Christmas is perhaps the most popular holiday in the world. People from a variety of perspectives and societies—from the devoutly religious who cry, “put Christ back in Christmas,” to famous atheists like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris—participate in some form of Christmas celebrations. With Christmas rapidly approaching, let’s make what some may consider a strange comparison: Christmas versus Passover.

We have all used various kinds of guides, whether a tour guide in a museum or historic site, a guide in a national park wilderness area, an education or career guidance counselor, or even a GPS helping us to our destination in the city or country. We especially need a guide through the wilderness of spiritual deception in the world today.

When Philip asked a man from Ethiopia if he understood what he was reading in the book of Isaiah, the Ethiopian answered, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31).

Growing numbers of migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe. Many more are dying after arrival and are buried in unmarked graves. According to The Guardian, “at least 1,015 men, women and children who died at the borders of Europe in the past decade were buried before they were identified…. These, however, are the tip of the iceberg.

For the last decade, record levels of migrants have crossed sea and land borders into Europe, most of them hoping for a better, safer life. But Europeans are coming to realize that the current rates of immigration are unsustainable (The Telegraph, December 8, 2023).