THE REST OF THE BIBLE’S STORY
WHY THIS WAS WRITTEN
This was mostly written for helping children and adults understand why other people, incorrectly although well-meaning, are wrong about teaching them to not celebrate holidays and birthdays.
Yes, even some very very nice people tell kids (and adults) that God says in the Bible to not celebrate Christmas and birthdays, and also that He also will destroy people who do celebrate them.
That isn’t true, of course, because those nice people are not told the whole story. So it’s important to know The Rest Of The Bible Story about those and some other things.
WHY ELENA’S GRANDPARENTS DIDN’T USE TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS
For example the grandparents of a little girl named Elena told her the only times birthdays are mentioned in the Bible are times when someone was killed. Some people had told that to Elena’s grandparents.
They said Genesis 40:20 says on his birthday a king in the land of Egypt had the heads cut off of his servants who were a butler and a baker.
Also on the birthday of his daughter a wicked king named Herod chopped off the head of a very good man named John the Baptizer. That is at Matthew 14:6 and Mark 6:21.
Elena was told about these terrible things and it looked like the Bible was against birthdays. Her grandparents and some other people really believed that. They didn’t celebrate birthdays and didn’t want Elena to celebrate them either.
But Elena’s grandparents didn’t know the rest of the Bible story. For example, Luke 2:6 says angels celebrated the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Another good man named Job also celebrated birthdays. The Bible says at Job 1:3 that his sons and daughters celebrated their own days. It also says at Job 3:13 that those days were the days when they had been born.
Also, Jude 12 says the earliest Christians used to have “love feasts.” (Jude 12) Those were probably like what we call Christian potluck meals where each person brings a little food then everybody has a good time eating, talking, praying and visiting.
So, you see, the men who taught Elena’s grandparents to not celebrate birthdays were not telling all of what the Bible says.
Yes, happily, the real truth is that it is okay to celebrate your birthday and the birthdays of other people.
When parents celebrate the birth of a child they are showing that they are happy that God gave them the child, and of course children can be happy that God wanted them born.
So why did some people tell things to Elena’s grandparents that were untrue? There is no way to be sure. Maybe they just don’t know the Bible very well, so they didn’t teach it well or right to Elena’s grandparents.
It’s sad that Elena’s grandparents can’t eat some birthday cake with Elena and don’t know the rest of the story about birthdays. Elena is very young, only about five. Maybe sometime Elena or some other person will be able to explain it to them.
Anyway, that’s the rest of the Bible story about birthdays, and may you enjoy many many birthdays in the years ahead of you!
IVAN LEARNS ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DAY
Ivan often went to play at his aunt and uncle’s house. One day some people with their own Bibles and some magazines came to the door of the house where Ivan’s uncle and aunt lived.
The two people, a well-dressed man and woman, said God does not want Christians to celebrate Christmas. They claimed that Santa Claus, the Christmas tree and lights were from other religions called pagan religions.
They said those things and a lot of other things. Ivan, his aunt and uncle did not say much but they listened closely.
Ivan was about age twelve. He went home and got on the internet where he found many websites that said such things are pagan but also some that said they are not.
One thing the visitors with Bible and magazines had said is that those who celebrate Christmas on December 25 do so because thousands of years ago Roman people had another celebration on that same day called the Saturnalia. (Sa-tuhr-nay-lee-uh)
Although Ivan found websites which said the same thing he found some said December 25 may be for other reasons. For example before Christianity began there was the Jewish religion.
The Jewish people have had a celebration or holiday called Hannukah. It is also called the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights.
Hannukah was first celebrated on December 25. Nowadays it is usually celebrated on days before or after December 25. Why? Because it is based on the moon instead of the sun.
Ivan found some other interesting things. As said, Jewish people still celebrate Hannukah. That day they have special lights, nice meals and toys for children, just like Christians do at Christmas!
The visitors had also said Santa Claus is not Christian. They had claimed he may have begun with stories about a wizard, meaning a male witch, who lived in the northern part of Russia.
They also said one of their magazines said Santa may even have begun with stories about an ancient god or goddess in China. They said the people who wrote their magazines sure had all the facts, all the Truth about this.
