New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 5

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 5

This week’s article may be more of a history lesson than anything else, although I will touch on some Old Testament laws on keeping the yearly calendar. Time is an important thing in this working world, and just like we need to keep a weekly schedule for work, school, religion and family activities we must also keep a yearly schedule for those yearly chores like tax season, the beginning of the school year, and the like. This week’s article will be about that yearly date we celebrate as the start of the year, its history and connect it with our daily lives using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice…cont’d.

Last, it can be easy to lose track of our purpose or ultimate goal when we get caught up in our daily life activity, so if you have the chance take this time to reflect on what you have planned for your year ahead and life in general. Just like anything in life, if you can find the positive in any situation you will be blessed. Just ask God, through Christ for the help and He will give it to you. God bless, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 4

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 4

This week’s article may be more of a history lesson than anything else, although I will touch on some Old Testament laws on keeping the yearly calendar. Time is an important thing in this working world, and just like we need to keep a weekly schedule for work, school, religion and family activities we must also keep a yearly schedule for those yearly chores like tax season, the beginning of the school year, and the like. This week’s article will be about that yearly date we celebrate as the start of the year, its history and connect it with our daily lives using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice…cont’d.

In regards to New Year’s resolutions in particular, this could be a great time, especially from a Biblical perspective to get rid of a “bad habit” that needs to go. Take this time to earnestly pray about it and let that “bad habit” go! This could be compared to the celebration of the “Days of Unleavened Bread” or “Day of Atonement” mentioned in the Old Testament, which are also ancient Jewish Holy Days that are celebrated by Jews and some Christians alike, which represent removal of sin and getting closer to God and Christ. I will speak more about these days in later posts, but if you are interested look to Leviticus 23 for their descriptions.

More to come…

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 3

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 3

This week’s article may be more of a history lesson than anything else, although I will touch on some Old Testament laws on keeping the yearly calendar. Time is an important thing in this working world, and just like we need to keep a weekly schedule for work, school, religion and family activities we must also keep a yearly schedule for those yearly chores like tax season, the beginning of the school year, and the like. This week’s article will be about that yearly date we celebrate as the start of the year, its history and connect it with our daily lives using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice…cont’d.

Now, that we have established the history of our modern calendar and the Old Testament indication for the beginning of the year. What next? Well obviously none of us here on earth have the power to move times and laws (Proverbs 19:21). And just like any other national or internationally recognized celebration, we do our best to get along with everyone (Romans 12:18). But there are some things we can do during this time of celebration and preparation for a New Year to keep ourselves grounded in the truth. Be safe in your activities, do not overindulge or plan for travelling safely if you do, that is find a designated driver. And just enjoy the renewing of life, your freedom and remember who gave you that freedom (Ephesians 2:4-10)!

More to come…

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 2

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 2

This week’s article may be more of a history lesson than anything else, although I will touch on some Old Testament laws on keeping the yearly calendar. Time is an important thing in this working world, and just like we need to keep a weekly schedule for work, school, religion and family activities we must also keep a yearly schedule for those yearly chores like tax season, the beginning of the school year, and the like. This week’s article will be about that yearly date we celebrate as the start of the year, its history and connect it with our daily lives using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice…cont’d.

Next, let’s look into the Bible a bit for what God says about keeping time! First, in Genesis 1, God set the “two lights” to be sings for seasons, days and years and to govern the night and day (Genesis 1:14-18). In the Old Testament the beginning of the year was Nisan 1, which we can know is sometime in March, or shortly around that time, because it is connected with the Jewish celebration of Passover or the Christian Easter, which in the Old Testament is said to begin at Nisan 14 (Leviticus 23:5, Exodus 12:2). Is it any coincidence that this time of the year is the end of the year fiscally for most business’s and tax season for all?

More to come…

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 1

New Year, Celebration, Signs – What are the ancient roots of our modern New Year’s celebration? – Part 1

This week’s article may be more of a history lesson than anything else, although I will touch on some Old Testament laws on keeping the yearly calendar. Time is an important thing in this working world, and just like we need to keep a weekly schedule for work, school, religion and family activities we must also keep a yearly schedule for those yearly chores like tax season, the beginning of the school year, and the like. This week’s article will be about that yearly date we celebrate as the start of the year, its history and connect it with our daily lives using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice.

