It seems like everyone loves the holidays! They provide such special times for families to get together. They are times for keeping special family traditions going year after year. This is especially true of the period of time surrounding Christmas and New Year’s Day. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” the song goes.
Then there is Easter, to which many attach a deeply religious meaning. But are its traditions and customs biblical? What do colored eggs and chocolate rabbits have to do with the supposed meaning of the day?
Why can’t we find specific instructions about the careful observance of Christmasand Easter in the pages of the Bible? One would think such important celebrations would be a major part of the teaching of the New Testament Church. But the Bible does not teach their observance. The Bible teaches seven meaningful holy days, but not the major holidays celebrated today.
The reality is that the Bible forbids the observance of holidays like Christmas and Easter that have their origin centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ! Let’s examine holy days vs. holidays.
Holidays have ancient pre-Christian origins
Does this surprise you? It shouldn’t. Every year the newspapers and Internet are filled with articles describing the intriguing details of how the customs and traditions surrounding Christmas, Easter, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and Halloween began in ancient pagan rituals. A search of several older reference works will show these facts have been known for many years!
In the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, under the heading “Christmas,” you will find: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. … The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” And: “Pagan customs centering around the January calends [the first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar] gravitated to Christmas.”
The Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1946 edition, has this: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church. It was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, or by Bible authority. It was picked up afterward from paganism.”
Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition, says: “Christmas, according to many authorities, was not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth. A feast was established in memory of this event (Christ’s birth) in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed.”
The history of Christmas
Notice that? These recognized historical authorities show Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first 200 or 300 years after the life, ministry and death of Christ—a period of many generations after the establishment of the Church on the Day of Pentecost. Clearly we see there is no biblical justification for the observance of Christmas.
So where did Christmas come from? William Walsh provides some of the historical origins of Christmas in his book The Story of Santa Klaus: “We remember that the Christmas festival … is a gradual evolution from times that long antedated the Christian period. ... It was overlaid upon heathen festivals, and many of its observances are only adaptations of pagan [ceremonies]” (1970, p. 58).
Reporter Jeffery Sheler noted, “So tarnished, in fact, was its reputation in colonial America that celebrating Christmas was banned in Puritan New England, where the noted minister Cotton Mather described yuletide merry-making as ‘an affront unto the grace of God’” (“In Search of Christmas,” U.S. News and World Report, Dec. 23, 1996, p. 56).
Imagine that! Early New England settlers actually banned the celebration of Christmas! The Puritans fined anyone who celebrated Christmas. Spending just a brief amount of time in research, one can quickly see that practically every tradition associated with Christmas originated in pre-Christian pagan ritual practices.
What about Easter?
Have you ever stopped to question why bunnies and colorful eggs are so closely linked to the commemoration of the death and resurrection of the Savior of mankind? Perhaps it’s time we did just that—ask questions.
What we see is a combination of biblical themes with the pagan traditions of ages past. This is called syncretism. Notice this definition of syncretize: “To attempt to unite and harmonize especially without critical examination or logical unity” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition).
Many people will acknowledge that this practice of syncretism played a part in the expansion of Christianity through making it more appealing to pagans. Some think, so what if some of our customs and traditions surrounding cherished holidays have pagan or non-Christian origins? Why does that really matter if one’s intention is to worship God through these various customs? Many would claim that these “quaint” customs only enhance the celebration and make it fun for the family.
Let’s look at that carefully because a great deal rides on how that question is answered.
Holy days vs. holidays: What does the Bible say?
Christianity is based on the Bible. What does the Bible say about holidays and customs? God warned His people not to seek to learn how other nations worshipped their pagan gods: “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” (Deuteronomy 12:31).
Notice this reference that bears resemblance to the modern Christmas tree in Jeremiah 10:2-5: “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.’”
This description of an ancient pagan worship of idols, with parallels to the modern Christmas tree custom, helps establish a critical premise from Scripture: God’s people are not to learn the ways of people who do not worship Him.
