For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:12-13
The principalities and demons Christians unwittingly empower in their lives, by celebrating their special days, are going to die like men. Which team are you on? Who are these spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places Paul is speaking about in Ephesians?
Psa 82:1 A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the divine assembly; he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.
Psa 82:2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show favoritism to the wicked? Selah.
Psa 82:3 Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan; provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
Psa 82:4 Rescue the helpless and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
Psa 82:5 They do not know or consider. They go about in the darkness, so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Psa 82:6 I have said, “You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you.
Psa 82:7 However, you will die like men, and you will fall like one of the princes.”
Psa 82:8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth, because you shall inherit all the nations.
The nations were appointed rulers by Yahweh who were supposed to rule justly, but instead they caused men to worship strange gods and demons.
Deu 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
Deu 32:9 But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.
An example of this is seen in the book of Daniel when the prince of Persia withheld an angel until the prince Michael came to help fight him off. What type of entity is powerful enough to withhold an angel?
Dan 10:12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
Dan 10:13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,
Dan 10:14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
What are these “princes” that are so much more powerful than angels? There appears to be good ones and evil ones. The evil ones have lead astray the nations to worship the creation rather than the creator. This is what October 31 to November 1 is about. This is what December 23 to January 1 is also about.
Speaking on celebrating the Saturnalia, later to be renamed “Christmas”, Tertullian likens it to demon worship, writing about it in the fourth century.
“Then,” do you say, “the lamps before my doors, and the laurels on my posts are an honour to God?” They are there of course, not because they are an honour to God, but to him who is honour in God’s stead by ceremonial observances of that kind, so far as is manifest, saving the religious performance, which is in secret appertaining to demons. For we ought to be sure if there are any whose notice it escapes through ignorance of this world’s literature, that there are among the Romans even gods of entrances; Cardea (Hinge-goddess), called after hinges, and Forculus (Door-god) after doors, and Limentinus (Threshold-god) after the threshold, and Janus himself (Gate-god) after the gate: and of course we know that, though names be empty and reigned, yet, when they are drawn down into superstition, demons and every unclean spirit seize them for themselves, through the bond of consecration. Otherwise demons have no name individually, but they there find a name where they find also a token. Among the Greeks likewise we read of Apollo Thyraeus, i.e., of the door, and the Antelii, or Anthelii, demons, as presiders over entrances. These things, therefore, the Holy Spirit foreseeing from the beginning, fore-chanted, through the most ancient prophet Enoch, that even entrances would come into superstitious use.
I realize that Tertullian bought into the Christian anti-Semitism of the fourth century by dismissing the Sabbath, but his writings also show us how they still understood the supernatural realm and regarded Enoch as a prophet. Enoch explains where these entities came from and much about the spiritual realm. This view was widely known until the days of Augustine in the fifth century.
Then shall they be taken away into the lowest depths of the fire in torments; and in confinement shall they be shut up forever. Immediately after this shall Shemiy’aza, together with them, burn and perish; they shall be bound until the consummation of many generations. Destroy all the souls addicted to lust, and the offspring of the Watchers, for they have tyrannized over mankind. Let every oppressor perish from the face of the earth; Let every evil work be destroyed; The plant of righteousness and of rectitude appear, and its produce become a blessing. CHANOK (ENOCH) 10:16-21 את CEPHER
More from Tertullian on idolatry:
“the Saturnalia and New-year’s and Midwinter’s festivals and Matronalia are frequented – presents come and go – New-year’s gifts – games join their noise – banquets join their din! Oh better fidelity of the nations to their own sect, which claims no solemnity of the Christians for itself!”
They didn’t call it “Christmas” or “Christ’s mass” in the fourth century. It was still known as the heathen celebration of the Saturnalia, a version of an ancient festival of sun god worship addressed in the scriptures repeatedly.
By the fourth century, Christianity had forsaken the fourth of the Ten Commandments which tells us to honour the Sabbaths of Yahweh; however, some still understood the first commandment on idolatry. Fast forward a few hundred years and the first commandment was no longer understood by church leadership. Fast forward hundreds of years, and the church is empowering demons on the day of the dead with trunk or treats in church parking lots, thinking they are doing something great for their god, whoever that god may be.
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Hear the Matter Proverbs 18:13 