knew these facts; but it is obvious that she KNEW the Torah. This is evident because she had astutely recognized the fact that any time someone was being called out by God to do a daunting task, those very same words “The LORD is with you” were always spoken.
These same words had been repeated to great servants of God over-and-over. They were like a pattern neatly laid out by God. When Mary’s ears and heart heard the angel proclaim “The LORD is with you” she probably knew instantly that she was about to receive an invitation from God to play a major role in His plan for mankind.
Do you see anything pagan about this?
Can you REALLY see any reason at all as to why we should not celebrate this very crucial moment in history? It really isn’t a matter of what to celebrate. It is more a matter of when and what to call what we are doing when we do celebrate what we all know.
THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Mary instantly recognized these words that God had spoken to Moses.
She knew the whole story. Moses had considered himself unworthy and unequipped to carry out his mission. He was afraid. God had assured Moses by stating that He would be with him. Now, God was doing the same thing for Mary.
Moses could not have faced Pharaoh and led the people out of bondage without God’s supernatural help. Mary could not give birth to The Savior of the Word by herself. She had faith in a supernatural God. Mary knew enough to realize that with God all things are possible.
These things were not just words from the Torah to her. Her love and devotion to God had prepared her heart for this day. She had been listening to God, praying, learning and leaning into God’s will all along; from the very beginning of her young life.
Mary knew and loved the story of Moses. She had considered the details. These details of that story helped her to know and recognize the weight of her own moment of destiny. Perhaps that is what helped her to give the answer that she gave; the answer that greatly pleased God so much that He proclaimed her blessed above all women.
THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY
Though Mary sensed and knew what the greeting meant; she also knew that such divine callings through history usually came with the need for great sacrifice. She realized they held great challenges for the one who was being greeted. Mary realized she was about to be drawn out of her comfort zone.
She would go from a cozy, simple life to a very challenging and complicated life. Mary must have realized her life of simple day-to-day faith for small things was quickly moving toward a life requiring the faith of eternal consequences.
SIMPLE TO COMPLICATED
In just one tiny moment things went from very, very simple to very, very complicated.
This is life. It was how Mary’s life transpired, and it will be how all of our lives are lived. Godly transitions happen to all of us in different ways at different times. We must respond appropriately.
With Mary’s answer to God the most significant moment of all time was confirmed. God was with Mary. He is always with all of us when we come to those tough times. God tenderly guides us when our answers to His questions are all that will ever matter again.
THE WHOLE WORLD CAN CHANGE IN ONE MOMENT
During these life-changing moments, we can always be assured that God is there. He is always with us. The angel Gabriel, continued to reassure Mary. “Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
Once again we see Mary’s insight into the Torah. These words resonated with her. She knew that one of the first people to find favor with God had been Noah. Noah had found so much favor with God that God saved him as well as his family. God allowed Noah to be the father of a whole new world.
ALL THINGS NEW
Moreover, God used Noah to make all things new. Then God covenanted with Noah in the midst of a world full of evil and sin. Mary knew this was a covenant moment in her own life. She might have pondered the situation. Perhaps she asked herself if God was going to use her life to make all things new.
Mary must have also thought of Abraham. Because Abraham was favored by God, he received a covenant from God bringing blessings to all the nations of the earth. God surely used the life of Abraham to make all things new.
GOD IS CONTINUALLY MAKING ALL THINGS NEW
Mary must have sensed this great responsibility which went along with finding favor with God.
She must have known, if the person whom God favored did not follow through with God’s plan and keep the task that God had required of them, even when favored, that the whole world might lose the chance for hope again. They would lose the hope of the newness of life. It would possibly be lost forever.
The young virgin must have felt the weight of this heavy responsibility before she gave her answer to God.
FAITH LARGER THAN FEARS
Mary’s faith was larger than her fears. This young girl’s God was larger than any earthly troubles she would have to bear. She gathered all the courage within her soul. Then she said those beautiful words: “I am a servant of the LORD, let it be done unto me as you say.”
Once again God used one of His faithful servants to make all things new.
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
This probably happened on the deepest, darkest night of the history of mankind. God came down in the form of flesh to live inside the womb of Mary. It would have been during the winter month of Kislev.
