New Year's Day has not always been the first of January. Thousands of years ago,
the ancient Egyptian New Year was in the middle of June, when the River Nile
overflowed its banks.
Even today, the New Year of the Jews and Hindus is not when we celebrate it. In
fact in Anglo-Saxon England, New Year's Day was the twenty-fifth of December.
In Christian countries New Year has been celebrated on many different days.
When Pope Gregory X111, in 1582 A.D. caused the making of calendar which we
use today, January 1st was made New Year's Day because it had been so in
Ancient Rome.
In Ancient Rome this day was one given over to the worship of the god Janus,
from which we get the name of the month. Janus was the god of beginnings and
endings.
He had two faces: one looked backwards at the old year, and the other looked
forward to what would happen in the coming year.
This is how we will think at New Year.
Most people look back at their own mistakes and make New Year resolutions,
which they promise not to make the same mistakes again.
Over the last two millennia, traditional Christianity has systematically established
its own holidays.
Christmas was established to enable pagan converts to come into church
fellowship without forsaking their heathen customs and practices.
Zephaniah 1: 8 "On that day of judgment," says the LORD, "I will punish the
leaders and princes of Judah and all those following pagan customs.
9Yes, I will punish those who participate in pagan worship ceremonies, and those
who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit".
Deuteronomy 12:30 "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following
them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not
after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do
likewise".
Mark 7:6-8 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you
hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is
far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of
men.'8 For laying aside the Commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men".
Frank
the ancient Egyptian New Year was in the middle of June, when the River Nile
overflowed its banks.
Even today, the New Year of the Jews and Hindus is not when we celebrate it. In
fact in Anglo-Saxon England, New Year's Day was the twenty-fifth of December.
In Christian countries New Year has been celebrated on many different days.
When Pope Gregory X111, in 1582 A.D. caused the making of calendar which we
use today, January 1st was made New Year's Day because it had been so in
Ancient Rome.
In Ancient Rome this day was one given over to the worship of the god Janus,
from which we get the name of the month. Janus was the god of beginnings and
endings.
He had two faces: one looked backwards at the old year, and the other looked
forward to what would happen in the coming year.
This is how we will think at New Year.
Most people look back at their own mistakes and make New Year resolutions,
which they promise not to make the same mistakes again.
Over the last two millennia, traditional Christianity has systematically established
its own holidays.
Christmas was established to enable pagan converts to come into church
fellowship without forsaking their heathen customs and practices.
Zephaniah 1: 8 "On that day of judgment," says the LORD, "I will punish the
leaders and princes of Judah and all those following pagan customs.
9Yes, I will punish those who participate in pagan worship ceremonies, and those
who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit".
Deuteronomy 12:30 "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following
them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not
after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do
likewise".
Mark 7:6-8 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you
hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is
far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of
men.'8 For laying aside the Commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men".
Frank
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