Remembering Jesus’ Birthday
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This is a valuable study a friend
posted on the Internet. Remembering Jesus' birthday While much of the world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ
on the 25th of December, can the actual day of Jesus' birth be determined
from scripture? This question will be explored in some detail, and will yield
a result that is quite intriguing. The first passage we will consider begins with the father of
John the Baptist, Zacharias: Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a
certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia (Abijah): and his wife
was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. Luke 1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's
office before God in the order of his course, ... Luke 1:23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his
ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. Luke 1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, ... (The clue given to us here is that Zacharias was of the
"course" of Abia or Abijah). The 24 Courses of the Temple Priesthood. King David, on God's instructions (1 Chr 28:11-13) had divided
the sons of Aaron into 24 groups (1 Chr 24:1-4), to set-up a schedule by
which the Temple of the Lord could be staffed with priests all year round in
an orderly manner. After the 24 groups of priests were established, lots were drawn
to determine the sequence in which each group would serve in the Temple. (1
Chr 24: 7-19). That sequence is as follows: 1 Chr 24:7 --------- 1. Jehoiarib ------------ 2. Jedaiah
.......... 1 Chr 24:19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come
into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their
father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him. Now each one of the 24 "courses" of priests
would begin and end their service in the Temple on the Sabbath, a "tour
of duty" being for one week (2 Chr 23:8, 1 Chr 9:25). On three occasions during the year, all the men of Israel were
required to travel to Jerusalem for festivals of the Lord, so on those
specific occasions ALL the priests would be needed in the Temple to accommodate
the crowds. Those three festivals were: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost,
and Tabernacles (Deut 16:16). The Yearly Cycle of Service in the Temple. The Jewish calendar begins in the spring, during the month of
Nisan. The second week would then be the responsibility of the family
of "Jedaiah". The third week would be the feast of Unleavened Bread,
and ALL priests would be present for service. Then the schedule would resume on the fourth week with the
third course of priests, the family of "Harim". By this plan, when the 24th course was completed, the general
cycle of courses would repeat. This schedule would cover 51 weeks or 357 days, enough for the
lunar Jewish calendar (about 354 days). So, in a period of a year, each group of priests would serve
in the Temple twice on their scheduled course, in addition to the 3 major
festivals, for a total of about five weeks of duty per priest. Months of the Jewish Year The "first month" of the Jewish calendar is
the month of "Nisan", in the spring, when Passover occurs. However,
the Jewish New Year "Rosh Hashanah" (aka "New Year's Day"),
is in the seventh month "Tishri", and that is when the year number
is increased. This concept of different starting points for a year is not as
strange as it might seem at first glance. The American "new year"
starts in January, but the new "school year" starts in September,
and many businesses have "fiscal years" that start at
various times of the year. Similarly, the Jewish calendar has different
starting points for different purposes. The names of the months of the Jewish calendar were adopted
during the time of Ezra, after the return from the Babylonian exile. The
names are actually Babylonian month names, brought back to Israel by the
returning exiles. Note that most of the Bible refers to months by number, not
by name. The Conception of John the Baptist. Now back to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist: Luke 1:23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his
ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. Luke 1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, ... Beginning with the first month, Nisan, in the spring
(March-April), the schedule of the priest's courses would result with
Zacharias serving during the 10th week of the year. This is because he was a member of the course of Abia
(Abijah), the 8th course (see chart above), and both the Feast of Unleavened
Bread (15-21 Nisan) and Pentecost (6 Sivan) would have occurred before
his scheduled duty. This places Zacharias' administration in the Temple as
beginning on the second Sabbath of the third month, Sivan (May-June). 1st
Month........................... 2nd Month................... 3rd
Month........ First
Having completed his Temple service on the third Sabbath of
Sivan, Zacharias returned home and soon conceived his son John. So John the Baptist was most likely conceived shortly after
the third Sabbath of the month of Sivan. The Conception of Jesus Christ. Now, the reason that the information about John is important,
is because according to Luke, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the sixth
month of Elisabeth's pregnancy: Luke 1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five
months, saying, Luke 1:25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he
looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city
of Galilee, named Nazareth, Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of
the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. Note that verse 26 above refers to the sixth month of Elisabeth's
pregnancy, not "Elul", the sixth month of the Hebrew
calendar, and this is made plain by the context of verse 24 and again in
verse 36: Luke 1:36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also
conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for the last 3 months of her
pregnancy, until the time that John was born. Luke 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and
returned to her own house. Luke 1:57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be
delivered; and she brought forth a son. Now working from the information about John's conception late
in the third month, Sivan, and advancing six months, we arrive late in the
9th month of Kislev (Nov-Dec) for the time frame for the conception of Jesus.
