Mike Owens
docbrat@yahoo.com
For most people today, Christmas is perhaps the most joyous time of year. Like no other Holiday, Christmas evokes the strongest feelings in all people. It's the spirit of Christmas. Soon the air is alive with the spirit of giving, the spirit of laughter, the spirit of merriment, the spirit of forgiveness.But whose spirit is it? Christmas is also the most lonely, depressing, and suicidal time of year. At Christmas time, more then any other time of year, our thoughts are on our loved ones. Many people are alone or lonely in our society today. The elderly, who may have lost all those dear to them through death or indifference. The single parent, who is struggling to make ends meet in a hectic world. The young person away from home for the first time, perhaps over problems in the home itself. All of these are feeling worthless, guilty, helpless and hopeless. These feelings lead into depression, over one fifth of the population today suffers from depression which is only exaggerated during holidays. Deep depression occasionally leads into suicide, where death seems to be the only way out for them. Most suicides occur around the holidays and over half of these are at Christmas. One of the strongest instincts in man is the instinct to survive. Therefore, by its very nature, suicide is an irrational act that goes against human nature. It is also unique to humans. So again the question must be asked, whose spirit is it?
How many of us have the old familiar trappings of Christmas around the Home? The Christmas tree, standing in a prominent place for all to see. Brightly decorated with colored lights, gold and red and green and silver ribbons, bright and shiny balls of glass, and silver tinsel. Underneath the tree, piled as high as the branches will allow, are all the gifts for Christmas day. Atop the tree is the Star of Bethlehem or a lovely golden hair angel.
Today most have their tree up shortly after Thanksgiving, this has not always been so. Traditionally, on Christmas Eve the family would gather round the fireplace and put the Yule log on the fire to watch it burn. Perhaps father would tell their favorite story while they enjoyed the warmth from the fire, perhaps mother had made some hot spiced cider or some delicious egg nog. Then after the children had all gone to bed, mother and father would decorate the tree and place the gifts underneath it to greet the children the next morning.
Many light the Christmas candles starting on the twelfth day before Christmas. Holly and mistletoe adorn the home in great abundance, and lucky is the girl or boy who stands beneath the mistletoe, for they shall get a kiss.
How many have the statuettes of the Nativity adorning their homes? Little baby Jesus lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Mary and Joseph beside the manger , as shepherds and angels watch in awe. The three wise men standing in the doorway, each with his own expensive gift to offer this new born King, their camels standing off to the side. Then, above it all, the Star of Bethlehem shining brightly in honor of the King.
Then comes Christmas day itself. The table is filled to overflowing with delicate treats enjoyed at no other time of the year. Sweet candied yams, a fine ham or the Christmas goose, hot crossed buns, eggnog, and more.
Most joyously indulge in such merriment not once stopping to consider the origins of such rites.
Why, Christmas is a Christian Holiday, has been since the Church was established.
Why, Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birth so many centuries ago, maybe the date is off a little, but no one can really know for sure.
Why, Christmas is just a time for the family to get together, nothing significant is behind all this fancy trimming.
Why, Christmas is a time we think of the birth of our Savior, maybe the practices were once Pagan, but we don't believe in them anymore they no longer have the same meanings, it's O.K. as long as we use it to worship Christ.
What Does The Bible Say? But the Bible is quite clear: God is always the same.
The council of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Ps 33:11Of old Thou didst found the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end. Ps 102:25-27
For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. Ma 3:6
And as a mantle Thou wilt roll them up; as a garment they will also be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end. He 1:12
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. He 13:8
Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. Ja 1:17
The Bible is also quite clear on the commands of God:.
You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods; on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods, and you shall obliterate their name from that place. You shall not act like this toward the Lord your God. De 12:2-4
beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?" You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God, for every abominable act which the Lord hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it. De 12:30-32
Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar. Pr 30:5-6
However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless lemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. Ga 4:8-11
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, Paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron. ...But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. ITi 4:1-7
Why do I mention these verses? Simply, there is not a Bible scholar, or Church official, who will honestly say that Christmas was not long ago originally a Pagan festival. This is beyond all reasonable doubt.
