Traditionally, the word “Noel” has come to be a synonym for “Christmas”, and many dictionaries define the word “Noel” as such. Thus, by tradition, the word has come to signify Christmas. Dictionaries usually link Noel etymologically with the Latin natalis, which means “nativity” or “birth”. Usually, dictionaries seem to ignore the EL in Noel when giving the etymology of the word. However, some associate Noel with the Latin “DIES NATALIS”, which, in effect, means “birthday” of “day of birth”. This would seem to, in some vague manner, appear to link “el” with “day”, which we suspect is done because of the tradition of celebrating Jesus’ birth on some specified day, such as December 25 or January 7. EL in Hebrew and many other ancient languages means God or mighty. Nevertheless, many claim the Noel means “birth of God,” although EL could simply mean "mighty one", as a king. The idea is based on trinitarian or other concepts that teach that God Almighty became a man; thus, by this means it is claimed that God himself was born into the world of mankind. At any rate, by extension, to some, Noel has come to mean “birthday of God”.
We have also found references to the “noel log”, “noel” being used almost as a synonym for “yule”.
http://tinyurl.com/8ofs4h
English-speaking Christians rarely speak of the “birth of God” in normal conversation. However, this may not be so of Christians who speak other languages. In Spanish, for instance, one may often hear of “Navidad de Dios”, meaning the birth of God. Thus, many Spanish-speaking people may speak of Christmas as “God's birthday”, based on how the Christmas celebration is sometimes called “Navidad de Dios” (or sometimes simply “Navidad Dios), that is, “God's birth[day]”.
Many, however, do speak of Christmas as being the “incarnation of God”, which is similar to saying “birth of God”.
Of the Almighty Jehovah, we read:
1 Chronicles 16:36 - Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And all the people said, Amen, and praised Jehovah.
Psalms 41:13 - Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
Thus, the Almighty Jehovah has never been conceived, begotten, or brought into existence, nor does he ever die. The Bible never says anything to the effect that Jehovah, the Most High has ever been born as a human being, as is often imagined by trinitarians, as well as some others.
Let us then examine the lyrics of one of the popular songs often sung at Christmas time entitled, "The First Noel." We do not know for a certainty who originally wrote this song. We will examine the words of what is probably the most popular vesion of this song.
The first verse:
While we cannot be certain what meaning was originally given to the word NOEL as used in this song, we can say that to many, it refers to the birthday of God. Of course, the Bible says nothing about a birth or birthday of God Almighty, but we do find in the Bible that an angel proclaimed the birth of one whom Jehovah anointed to be the King of Israel:
Luke 2:8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
Luke 2:9 Behold, an angel of Jehovah stood by them, and the glory of Jehovah shone around them, and they were terrified.
Luke 2:10 The angel said to them, "Don'“ be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
Luke 2:11 For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
Luke 2:13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, On earth peace, good will toward men."
The word "christ" means one anointed; the one who anointed Jesus is Jehovah. Prophetically, Jesus is depicted as saying: "Jehovah ... anointed me." -- Isaiah 61:1.
“Noel” can only scripturally apply to the one sent by Jehovah if one also recognizes that EL can also be used in a general sense to denote a mighty person. As such, the word Noel would mean "Birth of a mighty one.” As ” babe, one may have difficulty thinking of Jesus as a mighty one, although it could be applied prophetically to his birth as the one promised who was to become the mighty everlasting King on the throne of David. Such a designation, however, would not mean that Jesus is Jehovah. Of course, we doubt that the author(s) of this hymn had any concept of using EL related to Jesus to mean a mighty one other than the Supreme Being.
Taking this further, if “no” in “noel" corresponds with the Greek forms of the word often transliterated as gennao (Strong's Greek #1080), it could take on the meaning of begettal, conception, as in Matthew 1:20. Indeed, Jesus conception would have taken place sometime around December 25, as many Bible Students have noted. Again, we note, however, the author(s) of this song probably did not have this in mind at all.
Of the Almighty Jehovah, we read:
1 Chronicles 16:36 - Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And all the people said, Amen, and praised Jehovah.
Psalms 41:13 - Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
Thus, the Almighty Jehovah has never been conceived, begotten, or brought into existence, nor does he ever die. The Bible never says anything to the effect that Jehovah, the Most High has ever been born as a human being, as is often imagined by trinitarians, as well as some others.
Let us then examine the lyrics of one of the popular songs often sung at Christmas time entitled, "The First Noel." We do not know for a certainty who originally wrote this song. We will examine the words of what is probably the most popular vesion of this song.
The first verse:
The First Noel, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
While we cannot be certain what meaning was originally given to the word NOEL as used in this song, we can say that to many, it refers to the birthday of God. Of course, the Bible says nothing about a birth or birthday of God Almighty, but we do find in the Bible that an angel proclaimed the birth of one whom Jehovah anointed to be the King of Israel:
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| Coutesy The Edge Group and Lion Hudson Ltd |
Luke 2:9 Behold, an angel of Jehovah stood by them, and the glory of Jehovah shone around them, and they were terrified.
Luke 2:10 The angel said to them, "Don'“ be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
Luke 2:11 For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
Luke 2:13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, On earth peace, good will toward men."
The word "christ" means one anointed; the one who anointed Jesus is Jehovah. Prophetically, Jesus is depicted as saying: "Jehovah ... anointed me." -- Isaiah 61:1.
“Noel” can only scripturally apply to the one sent by Jehovah if one also recognizes that EL can also be used in a general sense to denote a mighty person. As such, the word Noel would mean "Birth of a mighty one.” As ” babe, one may have difficulty thinking of Jesus as a mighty one, although it could be applied prophetically to his birth as the one promised who was to become the mighty everlasting King on the throne of David. Such a designation, however, would not mean that Jesus is Jehovah. Of course, we doubt that the author(s) of this hymn had any concept of using EL related to Jesus to mean a mighty one other than the Supreme Being.
