Part One: The Birth of the Messiah

The Worship of the Messiah

God Gives Us the Perfect Gift  (2013)

"There are few children who don't look forward to their birthday or Christmas if they know they are going to receive gifts from their parents. Usually the present is eagerly opened and delighted in - at least for a few hours! God the Father also delights to give His children gifts, and long before we took our first breath our Creator revealed Himself to be the great giver of life itself ... The most precious and perfect gift He has ever given us is that of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ..."

YOUTUBE:  G.F. Handel: Messiah  (Recorded on 21 August 2011)

By: Collegium & Collegium Vàclav 1704.  Director - Vaclav Luks;
Soprano - Hana Blažiková; Contralto - Delphine Galou; Tenor - Markus Brutscher; Bass - Marián Krejcik.
Recorded at L'Abbatiale Saint-Robert de La Chaise-Dieu.

Viewers' comments:  "That is surely the most joyous, even riotous, performances I have ever heard or seen! The tenor is magnificent; he is not just singing words but rejoicing in the story of the Messiah"  /  "Every now and then, I bump into something so unimaginably wonderful I forget the dark side of humanity and lose myself in awe, beauty, and inspiration"  /  "This has to be the most beautiful presentation of the most beautiful, faith-filled, Oratorio by Georg Handel ever"  /  "It is the glorification of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and how He is felt in this. My soul is overwhelmed by His Majesty and the wonders of the prophecies of the scriptures that have come together to announce Him in this grand masterpiece by Handel"  /  "...the exquisite melodies and the pure 'sola scriptura' which gives this Oratorio its power to touch the hearts of believers as well as those who have chosen to disbelieve"  /  "Truly a wonderful performance"  /  "All honour and praise and worship to our Messiah Jesus"  /  "Herein is love, not that we loved, but that God loved us"  /  "Magnifico. Glory to God. Worthy, worthy, worthy, is the Lamb"  /  "And He shall reign for ever and ever" 

Three Meditations on the Birth of Jesus Christ  (2002)

"It is true we don't know the exact date of Jesus' birth; some say it may have been in September because the shepherds still kept their sheep out at night at that time of the year, while at the end of December it usually became too cold. Also the beginning of the Jewish New Year fell in September, and just as the new year can mean a new start likewise the birth of Jesus also started a new era for all mankind, with dates marked B.C. standing for 'Before Christ'..."

Hanukkah/Festival of Lights: Conception of the Messiah

Hanukkah: The True Birth of Jesus Christ?  (07 December 2018)

"[T]he Middle Eastern mindset is different from ours, so that celebrating a birthday for them is not about the baby being born, but being conceived. I am told that in the Jewish culture of Jesus's day, the day you were conceived was actually considered your birthday ... [A] reasonable date for the conception of Jesus would have been Hanukkah, a celebration of dedication and victory, when miraculous light fills the temple! ... Hanukkah ... is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar..."

Was Jesus Conceived on Hanukkah?  (No Date)

"Many believe that our Messiah, the 'light of the world', was conceived on the festival of lights - Hanukkah. The Bible does not specifically say the date of Jesus' birth. It was not during the winter months because the sheep were in the pasture ... Was the 'light of the world' conceived on the festival of lights?..."

Succoth/Feast of Tabernacles: Birth of the Messiah

No, the Nativity Is Not About Homelessness  (25 December 2018)

"The Gospel of Luke tells us: 'In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.'  Augustus organised a number of censuses; the number is not known, but it looks as if they occurred every ten years or so. Some were local, others attempted to cover the Empire..."

Was the Birth of Christ During the Feast of Tabernacles?  (13 November 2017)

"Starting at Hanukkah, which begins Kislev 25 and continues for eight days, and counting through the nine months of Mary's pregnancy, one arrives at the approximate time of the birth of Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles (the early fall [Sept or Oct] of the year) ... During the Feast of Tabernacles, God required all male Jews to come to the Temple in Jerusalem. The many pilgrims coming to Jerusalem for the festivals would spill over to the surrounding towns (Bethlehem is about five miles from Jerusalem). Joseph and Mary ... may have been given shelter in a booth (sukkah)..."

