’Tis the Season: Customs With a Curse

’Tis the season—a time for beautiful music, lovely pageantry, parties, fun and family time—and, of course, the annual bedlam in shopping malls, specialty stores, discount houses, and online shopping carts.

Much of the world is caught up in what is called the “spirit of the season,” evidenced by a gift-buying frenzy that often puts the purchasers deep into debt and fills the coffers of the merchants.

Some folks lament the commercialization of Christmas. “We need to put Christ back into Christmas” is an oft-heard refrain among religious people. At the same time, secularists have been known to protest the display on public property of beloved scenes associated with the holiday, such as nativity scenes and lighted Christmas trees. The resulting heated debates and arguments take some of the fun out of the observance for many people.

But, in reality, the customs of Christmas have nothing at all to do with Jesus Christ or His ministry—quite the opposite, in fact. These familiar customs long predate the birth of the Messiah. Christmas’ evergreen tree, mistletoe, giving of gifts, and lighting of lights all spring from the pagan religions of ancient times spoken of in the Bible. They were appropriated by the apostate church, which simply recast them and renamed them to appear to pertain to Christ.

In fact, this sort of thing was even beginning to occur in ancient Israel in the time of Moses. God told the nation of Israel, “Do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods…. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it’” (Deuteronomy 12:30–32). The warning was to not attempt to worship God in the way the idolatrous peoples worshipped their false gods.

Later on, the prophet Jeremiah was inspired to write, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good” (Jeremiah 10:2–5).

Even in ancient times, people were decorating trees and using Christmas’ other symbols, revered in their idolatrous practices (and idolatry was big money, a fact which even impacted the Apostles’ work! See Acts 19:23–27). It was paganism, and it has come down to us today in our modern Christmas symbols.

These behaviors and the failure of God’s people to obey His commandments brought about curses, which are detailed in Deuteronomy 28. Consider verse 15: “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”

It’s pretty plain that not following the instructions given by Almighty God carries with it curses, which are the very opposite of blessings.

How about you? Are you caught up in the grand merchandising scheme that springs from traditions, sights, sounds, and symbols from pagan peoples of long ago? If so, remember that such celebrations are not pleasing to God.

More information is available on this interesting and vital subject. You may want to read the free booklets The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan and Is Christmas Christian? to learn about God’s ordained celebrations—which bring benefits, not curses. It will be worth your time. Order them today, or read or listen to them online, right here at Tomorrow’s World.