​​Welcome  to    Joy By Surprise

Stunning as the following facts may appear, it is essential to bring them to your notice.

• Christmas is a Pagan, not a Christian festival.
• The 25th December was celebrated in ancient days as the birthday of the unconquerable Sun god, (variously know as Tammuz, Mithra, Saturn, Adonis or Baal) centuries before 'Jesus Christ' was born in Bethlehem.
• Nowhere in the Bible are believers in the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob required to celebrate Christmas.
• The early Christian church did not celebrate Christmas. Instead it celebrated the sacred festivals mentioned in the Bible, in Leviticus chapter 23.
• In order to win Gentile converts to the Christian faith, the Roman Church, centuries after the apostolic era, adopted this ancient pagan winter festival of the Sun god and renamed it 'Christmas' mistakenly thinking that it would honor the SON of YaHuWaH.
• Scholars have for centuries known these facts. They can be confirmed in any reference library.

This article will first answer the question: When, according to Scripture, was YAHUSHUA the Messiah born? It will then go on to quote various historians who wrote concerning Christmas, then list the scriptural alternatives to Christmas, Easter, All Saints day etc. and the customs associated with them. It will end with a challenging question which all true believers - of whatever faith - must answer.

To begin with let me plainly state that the Scriptures do not give the precise date of the Savior's birth. However, by close examination of various passages in the Bible we are able to conclude that most certainly he was not born on the 25th December (mid-winter in the northern hemisphere) but at some time in the autumn of the year. Here is how we arrive at that opinion.

The story of the Savior's birth is well known; but for those who do not have Bibles here it is.

The "course of Abia" (Abijah in Hebrew) we learn from 1 Chronicles 24:7-10, was the 8th of 24 courses during a 12 month year. Each group of priests (all except the most senior who were on duty more often) officiated in the Temple for two weeks every year. Zacharias' turn of duty came when the 8th group (Abijah's) attended; which was during weeks 15 and 16 after the start of the year.

A year in the sacred calendar begins with the new moon nearest the spring equinox. Consequently the new year starts in March or very early April. For the purpose of this study we will work with the equinox date of 20th March. Fifteen weeks (105 days) after the 20th March bring us to early July. In other words, in early July the angel Gabriel told Zechariah that his aged wife Elisabeth would conceive and bear a son, whose name was to be John. Six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy, that is in early January, Gabriel informed the virgin Mary that she also was to conceive and bring forth a son, the Son of the Highest - the Messiah! When Mary said that this was not possible as she had never had sexual intercourse with a man, Gabriel told her that the aged Elizabeth, who had been barren for many, many years, was already six months pregnant - another apparent impossibility with man, but not with YaHuWaH. For with YaHuWaH nothing shall be impossible!

From the above passages we learn, amongst other things, three vital facts:

• Elisheba conceived in early July.
• Mary conceived some 6 months after Elisheba, in early January.
• Therefore YAHUSHUA was born just over 9 months later; which brings us to an autumn date in late September/early October.

Here are famous scholars and historians revealing amazing facts:

• That each year on the 25th December the pagans held a festival in honor of the SUN god.
• And that centuries after the Savior's birth in Bethlehem this selfsame festival of the SUN god was adopted by the Christian Church, given the name Christmas and thereafter celebrated as the birthday of the SON OF YaHuWaH !

These are truly eye-opening facts. Remember them.

• The Passover: This service commemorates the death of YAHUSHUA the Messiah, the Passover Lamb of YaHuWaH, who gave His life to purchase our salvation.
• The Feasts of Unleavened Bread which commemorate Israel's hurried departure from Egypt when they lived on unleavened bread. Unleavened Bread also foreshadows the time when the Almighty will totally rid His household - the Church - of the leaven of sin, hypocrisy and false doctrine.
• Pentecost: This festival commemorates the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit: not just the event that happened on the day of Pentecost in apostolic times (Acts 2), but also when the Most High will pour out His Spirit on His people in these last days, after we have been cleansed of every vestige of sin.
• Trumpets: This feast still awaits even partial fulfillment. It foreshadows the time when cleansed, Spirit-filled believers will proclaim the final warnings to mankind; warnings which will be preached when the terrifying events described in the book of Revelation are in progress.
• The Day of Atonement: This day of fasting prefigures a time of judgment and atonement when the church will finally be brought into the very presence of the Almighty and be at-one with Him.
• The Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles): This festival commemorates Israel's 40 year stay in the wilderness in temporary dwellings (booths/tents). Tabernacles also commemorates the incarnation, when the Almighty YaHuWaH took up residence in the human body of His Son YAHUSHUA!
• The Last Great Day: This Feast prefigures eternity; when through the ages to come the ransomed will live with YaHuWaH the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His Son YAHUSHUA - our Redeemer!

