Christmas
Our Christmas Tree
Some say the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol. They point to various ancient pagan religions which decorated trees to celebrate their deities, including Greeks, Romans, and Germanic peoples.
For some it is pagan because in their hearts they are pagan. They do not acknowledge that God alone is God. Declaring that they are the measure of good and evil, they make themselves into gods. No matter where they get their tree or what they do with it, it is a tree belonging to a pagan. But the pagan did not invent the tree, God did.
The first trees to represent Christ are found in the garden of Genesis. But rather than squabble over whose tree symbols are oldest, consider that God looks upon the heart. It is what is in your heart that makes the difference.
1Co 10:31 ... whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Ps 9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works.
These are the symbols I find in the scripture:
The darkness
Isa 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
Darkness is a popular symbol for evil. But that is a not the way it is used in the Bible. God dwelled in darkness before creation. He did not dwell in evil... He is Holy!
Ps 22:3 But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Darkness, in the Bible, is properly understood to be Love. The Trinity of God lived in Love before creation. It is said that sinful man lives in darkness because God loves sinful men.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
No sooner did God create man, and man sinned. God did not immediately destroy him because of his love demonstrated through grace, patience, and long-suffering. But God does not want man to always require grace, so he tells us to come to the light.
Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Le 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
In the sense that sinful men require grace, man can be said to be in the dark, and darkness is understood to be the grace of God which covers his sin. We should come to the light.
The Great Light
Light represents God's Holiness. Holiness is expressed through law, judgment, condemnation, and separation. God's nature did not change when he said “Let there be Light” for the attributes of Holiness were hidden in His name, Elohim. The childish pun 'a lo khoom' means 'not dark'. The light was made manifest as soon as there was something created to be separate from.
The light represents that God is Holy; that is, different and separate from his creation.
De 4:35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he [is] God; [there is] none else beside him. 1Sa 2:2 [There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God. 2Sa 7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for [there is] none like thee, neither [is there any] God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 1Ch 17:20 O LORD, [there is] none like thee, neither [is there any] God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God. Isa 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any]. Isa 45:5 ¶ I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me.
The star on the top of the tree is the great light of holiness which came into the world. It is the first light at the dawn of creation, the light that guided shepherds and kings to his birth and shown forth from the tomb. This light reminds us that God is Holy. There is none like him.
Evening and Morning
We celebrate Christmas on Christmas evening and Christmas morning. Evening and morning act as the mediator, or the buffer, between Light and Dark or Holiness and Grace. We can't understand holiness and grace if they are all mixed up. If a judge lets a criminal go free, we say there is no justice. If the judge doesn't let us go free when we have made a 'mistake', then we say that there is no mercy.
God reveals himself two ways. The Holy Ghost represents the message that God is Holy, even though he is also later seen to be another Comforter. The Son represents the message that God is Love, though he lived the Holy life. God's representation of Himself as Holiness and Love is reconciled on the cross where the judgment of man is satisfied by the death of Christ, and his love extended by his forgiveness of us.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Ro 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1Jo 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Evening and morning represent the reconciliation of God to man, and man to God. The reconciliation had to go both ways. God was grieved and we were His enemies.
Ge 6:6 ¶ And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Ro 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
The two-way reconciliation is also seen in the prophecy that John the baptist fulfilled:
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
In this prophecy 'the fathers' refer to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as representatives of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
We celebrate in the evening and the morning because God is reconciled with man and man to God.
The waters
Water is a symbol of the word of God. We place a bucket of water for the tree to remind us of Christ's baptism to fulfill all righteousness.
Mt 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
At his baptism, God showed us that Jesus was the firmament between the waters of creation. The waters below representing the Word of God incarnate on earth, and the Word spoken by the Father “This is my beloved Son” as the water/WORD above.
Joh 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
So we don't forget the picture, it was painted again at his death. Water and blood poured from his pierced side forming the waters below, and a sign placed by Pilate representing the declaration of the kings of the world “King of the Jews”. The water below and the word above. Many people place a sign at the top of the tree saying something like “Peace on earth”. But even if there is no sign, the water below reminds us of his baptism.
The tree
The tree represents the cross. When we say the cross, we don't just mean the wooden tool of execution. We refer to it as a metaphor for all that happened at the cross.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Ga 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
If we only see it as a tool for execution, it would be a most horrible symbol indeed. But it is not just a horrible symbol, it is also a wonderful symbol:
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
John the baptist fulfilled this prophecy. Therefor the 'great and dreadful day of the Lord' was the day of the cross. It was a dreadful day when the Holy Son of God, who knew no sin was made to be sin incarnate...that is, sin in the flesh.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The very thought of being made to be sin was so dreadful to the Son of God, that the thought of it caused Him to sweat great drops of blood.
Lu 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
But it was a great day as well, since we have been reconciled with God. Peace was made between God and man by the blood of Christ.
