Hebrews 3:2-4 NIV
He was faithful to the one who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of the greater honor than Moses, as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
I have always loved the Christmas holiday. However, as I continue to grow in my relationship with Christ, God through the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to see how I, just like most Christians, have fallen for the concept of baby Jesus instead of recognizing the power that entered the world to save our souls. Yeshua came to warn the world and provided us a way to God, but he will return not only to reward those who have found the narrow road but also to conquer and judge those who have chosen wickedness (Matthew 13:40–42, 25:41, etc.). I know that the Christmas holiday originated as a pagan celebration to worship natural planetary phenomena (Saturnalia for the winter solstice and Sol Invictus, the sun god, adopted by the Romans from the Persian solar god, Mithra) as gods. Another fact is that the Bible does not specify the exact date of Jesus’ birth. If you are like me, every day is Jesus’ birthday because every time someone dies to themselves and resurrects as a new creation, it symbolizes a new birth that continues to build the body of Christ (Galatians 2:20–21, Romans 6:4, John 11:25).
Knowing that Christmas originated as a pagan holiday, I asked myself why I (and we) have allowed Satan’s schemes to fill our hearts and homes with the opposite of what Jesus’ presence represents. Instead of modeling for the world what Jesus’ birth should signify, we often join the world in validating the common narrative about Jesus. We often focus on the material aspects of the season: receiving and giving gifts, Santa Claus, decoration, travel, and time off. Is there something wrong with these things, though? In my opinion, the answer to that is both yes and no. If Jesus came to bring us peace, hope, and freedom from the bondage of Satan, why is the celebration of His birth one of the most stressful times of the year? Sometimes, Christmas is the most divisive and sorrowful time for families.
As we read Hebrews 3:2–4 this week, it seems simple yet complex at the same time. During my time with the Lord, I see what He has revealed to me, but I had an exceedingly difficult time putting it into writing. I had to ask the Holy Spirit to take over my mind and hands to write this devotion. In Genesis 1–2:1–3, God spoke the world into existence, and in John 1:1–5, those same words that were with God, which formed the “heavens and the earth,” became living flesh. That living flesh, Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God, is alive (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus says, the same Word that came as a light “so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” will be our judge on the last day (John 12:46–50). That same Word will have the first and last say about each human soul according to their choices (Revelation 1:8, 3:11–13, 20:11–15).
Yes, gratitude for the birth of the Messiah is worth celebrating every day of our lives, but I would argue that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit desire for us to honor and warn others about the reason Jesus came into this world: to save us from a dreadful day that is coming. However, chaos, pain, and evil must rise and come to pass before our Lord’s return (Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3:1–5, 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17, Revelation 19:11–16, etc.). Nobody knows when that time is, but we know it is coming. Let us use this holiday season and every day that God allows us to breathe to focus on what matters most: the souls of humanity. What would be the point of celebrating the gift of Jesus when the majority of the world rejects Him and heads toward destruction? They will consequently not enter the final home built by God (Matthew 7:13–14, Revelation 22:1–5). Revelation 19:11–16 states, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.”