Then There Was Ham Ham, the third son of Noah, was the father of Cush, and his name comes from the Chaldean khem, which means the burnt one or the burning one and is in reference, not only to Ham as the son of Noah, the father of Cush, but also as the name of their sun-god. Right after the Flood Ham showed his true colors by an act of disrespect towards his father. It is evident that the offense was greater then merely making fun of his father by the curse given to his youngest son, Caanan. The flaw in his character was far more of a spiritual flaw that would go against the righteousness of his father.
If the original is flawed, so shall all copies from it be flawed. So it is with Cush. Although most references to this word in the Bible is to the country of Ethiopia, the word is derived from the Hebrew kvsh and is Chaldean in origin. It comes from the word khus, which in pronunciation is kha wos. It is from where we get the word chaos. This was the name of the first father of the gods, Khaos, The Confounder, he who caused the confusion of tongues and scattered the inhabitants of the once united earth abroad. Under the name Belus, which is another Chaldean word meaning The Confounder, he is said to be the father of Ninus, the first king of Babylon.
Perhaps in resentment for the harshness God had shown towards his father when He cursed Ham's youngest son Caanan, perhaps in sympathy for his youngest brother, or perhaps in the same corrupt desire to be like God that Satan had, by the time his son Nimrod was born Cush had developed a plan by which the suffocating religion of his righteous uncle could be replaced by his own.
Nimrod was the great-grandson of Noah and a contemporary with Eber, the great-grandson of Shem. Nimrod comes from the Chaldean words nimr: leopard, and rad: to subdue. Nimrod was famous for his exploits as a mighty hunter. Most Hebrew names in the Bible are based on puns and the name Nimrod is very similar in pronunciation to a compound Hebrew word, niyn: progeny and marad: be rebellious, rebel. The word carries with it the meaning of breaking covenant with someone, whether man or God. So, Nimrod the Mighty Hunter (The Hunter of Men's Souls) becomes Nimrod the Rebellious One, or the Son of Rebellion. Cush would carefully nurture his Son of Rebellion in this new religion, and thereby rule the world through him. Cush, declaring himself a prophet of The Only One, and assuming the name Hermes, became the interpreter of the gods. Hermes is a compound word created from the Egyptian Her, which in Chaldean means the burnt one, therefore it is synonymous with Ham. This is also the derivative from which the name Horus originates and connects him with both the Babylonian and Egyptian sun-god. The second half of the word Hermes comes from the word mesheh, (Moses) which means to draw forth, to extract, to give birth. Therefore, Hermes means the child of Ham, or the son of Ham. This can be seen in the Pharaoh names Ramesses and Thothmes which mean son of Ra and son of Thoth.
In direct violation to the commands of God, Cush persuaded the people to establish one place where they could all dwell together to worship their god, and there to build a great tower to better observe the messages of their god written in the stars.
Nimrod The very first mention of Nimrod in the Bible is in Genesis 10:8,9, where it is said:
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.Sometime between 2281 and 2247 B.C., Cush established Babel, the city which would one day become famous as Babylon under the leadership of Nimrod. Nimrod was a black man of great stature and immense bodily powers. He was also a charismatic statesman, and the two qualities would combine to make him a most formidable foe. As all the tribes created by the confusion of the tongues gathered in their own little groups, Nimrod trained a powerful army in the hardships of war and went out to conquer these groups, ever expanding his kingdom. Eventually his glory as a mighty warrior would become his glory as deified man.
Semiramis But a king must have a queen. Nimrod took Semiramis as his queen, a most beautiful and sensuous woman known for her infidelities and licentiousness. Semiramis was also his mother. He also established himself as god, under the name Kronos the Father of the Gods, and his mother Semiramis as goddess, under the name Rhea, the name of the Babylonian goddess represented as the Mother of all gods and men. It comes from the word har ra'ah: to see, gaze upon. The word also means a bird of prey (volture) because of their sharp eyesight. It is used in Genesis 3:6.
According to tradition, Rhea, the one who gazes, gazed upon her brother, Kronos, and fell in love with him. She conceived a child from her brother through an act of incest. Because of this incestuous act, the child was named Mut or Death. As Mother of all men, Rhea is identified with Eve, who gazed upon the fruit and conceived death. But this name also has another meaning which identifies her with Semiramis, the Mother of all gods, Rhea, the one who is gazed upon. Semiramis is said to have been the most beautiful woman on earth. This is shown through one of her other names Venus, the goddess of love, who was known for her great beauty. It is said that Semiramis once quelled a disturbance by merely walking though it, as she was so beautiful that all around her stopped what they were doing to gaze upon her, much like the story of Helen of Troy.
