Breaking news...Radical Culture Required
Our Western Institutional Roots
Some may see the language of yeshua as merely ‘cosmetic’ detail that doesn’t really make a difference to anything of practical use. I beg to differ, however, on many levels - some of which we'll discuss at a later time.
I believe it is important to recognise that significant elements of our modern-day Western culture are not founded on ‘God’s best for us’ as mandated in His Word.
These ‘rogue’ principles are so interwoven into our society that it is almost impossible for us to be truly free of them - they are truly a part of our instituional framework. At times we are not even aware of them, we just ‘take them for granted’, as they don’t have a noticeable impact on our everyday lives.Every Day and Every Month, Foreign Gods
For example, have you ever considered something as basic, simple and literally ‘every day’ as the names of our days and months?
Take a quick look below at what our ‘days’ are founded upon…
- Sunday: The name Sunday comes from the Old English Sunnandæg, meaning "Day of the Sun", and was a reminder of Sun worship in ancient pagan cultures.
- Monday: The name Monday comes from the Old English Monandæg, and was a reminder of Moon worship.
- Tuesday: The name Tuesday comes from the Old English Tiwesdæg, meaning "Tyr's day", where Tyr was the god of combat and heroic glory in both Norse mythology and Germanic paganism
- Wednesday: The name Wednesday comes from the Old English Wodnesdæg meaning the day of the Germanic god Wodan, more commonly known as Odin, the highest god in Norse mythology.
- Thursday: The name Thursday comes from the Old English Þunresdæg, meaning the day of Þunor, more commonly known as Thor, the god of thunder in both Norse Mythology and Germanic Paganism.
- Friday: The name Friday comes from the Old English Frigedæg, meaning the day of Frige, who was the Germanic goddess of beauty, a later development of the Norse goddess Frigg.
- Saturday: Saturday is the only day of the week to retain its Roman origin in English, named after the Roman god Saturn.
In contrast, the Hebrew days have no time for Paganism and foreign gods in any form. God definitely wanted it kept simple: "And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day" (Genesis 1: 5b):
- Yom Rishon - "first day"
- Yom Sheni - "second day"
- Yom Shlishi - "third day"
- Yom Revi’i - "fourth day"
- Yom Chamishi - "fifth day"
- Yom Shishi - "sixth day"
- Yom Shabbat (or simply Shabbat) - "Sabbath day (Rest day)"
Our Western month-naming system also reflects our cultural roots deep in foreign deities:
- January: Named after Janus, the Roman god of gates, doorways, beginnings and endings.
- February: Named after Februus, the Etruscan god of death.
- March: Named after Mars, the Roman god of war.
- April: Of uncertain origin, possibly from a root meaning 'other'.
- May: Named after Maia Maiestas, a Roman goddess based in Greek mythology. She was the eldest of the Pleiades, the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione.
- June: Named after Juno, the Roman goddess and wife of Jupiter.
- July: Named after Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator. The month was formerly named Quintilis, the fifth month of the calendar of Romulus)
- August: Named after Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. The month was formerly named Sextilis - the sixth month of Romulus.
- September: Based on septem, the Latin for seven - the seventh month of Romulus.
- October: Based on octo - the eight month of Romulus.
- November: Based on novem - the ninth month of Romulus.
- December: Based on decem - the tenth month of Romulus.
A Challenge…
The naming of our days and months is unlikley to change in the short-term. Indeed, these names don’t really affect our daily living. BUT, it is important to recognise that the culture in which we live has its roots deep in things which are not born of the God of Israel.
If we are truly pursuing the authentic God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the God of Israel and the God of Messiah, Yeshua, then surely we need to be different?
We need to be immersed in a Biblical counter-culture. Yes, radical - literally ‘back to our roots’ in His plan and blueprint for our lives.
Comments
Are we being judged for our
Are we being judged for our failed culture that has rejected Him? I have to wonder, and despair, at what I see around me. Here and overseas. In fact just about anywhere... :'(
To L_P... I was talking with
To L_P... I was talking with a good friend of mne recently and I learned something valuable. 'Judgment' is a hard word, and is mybe reserved for 'the end of days', whereas our Father's actions are better understood as 'discipline', that we may come closer to Him and learn our lessons in life. It takes the edge off, and seems to reflect better the heart of God for our generation. What do you think? It is certainly my belief that as wayward children, our Father will discipline us in any way we will take notice so that we will have every chnace to turn around and adjust our behaviour before the inevitable consequences of our acions come back to us. Let me know what you think?
Good point, and of course
Good point, and of course personal character traits are more imortant than legislated rules - and they always should be. This is surely what Yeshua came to teach us, with particular reference to the Pharisees, that it is the Spirit of God's Word that matters most, not detailed observance and additional rules. Part of the issue for me is recognising that the culture we live in is infiltrated at almost every level by an environment other than God's best for our lives. Changing the names of days and months in themselves won't make any real difference, but it is indicative of how far cultures have moved away from God's intended. I am sure God isn't impressed by having day-names after foreign deities, when His model was more simple... First Day, Second Day... Rest Day?
We don't believe that we need
We don't believe that we need to concentrate on the concept of biblical counter-culture BUT our emphasis should be on changing day by day into the image of God's son Yeshua HaMashiach and as written in Galations 5 v 22-23a "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is NO LAW." Remember that we live in the world but we are not of it and therefore these matters of renaming days and months etc are of no value in our walk with God. Heart attitude and holy spirit led works are far more important.