Is it possible that our cultures, intending to honor Christ by celebrating the supposed dates of His birth and resurrection, are doing it all in vain?
Some might respond “Yes, but that was thousands of years ago and that really doesn’t apply to New Testament Christianity, does it?” Consider what Christ said in Matthew 15:9: “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
Worshipping God on His holy days
Is it possible that our cultures, intending to honor Christ by celebrating the supposed dates of His birth and resurrection, are doing it all in vain? The Bible enlightens us with God’s instruction to avoid the traditions and customs that are rooted in non-Christian cultures.
Does this mean all religious holidays and festivals are offensive to God?
By no means! We find repeated commands to keep the Sabbath and the holy days as outlined in Leviticus 23. These observances are proclaimed as “the feasts of the LORD” to be proclaimed throughout all generations. John 7 describes Jesus Christ teaching at the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. Luke 22 shows that Christ and His disciples kept the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. If the Bible is our guide to the observance of religious holidays, the conclusion becomes clear.
Still, so many people seem to get so much pleasure out of celebrating Christmas and Easter and other traditional holidays. “I only do it for the sake of the children” is a popular reason given to observe these days despite the clear biblical instruction against them. “It’s the only time we get all the family together.” “God wouldn’t want me to keep my family from all these joyous holiday festivities and traditions, would He?”
But what will be our guide for living? God’s words or our own logic?
Jesus’ own words are direct: “‘For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men. …’ He said to them, ‘All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition’” (Mark 7:8-9). Paul chimes in with his letter to Colossae: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
What else can we say? What decision do we make?
Did you know that many people have chosen not to observe these religious holidays? A little research reveals that many of our traditional religious holidays are nothing but cleverly crafted remakes of ancient rituals disguised as “Christian.”
This is not necessarily true of nonreligious holidays frequently observed in nations around the world. Observances similar to the American holidays of Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day are not intended to be religious holidays and can be acceptable to celebrate.
Also, the Jewish holidays of Purim and Hanukkah were established to give thanks to God, just as the American and Canadian Thanksgiving days are. Though some modern customs of these days may not be pleasing to God, they are not rooted in paganism and do not subvert any of the truths presented in the festivals of God.
What will a true disciple of Christ do?
Holy days vs. holidays? Does it really matter what religious days we celebrate? Why not look into it and prove it for yourself? Maybe you will be shocked by what the Bible actually teaches!
For additional information, read the articles “Biblical Festivals: Does God Want Us to Celebrate Them? Why?” “Christian Holidays: Which? Does God Care?” and “Holy Days: Who Makes Them Holy?”
You will also want to watch our video series “Feasts of the Lord.” This series of 10 short videos explores God’s plan and what it means for you.
Most follow along as they have been taught, assuming what they believe and do is right. They take their beliefs for granted and never take time to PROVE them.
Nowhere is this more true than in the observance of Christmas, Easter, New Year’s, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and other supposed Christian holidays. Many millions keep these days without knowing why—or where they originated. Most suppose that they are “found in the Bible” because they see millions of professing Christians observing them. Surely hundreds of millions of people cannot be wrong.
Or can they?
Here is what Christ said about the popular customs and traditions of this world: “IN VAIN do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men…full well you REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, that you may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:7, 9).
The Bible does, in fact, mention Christmas and Easter—and certain other familiar holidays—but it bluntly condemns them as heathen customs. The proof is overwhelming that these days are “traditions” and “commandments of men.” But vast multitudes keep them anyway, seemingly content to worship Christ in vain!
Since the Bible condemns these almost universally observed “Christianized” holidays of men, how did they come into popular practice?
Open Your Mind
You must be willing to open your Bible and honestly accept what it says about the holidays of men—and about God’s Holy Days. It has been almost universally taught that these annual Sabbaths of the Bible have been “done away”—that they were only for ancient Israel, or “the Jews.” Many have supposed that Christ “nailed them to the cross” along with most everything else in the Old Testament.
The majority of people stoutly defend what they have merely assumed is right or biblical. They will read with prejudice anything that contradicts their assumptions.
