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HolidaysBirthdaysScriptures mention observanceonly by pagansGen . 40 :20 "And it came to passthe third day, which was Pharaoh'sbirthday, that he made afeast unto all his servants ."Matt . 14:6-10 "But whenHerod's birthday was being celebratedthe daughter of Herodiasdanced at it and so delightedHerod that he promised with anoath to give her whatever sheasked . Then she under her mother'scoaching said : `Give me hereupon a plate the head of Johnthe Baptist.' Pained though hewas, the king out of regard forhis oaths and for those recliningwith him commanded it to begiven, and he sent and had Johnbeheaded in the prison ."Mark 6 :21 "But a convenientday came along when Herodspread an evening meal on hisbirthday for his top-ranking menand the military commanders andthe foremost ones of Galilee."Isa . 65 :11 (mar .) "But ye thatforsake Jehovah, that forget myholy mountain, that prepare atable for fortune, and that fillup mingled wine unto Meni [celebrationof birthday of "the LordMoon"] ."One's birthday not the thing ofgreatest importance in his life ;not to be commemoratedEccl . 6 :3 ; 7 :1, 8 "If a man begeta hundred children, and livemany years, so that the days ofhis years are many, but his soulbe not filled with good, and moreoverhe have no burial ; I saythat an untimely birth is betterthan he ." "A good name is betterthan precious oil ; and the dayof death, than the day of one'sbirth . Better is the end of a thingthan the beginning thereof ; andthe patient in spirit is better thanthe proud in spirit ."1 6 6God not responsible for, does notbless each birth; counts all exceptChristians as dead in sins.Fleshly births are due to will orpassion of earthly parentsPs . 51 :5 "Behold, I was broughtforth in iniquity ; and in sin didmy mother conceive me ."John 1 :12, 13 "However, asmany as did receive him, to themhe gave authority to becomeGod's children, because they wereexercising faith in his name ; andthey were born not from bloodor from a fleshly will or fromman's will, but from God ."Luke 9 :60 "But he said to him :`Let the dead bury their dead,but you go away and declareabroad the kingdom of God .' "Eph . 2 :1, 5 "Furthermore, it isyou God made alive though youwere dead in your trespasses andsins . . . . made us alive togetherwith the Christ ."1 John 3 :14 "We know we havepassed over from death to life,because we love the brothers ."Only exceptions are certain onesGod specially usedExamples : Isaac (Gen . 18 :9-14 ;Rom . 4 :17-21 ; Gal . 4 :28, 29) ;Samson (Judg. 13 :2-5) ; Samuel(1 Sam . 1 :11, 19, 20) ; Jeremiah(Jer . 1 :4, 5) ; John the Baptist(Luke 1 :5-20) ; Jesus (Matt . 1 :18-25 ; Luke 1 :26-37) .Christ's death to be observed byMemorial evening meal, but nocommandment to observe hisbirthday as at a "Christmas"Luke 22 :19 "Also he took a loaf,gave thanks, broke it, and gaveit to them, saying : `This meansmy body which is to be given inyour behalf . Keep doing this inremembrance of me .'"1 Cor . 11 :24-26 "And, after givingthanks, he broke it and said :'This means my body which is inyour behalf . Keep doing this inremembrance of me.' He did likewiserespecting the cup also . . . .`Keep doing this, as often as youdrink it, in remembrance of me .'