{"id":19951,"date":"2021-12-24T15:21:42","date_gmt":"2021-12-24T23:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=19951"},"modified":"2021-12-24T15:21:48","modified_gmt":"2021-12-24T23:21:48","slug":"the-story-of-uzza-and-the-christmas-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2021\/12\/24\/the-story-of-uzza-and-the-christmas-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"The Story of Uzza and the Christmas Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Once upon a time long, long ago,<\/strong> there was a Jewish man in the Bible named Uzza and a Christmas tree. Now wait just a moment, you are probably saying to yourself, something is wrong with this picture. What does an ancient Israelite man in the land of Israel have anything to do with a Christmas tree? Well, read on boys and girls, and I will tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Israelites, Elohim (God\u2019s) chosen people, in their zeal at having the ark of the covenant (a symbol of the presence of YHVH Elohim) returned to Israel after it had been stolen by Israel\u2019s enemies, the Philistines, they failed to inquire of YHVH as to how to properly transport the ark. Though well intentioned, the Israelites were misguided and they unwittingly repeated the sin of the Philistines by transporting it on an ox-drawn cart instead of the prescribed manner (1 Chron 13:1\u201313). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In times past and as recorded in their laws, YHVH Elohim had instructed the Israelites on exactly how to carry the ark\u2014a gold covered wooden box that contained the sacred symbols of Israel\u2019s special covenantal relationship with Elohim. You see, he had specifically instructed that only the Levitical priests could carry the ark, and this had to be done on their shoulders with wooden poles (Num 4:2\u201315). Anyone who failed to follow these explicit instructions would be cursed by Elohim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, Uzza failed to read the instructions. Although he was well-intentioned, he was neither a Levite nor were his fellow Israelites who failed to transport the ark in the prescribed manner. The ark was illegally being carried on an oxcart. So when the oxcart began to tip and the ark became unsteady, Uzza reached out to steady it and illegally touched the sacred wooden box that symbolized YHVH\u2019s presence in Israel. As a result, Uzza was struck dead (1 Chron 13:7\u20139). The sin of not properly transporting the ark in the proscribed manner led to more sin and eventually led to the death of a man, who thought he was doing a good deed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So where is the Christmas tree in this story, you are probably now asking yourself? So glad you asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a lesson for us in this story about Uzza and it absolutely has to do with the Christmas tree that so many well-meaning Christian erect in their homes, churches and places of business each year in\u00a0December to supposedly honor the birth of the Messiah\u2014Jesus Christ.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YHVH has prescribed manners in which he is to be approached, ministered to, honored, worshipped or \u201ctouched\u201d, if you will. We fool ourselves if we think that we can approach him in any manner we like, much less in the same manner as the ungodly heathens do. You see, the ignorant Philistines after suffering Elohim\u2019s wrathful judgment for illegally stealing the ark of the covenant from the Israelites, returned the ark to Israel by placing the ark on an oxcart and sending it back where it had come from (1 Sam 5:1\u201312; 6:1\u201312). The Philistines were ignorant of the proper protocols for transporting the ark and did not know any better. The Israelites, on the other, possessed the laws of Elohim, which stipulated how<\/em> he wanted the ark to be carried and by whom. So when the ark came back into Israel, they should have called for the priest to carry it properly. Instead, they adopted the pagan customs and transported the ark that represented Elohim\u2019s presence in the pagan manner. Can you now begin to see where I am going with this story and what it has to do with a Christmas tree?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If we dare to approach our Creator in a non-prescribed (or illegal) manner, especially when we claim to be Bible followers, though Elohim is gracious, we may also suffer his angry judgments because we have failed to respect or fear his presence properly and follow his commandments. Often, we, just like the Israelites, adopt pagan practices in our worship of him. We fail to consult the Word of Elohim as to how he desires to be approached or worshipped. Instead, we make up our own customs and fail to follow the law so Elohium. For example, we fabricate holidays (like Christmas and Easter) and assemble on days that he has not sanctified (e.g., Sunday and Christian holidays), and we fail to meet with him on the days that he has sanctified (the Sabbath and his biblical feasts), we eat abominable and unclean meats that he has forbidden (e.g., pork and shellfish), and we erect Christmas trees (a pagan symbol representing the male sex organ) in our homes and church sanctuaries\u2014a practice he refers to as heathen and instructs his people not<\/em> to do (Jer 10:1\u20135).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

This is only the beginning of the heathen and ungodly practices in which too many if not most Christians regularly engage.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mainstream church has also watered down the gospel message and largely fails to preach about sin, repentance and judgment. Instead, a user-friendly, seeker-sensitive, pop-psychology, secular humanistic-centered messages emanate from pulpits every Sunday all across the land. Moreover, secular forms of worship have taken over our services, and too many people fail to attire themselves properly for such occasions, and do not prepare their hearts in humility and fear before approaching their Creator. What\u2019s more, many Christians, and especially church leaders, have given themselves over to the sin of gluttony and are now obese. Moreover, there is rampant misuse of the tongue in the church, where people speak against their brother thus not discerning the Lord\u2019s body resulting in the judgments of sickness and premature death (1 Cor 11:29\u201332).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When we fail to follow the commandments of Elohim, bring in pagan customs and sinful practices into the church, and the leaders fail to stop it and teach the people YHVH Elohim\u2019s laws for right living and right worship as well as how to approach and \u201ctouch\u201d him, is it any wonder why we fail to experience his anointed presence and blessings individually and collectively more than we do? It it wonder why we are not being healed, our prayers are not being answered, our churches are dying and the world is not interested in what we have to offer? If Uzza were suddenly resurrected from his grave, what would he tell this generation about the proper way to approach Elohim?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People of Elohim! Throw out your Christmas trees and all your other pagan customs and paraphernalia as well as all of your unbiblical practices lest you displease Elohim and something worse happens to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh but we\u2019re now living in the age of grace now,\u201d you may be thinking to yourself. My answer? Go tell that to Ananias and Sapphira who lied to Elohim and both dropped dead at the apostles\u2019 feet for it (Acts 5:1\u201311). That occurred after<\/em> the cross and in your supposed age of grace. Never forget this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t
 <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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