The pagans had many different customs, so I believe that for God to describe this specific one in detail is significant. And just like in every other deception, Satan doesn't appear in his true form, because people wouldn't give him the honor, so what better way than to take his devisings and push it close to Christ, so people take to it.
The papacy is antichrist. We know this. Rome is the very seat of Satan, and God tells us this, so why on earth would we want to follow ANYTHING taught by them? Each of us must thoroughly inspect his or herself, to make sure that not one hair on our head is wondering after the beast.
Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
Jer 10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Jer 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Jer 10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
Jer 10:6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
Many who wish to attack whatever church they belong to, or who wish to attack the catholic Church, (and I am not saying you are attacking any church), will take this passage out of Jeremiah and twist it around out of context to say that Jer is talking about a Christmas tree here; and that this means we should not celebrate Christmas or have a Christmas tree. They say things like "the church is defying God by having a Christmas tree.
But is Jer 10 really talking about "Christmas trees?"
1/ Jer does contains an invective against idolatry; showing its absurdity, and that the Creator alone should be worshipped by all mankind. Jer 10 is a contrast between the idols and Jehovah. I know that most of us can be agreed upon this point, including our Catholic brethren.
2/ Lets look more closely now at Jer 10 "They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not."
Now why do people keep saying this is a tree of any kind let alone a Christmas tree? That makes no sense, if you let the Bible explain itself, instead of making a whole doctrine out of just one verse.
What is it they are decking with silver and gold here? Does the text suggest it is a tree; or something they make out of a tree? Certainly they did not have Christmas trees there and then, so what's actually going on? We have to let scripture speak for itself on this. To take this one verse all alone and make it say "Christmas tree," is not right, it's not sound exegesis or Biblical interpretation at all.
The text in Jer just does not say Christmas tree, so if you say thats what it's referring to you have to get that from somewhere else in the Bible in order to let the Bible speak for itself.
I think that Jer is referring to idols, as in graven images. In those days they would choose a tree made out of wood that would not rot to make the idol out of, and once the image was made, they would deck it out with silver and gold, just like it says in Jer 10.
Note:Isa 40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Isa 40:19 The workman melteth
a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
Isa 40:20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
So now we see the same description as in Jer here in Isaiah but with more details. They get a special tree that won't rot, "to make the idol out of;" and then they deck their idol, NOT THE TREE out of silver and gold. So now we see Jer is referring to the graven images the people were getting into back then, and it can be shown from the new testament what a huge monetary business this same idol making had become.
What you or I think the papacy is has nothing to do with this subject. This graven image making did not originate with them; and if you want to say that the christmas tree is their form of idolatry that we are copying, then you have a lot to prove before I could believe that. As a society, we do a lot of things that Catholics started, or that Catholics do, but if we made a list of all these things, and treated them as "idolatry;" then you would have to lock yourself up in an isolation cell and never come out again. But don't worry; us idolaters will come to feed you every day so you don't starve.
The point being, is that not everything Catholic is wrong and we need to stop demonizing them the way we do. Concerns about pagan elements in this holiday are nothing new. Controversies over Christmas go back hundreds of years. The Puritans in England actually led the English Parliament to ban Christmas for a period of time as a popish festival with no biblical justification and a time of wasteful and immoral behavior. Even in Colonial America there was a time (1659) when Christmas was outlawed. More recently, secular elements of society have faced off with religious groups over nativity scenes and crosses on public property.
The Bible certainly highlights the birth of Christ (Luke 3:7). It not only describes the glorious announcement of the Messiahs birth (v. 13) but also tells of shepherds coming to worship the newborn child (v. 16). These humble worshippers were not quiet about what they saw either (v. 17). Furthermore, there is a record of wise men from the east bringing gifts to Jesusthough this likely occurred when Jesus was a toddler (Matthew 2:11). If people recognized the birth of Christ through worship and bringing gifts, perhaps there actually is something we can learn and practice from their examples.
Aside from its pagan elements, most people understand that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. But in practice, people spend more time in December cruising shopping malls than studying the life of the Savior. Frosty the Snowman and Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer compete with wise men and shepherds for our attention. During all the bustle between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, materialism tends to overshadow the simple stable.
But what if Christians spent more time witnessing for Christ at Christmas or purchasing and sharing Christians resources to point people to Jesus? What would happen if more families dedicated time and money to serve the poor and advance the gospel through short-term mission service? How would our churches be strengthened if, during this holiday time, believers explored the prophecies of Christs first advent as well as His second advent? Perhaps our concerns about Christmas should have less to do with its pagan origins and more with its current practice.
Id hate to tell you what i do on Halloween. lol. You'd really have a hay day with that one. I would likely be labelled as "idolatrous" and called a wolf in sheeps clothing....lol, well it's actually the other way around. A sheep in wolf's clothing.
Today we have to be wise as serpents my friend, and harmless as doves, not sitting around all suspicious and scared of some Catholic demons hiding under every doily and around every corner.
