Why Do We Christians Have Christmas Trees When God Condemned the Christmas Tree In Jeremiah 10:1-15

[AWorkInProgress]

I am not a perfect Christian, but I try to be. I try to not only preach God's word, but also practice God's word.

One of many practices by Christians and even IFB and non-IFB churches I have seen growing and taking over like a tsunami is the practice of erecting a Christmas tree in God's house or individual homes.

I do not understand how we can erect a tree to "ooh and ahh" over, and lay gifts at its feet when the ONLY ONE we must be doing this reverence to is THE ONE TRUE "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS":

 

REVELATION 19:16 KJV

"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." 

 

 

God is very clear that HE will NOT share HIS HOUSE, HIS time, OUR hearts, OUR homes, OUR time, OUR lives, OUR income, anything and everything with an "idol", no matter what that "idol" may be, nor how "pretty" that idol may be.

 

EXODUS 20:3-6 KJV

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." 

 

JEREMIAH 10: 1-15 KJV

HEAR ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

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.

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.

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

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.

Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tar'-shish, and gold from U'-phaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

 

Christmas trees were the false gods of the Druids. The Roman Catholic Church was having a difficult time converting the Druids, so the Roman Catholic Church decided to change Christ's birth from Yom Kippur, which is the Jews most holiest day of the year, to December 25, the day Christ was conceived, thinking that this would successfully convert the Druids to Christianity.  BUT, as we all can see, it was not the Druids that were converted. It is us Christians who got "successfully converted" to Druidism while still calling ourselves Christians.

So, please help me to understand why we erect a Christmas tree when God clearly condemns it.

 

 

 

[weary warrior]

You are not alone. We have not had a Christmas tree in our house in over 20 years. As the new pastor of this church, I arrived here the first week of December, and they were getting ready to decorate the building. They had 3 new artificial christmas trees the church had purchased last season and were getting ready to put up. I was not hateful or ugly about it, but I would not allow them to put up the trees. I gave them the scripture in Jeremiah that you refer to and a bit of a history lesson. They accepted it readily, having never been even introduced to the concept or idea the the tree was pagan in origin and unscriptural. They had never seen those verses.

For many, though not all, therein lies the answer. They've simply never been taught. For the rest...they do not see that it applies. And maybe it actually doesnt apply. I don't know. I leave that between them and God, and I don't get bent about it. I simply don't have one, nor allow one in a place I am responsible for. And it's enough.

[No Nicolaitans]

Jer 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

 

That was spoken to Israel, and it refers to worshipping false gods/idols/graven images that were crafted from the wood of the tree by a "workman". For example...

 

Isa 44:13-17 13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. 14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. 15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

 

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.

 

...and there is the proof that these false gods/idols/graven images...which couldn't move on their own, couldn't do evil on their own, nor could do good on their own...were being worshipped.

 

It's not about the tree; it's about what is crafted from the tree...aka...false gods/idols/graven images.

I personally don't know anyone who decorates a Christmas tree with actual silver and gold (that is what the verse says after all), nor do I know anyone who bows down and worships a Christmas tree...praying that it won't move on its own and sneak into their bedroom at night, pleading to it not to bring evil upon them, or petitioning it to bestow good favor upon them.

 

[weary warrior]

The decorated evergreen tree brought into the house in December was an idol set up to worship Tammuz. If I brought in a Buddha, or a ceramic Virgin Mary, and set it up in my house or auditorium, you would be uncomfortable at best. If I said "But I don't actually worship it or pray to it", you wouldn't buy that either. And to say that God wrote that command to the Jews, so it's OK for us to have a re-purposed idol in our house is disingenuous.

[No Nicolaitans]

I'm familiar with the Tammuz/tree legend.

Let's say that I'm wrong in my belief...that this is referring to an actual tree instead of a false god that was carved from the tree. 

After decorating it, what was the tree like? It was upright as a palm tree. Why a palm tree? If it's an evergreen tree, why not say a cedar? After all, no one that I'm aware of uses a palm tree as their Christmas tree, nor do they bring in a Frasier fir, and strip all of the branches off except for a few limbs at the top.

Then again, palm trees are evergreen trees also.

If this is actually referring to a tree, the fact remains that those who had them also worshipped them...believing they were alive and could bring evil or good. They were actively serving and worshipping false idols/gods/graven images crafted from those trees. 