If you are going to take the time to read this booklet, should you not at least read it with an open mind—and without bias? Ask God to guide you—to help you PROVE what He says in His Word. The Bible is “profitable for correction” (II Tim. 3:16) for all who are willing to accept it—for all who truly want to serve and please God.
The Bible is God’s inspired Word—His written Instruction Book to mankind. It answers every important question in life and explains how to live—it reveals the road to salvation!
II Timothy 2:15 commands, “Study to show yourself approvedunto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” God expects us to know His Word so that we can act on it.
Proper Bible study leads to approval from God. Both the Old and New Testaments state, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3).
Paul explained that people are the servants of whatever and whoever they obey: “Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Rom. 6:16). People either serve and obey God, and are given eternal life (vs. 23)—or they serve and obey sin, and earn eternal death!
If God once commanded that certain Holy Days be kept, then should you not be certain why you choose not to observe them? No matter how comfortable a lifelong practice may be, should you not base your decision to continue doing it on proof—hard EVIDENCE—instead of assumptions?
God says, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word” (Isa. 66:2) and “Prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:2).
Will you sincerely, with an open mind, seek and tremble before the truth of God’s Word about His Holy Days—or will you go along with the masses and their traditions of men’s heathen holidays?
God’s Times and Laws
The denominations of this world will often admit to making a half-hearted effort at keeping nine of the Ten Commandments. Typically, they will acknowledge that it is wrong to steal, kill, covet, bear false witness, and commit adultery. They will also acknowledge that honoring one’s father and mother, avoiding idolatry and taking God’s name in vain—while claiming to follow the God described in the First Commandment—are basically good things to do. However, most do a poor job of actually keeping these nine commandments, and teach that Christ officially did away with them and “kept them for us.” But most will agree, at least tacitly, that these nine commandments are “nice principles.”
Consider. Exodus 20:8-11 reveals that Sabbath-keeping is the Fourth Commandment—and a fundamental law of God! The Sabbath was hallowed—made into holy time—by God at creation. God never authorized or hallowed Sunday, the first day of the week. Christ kept the Sabbath (Luke 4:16; Mark 2:27-28). So did Paul (Acts 13:42, 44; 17:2; 18:4)—as did the New Testament Church. In Exodus 31, it was ordained “forever” and to be kept “perpetually” by all “generations” of God’s people.
Theologians and religionists have long taught that the true Sabbath of the Bible is the seventh day. Saturday, not Sunday, is the seventh day of the week. A good dictionary reveals this. And the weekly cycle has never been changed. However, the ministers of this world have had to carefully devise “explanations” that dismiss many clear scriptures about God’s plain command to keep His Sabbath. Instead of letting God’s Word change their beliefs to conform with His truths, they change the words or their meanings to make them fit their beliefs! They justify Sunday-keeping—even though God’s Word has neverjustified Sunday-keeping! The same is true of the annual Holy Days.
God has always said, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8). He has never said, “Remember the first day (the pagan sun’s day) to keep it holy,” or authorized His Church or mankind to do this. Nor did He ever command or allow His people to keep numerous other pagan festivals and days of worship. He has always commanded against their observance, and the early New Testament Church kept God’s Holy Days for over four centuries—with its remnant still doing so today!
Christmas and Easter have nothing to do with God and are both condemned in scripture in the strongest possible terms. (You may wish to read our booklets The True Origin of Christmas and The True Origin of Easter to learn more about these holidays that men have used to replace God’s true Holy Days.)
Many pagan festivals, including Christmas (Saturnalia), Easter (the festival of Ishtar), Halloween, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and worship on the day of the Sun, were observed throughout the Roman Empire long before Christ’s First Coming. During the reign of Roman Emperor Constantine, the apostate false system simply adopted them into practice, and enforced them on all citizens in the empire through the vehicle of the civil government.
