Is celebrating someone’s birthday good or bad, or is it neither? Does it matter? Do you care to know?
Observing birthdays is not as benign as most think. I now see that from a young child without specific or deliberate instruction from anyone on these matters, the Lord was teaching me about the folly of birthday celebration.
Did you know that birthday celebrations are a favored event of witches? Know that witches celebrate the things of this world, nature and creature included:
Romans 1:21-25 MKJV
(21) Because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, neither were thankful. But they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
(22) Professing to be wise, they became fools
(23) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.
(24) Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.
(25) For they changed the truth of God into a lie, and they worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Investigate it. Witches and sorcerers prize idolatry; they focus on man’s glory and pleasure rather than God’s. The witch’s spiritual stance is to rebel against God and to be independent of Him in every way possible. They despise life as though it were death and cling to death as though it were dear life. That’s rebellion against their Maker Who IS Life:
“Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6 MKJV).
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship” (1 Samuel 15:23 MKJV).
So, let’s look further into why witches favor birthday celebrations. Here are some facts from God’s Book of Life on celebrating birthdays and what happened in the examples God provides.
There are three birthday celebrations mentioned in Scripture. In each event, people died. In the first example, the Pharaoh of Egypt had one of his subjects executed. In the second, Job’s ten children perished while celebrating. In the third, while King Herod celebrated his birthday, John the Immerser (Baptist), the forerunner of Jesus Christ, was beheaded.
1) Pharaoh in Joseph’s Day:
At Pharaoh’s birthday, the butler was restored to his honorable position with his master, but the baker was hanged. “One was taken, and one was left.”
“And it happened on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast to all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer, and of the chief baker, among his servants. And he restored the chief cupbearer back into his cupbearer office again. And he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, even as Joseph had interpreted to them” (Genesis 40:20-22 MKJV).
2) Job’s children:
By God’s appointment and timing, Job’s first family of children was suddenly destroyed in the revelry of their birthday celebrations. The ten children were taken away to make way for an equal number of children and the same number of males and females, who would be a pleasure to Job, and not a spiritual concern as were the first ten.
Job 1:4-22 MKJV
(4) And his sons went and feasted in the house of each one on his day. And they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
(5) And when they had gone around the day of feasting, Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. So Job did always.
(6) And a day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. And Satan also came among them.
(7) And the LORD said to Satan, From where do you come? Then Satan answered the LORD and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
(8) And the LORD said to Satan, Have you set your heart against My servant Job, because there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?
(9) And Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?
(10) Have You not made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
(11) But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.
(12) And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay your hand upon him. And Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
(13) And a day came when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house.
(14) And there came a messenger to Job and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them.
(15) And the Sabeans fell on and took them away. Yea, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
(16) While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, The fire of God has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and destroyed them. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
(17) While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands and swooped down upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
(18) While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house.
(19) And, behold, a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
(20) And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell to the ground and worshiped.
(21) And he said, I came naked out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
(22) In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
3) King Herod with John the Immerser (Baptist)
John the Immerser was taken to make way for the Messiah Whom he had introduced to Israel.
Matthew 14:6-11 MKJV
(6) But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.
(7) So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask.
(8) And she, being instructed before by her mother, said, Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.
(9) And the king was sorry. But for the oath’s sake, and those reclining with him, he commanded it to be given.
(10) And he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
(11) And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl. And she brought it to her mother.
John had said: “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease. He [Jesus] who comes from above is above all; he who is from the earth is earthly and speaks from the earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all” (John 3:30-31 MKJV).
So, we see that God’s blessing certainly wasn’t on birthday celebrations.
The earthly birthday is a commemoration of death day and must make way for the Heavenly Birthday of Life. Do you recall when Jesus said to a would-be follower, “Let the dead bury the dead but you come and follow Me”? Why would we want to annually celebrate the birth date of the dead?
The earthly birth comes from, and goes to, corruption and destruction, but the Heavenly birth, the second one, ushers the partaker into glory and lasts forever. The former birth from beneath is never worthy of celebration. To celebrate it is at best to indulge in vanity; at worst, it is to live a lie and thumb one’s nose at God’s Higher Purpose for us. The second birth, on the other hand, isn’t only worthy, it is the Beginning and Celebration of the True Life.