Taking this further, if “no” in “noel" corresponds with the Greek forms of the word often transliterated as gennao (Strong's Greek #1080), it could take on the meaning of begettal, conception, as in Matthew 1:20. Indeed, Jesus conception would have taken place sometime around December 25, as many Bible Students have noted. Again, we note, however, the author(s) of this song probably did not have this in mind at all.
The lyrics continue:
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*called "star" in most translations, although the Greek word for "star“ has a greater application than what we today call a "star“. We highly doubt that what these astrologers actually saw was a "star“in the sense that "star" is defined by modern science.
The lyrics of “The First Noel” continue:
The lyrics continue:
Continuing with the lyrics:
The last verse reads:
Even so, the glory of the Almighty Jehovah has never been the glory of flesh and blood. The glory of man is a little lower than that of the angels. (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7) Thus, Jehovah could never buy mankind with His blood, since His spiritual “body” has never had any flesh or blood to offer to Himself for mankind. Paul distinctly keeps the celestial and terrestrial glories entirely separate.-- 1 Corinthians 15:39-41.
Of course, the life that Jesus had as a human was the life that Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3), had given to Jesus. Jesus said: “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father.” -- John 6:57.
Jesus speaks of the glory that his God and Father had given to him as a human, which is probably the glory Jesus said he had given (reckonedly -- Romans 4:3,5,9,17,22-24) to his followers. -- John 17:22; Hebrews 2:9.
Hebrews 10:5 shows that Jesus' body of flesh, was prepared by his God and Father.
Only in this sense could Jesus' blood also be spoken of as the blood of his God and Father, although we doubt that the writers of the lyrics were thinking this way. It appears that their thought was that Jesus was the Almighty Jehovah Himself.
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/posts.html
Conclusion: It should be evident that the lyrics to this popular Christmas carol are full of errors and were probably written to support the trinitarian dogma. Nevertheless, many of the words can be interpreted in other ways.
They looked up and saw a starThere is nothing in the Bible that says that the shepherds saw a star shining in the East, much less that this star gave a great light. There was a light that appeared to the astrologers from the East, but the Bible does not say that this light* appeared to them on the night that Jesus was born, although that is a possibility. Nor is there any record in the Bible that this light was seen by others than the astrologers; the scriptures record only states that the astrologers saw this light, which led them first -- not to where Jesus was, but to Jerusalem, and evidently disappeared, since Matthew 2:9,10 relates that they again saw this light after they had spoken with Herod, and thus they rejoiced that they again saw this light.
Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
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*called "star" in most translations, although the Greek word for "star“ has a greater application than what we today call a "star“. We highly doubt that what these astrologers actually saw was a "star“in the sense that "star" is defined by modern science.
The lyrics of “The First Noel” continue:
And by the light of that same starThe Bible says nothing about "three wise men.” These astrologers indeed could be called "wise men”. The Bible does not relate how many astrologers came to see Jesus. They did indeed come from a "far far country" indicated by Matthew 2:7 and Matthew 2:16. The scriptures do not say how long it took them to reach Jerusalem, and then to go to Bethlehem. This trip may have extended over many months, or even years.
Three Wise men came from country far
To seek for a King was their intent
And to follow the star wherever it went.
The lyrics continue:
This star drew nigh to the northwestThis light led these astrologers to Jesus, but only after it had first led them to Jerusalem and to Herod. The Bible does not say that this light led these astrologers to "where Jesus lay," but rather that "they“ came into the house and saw the young child with Mary." (Matthew 2:11) By the time these astrologers found Jesus, Jesus was not lying in the manger, but was in a house as a young child.
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both Pause and stay
Right o'er the place where Jesus lay.
Continuing with the lyrics:
Then entered in those Wise men threeThe scriptural evidence is that this offering by the astrologers was sometime after Jesus was born.
Full reverently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
The last verse reads:
Then let us all with one accordTo the authors, this probably was meant to proclaim Jesus as being God of Genesis 1:1. To many, however, “heaven and earth” in Genesis 1:1 usually means the entire created universe, both visible and invisible. However, the Bible does not actually say that God created the physical universe from “nought/nothing.” Nevertheless, Jehovah did use his firstborn to bring forth the heavens (skies) and earth (land) as spoken of in Genesis 1.
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Even so, the glory of the Almighty Jehovah has never been the glory of flesh and blood. The glory of man is a little lower than that of the angels. (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7) Thus, Jehovah could never buy mankind with His blood, since His spiritual “body” has never had any flesh or blood to offer to Himself for mankind. Paul distinctly keeps the celestial and terrestrial glories entirely separate.-- 1 Corinthians 15:39-41.
Of course, the life that Jesus had as a human was the life that Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3), had given to Jesus. Jesus said: “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father.” -- John 6:57.
Jesus speaks of the glory that his God and Father had given to him as a human, which is probably the glory Jesus said he had given (reckonedly -- Romans 4:3,5,9,17,22-24) to his followers. -- John 17:22; Hebrews 2:9.
Hebrews 10:5 shows that Jesus' body of flesh, was prepared by his God and Father.
Only in this sense could Jesus' blood also be spoken of as the blood of his God and Father, although we doubt that the writers of the lyrics were thinking this way. It appears that their thought was that Jesus was the Almighty Jehovah Himself.
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/posts.html
Conclusion: It should be evident that the lyrics to this popular Christmas carol are full of errors and were probably written to support the trinitarian dogma. Nevertheless, many of the words can be interpreted in other ways.
Maybe someone with musical or poetic abilities would like to reword the hymn to remove the errors.
See also our study:
Trinity and Christmas
See also our study:
Trinity and Christmas