Daniel 7:25 warns of a dominant false leader who will “think to change TIMES and LAWS.” While this specific event is yet ahead, there have been forerunning types who have taken similar actions. The most obvious ways that “churchianity” has counterfeited God’s holy times and laws has been by replacing His Sabbath with the pagan SUN’S DAY, thus altering His fourth great law (many speak of Sunday as their “sabbath”)—and by replacing His annual Holy Days with numerous pagan holidays practiced for centuries by the Romans and Greeks.
But there are other ways that professing Christianity has changed God’s way of marking time. It starts the year in the dead of winter, while God starts His year in the spring, when nature is springing to life. The “woman” begins her days in the middle of the night, while God marks days from sunset to sunset. The Roman religion begins the workweek on the second day, Monday, while God begins the weekly work cycle on the first day of the week, Sunday. Pagan Rome has devised an unnatural calendar based solely on the sun, thus having varying lengths for its months, while God bases His calendar on the moon and starts months with each new moon.
God’s sacred calendar—generally referred to as the Hebrew calendar—has never been recognized by religionists, scientists, historians and educators as the way Godintended to mark and measure time. The Jews did not invent this calendar or contrive it from imagination. Its principles go back to the first chapter of the Bible, where the sun and the moon were appointed “…for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen. 1:14). No other calendar harmonizes the solar and lunar cycles. Only the Hebrew calendar sanctioned by God does this!
The whole world has been deceived into accepting these and other “changes” and been led away from the plain, clear commands of God’s Word. Billions have carelessly remained ignorant of God’s instructions, content to believe heathen customs, practices, days and times that have been spoon-fed to them.
We will learn that obedience to God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths is intertwined—they cannot be separated. Though they stand or fall together, it is not the purpose of this booklet to prove which day is the Christian Sabbath. This large subject is covered very thoroughly in our book Saturday or Sunday – Which Is the Sabbath? However, it is impossible to study the subject of God’s Sabbaths without studying both this booklet and that book. (You may also read The Sabbath – Has Time Been Lost? for proof of the unchanged weekly cycle since the time of creation.) You are urged to do this, because the arguments and suppositions of those who claim God’s plain commands are no longer in effect are equally applied to the issue of weekly Sabbath-keeping and annual Sabbath observance.
Some claim that Colossians 2:16-17 does away with the Sabbath and Holy Days. (We will see later that it does not.) Others claim that the annual Sabbaths were part of Moses’ law. They were not, because they were observed before Moses’ law of ritualistic orders had been given. Others claim that sacrifices were performed on these days—but Numbers 28:3 shows that sacrifices took place on every day of the year.
So then, this all-important question now arises: What were the days that God made holy and commanded ancient Israel to observe? Some important background is essential to properly approach the subject of God’s seven annual Feast Days as they were taught in the Old Testament.
They are introduced in Leviticus 23.
The Holy Day Chapter
Leviticus 23 is best described as, and is often called, the “Holy Day Chapter.” It contains a brief description of each of God’s seven annual Holy Days—also called Feasts or Sabbaths, which we will see are interchangeable terms throughout the chapter. We will later examine the meaning of these days.
Notice: “And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the FEASTS OF THE LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations[commanded assemblies], even these are MY FEASTS” (vs. 1-2). Verse 3 introduces the weekly Sabbath as one of God’s Feasts: “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the SABBATH of rest, an holy convocation; you shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.” Verse 4 introduces the rest of God’s Feasts: “These are the FEASTS OF THE LORD, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.”
With one exception, Feasts and Sabbaths are the same thing.
Verse 5 reveals the first of God’s Feasts: “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s PASSOVER.”
Next, we see that the seven Days of Unleavened Bread are introduced. On these days, beginning the day after the Passover, the Israelites were required to eat unleavened bread: “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD unto the LORD: seven days you must eat unleavened bread…in the SEVENTH DAY is an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein” (vs. 6, 8). The first and seventh days are both Holy Days.
Verses 9-22 give a more detailed description of the next Feast Day, called Firstfruits—or Pentecost, because one must count fifty days from the weekly Sabbath during Unleavened Bread to determine when it should be kept. This day was observed in the late spring. Now read: “…it shall be a STATUTE FOREVER throughout your generations in all your dwellings. And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days…You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the FIRSTFRUITSunto the LORD” (vs. 14-17).
