Noel

What does the word noel mean and when did it start to be related to Christmas? According to the dictionary, English speakers borrowed the word from the French word nael which can be traced back to the Latin word nalalis, which can mean birthday as a noun or of or relating to birth as an adjective.  The English adjective natal has the same meaning and is also an offspring of the Latin word natalis which, as I said, can mean birthday or relating birth. (Neonatal means “of or relating to, or affecting the newborn and especially the human infant during the first month after birth.”) According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, noels (or carol songs) were being sung in Latin or French for centuries before English speakers started using the word to refer to Christmas carols in the 18^th century.  An early use of noel (spelled nowell) to mean “Christmas” can be found in the text of the late 14^th century Arthurian legend “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.”

But is noel really a Hebrew word or does it have Hebrew origins?  Some say no.  But Scriptural researcher, Bible teacher, and shepherd of God’s flock whose parents (whose sir name is Corpuz) had given him the first name Noel says the word is the shortened form of two Hebrew words NOrad and EL.  “NOrad EL” meaning “born of EL” or born of God.  Corpuz says it has nothing to do with the pagan holiday festivals that coincided with the Christmas holiday celebrated by Christians all over the world on December 25. 

So when did the idea of celebrating birthdays begin?  Well, the first recorded birthday celebrations took place about 3000 years before Christ’s birthday.  These celebrations were coronation dates, symbolic of the Pharaoh’s birth as a god.

The Roman Catholic Church formally celebrated Christ’s birthday on December 25^th in 336 AD, during the reign of Constantine.  It was then that Constantine made Christianity the effective religion of the Roman Empire.

Some have speculated that their choosing this date had the political motive of weakening the established pagan celebrations that also used that date.  The December 25^th designated date was not widely accepted at first in the Eastern Empire, where January 6^th had been the favored designated date, and it remained so for another 50 years.  But Christmas did not become a major Christian festival until the 9^th century.  Noel Corpuz writes that the hymn titled “The First Noel” refers to the “The Firstborn of God” who is Jesus Christ (or YAHoshua Masiyach translated Jesus the Anointed One).

The exact time and date of Christ’s birth and life had been of great interest to the prophets that came before Him.

1 Peter 1:10-12 tells us,

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” – 1 Peter 10:12

More than the fact that the prophets were interested in these times and dates, Peter says that even angels long to look into these things.

Job is considered one of the earliest written books of the Bible.  Job, in chapters 1 and 2, documents God’s conversation with Satan about Job.  Note: God brings up the topic with Satan.  As a result of this conversation, Job experiences the incredible loss of the lives of his sons and daughters and the lives of most of his servants and his herds. Job also experienced excruciating physical pain that resulted from the next conversation between God and Satan recorded in Job 2.  Note: again God brings up the topic with Satan.

But Job is not privy to any of God’s boasting about him to Satan either time.  However, Job, through the Holy Spirit, prophesies of the Redeemer and that in the end he (Job) would see Him. Job says:

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes. – Job 19:25-27

(The Amplified Bible goes on to say, “My eyes will behold Him and not as a stranger.”)

So God used the suffering and temporary loss of life in Job’s immediate family to reveal a bigger planned event i.e., the coming of the Savior Redeemer.  I don’t even think Satan understood this mystery at the time nor his part in the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Now we sing noel carols (i.e., Christmas carols) and some of them contain truths that Satan and his demons did not know at the time of Jesus’s birth.  For example, in the words of the first stanza of the hymn Silent Night:

 

Silent night! Holy night!

Son of God, love’s pure light!

Radiant beams from Thy Holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.

I don’t think that the prophets knew at the time, nor did Satan and the fallen angles know at the time, that the Redeemer was going to be the Lord God Himself at His birth.  I don’t even think Mary knew.

So what makes me think that?  Listen to what God says at Jesus’s Baptism, and then listen to Satan’s conversation with Jesus after He had fasted in the desert for forty days and forty nights:

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” – Matthew 4:1-3

Note: Maybe Satan wasn’t listening to God at Jesus’ baptism or why would he say “If”. But maybe Satan was listening and he heard God say, “This is my Son,” but he didn’t understand that Jesus was actually God The Son (the second person of the Trinity Godhead) who was the Word of God made flesh.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4

This is a reference to Deuteronomy 8:3.

Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” – Matthew 4:5-6

Again the “If” statement. This is a reference to Psalm 91:11-12. Note: Satan knows what is written. Why?  Because he has read it.

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” – Matthew 4:7

Note: Jesus reminds him of what is also written.

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” – Matthew 4:8-10

It is so ironic that Satan tries to tempt Him with only the kingdoms of the world, when Jesus is Creator and King of the entire universe.

Verse 11 goes on to say:

Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him. – Matthew 4:11

So it appears that even Satan did not know that Jesus was God Himself in the flesh.  What Satan thought being called the Son of God meant, we will not fully know until all is revealed to us in heaven.  I think that if Satan knew Jesus was God, he would not dare to ask God to bow and worship him.  I think Satan, like the prophets, longed to look into these things, but they remained hidden from him as well as from the prophets.

It amazes me that Satan, one of the most powerful of the angels, thought that if he could just get Jesus to sin that he could prevent Him from redeeming mankind of their sins.  It also amazes me that Satan was as fluent in the Scriptures as he was, and yet he was still blind to God’s ultimate plan of salvation for mankind.

This should be a lesson to us all. No matter how fluent we are in the Scriptures, there are still things that God has decided not to reveal to us until the appropriate time. But what about the things God has chosen to reveal to us that involve Satan and those demons that follow him that are written in the Book of Revelation?  For example:                  

 

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. – Revelation 20:1-3  

I think Satan must be aware of these things and his impending end as described in Revelation 20.

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city He loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. – Revelation 20:7-10

I think Satan, zealous student of the Scripture that he was and is, has read those things and knows how they end for him.  I think he continues his evil actions because his mind is depraved.  I think he is like those godless and wicked men described in Romans 1.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. – Romans 1:18-20

(Satan, even more so, would be without excuse.)

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. – Romans 1:21-25

Certainly the fallen angels worshiped Satan, a created being, so this would apply to them.  Satan, on his part, is so deceived that he worships himself since he is the quintessential narcissist, so these verses would apply to him also.

Also Romans1:28-32 goes on to say of the godless:

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. – Romans1:28-32

(Note Satan and the fallen angels did have knowledge of God.)

Well, this sounds like Satan’s resume and the resume of all who follow him.

So I think Satan has the most wicked and depraved mind that ever existed.  He may know the Scriptures about his end now, but it only makes his wicked and depraved mind want to steal and kill and destroy all the more while he still has time left.  There is no remorse or regret or repentance with him.  That is why the verses in Revelation 20 are final for him and his followers.

But what should our response be?

Peter goes on to say in 1 Peter 1:13-16:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:13-16

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. – 1 Peter 1:17-21

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. – 1 Peter 1:22-23

So you and I can say as Job says in Job 19:25-27:

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes. My eyes will behold Him and not as a stranger. – Job 19:25-27

Now it is only right to celebrate Jesus’ birth.  Why? Because He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise and so much more from us.

We celebrate each others’ birthdays, not because of who we were when we were born, but we celebrate each others’ birthdays because of who we are now that we have been born again.

Let’s pray.