Print

In the article Mystery Babylon: The Origins of Saturn, there is a statement that says we are ''strangers to Sabbaths.'' Is this a mistake?

Question: In the article Mystery Babylon: The Origins of Saturn, there is a statement that says we are "strangers to Sabbaths."  Is this a mistake?  I am not understanding what is meant by that.

Answer: The phrase in question comes from a quote by Tertullian, an early Christian writer. Tertullian wrote in the third century when use of the Julian calendar with its pagan religious observances was becoming very wide-spread among Christians.  Tertullian was making the point that Heaven's holy days were no longer being observed. 

In the quote, Tertullian was listing off the Creator's true holy days: "Sabbaths, and new moons, and [annual] festivals" stating that these observances were "once acceptable to God," (and still were) but now those who claimed to be "Christians" were no longer keeping them!  All of these holy days Tertullian listed off can only be calculated using the luni-solar calendar of scripture.  As the Christians of his day accepted Julian calendation for their religious observances, they also accepted pagan holidays.  In this way, they became "strangers" to Yahuwah's holy days.

The days Tertullian next listed off were all pagan holidays: "Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia, and Matronalia."  Interestingly enough, this list is still observed today.  Most of them have coalesced in the modern Christmas celebrations.  Saturnalia was from December 17-December 23, but the rites of worshipping the evil god, Saturn, during Saturnalia, are still around in the dearly beloved Christmas "traditions" of today.

Brumalia was the name of the festival that was actually held on December 25.  It commemorated the birth of Tammuz, as the reincarnation of Nimrod, the original post-flood apostate.  The "feasts of January" refers to January 6, etc., and it is from them that we get the "Twelve Days of Christmas."  Matronalia was celebrated March 1 in honor of the goddess Juno. 

Tertullian laments that the heathen were much more faithful to their religion, because they were extremely careful to adopt nothing from the Christian religion while, on the other hand, Christians were whole-heartedly embracing anything and everything pagan!  

Read Tertullian's quote again with this in mind, and it will come alive:

By us who are strangers to Sabbaths, and new moons, and [annual] festivals, once acceptable to God [Yahuwah], the Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia, and Matronalia, are now frequented; gifts are carried to and fro, new year’s day presents are made with din, and sports and banquets are celebrated with uproar; oh, how much more faithful are the heathen to their religion, who take special care to adopt no solemnity from the Christians.