Christmas has come and gone, but now the world will have its New Year celebrations. Here in the UK, as in many other parts around the world, parties will abound on December 31, 2004, and January 1, 2005. The Scots have a special long rich heritage associated with this event. They have their own name for it — “Hogmanay.”
One of the websites, which gives the background to Hogmanay, states the following: “And it is worth remembering that January 2nd is a holiday in Scotland as well as the first day of the year — to give us all time to recover from a week of merry-making and celebration, all part of Scotland’s fascinating cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions surrounding the pagan festival of Hogmanay.”
Did you catch it? The pagan festival of Hogmanay! There was a time when the mention of paganism brought about a gasp of shock and horror, but no longer. Paganism, in all its many ways, is in its most simplistic form the antithesis of true reverence and acceptance of the one true God. It is now paraded as an acceptable form of worship, and, like so many other things, resistance to that which God clearly condemns in His Word, is seen as intolerance.
While Christmas is viewed by many people in today’s society as having a Christian connection, however loosely (although it really does not have one), New Year’s celebrations are a time when no church attendance is required in many “Christian” nations. It is just a time of unabashed personal indulgence.
But what is “New Year’s Day”? In simplistic terms, it is merely the passing of one day and the dawning of another. It is also based on the Roman calendar — a human invention — and not on God’s Calendar, as used in Scripture. But “New Year’s Day” seems to have “magical” qualities to many –“qualities” that will not be championed by those who know God’s Word. The Bible clearly reveals what days are to be kept holy. Neither December 25th nor January 1st fall into that category. If you are unsure about such matters, please read our booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.” This booklet reveals God’s truth — unlike the pagan observances of this world.
It really does matter – to God – which days we keep holy. Christmas and New Year’s Day are not among them. God, who clearly reveals in His Word the days we are to keep (see Leviticus 23), is the source of all knowledge and the One whom we should obey. No other course of action is acceptable in His sight.
