Happy New Year’s Eve!

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, December 31, 2025 (Donate)

Today is the sixth day of Christmas—New Years Eve. Of the Twelve Days of Christmas, this and tomorrow (New Years Day) are probably the most popular of the holidays.

Sadly, many today happily celebrate these two holidays, not realizing they are part of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The neat thing about these two holidays is that one is the last day of the year and the next is the first day of the year.

New Years Eve also goes by other names. Hogmanay Day (aka Hoggo-nott or Hoog Min Day). This roughly translates as either “great love day” or “holy month”/”holy morning” and could be both. Even so, it is meant as a cap to the year.

A tradition that goes back [allegedly 2000 years ago] in German and English customs reflects this “great love day” with a kiss at the new year. People still do this at midnight, often with fireworks around the world.

Renaissance New Year; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Traditionally though, if was a day where people would have bow shooting contests and other sporting events like javelin throw. Today, we still watch sporting events! They are just different games and televised.

It was also a time for a special tithe in the Old Testament to be sure they were caring for their local Levite priests and their families (e.g., Deuteronomy 13:48)—this was done at the end of every 3 years as a cycle.

Really, New Years Eve is a day to thank God and give Him the glory that you made it through another year. Whether you had a good year or a bad year, the next year about to start and things could be fresh and new again.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children. 

 

Happy Holy Family Day!

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Happy Holy Family Day!

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, December 30, 2025 (Donate)

Today is the fifth day of Christmas! Holy Family Day is obviously about remembrance of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. But it is deeper than that. Naturally, on Christmas, we tend discuss the first nativity surrounding Mary and Joseph and Christ’s entrance into the world.

But today is specifically about the family and to think more deeply about them. Joseph’s obedience to God was incredible. Leading the family to safety twice (leaving Bethlehem in the “nick of time” and turning and settling in Nazareth!)

Before I go any further, Protestants generally agree on Holy Family Day, however the Anglicans (Church of England) attaches Thomas Beckett Day to the fifth day of Christmas. It is not uncommon for various local, denominational, or regional churches to vary some of the twelve days of Christmas and that helps in the local unity. But most celebrate Holy Family Day.

When we think of the family of Christ, we tend to think of Joseph and Mary and for a time that was the core of their family. After Jesus was born to the virgin Mary, she had other kids according to the Bible.

“Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him. (Mark 6:3, NKJV)

During Holy Family Day, it is good to remember the younger, half-siblings of Jesus. Two of which went on to write New Testament books (James and Jude/Judas—not to be confused with the betrayer who was Judas Iscariot). James was even elevated to the level of an Apostle (Galatians 1;19), like Paul (Romans 1:1) and Barnabas (Acts 14:14).

Mary and Joseph in a small caravan of family on their way to Bethlehem; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Let’s also not forget Mary and Joseph’s parents. One father is mention in Matthew (Joseph’s father). His name was Jacob (Matthew 1:16). In Luke 3, Mary’s father is listed in the full genealogy of Mary with Heli as her father. Heli is a variation of the name Eli. Both Mary and Joseph were of the house and lineage of David, one through Solomon and the other through Nathan—two of David’s sons.

With this mind, it is likely Mary and Joseph didn’t travel to Bethlehem alone, but in a caravan with their parents and siblings, tools, animals, and so on. We often have the misconception that they travelled alone on a donkey. But there were surely many others, and this permits safer travels.

On Holy Family Day, it is a good and common tradition to ask God to bless our relatives and extended family.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children. 

 

Happy Martyrs and Sacrifice Day!

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Happy Martyrs and Sacrifice Day!

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, December 29, 2025 (Donate)

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18, ESV)

Today is the fourth day of Christmas. The purpose of this holiday is to remember the Christians who have been exiled, murdered, and persecuted for their faith. In a sense it is like our modern “Memorial Day” and “Veteran’s Day” all wrapped up together, but for the “soldiers” of Christ.

As Christ marches forward in victory many have been killed along the way. We think back to the early days of the church and persecution that occurred then. Stephen, was martyred in the book of Acts (e.g., Acts 7:59).

Many Christians, like Paul and Peter, were beaten, stoned, imprisoned and/or killed for their faith. The apostles of Christ were largely put to death in horrible ways. Then there were the purges of Emperor Nero and persecution by Emperor Domitian.

Paul and Silas imprisoned in Acts 16:19-24; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Until the Edict of Toleration (AD 311) and Edict of Milan (AD 313), Christians severely suffered. But it didn’t stop it. For 1000 years, Christians have been attacked and put to death for their faith. Consider the famous book that documents massive numbers of martyrs through the centuries: Foxes Book of Martyrs.

During the Reformation, many Christians were killed, one needs to simply consider the history of the Huguenots (French Protestants). And even today, Christians are slaughtered in Nigeria and arrested and silenced in the United Kingdom for their faith. In the USA, Christians are dragged into court for following their religion (e.g., Jack, the baker, Phillips). Even I’ve been persecuted in various ways.

This is time a to pray for the leaders of the local church, whether pastoral, elders, deacons, or even for those in parachurch ministries, missions organizations, and evangelists. You may never know the extent of persecution they receive behind the scenes.

In the past, many used to give gifts as a tradition to the pastoral leaders on Martyrs and Sacrifice Day as way of encouraging them to stand firm and be bold for Christ in the midst of all the trials and tribulation that they face. But also do not forget to pray for those who do the persecuting—pray that they repent and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44, ESV)

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children. 

 

Happy Ember Day!

Please prayerfully consider end-of-year giving to Biblical Authority Ministries as way helping me preach the gospel and defend the authority of the Bible in today’s secularized culture. Please take some to time to donate here:

Biblical Authority Ministries: Contact, Speaking, and Donations

A sinner saved by grace, Bodie Hodge

 

Happy Ember Day!

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, December 28, 2025 (Donate)

Today, the third day of Christmas is Ember Day, also called Holy Innocents Day. Unlike many holidays in this Christmas season, this one is more somber.

This holiday is in remembrance of the baby boys massacred by King Herod and his soldiers in Bethlehem as well as the surrounding region. In Herod’s rage to protect his throne, he murdered hosts of ch1ldren right in front of their families. Other family members may have even died trying to protect their ch1ldren and siblings.

Herod's orders being carried out in Bethlehem; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

In all this, Herod was trying to protect his royal line, which was only his by the grace of Rome. Contrary to Herod’s hopes, God, in His infinite power did not permit any of Herod’s sons to become king. Instead, Rome broke his kingdom apart (into four divisions) and three of his sons had power over these places—but no royal kingship was granted. One area and city (Decapolis) was under direct Roman authority.

On Ember Day, we not only remember these innocents, but are to be in prayer for orphans and ch1ldren who struggle in today’s culture.

Sadly, like Herod, there is still a terrible massacre going on that target’s ch1ldren. It is abort1on where millions of pre-born ch1ldren are killed globally. This dwarfs the small event that Herod did but both are done in the name of evil. Furthermore, in today’s culture many ch1ldren are given hormone blockers and mut1lated in the name of “trans”, which is wreaking havoc on the youth in many Western Nations.

Again, Holy Innocents Day is a time to remember and pray—pray that our society will return to its godly roots and these horrible atrocities done in the name of evil will come to an end.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.