Jeremiah 10:3-4, The Christmas Tree

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.

//Jeremiah, quoting the commandment of God, seems to say “quit cutting down my trees and adorning them with jewels.” As I write this, I’m sitting six feet from my own Christmas tree. Have I joined the ranks of the heathen?

I see this verse trotted out every other year by someone criticizing the Christmas tree tradition, but they fail to read the context of the verse. Puritans wishing to avoid all semblance of pagan influence on their celebration of Christ’s birth may indeed have their arguments against Christmas trees, but the Bible isn’t one of them.

Jeremiah’s concern was not with the tree, but with what the nations around Israel were making out of them. They were chiseling them into gods and overlaying them with gold and silver. They were nailing them down so they didn’t topple over while they worshipped them.

Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.

3 Comments

  1. No you are taking it out of context. Christmas is not about yahusha birth .
    The whole celebration of it is pagan .
    A heathen is someone who does not know Yahuah or his commandments against parading other gods before him in rituals.

    • Anonymous

      Jeremiah is speaking on what the Nation is doing with the tree. He want them to Stop cutting down trees and making idols to worship. There is no evidence that Christians ever used trees as anything other than home decoration for the Holidays. If I had the space I would leave my up all year round. The Catholic Church uses a Pagan date (Feast of the cult of Mithra) for Christmas we celebrate. R C Sproul says instead of ridiculing people who keep Christ in Christmas He applauded the effort to bring awareness of Jesus during Christmas and sharing God’s Love. Scriptures on what Jeremiah was talking about :Jeremiah 10:24, Jeremiah 10:Jeremiah 10:8-10 Acts17:29

  2. Anonymous

    It’s funnny you ended the comment with you have to carry your idols

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