start a new year? After all, it is the season
of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of
blossoming. January 1st, on the other hand, has
no astronomical or agricultural significance.
It is purely arbitrary. The celebration of the
new year is one of the oldest of all worldly
holidays.
It was first observed in ancient Babylon about
4000 years ago. The Babylonian New Year began
with the first new moon after the Vernal
Equinox (first day of Spring). The Romans
continued to observe the New Year in late March
but their calendar was continually tampered with
by various emperors so that it soon became out
of sync with the sun. In order to set the
calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC
declared January 1st to be the beginning of
the New Year.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar established January 1st
as the New Year after the god Janus (January).
Janus was the Roman god of doors and gates, and
had two faces, one looking forward and one back.
Caesar celebrated his first declared New Year
by ording the violent routing of revolutionary
Jewish forces in Galilee. Eye witnessess say
blood flowed in the streets.
In later years, Roman pagans observed the new
year by engaging in drunken orgies. The early
Catholic Church condemned New Years festivities
as pagan. But as Christianity became more
widespread, the early church began having its
own religious observances concurrently with
many of the pagan celebrations, and new years
day was no different.
The tradition of using a baby to signify the
new year began in Greece around 600 BC. It was
their tradition at that time to celebrate their
god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a
basket, representing the annual rebirth of that
god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians
also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth.
Other traditions of the season include the
making of new year resolutions. That tradition
also dates back to the early Babylonians. The
early Babylonians' most popular resolution was
to return borrowed farm equipment.
Should we celebrate new year? Should we
participate in a festivity that has its roots
in paganism? False worship is unclean and
detestable in the eyes of YHWH / God, and we
should reject practices that have such origins.
"When you come into the land which the Adonai
(Lord) your Elohim (God) is giving you, you
shall not learn to follow the abominations of
those nations." Deuteronomy 18:9
The Apostle Paul wrote: "Do not be unequally
yoked together with unbelievers, For what
fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And What communion has light with darkness?"
2 Corinthians 6:14
"'Therefore, come out from amoung them and be
separate,' says the Adonai (Lord) . 'Do not
touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.
I shall be a father to you, and you will be
sons and daughters to me.'" 2 Corinthians 6:17-18
Indeed, YHWH (God) promises eternal blessings and
prosperity to those who are loyal to him.
"For the Adonai (Lord) loves justice, And does not
forsake His saints; The are preserved forever,
but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut
off." Psalms 37:28
Shalom
Michael Grant
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