Christ came to earth in the form of Immanuel – God with us.
So, this is what I celebrate in December each year. I’m thinking of the miracle of Incarnation. My heart is pondering the miracle of God coming to live with mankind. I’m celebrating the darkest night turning to the brightest light of the world; Jesus!
This is the time of the year that I’m pondering hope, and how it springs eternal into our hearts because Mary was a woman of great courage. I know God is The God of the greatest love ever spent.
I’m considering the REAL moment that God Himself decided to reset history. The world has recently called it Christmas. For thousands of years before the faithful called this time Hanukkah.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATES
The dates are right. All of the truth is there.
We know Elizabeth was six months pregnant at the time Mary went to her. Mary came to her right after the conception of Christ. It was when Zachariah was serving his priestly course in the Temple. History records this course being in the first few weeks of June. That would make the time Mary went to Elizabeth (six months after Zachariah’s course was up) right around late December.
Most likely the CONCEPTION of Christ took place on December 25th. It probably fell during the days of Hanukkah of that year. God was reversing things again! We know how God loves to perform great reversals.
He loves taking what was wrong in the sight of men and intended for evil and making it right. If you don’t believe this; read about Esther. Read about Joseph (Son of Jacob). You could read about Daniel, read about Nehemiah, or study the life of Paul. This isn’t hard to see in the lives of almost any of the other famous biblical characters.
GREAT REVERSALS
God is always bringing great reversals and replacing what men meant for evil with God’s goodness, mercy, and grace. On December 25th; the date that so many pagans say their gods were born; God sent The TRUE Light of the World down to live inside the womb of a young virgin. He reversed everything!
I do not speak of the BIRTH of Christ; but I speak of the CONCEPTION of Christ. I’m referring to The Incarnation. This act of God, which Gabriel announced to Mary in the Annunciation, became the greatest reversal of all of human history.
Nothing could ever top this. Well, except for His death and Resurrection. God gave both times to us. They can be charted in history. Once again God overcame evil and wickedness with His love, grace and mercy. It was the greatest miracle that ever happened; or ever will happen again.
SHOULD WE CELEBRATE MIRACLES OF GOD?
Should we not celebrate the miracle? The timing is RIGHT for the miracle of CONCEPTION. What do you think we celebrate at Passover? Why would coming out of Egypt be okay to be celebrated; but not the REAL MESSIAH coming to earth to bring us out of even greater bondage and slavery to sin?
God’s people did celebrate God’s deliverance at Hanukkah. Can you see the correlation here? It is so very clear when you think about it. Also; the people of God celebrated deliverance in the story of Esther. Hanukkah and Purim both speak of deliverance.
The people of God also celebrated deliverance when the whole city of Nineveh bowed their knees to God because of that gospel message from a reluctant prophet named Jonah. God’s deliverance is always a great thing to celebrate.
WHAT IS NOT TRUTH?
Thinking in terms of Annunciation and Incarnation, what is not truth? This is the truth of the season that mankind has called Christmas. Is it misnamed? These things all happened in a parallel timeline with what God’s people had already called Hanukkah.
Is there any reason not to celebrate such awesome, glorious impossible miracles from Heaven? I don’t think so. The Incarnation truly happened. It seems that the date concerning Christ’s conception is biblical and accurate around December 25th on our present calendars. It wasn’t Christmas. That word is not in the bible. Was it the fulfillment of the types and shadows of Hanukkah?
THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
The Festival of Lights/Dedication/Hanukkah was celebrated by Yeshua in the book of John, Chapter 10. The word Hanukkah itself isn’t used because after the writing of Malachi, the word wasn’t mentioned by the people for many years out of fear of persecution. That too was a dark time for God’s people. God finally brought them through that darkness with many miracles.
We are witnesses of the results of this one moment of history which lives on in a million different ways. It was a holy moment in time that should never be forgotten.
So why did God not tell us to celebrate it in the scriptures?
SOME THINGS DO NOT REQUIRE WORDS
Did you not hear that the angels sang? Were you not aware that the shepherds came? Did you not realize that within nine months the child was born? Have you not read about John leaping for joy in the womb of Elizabeth when Mary walked into the room with Christ?