If you have read thus far, you will no doubt be wondering, How does this information affect me? Believe me, I sympathize with you if you are now in a dilemma. Many years ago I was in just such a situation. If all this about Christmas is correct, then how must I react? To ignore truth is obviously not a safe policy to follow: especially when it concerns the choice between Baal worship on the one hand and obedience to the commandments of YaHuWaH on the other. Perhaps you should do what I did when I first learned the truth about Christmas: Go to the library and check it all out. Read as many encyclopaedias, dictionaries and other reference works to see if all this is true. Also read our pages on the Feast days of the Elohim of Israel and The Sacred Calendar of the Elohim of Israel. And, when you have really studied the matter, make your choice to:

• Go along with the pagan festival of Christmas.
• Or obey the Almighty's commandments.

Many sincere folks will nervously ask: What about my family, my children, my friends? How can I possibly stop keeping Christmas; it's a family day for us and the children and grand-children all expect presents; they'll all think I've gone crazy! Well let me tell you that it was exactly the same for me and my family. I have 3 children and now 3 grand-children. Did they suffer? Do the children feel deprived. Did they understand? I can tell you that the children are the least problem. They'll understand faster than you think. Besides you no longer need to tell them all those lies about Santa Claus visiting millions of homes each Christmas with presents for good little boys and girls. Just tell them the truth: that Xmas is not a festival the Almighty wants Christians to keep and that they will get their presents on His Feasts or on their own birthdays. Incidentally, the patriarchs of old remembered their birthdays: that's how all of them knew how old they were.

Is it possible to stop keeping Christmas? Yes it is: tens of thousands of Christians the world over have already done so. What's more they are now keeping the Festivals of the Elohim of Israel. Believe me, and I can speak from experience, their children and grandchildren are in no way deprived.

1. According to the Scriptures YAHUSHUA the Messiah was born in the autumn of the year; probably during the Week of Tabernacles. This extremely important Biblical festival commemorates and foreshadows two important events:
   • Israel's 40 year wanderings in the wilderness when the nation lived in temporary dwellings (booths/tents)
   • And the incarnation! when the Almighty Elohim took up residence in the person of YAHUSHUA the Messiah - the SON OF THE LIVING ELOHIM!
2. The early apostolic Church did not celebrate Christmas. You may read the New Testament again and again and you will find this to be the case.
3. Only after several centuries did the Roman Church begin to celebrate Christmas: which was - and still is - a pagan festival commemorated in honor of the SUN god, variously known as Tammuz, Mithra, Saturn, Adonis and Baal! In order to win converts to the Christian faith the Catholic Church adopted this pagan festival, renamed it Christmas and now celebrates it in honor of the SON of YaHuWaH ! Alas! the whole Christian world, with the exception of a few believers, has followed suit. But Christmas is still a pagan festival through and through. Its change of name from Saturnalia, the birthday of the sun god, to Christ's Mass has not altered its true character one iota: and the evil spirit behind its celebrations still produces the deception, debt, drunkenness, misrule and licentiousness that characterized the pagan revelries of bygone days.
4. The sacred festivals listed in the Bible (Leviticus chapter 23) are for Jewish as well as Gentile believers in the Elohim of Israel. These divine festivals constitute the Signature (Sign) of YaHuWaH the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
5. True believers must give up celebrating the heathen festivals of Christmas, Easter, Ash-Wednesday etc. and begin keeping the Bible feasts listed in Leviticus chapter 23. There really is no other safe alternative.