The only trees from the bible that I definitely know that are talked about were the groves. I'm more concerned with the modern tree hugger movement than a tree in someone's home for a few weeks each year.

By the way, I'm neither pro- nor anti- Christmas tree. I don't like seeing them in a church, but I also don't like seeing flags erected in a church. 

[DaveW]

I know plenty of people who have buddhas in their gardens - it is a common thing to do in Bali style gardens. They don't worship them.

Not promoting that by the way, just stating the fact that over here they are often used as decorations, without any thought of worship. Garden statues, like any other - garden gnomes for instance.

[Pastor Matt]

On 12/25/2019 at 8:05 AM, No Nicolaitans said:

That was spoken to Israel, and it refers to worshipping false gods/idols/graven images that were crafted from the wood of the tree by a "workman".

I have come to the same conclusion that the context of this passage is talking about worshiping idols.  While I respect those that hold to a no tree conviction, I disagree with it. I hear a lot about the paganism of it and that part I get, but I have yet to see someone not have tree because of its pagan background and hold that same conviction with our current calendar.... and don't get me started on the cross. 

[Invicta]

On 12/25/2019 at 8:58 PM, No Nicolaitans said:

I'm familiar with the Tammuz/tree legend.

Let's say that I'm wrong in my belief...that this is referring to an actual tree instead of a false god that was carved from the tree. 

After decorating it, what was the tree like? It was upright as a palm tree. Why a palm tree? If it's an evergreen tree, why not say a cedar? After all, no one that I'm aware of uses a palm tree as their Christmas tree, nor do they bring in a Frasier fir, and strip all of the branches off except for a few limbs at the top.

Then again, palm trees are evergreen trees also.

If this is actually referring to a tree, the fact remains that those who had them also worshipped them...believing they were alive and could bring evil or good. They were actively serving and worshipping false idols/gods/graven images crafted from those trees. 

The only trees from the bible that I definitely know that are talked about were the groves. I'm more concerned with the modern tree hugger movement than a tree in someone's home for a few weeks each year.

By the way, I'm neither pro- nor anti- Christmas tree. I don't like seeing them in a church, but I also don't like seeing flags erected in a church. 

But christmas trees ARE decorated, and they are evergreen.

Edited December 26, 2019 by Invicta

[Pastor Matt]

If one holds to the no Christmas tree "theology" based on Jeremiah then you must come to the conclusion that it is biblical to decorate the tree outside all you want... the key is that you can't cut it down and place it in your house. 

"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."

[Miss Daisy]

My Christmas tree is decorated with little churches, couple angels and almost every ornament has a Bible verse on it. I don't worship it. I didn't cut it down from a forest. I bought it in a box. It's plastic. Everyone who sees it always comments what a great idea for Christians to decorate it with Bible versions.

[Ukulelemike]

My thought is, why put a stupid tree in your house anyways? There's lots of them outside-plant some in your yard, decorate them. Cutting down a tree to put in your house, and hanging socks on your mantle, sounds more like the activities of a drunk.

 

[DaveW]

3 hours ago, Ukulelemike said:

My thought is, why put a stupid tree in your house anyways? There's lots of them outside-plant some in your yard, decorate them. Cutting down a tree to put in your house, and hanging socks on your mantle, sounds more like the activities of a drunk.

 

Could you explain the connection between putting a tree in your house and being a drunk please, because I don't see a connection........

[No Nicolaitans]

On 12/25/2019 at 3:58 PM, No Nicolaitans said:

After all, no one that I'm aware of uses a palm tree as their Christmas tree, nor do they bring in a Frasier fir, and strip all of the branches off except for a few limbs at the top.

Well...maybe some folks do?  

[DaveW]

Hey NN - I am also a bit worried because we have a silver serving platter which was the work of a workman, just like the tree........ where do you think I stand with that? (It is not real silver by the way, we can't afford that - I think it is played. Does that make it OK?)

[Jim_Alaska]

Bro. Dave, Bro Mike did not say it was like being a drunk. He said doing those things was like the "activities" of a drunk. The activities of a drunk are nonsense, silly, offensive, etc. Just imagine putting your socks on a mantel and expecting some entity to magically fill them after sliding down your chimney.