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
The evergreen tree
We choose an evergreen tree which is cut at the root. It is cut at the root to indicate that Jesus, in the flesh, bore our sins in judgment.
Mt 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Jesus died desolate. All his disciples had gone, and even his Father had left him, leaving him to cry out:
Mr 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Jesus was unfruitful in the flesh. The evergreen does not bear fruit. And so we lay the axe to the root to symbolize his desolation as he became sin for us and took our judgment.
Though Jesus was not physically burned, and we hopefully do not burn our Christmas trees during the celebration, Christ was totally consumed in his devotion to the Father's will, even to death. The burnt offering represents this in the ancient sacrifices. We can remember this as we eat our tree shaped cookies. But should you burn your Christmas tree, the violence of that burning, due to the flammable tree sap reminds us of the violence that Jesus faced as he submitted himself to the Father's will.
The evergreen tree remains green though it has been cut off at the root. This represents the resurrection of Christ, and his everlasting life. His resurrection is real. Other religions use smoke to represent moving off to a spiritual existence. But Jesus rose from the dead with his physical body. The wood of the tree being of an earthly nature reminds us that Jesus has married the flesh in resurrection. This gives us great joy since in the flesh he has married the church. We are the bride of Christ, waiting his physical return.
Garlands
Garlands wrap and bind the tree just as Abraham bound Isaac as a symbol of Christ dying for us. The symbol is supposed to be that of thorns such as those that entrapped the ram which replaced Isaac. The thorns represent the cares of the world. The ram (as Christ) died because he cared for the world.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But we don't use the thorn bushes to symbolize that he cared enough to die for our sins. We use garlands instead to represent that our sins have been forgotten.
Ps 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. If the garlands are of evergreens we celebrate an eternal life bound with Him as his bride. If they are of Gold, we celebrate that the eternal God has bound himself to his creation. If they are Silver, we celebrate that the Son incarnate has bound himself in marriage.
See other colors below for other representations.
Tinsel
Tinsel represents grass, which is the same symbol as the bread of communion. Since we are the sheep (cattle of His pasture), we eat of Him and be full.
De 11:15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
The symbol of grass being mowed is the same as the bread being broken for us.
Ps 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Jesus was born for this purpose
Ps 104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; Joh 12:27 ¶ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
Small lights
Jesus said that we are the light of the world. But we are only small lights in the firmament. We place the small lights in the tree to represent that we are the children of Abraham (stars).
Ge 1.16 ...he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, Ge 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
We are in the firmament when we are 'in Christ'.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And though Christ is the Greater and lesser lights to rule the Day and the night, we are made to be like him:
1Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
So we place the small lights in the tree, not to glorify ourselves, but to remind us that our proper position is 'in Christ'.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Decorations of odds and ends
Sometimes our trees are covered with all kinds of things. Decorations made by loved ones, pictures, small toys. This is a reminder that Jesus is concerned with all the things we are concerned about. The good things and the bad are all important to him. He remembers with us the things we remember.
Ps 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
The tree is put in the home
God wishes to dwell with men.
2Ch 6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! Mt 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Re 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.
But he can't if we don't understand Holiness
Ro 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Adam walked with God. The tree was put there as a symbol of God's Holiness. It represented the truth that God was different. But Adam thought he was equal to God and make his own rules or challenge those God had made.
The people at Babel built a tower to the heavens to make themselves equal to God.
The people of Israel “did what was right in their own eyes' making themselves to be equal to God, and he judged them by letting their enemies torment them.
Nebuchadnezzer looked our and said, “Behold great Babylon which I have builded” before God made him eat grass like an ox.
The Pharisees pretended to be Holy based on rules they had made, again making themselves to be equal with God.
Whenever God gets intimate with man, man steps over the line and violates God's Holiness by thinking we are equal with Him. We suppose to judge the way He runs His universe with our grumblings and murmurings.
We blame Him for the pain, suffering and destruction in the world when it is caused by our pretending to be God. All sin causes pain, suffering and destruction. It is the nature of sin to send out ripples of destruction. Sometimes our sin causes ripple which come back and hit us, and we know the consequences of personal sin. Sometimes someone else's ripples hit us, and we may or may not be able to trace the source. And sometimes the ripples from a bunch of us combine and cause a tsunami of destruction as we each pretend to be equal with God and 'do what is right in our own eyes'.
But it is all designed to point us back to God. When we recognize that things are not the way they are supposed to be, we are recognizing that there is a way that they are supposed to be as designed by God.
John the baptist prepared the way for God to dwell with men calling them to repentance. A repentant heart agrees with God that God alone is God, and God alone is good. It cries out in prayer “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.”
The pre-eminent symbol of the tree is that of the lights and we use them to remind us of the Holiness of God so that he might dwell intimately with us.
I doubt a pagan would think my tree was pagan. In fact I think they stole and perverted symbols from scripture.
How you celebrate or don't celebrate Christmas is a reflection of your heart.