But Ivan quickly found out that Santa Claus had begun with a real person called Saint Nicholas. Nicholas used to give gifts to poor girls. He wore red because he was a bishop. A bishop is a person who teaches about God and carries a cane called a miter.
Ivan next read about the Christmas tree. Some websites said it had come from pagan customs but some others gave other reasons.
For example one talked about scholars. Those are people who study things in a careful, serious way then write about what they learned.
It said that scholars read many old writings. They now know that about 1,500 years ago in Europe people used to have church plays.
One play was about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In that Bible story there was a tree called the Tree of Paradise.
When people made the play about the Garden of Eden they used a pretty fir tree for the Tree of Paradise. They thought it was so pretty they put trees like it in their own homes.
Some of the people also began to put pretty things like candles on the trees. Nowadays we use Christmas lights instead of candles.
Did Ivan tell his aunt and uncle what he learned? Yes, he did. He also remembered to tell them the Bible itself says angels sang happy songs when Christ was born.
His aunt and uncle both told him thanks. They had been about to stop celebrating Christmas, but his information showed them that it is good to celebrate, and it reminded them that God wants people to be happy.
They told Ivan one of the people’s magazines had also said that celebrating New Year’s is wrong for Christians. They asked if he could find some information about that, too.
Ivan went on the internet again. He discovered that there is information at Leviticus 23 in the Bible.
There God began a New Year’s celebration for the Jewish people which is celebrated much earlier than when most other people celebrate it.
It was clear to Ivan that it’s okay to celebrate New Years, too. It’s not a good idea to drink too much or drink and drive then or at other times, but if we have a nice party and are careful, then it is also fine with God!
DANIEL AND DANIELA HELP OUT THEIR PARENTS
Daniel and Daniela were thirteen year old twins. Their parents were very nice people who wanted the whole family to worship God and tell other people about him.
In fact they taught Daniel and Daniela that God did not want them to salute flags. Why?
The parents said they knew from people they had studied the Bible with that when you salute a flag it is like worshipping the flag, and God want people to only worship God Himself.
So at school the twins did not salute the flag or say an oath of allegiance. One day another boy and girl named Tim and Carol asked them why.
Daniel and Daniela told them what their parents believe. Tim looked puzzled, but Carol smiled and said “I know your parents are good people and somebody told them that, but I can show you different. Can I?”
“You can try, sure. But later we’ll talk to our parents and they tell us stuff to teach you so you’ll know they are right. Our friends wouldn’t teach us anything but the Truth!”
“Yes, I’m sure they really mean to do just that. I’ve got an uncle and he gave me a little booklet about flags. Here, you read it, Daniela.”
Daniela began to read, “Well it says thousands of years ago the tribes of Israel left Egypt. Most nations back then had tiny idols high on poles in front of them as their symbols and to give them protection from pagan gods. But the Israelites wanted to honor God as Exodus 20:4 says. Instead they put flags on the top of their poles. Most Bible translations use the word banner which means a long flag. Psalms 20:5, the Song of Solomon 2:4, and 6:4,10 and many other Bible verses say many nice things about banners or flags. The Israelites and most all humans today think of flags and the oath of allegiance as symbols for showing natural love and respect for nations that God Himself allows to exist. They know flags and oaths of allegiance are not worship.”
“Wow!” said Tim. “That’s interesting! So the Bible itself shows you two guys can salute flags and say the oath of allegiance if you want to.”
Daniel and Daniela now looked puzzled. Daniel spoke, “Well, I guess maybe my parents never heard or thought about those scriptures. I’ll write them down and take them home for Mom and Dad to read.”
The twins did that. At first nothing changed. In fact about five more years passed when suddenly one day their father said, “Guess what, twins! Your mom and I see now that what we thought was the Truth isn’t after all.”
The twins were surprised but happy to finally hear this. Their mother quickly added:
“That’s right. You and your school friends helped us see a little better. It made us want to learn even more. So from now on you have freedom to salute and say an oath of allegiance if you want to. And thanks for setting us all free from that wrong information!”
Daniel and Daniela, now much taller smiled and began to dance around and around while singing out. “That used to make things very difficult for us at school, Mom and Dad. So we’re really glad now – glad, glad, glad! Not sad, sad, sad!”