Verse 21 explains that the Feast of Firstfruits is a commanded assembly and repeats for emphasis that it was ordained by God forever: “And you shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a STATUTE FOREVER in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
This passage includes a second emphasis by God about the permanent establishment of these days so that none can misunderstand what “forever” means. Notice that Israel was to keep these days “throughout your generations” (also repeated twice). There are still generations of Israel alive on Earth today.
The fall season includes the last four annual Holy Days, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets: “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of TRUMPETS, a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein” (vs. 24-25).
Next comes the Day of Atonement, which is an annual Sabbath, but not a Feast Day. This was because no food or drink was permitted: “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a DAY OF ATONEMENT: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and you shall afflict your souls [go without food or drink]…you shall do no work…for it is a DAY OF ATONEMENT, to make an atonement for you before the LORDyour God…it shall be a statute forever throughout your generationsin all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall you celebrate your Sabbath” (vs. 27-28, 31-32). Once again, the Day of Atonement was commanded to be observed “forever” and “throughout your generations.”
Five days after the Day of Atonement is the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasts seven days and is followed by the Last Great Day, referred to here as “the eighth day.”
Verses 34-36 describe these Feasts: “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the FEAST OF TABERNACLES for seven days unto the LORD. On the FIRST DAY shall be an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein…on the EIGHTH DAY shall be a holy convocation unto you…it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work therein.”
This chapter describes seven Feasts and seven annual Holy Days. Passover is a Feast but not a Holy Day. Atonement is a Holy Day but obviously not a Feast Day, because no food or drink is permitted.
Verses 40-43 further describe the Feast of Tabernacles and what God intended Israel to learn from observing it: “And you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And you shall keep it a Feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a STATUTE FOREVER in your generations: you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths[temporary dwellings] seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I [God] made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORDyour God.”
Let’s take a moment to summarize. Including verse 41, God states four times that His Feasts were ordained forever! Twice He declares they were to be observed throughout Israel’s generations. God is most serious about obedience to them, because verses 29-30 state that anyone who did not obey them would be “cut off”—“destroyed”—put to death!
Verses 37-38, 44 reiterate, “These are the FEASTS OF THE LORD” and are “the SABBATHS OF THE LORD.” (Verse 39 explains that the first day of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day are also “Sabbaths.”) These are not the “Jews’ feasts” or “Israel’s feasts,” as some who are dishonest with the Scriptures assert.
Get this firmly in your mind. These Holy Days are GOD’S Sabbaths—they are Feasts of the Lord!
Israel Continually Disobeyed
Israel refused to remain faithful to God’s Sabbaths—annual or weekly—for any extended time. They had periods when they did observe them, before disobeying God and falling back into the practices of the nations around them.
In Ezekiel, God describes how He gave all of His Sabbaths to Israel—and what they did with them. Notice: “Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them” (20:12-13).
A sign signifies. The Sabbaths signify who God’s people are and that He is the true Creator God. Israel was unwilling to carry God’s “signature” upon them, and rebelled so they could follow the customs and practices of other gods. All who observe the weekly Sabbath are compelled to remember (through a memorial) the Creation week of Genesis 1:1 to 2:7. Creation identifies God and proves His existence—and Sabbath observance forces people every seven days to remember who the true God is. Those who keep it could not stray into the worship of other gods.
Notice also that God said, “I gave them My Sabbaths.” He called them “My Sabbaths” because He neverintended that they be thought of as “Israel’s Sabbaths.” The word Sabbaths is plural because the weekly Sabbath is not the only Sabbath that God said was a sign forever between Him and His people.
Though mankind has been rebelling against God’s Sabbaths ever since, they still remain the sign—the PROOF of identity—between God and His true people today (vs. 20).
If the New Testament Church is still commanded to keep these days, we must understand what the Church is—and when God first used the term.
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