I am taking a one- week break from the ten commandments series to repost this series written in 2010, explaining the significance of Babylon in Scripture, and the Christmas connection to it.
christmas and babylon, part one 2012 dec 25
christmas and babylon, part two 2012 dec 26
christmas and babylon, part three 2012 dec 27
Now let us return to Revelation 17 and 18. In the end God’s wrath will be poured out on Babylon. Not on His people. Not on the Church. Not on one nation above others. On Babylon – on the way of the world that elevates a Great Rebellion against God. On idolatry. On enthroning anything that is not God, above God – including man, including nature. On sun worship. On darwinism. On tyranny. And in the middle of this description, of the depravity of Babylon the Great, and the horrific nature of the plagues which she will endure, God makes this plea:
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” Rev 18:4
Who is the “her” of which the people of God are being called to come out? The great harlot, arrayed in purple and scarlet, sitting on a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemy, and on her forehead a name was written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth (Rev 17:3-5). Why does God want His people to separate themselves from her? So that they do not do the sins that she does, and receive the plagues which He has reserved for her.
Jesus told us that when He would return, it would be like the days of Lot (Luk 17:20-37). God sent two angels to call Lot out of Sodom, so that he would not do the sins of the Sodomites (which I believe he was beginning to weaken toward, as evidenced by his willingness to throw his virgin daughters out to the depraved and immoral mob outside his door) and so that he would not receive the plagues which He had reserved for Sodom. He was getting ready to rain down fire and brimstone on Sodom, and He did not want Lot to get burned up in the destruction. He called Lot out, so that he would not share in her sins, and receive of her judgments.
Since I have learned this history, December 25th is to me a Babylonian holiday, intrinisically tied in to the worship of the sun and idolatrous practices, therefore I do not feel comfortable honoring December 25th as a set apart day. I have no problem celebrating Jesus’ birth, but I would like to celebrate His nativity during the Feast of Tabernacles in my household. They are already days holy to the Lord, where decorating the house is already commanded, and making merry and feasting is already observed.
It is my personal conviction. I am not offended by what anyone else chooses to do, and will not be offended if we are invited to family gatherings at this time of year. Please do not be offended if I respectfully decline to deck my halls with boughs of holly, give gifts, or any of the rest of it. I wish you Shalom and Peace from God our Father in our Lord and Savior Yeshua haMashiach!
christmas and sabbath-keeping (or, how to set apart a holy day) 2012 dec 31
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