Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers…” (NKJV)
At first glance, it sounds like Jeremiah is clearly talking about a Christmas tree, right? Wrong. And this is where the most important rule of Bible interpretation steps in—context, context, context!
In the video featured above, Tim Barnett of Stand to Reason shows that the broader context of Jeremiah 10 completely dismantles the idea that Christmas trees are being condemned. Jeremiah isn’t warning Israel about holiday décor; he’s rebuking the creation and worship of literal idols—hand-carved images overlaid with precious metals. In other words, the issue isn’t trees in your living room; it’s worshipping false gods.
Bottom line: claiming that Jeremiah 10:1–4 forbids Christmas trees isn’t supported by the text, the context, or common sense. It’s a bad interpretation—and honestly, a little embarrassing.
Now go decorate your tree!
To learn more about Red Pen Logic, go here.
Courage and Godspeed,
Chad
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