As Nimrod's wife, Semiramis became rightfully the Queen of Heaven. The name Semiramis is derived from the Chaldee z'emir-amit, z'; emphatic article, the, emir; branch, and amit; the feminine for bearer. What is said then is; Semiramis, The Branch Bearer, the Branch being the Babylonian messiah. But, knowing how most Hebrew names were derived from puns of other words, there is another, though less likely source for her name. It is the combining of three words that go to define who she really is: Shamat; to release, drop, discard. It is often used not only for the birthing process, but for the discarding of something unwanted and according to legend, Semiramis was discarded as unfit by her mother after her birth. Mamzer; child of incest. The reason for Semiramis' mother discarding her after birth was the way in which she was conceived. Remember what was said above about Rhea?
In Gen 9:22-25 we read of an incident where Ham comes upon his drunken father then goes to his brothers and makes sport of seeing the nakedness of his father. Then his son Caanan is cursed for his act. This was a rather harsh penalty for merely seeing your father naked. What legend goes on to describe is an event which would more justly deserve such a sentence. It is said that when Ham saw the nakedness of his father, it was actually his mother he saw and took the opportunity to have sexual relations with her, she becoming impregnated by the act. Semiramis was the outcome of this pregnancy, therefore the reason for her mother's hatred.
Finally, ramut: lofty, high stature. Through her marriage to Nimrod, Semiramis was lifted to the highest positions in the land: to Queen of Babylon, to the great Mother of all gods and men, and to Queen of Heaven, the second member of the Babylonian Trinity composed of the Eternal Father, the Spirit of God incarnate in a human mother, and The Seed, the fruit of that incarnation. Therefore, the least, the one who was shamefully discarded was lifted up to high stature to become the greatest.
Not all of Noah's sons would turn out like Ham, his older brother Shem followed in the righteous footsteps of Noah and his righteous blood line would eventually lead to Christ. Shem is a Chaldean word in origin. The etymology of it is uncertain but its meaning can be ascertained by its use. Shem means name. It is believed to come from the same root word as siym: to put, and has the idea of placing a brand or a mark on something or someone, as to put them in charge. With this idea in mind, the word shamayim: heavens is derived also. Shem was marked by God as His chosen one, much as the doorposts of the Israelites were marked that the Death Angel would pass over them, much as Cain was marked that all who would see him would avoid him and not kill him, much as we are marked with the blood of Christ.
As is true with all truth in a false religion, Shem the righteous line of God became Sem the slayer of Osiris who, with the help of the gods, killed Osiris then cut up his body and sent it to different cities throughout the land as a warning to any who would follow in his footsteps. The very first word in the Bible for God is 'elohim. Whenever this word is speaking of God, it is always accompanied with the definite article and translated in the singular, though it is by nature a plural word. Whenever this word is speaking other then of God, it is always translated in the plural. Therefore, as Sem conquered Osiris with the help of the gods, Shem conquered Nimrod with the help of God. Hearing of his great nephew's rebellion, it is said he killed Nimrod, cutting up his body and sending it throughout the kingdom as a warning to all the people not to follow after Nimrod's example, thus driving this rebellion underground and creating the Mystery Religion.
After Nimrod was killed, his wife Semiramis became pregnant. Being an unmarried queen, she could not be caught in such a position, so she did what only a goddess could do, she proclaimed that Nimrod, the Father of the Gods had willingly given up his own life in atonement for the sins of the people, and the child within her now was none other then Nimrod himself, under the name Ninus, the Seed, come back to life.
Nimrod was called Kronos, the first king of Babylon. Kronos means the Horned One, and represents Nimrod in his deified form as the Father of the gods. As the first king of Babylon, Nimrod was also known as Ninus. This word literally means The Seed and, like Nimrod, is derived from niyn. In Genesis 3:15 it says:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise His heel.This is the very first Messianic prophecy in the Bible. Christ is the Seed of the woman. In like manner, after Nimrod's death Semiramis claimed this very first prophecy as being fulfilled in her and that the unborn child within her was none other then Nimrod himself come back as The Seed. What we are left with then is Nimrod who is called Kronos, the Horned One, the husband/son; Nimrod who is called Ninus, The Seed, the father/son; and Semiramis, the Queen of Heaven, the wife/mother.