The Wise Men

The Wise Men From the East - A Mystery Solved?  (06 January 2018)

"Today is Epiphany, when the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus is remembered. For nearly two millennia there has been speculation and much legend-making about this event, recorded in Matthew's gospel (Matthew ch.2vv1-12). Can the many mysteries be resolved?..."

Part Two: Christmas

Origins, Paganism, Romanism, Syncretism, Compromise

Did the Romans Invent Christmas?  (12 December 2009)

"It was a public holiday celebrated around December 25th in the family home. A time for feasting, goodwill, generosity to the poor, the exchange of gifts and the decoration of trees. But it wasn't Christmas. This was Saturnalia, the pagan Roman winter solstice festival. But was Christmas, Western Christianity's most popular festival, derived from the pagan Saturnalia? ... Saturnalia has a rival contender as the forerunner of Christmas: the festival of dies natalis solis invicti, 'birthday of the unconquered sun'..."

Why We No Longer Celebrate Christmas  (01 December 2005)

"Since we made our change ... with the exception of the first year, I have felt a tremendous peace, joy, calm, richness, treasure in the season. While everyone is running around trying to cope with the pressure of performing, trying to meet the financial burden, trying to juggle the social constraints, trying to stretch their time & energy to the demands of the season ... we are just continuing on with life as usual, enjoying our Saviour in the little moments of each day as He gives them to us. I wouldn't go back to the old way for anything!..."

Festivals: Christmas and Lady-Day  (1916)

"Long before the Christian era ... a festival was celebrated among the heathen ... in honour of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven ... In Egypt, the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time ... Far and wide, in the realms of Paganism, was this birth-day observed ... Among the Sabeans of Arabia, who regarded the moon, and not the sun ... the same period was observed as the birth festival..."

The Origin of Christmas  (No Date)

"Christmas is a holiday shared and celebrated by many religions. It is a day that has an effect on the entire world. To many people, it is a favorite time of the year involving gift giving, parties and feasting. Christmas is a holiday that unifies almost all of professing Christendom..."

Where is Christ in Christmas?  (No Date)

"The angel's joyful announcement (Luke 2:10-12) was worthy of our Heavenly King. Yet, except for a few lowly shepherds, the people of Bethlehem failed to welcome Him. Had they forgotten the long-awaited Messiah prophesied by Isaiah long ago? ... Today's world is just as oblivious. It shuts Him out ... Our sovereign King doesn't fit man's vision of interfaith unity. His way is too narrow, and His Word is far too offensive..."

The Word 'Christmas'

The True Meaning of Christ-Mass  (No Date)

"Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas ... Although we hear these words constantly as the resonate millions of times throughout the land, almost nobody understands what they are a really saying ... [Let us] examine the true meaning and essence of those words..."

Santa Claus / Father Christmas

Santa Claus and Jesus Christ Compared  (No Date)

"As you prepare for the most joyous time of the year, consider carefully the following parallels and allow the Holy Spirit to direct your life and holiday season accordingly..."

Santa Claus... Pretender to the Throne  (No Date)

"One beautiful hymn contains the following line 'Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!'.  Sadly the 'earth' is doing anything but. The meaning of Christmas has been lost in an endless round of festivities... shopping sprees, parties, decorations, trees, food, gifts and merrymaking. The King whose birth we celebrate at Christmas has been slowly ousted from centre stage as He doesn't fit today's politically correct views ... Santa Claus has become the most beloved of Christmas symbols and traditions..."

The Worship of Mammon

Selling Out Christmas  (25 December 2016)

"Many shops are still open on Christmas Day, and stampeding throngs are buying up everything in sight. But there's anticipatory weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in hell, where Mammon lives. For Christmas sales will sooner or later end. There will be other sales, numerous other opportunities to inject new energy into the devout worship of Mammon. But no sale is quite like a Christmas sale..."

Thus saith the LORD,
Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls
(Jeremiah 6:16)

© Bayith Ministries     http://www.bayith.org     bayith@blueyonder.co.uk