King Solomon wrote:
“A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 MKJV).
Birthday celebrations commemorate our entrance into this world, this realm of death and vanity.
Romans 8:19-25 MKJV
(19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.
(20) For the creation was not willingly subjected to vanity, but because of Him who subjected it on hope
(21) that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
(22) And we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
(23) And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.
(24) For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what anyone sees, why does he also hope for it?
(25) But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience.
Who are those sons of God? They are those who have experienced the second birth. As newly born in the spirit, the sons of God are destined to deliver those who, in darkness, celebrate the first birth, who have nothing better in their misery to celebrate.
To deliver us from the bondage of this world, Christ died and rose again; His Resurrection being His birth out of this world. He thus overcame death, opened the gates of hell, and paved the way for all men, each in his order over the ages, to joyously celebrate deliverance from death rather than observing vain annual markers of death into this world.
This celebration in Christ is an inner transformation, what we call being born again.
Think of the caterpillar, chrysalis, and flutterby. Should the caterpillar revel in how long it has lived? Is not its natural hope and destiny to pass out of its state through the chrysalis state of “death” and go on to the glory of the flutterby?
The annual birthday celebration of the carnal man of sin, the descendant of the first Adam, the son of perdition, is a celebration of death. What’s to celebrate? But here’s what is worthy of celebrating – the Celebration of the New Life whereby we’re restored to oneness and harmony with our Maker, Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:14-18 MKJV
(14) For the love of Christ constrains us, judging this, that if one died for all, then all died;
(15) and He died for all, that the living ones may live no more to themselves, but to Him who died for them and having been raised.
(16) So as we now know no one according to the flesh, but even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know Him so.
(17) So that if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
(18) And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
1 John 5:18-21 MKJV
(18) We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him.
(19) We know that we are of God, and all the world lies in evil.
(20) And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and the everlasting life.
(21) Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Amen.
When walking with the Lord in faith, our attention is no longer focussed on ourselves and what we selfishly want, like birthday glories, pleasures, revelry, anti-Christ’s birthday (Christmas) with gifts and various forms of carnal celebrations. Our focus is on the Lord and what’s important to Him. We delight in His will and not in the perishing things this world offers, which are contrary to God’s Ultimate Will and Way.
“Then I said, Lo, I come, in the volume of the Book it is written of Me; I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your Law is within My heart” (Psalms 40:7-8 MKJV).
When you enter the Kingdom of Heaven, you become a Celebration of Eternal Life in Christ every day – the Life that is Real and not the life of meager, empty, fading celebrations that bring no lasting fulfillment. What a glorious difference!
I, Victor Hafichuk, know it, as do others under God’s blessing – I’ve been in the old and now speak from the new. You don’t have to wish me a “happy birthday.” I’ve transferred from wishes to Reality. How good is that? Is this for you?
Romans 10:8-13 MKJV
(8) But what does it say? “The Word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart”; that is, the Word of Faith which we proclaim;
(9) Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
(10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.
(11) For the Scripture says, “Everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame.”
(12) For there is no difference both of Jew and of Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call on Him.
(13) For everyone, “whoever shall call on the Name of the Lord will be saved.”
Just imagine Jesus celebrating His earthly birthday, or Paul the apostle, or any of the saints doing so. Imagine Jesus’ family and disciples having a 33rd birthday party for Him, or a 31st just after John the Immerser was beheaded. What timing! If you can imagine such a thing and be comfortable with it, you’ve never met the Lord or understood Him in any way. You have never believed; He is foreign to you.
Nor is the issue only about the Lord’s earthly life in His flesh. He laid His earthly life down so that we could eternally celebrate Him in Newness of Life, in God’s Kingdom, and that, on earth as well as in Heaven. “Your will be done in earth as in Heaven.” Let’s not be frivolous and loiter; let’s get on with it. Let’s choose life and not death.
To celebrate one’s earthly birthday is to celebrate oneself and that is anti-Christ. Our existence and purpose are all about Him and not about us. It’s always about how we live on earth and never how long.
However, these things can only be understood and appreciated by God’s Grace and Spirit. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.
Victor Hafichuk
April 2018