Clearly, the Father did not come physically in the clouds. He spiritually rode on the clouds in judgement. Any time God used a nation to destroy and judge another nation in the Old Testament, it is described as God coming down and riding on clouds. Jesus did the same at His coming through Rome’s siege and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Cindye Coates
From persecution.org
December 19, 2025
Each year, Christ followers worldwide eagerly anticipate Christmas, remembering and celebrating how their Savior entered the world. The story of Jesus’ arrival is read from the Scriptures and meditated upon; lights are hung, and worshippers sing songs commemorating the most precious birth ever to take place.
As this occurs, large numbers of our fellow believers must approach the day with caution and keep their Christmas joy to themselves.
Christians living in Brunei, China, Iran, North Korea, and Somalia must celebrate the birth of Jesus in secret or else face legal consequences, including imprisonment.
Brunei
In Brunei, public displays of Christmas are banned. While Christians are allowed to recognize the holiday inside their homes or churches, they can’t hold any public Christmas celebrations. The nation officially banned public Christmas displays in 2014, fearing that they could lead Muslims away from Islam.
Muslims found violating the ban, by wearing Santa hats or in some fashion partaking in banned Christmas festivities, could face up to five years in prison. Additionally, Christians are prohibited from spreading the gospel to Muslims.
China
China allows approved groups to hold restricted Christmas celebrations, which vary by region. Individuals younger than 18 years old are forbidden to attend Christmas church celebrations, and authorities continue their campaign to force churches to inject communism into Christian worship.
Iran
In Iran, Christmas gatherings are allowed in registered churches and approved districts. Small, unregistered house-churches, particularly those of Muslim converts to Christianity, are often raided by authorities. In November 2025, two individuals who converted to Christianity from Islam began serving a two-year prison sentence for charges related to their participation in a Christian house church.
According to Barnabas Aid, their “arrests resulted from a raid by 30 intelligence agents on a house church gathering in Shahriar … in December 2023, when some 25 worshippers had gathered to pray and to plan their Christmas celebration.”
In addition, all church services are forbidden to be conducted in Farsi, Iran’s native language. Instead, foreign languages, such as Armenian or Assyrian, are typically used to curb the spread of Christianity to native-born Muslim-Iranians.
North Korea
Christmas worship and displays are banned in North Korea. The communist government views Christianity as a threat to its leadership and Christmas as a menace to society. Freedom of religion is non-existent in the nation, and owning a Bible or celebrating the birth of Christ is a serious offense. In 2016, the dictator of the nation, Kim Jong-Un, announced a decree mandating North Koreans to worship his grandmother, Kim Jong-suk, who was born on Dec. 24, 1919, to preempt any focus on Christ and his birth.
Somalia
Public Christmas celebrations are banned in Somalia, a predominantly Muslim nation. Officials outlawed Christmas observance in the country in 2015. That same year, Reuters reported that Somalia’s ministry of religion, “sent letters to the police, national security intelligence and officials in the capital Mogadishu instructing them to ‘prevent Christmas celebrations.’” The ban is still in effect.
Although many Christians have little to no access to religious freedom, large majorities of them continue to follow Christ in their hearts and celebrate Christmas in quiet, meaningful moments. The outward appearance of such celebrations appears instead within their hearts.
For those of us blessed with the freedom to celebrate Christmas publicly, let us also remember and lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ who cling to him, regardless of the cost.
When Jesus said He was “coming in the clouds,” the apostate Jewish priesthood accused Him of blasphemy. Why? They knew He was claiming deity! His Parousia (coming) was going to be in the same way God had always come before in the Old Testament. He was making Himself equal to Yahweh. It was Yahweh Who was the great cloud rider in judgement. Cindye Coates
In AD 66, the Roman Army entered Judea on the east side and carried on their conquest westward, being compared to the “lightning flashing from the east to the west,” as Jesus clearly stated. Cindye Coates
New Life Narrabri 