The Christmas Axe (is laid to the root)
Dearly beloved,
I would that you have dominion and subdue the Earth this Christmas. Allow me to share with you how Medival Church history records in the early 700’s about a certain Christian missionary named Boniface who made his way to the Germanic pagans near Geismar. In this village were worshipers in the cult of Thor who would annually offer a living child sacrifice at the base of their giant sacred tree shrine known as the “Thunder Oak.” The head priest would strike the child with a death blow from a large stone hammer, in attempt to appease the so-called god of thunder. After learning of the horrors of these senseless superstitions, it is reported that upon the eve of Christmas Boniface and his companions arrived in the village just in time to interrupt the preposterous practice and announce the arrival of the King of Heaven, Jesus Christ. In faithful confession and prophetic proclamation, Boniface said to his fellow mission team, “Here is the great Thunder Oak. And here is where the Cross of Christ shall break the hammer of the false god Thor.”
Approaching the altar, as the executioner laid the downswing of his great stone hammer, Boniface rushed in with his staff to block the child and the stone hammer miraculously shatters. While the pagan priests and villagers stood by stunned and confused, Boniface cried out to the crowd, “Hearken, sons of the forest! No blood shall flow this night save that which pity has drawn from a mother’s breast. For this is the birth-night of the Christ, the son of the Almighty, the Savior of mankind. Fairer is He than Baldur the Beautiful, greater than Odin the Wise, kinder than Freya the Good. Since He has come sacrifice is ended. The dark, Thor, on whom you have vainly called, is dead. Deep in the shades of Niffelheim, he is lost forever. And now on this Christ-night you shall begin to live. This blood-tree shall darken your land no more. In the name of the Lord, I will destroy it.”
The missionary immediately picked up a nearby axe and with a single swing, the great old oak was felled, roots and all - as if a great rushing mighty wind blew the whole thing over, turning that early Germanic world upside down. The wood from that oak was hewn into timber to erect a chapel house where the newly baptized disciples of Christ would gather.
The Axe is Laid to the Root
Likewise, this Christmas season, let it be known unto you that whatsoever has been keeping you enslaved these past many years, shall be uprooted and shattered by the word of the Lord at this turn of the year. Whether it be substance addictions, physical limitations of chronic health issues, or superstitious religious bondage. Christ has now set you free. The reign of Thor is over. The days of Pharaoh are ceased. Every principality and ruler of darkness is broken off your life by the Authority of the Lamb who was slain and rose again the third day. By his blood, we are reconciled to God the Father by who’s grace we are saved through faith. And now being built together as a habitation for God through the Spirit, being members together in the body of Christ, we are now in this world as he is: firmly fixed in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, with all things under our feet, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. Rejoice this Christmas season in the victory our Lord has won by his resurrection and distributed to us in his ascension, whereby we shall continue to occupy until the day of his appearing.
- B.E.