First, let’s talk about the history of the current calendar the majority of the world uses to mark the beginning of the New Year. It has it’s foundations in Rome and actually, seems to be traceable to Greek civilization before that. The calendar we currently use is the Gregorian; it was adjusted slightly from the Julian calendar, both of which use the sun to determine dates, months and years. Although I am far from an expert on keeping time, it seems that the early version of the Greek calendar matches up more closely with the Old Testament laws of keeping time, that is, there are 29 and 30 day months, vs. the 30 and 31 day months we have now.

More to come…

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

Birthday Celebrations – Part 3

Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays can be a great time to bring family and friends together, but they can also be a time to reflect or even a time of stress knowing you are one year older than you were last year. When I was first converting to the Christian life I had heard that celebrating birthdays were not necessarily Biblical and that they should not necessarily be celebrated. I will put this into its context in a bit, but the point is Birthdays tend to be a part of most people’s lives, regardless of whether it is a reminder to renew your driver’s license, or that you are being reminded that it is a family member or friend’s birthday coming up. So this week I will discuss birthday celebrations, using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice.

In general, there is no mention of birthday celebration by the righteous characters of the Bible. Neither is there any though shalt nots, about birthdays mentioned in the Bible. The point is that, although yes, we should get along with all and we need to find a balance in life in general (Romans 12:18). We are not to turn anything in life, including our birthdays or the birthdays of others into a situation that becomes idolatrous against God. We can and should enjoy a long life, because God gave it to us. Thank Him for the life He has given us, but do not turn celebrating it into some sort of self-indulged and self-aggrandized situation. Christ came for us, to save us from our sins; He came to give us life and life more abundantly (John 10:10)! If we are going to celebrate this life, let us celebrate it for the Glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)!

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

Birthday Celebrations – Part 2

Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays can be a great time to bring family and friends together, but they can also be a time to reflect or even a time of stress knowing you are one year older than you were last year. When I was first converting to the Christian life I had heard that celebrating birthdays were not necessarily Biblical and that they should not necessarily be celebrated. I will put this into its context in a bit, but the point is Birthdays tend to be a part of most people’s lives, regardless of whether it is a reminder to renew your driver’s license, or that you are being reminded that it is a family member or friend’s birthday coming up. So this week I will discuss birthday celebrations, using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice.

Next, the Bible is filled with talk about honour. We are to “honour our father and mother”, “honour the face of the old man”, “honour widows”, “double honour to ruling elders”, “honour the king”, etc. (Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 19:32, 1 Timothy 5:3, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Peter 2:17). The point is that we are to honour others, especially the elderly. It’s possible that celebrating major milestones in life like birthdays of elders is a type of honouring. I’ll let you decide.

More to come…

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom

Birthday Celebrations – Part 1

Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays can be a great time to bring family and friends together, but they can also be a time to reflect or even a time of stress knowing you are one year older than you were last year. When I was first converting to the Christian life I had heard that celebrating birthdays were not necessarily Biblical and that they should not necessarily be celebrated. I will put this into its context in a bit, but the point is Birthdays tend to be a part of most people’s lives, regardless of whether it is a reminder to renew your driver’s license, or that you are being reminded that it is a family member or friend’s birthday coming up. So this week I will discuss birthday celebrations, using the Bible as the go to reference book of choice.

First, let’s look into the Old and New Testament examples of some of the things that took place around birthday celebrations. There are two experiences in particular. One was when Joseph was in prison after being falsely accused by Pharaoh’s wife. While he was in jail, he met a baker and cupbearer. Both were put in front of Pharaoh on his birthday for judgement. The cupbearer was restored to his position, but the baker was killed (Genesis 40:20-22). In the New Testament there is the beheading of John the Baptist on King Herod’s birthday. It was requested of Herod’s wife that John be beheaded because of his accusations towards them about their marriage and how it came about (Mark 6:14-29). The point is that there has been some connection between, at the least “bad luck” in some situations, and birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible.

More to come…

Darrell

Seven Steps to Freedom