Was John not celebrating even before he was born that The Son of God was coming to redeem mankind? Wasn’t John the one to prepare the way for us to believe?
Some things do not require words. Such things must come from the deep silence of the knowing of the heart.
DID YOU HEAR THE WORDS OF MARY’S SONG?
If you were not listening to all of the above celebrations; did you not know that Mary sang her song called The Magnificat? Here are her words and they are recorded in the scriptures in Luke 1:46-55:
“My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. Behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him; throughout all generations. “
“He hath showed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. God hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. God remembering his mercy hath helped his servant Israel. As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever.”
WORDS OF HER SONG
Do you not hear in the words of Mary’s song of joy how God has brought down the proud and elevated those who serve Him?
Is this moment in history not God breaking pagan altars and smashing sacred stones?
Also; is this moment in history not The Only God bringing His good into an evil world? Is He not reversing the acts of pagans? Could He be bringing two people groups together because of the way they share the hope and miracles He has provided?
On December 25th each year, I choose to rejoice with Mary! I celebrate her story at Hanukkah. Mary never knew the word “Christmas.” She didn’t celebrate it in her life. Mary was Jewish. So was the child, Yeshua who was born to her. The thought of God living inside her womb, growing, increasing every day in order to bring salvation to the world was such a miracle of hope. Like the first Hanukkah, a great miracle has happened. Mary understood miracles. Obviously, Mary taught Jesus to observe Hanukkah.
Now God has come to live among men. Immanuel!
THE GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE
If you can’t celebrate this moment of history with God; you can’t celebrate any of it. All of the rest of the story of our salvation spun from this very moment in time. Don’t let anyone rob you of the truth of this time in December. Stop to realize the final summation of what it held for us in history. Record it in your heart as accurately as you possibly can.
All of the bad, the pagan dates and births and myths, were overcome with one young girl’s willingness to be a servant of God. All came about by a Mighty God doing the impossible gloriously!
One little moment in time reversed all the evil that ever existed.
ONE MOMENT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Once again God used one of His faithful servants to make all things new. Hanukkah is all about restoration. It is the restoration of the temple (now our bodies,) the world, and the makings of eternity. Hanukkah is God repairing the world through Yeshua.
Most likely the conception of Christ happened on a very cold, dark night in December. The shadow of the great light that was celebrated at Hanukkah had grown into an even greater miracle; Immanuel – Christ with Us!
He is the true Light of the World. Hanukkah could have been going on; but this was ONE dark December night; only one night. It was late December. We know it could have happened on the night we have wrongly called Christmas. The season with the true meanings that shadowed this dark, December evening was Hanukkah.
Nine months later, in the Fall and most likely during The Feast of Tabernacles; Jesus was born!
LIFT UP YOUR VOICE AND SING YOUR SONG
Moses had a song.
Hannah had a song.
Mary had a song.
Shall we not all sing and give glory to God for this miracle?
Let God do in your heart what He did in the heart of Mary. Do not be afraid. Leave the false ways behind and come into the new good of God’s truth. Walk within the Light.
God has come down to live among mankind. Let the whole earth rejoice and be glad!
The most evil of all nights has been replaced by a bright and shinning light called Christ The Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, The Light of the World, Immanuel, God with us.
HANUKKAH FOR CHRISTMAS
And that my friends is how God convinced me to begin to participate in the joy of the season of Hanukkah over the world’s name of Christmas. Nothing was lost. I gained much. Now I have eight days instead of one. Plenty of time to contemplate and celebrate the wholeness of this season. I learned something very important: God is bigger than anything that satan can do.
He can reverse it all in just one dark winter night.
With God all things are possible. He used this night in December, even with all of its ugliness and evil to bring us the most beautiful gift ever given to mankind.
All of the pagan things were totally reversed with this great miracle. It happened, just as the Temple was cleansed. The miracle of the light came during the dedication of lights on that long ago Hanukkah. Close after that great miracle followed the miracle of the Conception of our Savior.
Do not be afraid. Christ has overcome the world.
Happy Hanukkah!