Is Jeremiah 10:2-4 really describing the first “christmas tree”?

Karmageddon: Is Jeremiah 10:2-4 really describing the first “christmas tree”?

Answers and Views:

Answer by The Doctor
No. Christmas trees began in Germany.

Answer by Geoff T
dunno … wouldn’t waste my time with the buybull !
religion is a scam

Answer by Be Blessed
Nope. It describes making idols out of wood. Has nothing to do with Christmas trees.

Answer by HTacianas
No. The author of Jeremiah had never heard of a Christmas tree. He is talking about a tree that is cut down and carved into an idol.

Answer by Darold
You could be right, I will not dispute it, sounds just like it, it does seem kind of strange.

Answer by David R
To be very honest no it is not. The x-mas tree in the Christian tradition is used as a symbol for the day that the ‘Christians’ for the day that Christ was born. Even though Christ was not born on Dec 35th or even in the month of Dec.
Christ was not born when Jeremiah wrote this to the house of Israel.
However, he was condemning the pagan tradition of what we call, shall I say x-mas tree in Jewish home and decorating it as did the pagans.

Is the x-mas tree a pagan custom yes it is, it is not a symbol of Christ. They’re where some pagans that would pray to their gods in the evergreen groves before they went to battle. If the won the battle they would decorate the threes with the heads of those whom they killed, a head is round, your tree ornamental balls are round, get the picture? There where some pagans in Asia that would bring in the trees and keep them in their homes, and they would place gold and silver upon them and place these trees in a place of honor in their homes and worship these trees as if they where a god or as if they could hear the prayers of the people who had cut them down.

There is more to this pagan custom and it has nothing at all to do with the Son of God, but rather His enemy Lucifer.

Private emails accepted.
Peace and Grace
David

Answer by Keepingthefaith2today
First, there is the immediate context of this passage. The very next verse, 10:5, goes on to say, “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.” This passage and the passages that follow make it crystal clear that the “decorated tree” that Jeremiah was talking about in 10:3-4, was a tree that was cut down and made into an idol, a very common custom in the ancient world. 10:8-10 also confirms this, where the wooden idols are contrasted with the LORD, who is the true and living God. Keil and Delitsch, the well-respected Old Testament commentary, confirms this interpretation that the trees in question were idols that were then worshiped (C. F. Keil and F. Delitsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, “Jeremiah, Lamentations,” vol 8 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eeerdmans Publishing Company, 1980), 196-199).

Second, when we search the rest of the Old Testament, we find many other examples of trees being planted, cut down, or carved into idols. One of the most common examples of a tree idol was the Asherah, mentioned often in the Old Testament. Asherah was a pagan goddess that was worshiped throughout the Mediterranean world. She was considered to be the goddess of the sea, the consort of El, and the mother of Baal. She was always represented as a tree or pole, either planted or erected, then decorated.

There are many warnings in the Old Testament about the Asherah tree. For example, in Exodus 34:12-14, we read, “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” From a more thorough study we learn that the Asherah idol was sometimes planted (Deut. 16:21; Micah 5:14), sometimes erected at high places (1 Kings 14:23, 2 Kings 17:10), with altars and incense stands next to them where they would be worshiped (In Judges 6:25, Gideon is commanded by God to “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” See also Isaiah 17:8 and Jeremiah 17:2). The Asherah, along with other man-made idols, were often decorated with various cloth hangings (2 Kings 23:7), as well as gold and silver.

From the foregoing, it is abundantly clear that the “decorated tree” to which Jeremiah 10 refers is an idol, very likely the Asherah. Therefore, it is very superficial Bible interpretation and pure silliness to understand this passage as directly referring to the use of a fir tree for Christmas! If, and I repeat, if those who set up a Christmas tree fall down and worship it as a god or goddess, complete with altars and incense stands, then Jeremiah 10 applies here. Or if someone loves their Christmas tree more than God, then such a thing might also be considered spiritual idolatry. But apart from these exceptions, I think it is abundantly clear that Christians who erect Christmas trees are NOT worshiping them as gods or goddesses, nor are they loving them more than their Savior Jesus Christ. They are simply using the Christmas tree as a fun custom, one that can remind them of Jesus who is the branch of David (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15), the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1). One that can remind them of the tree that led Adam and Eve to sin, but more importantly, the tree on which Christ Jesus died to make atonement for the sins of the whole world (Acts 5:30; Gal. 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24).

Answer by Juice002
Maybe not the 1st but surely he is describing the same Tree used today by some of the same folks who claim through their lips they love the Lord, but in WORKS they deny him and walk just as worldly as the other Heathen nations.

Remember: ” That which hath been is now ” Eccl.3:15 and ” That which is to be hath ALREADY BEEN ” Eccl.1:9-10

If he didn’t approve of it then, he doesn’t now……… and it’s nothing wrong with you taking a Tree out of a forest or a store and dressing it and placing it where you will, it’s the INTENT of the heart.

You call this a CHRISTMAS TREE, right there is where you just Lied………. you in old time, nailed the tree to the floor on a CROSS…….
Did anyother Followers of Messiah practice such CRAP! then or later ?
So where did it come from ? and whos works are you following ?

See, Messiah was a evergreen Tree who was nailed to a CROSS and there you are IGNORANTLY CRUCIFING him all over again.

He said from the CROSS : ” If they have done these things in a GREEN TREE, what would they do in a DRY ? ”
He was GREEN because he was the only one at the time with the holy spirit in him, all others was DRY.
So what he was telling them is : ” If they hated me, they will hate you who believe in me, so, weep for yourselves and your children that will be hated even as I ”

Yahweh by the mouth of the Prophet said : ” LEARN NOT ! THE WAY OF THE HEATHENS. ”
Now the Heathens is doing that, and you are doing it, are you obeying Yahewh or disobeying Yahweh ?

Answer by mas1az
The scriptures are referring to all rituals of men that are abominations to God. How they can take a tree and create all shapes and forms of idols to worship and bow down to. A Christmas tree is seen as just one such item in our modern history. Though it’s been tied to the birth of Jesus, where is the proof, he was born in December. Especially when our tax system is based on a time of the year, that coincides with the same tax time in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Think about it.