It is notable here that the first day of the Jewish festival
of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev,
and Jesus is called the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46). This does not
appear to be a mere coincidence. In the book of John, Hanukkah is called the feast of
dedication (John10:22). Hanukkah is an eight day festival, celebrating the relighting
of the menorah in the rededicated Temple, which according to the story,
stayed lit miraculously for eight days on only one day's supply of oil. The Birth of John the Baptist. Based on a conception shortly after the third Sabbath of the
month of Sivan, projecting forward an average term of about 10 lunar months
(40 weeks), we arrive in the month of Nisan. It would appear that John the Baptist may have been born in
the middle of the month, which would coincide with Passover and the Feast
of Unleavened Bread. It is interesting to note, that even today, it is customary
for the Jews to set out a special goblet of wine during the Passover Seder
meal, in anticipation of the arrival of Elijah that week - which is based
on the prophecy of Malachi: Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: Jesus identified John as the "Elijah" that the Jews
had expected: Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the
scribes that Elias must first come? Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly
shall first come, and restore all things. Mat 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and
they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise
shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them
of John the Baptist. The angel that appeared to Zacharias in the temple also
indicated that John would be the expected "Elias": Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of
Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. So then, the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th day
of the 1st month, Nisan, and this is a likely date for the birth of John the
Baptist, the expected "Elijah". The Birth of Jesus Christ. Since Jesus was conceived six months after John the Baptist,
and we have established a likely date for John's birth, we need only move six
months farther down the Jewish calendar to arrive at a likely date for the
birth of Jesus. From the 15th day of the 1st month, Nisan, we go to the 15th
day of the 7th month, Tishri. And what do we find on that date? It is the festival of Tabernacles! The 15th day of Tishri begins the third and last festival of
the year to which all the men of Israel were to gather in Jerusalem
for Temple services. (Lev 23:34) Immanuel. Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel. Immanuel means "God with us". The Son of God had
come to dwell with, or tabernacle on earth with His people. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full
of grace and truth. The word in the Hebrew for dwelt is "succah",
and the name of the Feast of Tabernacles in Hebrew is "Sukkot", a
festival of rejoicing and celebration: Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him
in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for
them in the inn. Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in
the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory
of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Why was there no room at the inn? Bethlehem is only about 5 miles from Jerusalem, and all the
men of Israel had come to attend the festival of Tabernacles as required
by the law of Moses. Every room for miles around Jerusalem would have been
already taken by pilgrims, so all that Mary and Joseph could find for shelter
was a stable. The Place of Birth There is one point of interest about "the stables"
and "the feast of booths". During this time the Israelites were supposed to live outside
in "booths". One side of this temporary dwelling was
supposed to be constructed next to a permanent wall. The rest of the
structure was made of branches. Stables were normally inside a cave. (The structure made in the
feast of booths sound[s] a lot like the inside of a cave). His place of birth was a sign of His death. (Luke 2:12) In the ancient world, animals were kept in caves, their
feeding troughs were made of stone. Jesus was born in a cave and wrapped in
strips of cloth and laid on a bed of stone. He was buried in a cave, wrapped
in strips of cloth, and laid on a bed of stone. Like a dead man, He was born
to die. Also of note is the fact that the Feast of Tabernacles is an
eight day feast (Lev 23:36, 39). Why eight days? It may be because an infant
was dedicated to God by performing circumcision on the eighth day
after birth: Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the
circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the
angel before he was conceived in the womb. So the infant Jesus would have been circumcised on the eighth
and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, a Sabbath day. The Jews today
consider this a separate festival from "Tabernacles", and they call
it "Shemini Atzeret". Circumcision represents the crucifixion. It was a symbol of
cutting off the seed - the source of life. Thus, from the time Jesus
officially participated in Jewish life by joining in the covenant, He gave
the source of life. All the ancient feasts and their Sabbaths marked
significant events in the plan of salvation. The feasts demonstrated the
meaning of the events, and the days marked the timing of the fulfillment. The
Sabbaths marked the exact dates that Christ would play His significant role
during this period. Therefore, the Sabbaths were/are prophetic. (The Apostle
Paul was aware of this - and he taught it - as can be witnesses in the New
Testament). Note: the Sabbaths spoken of here are not the same as the
weekly seventh-day Sabbath. So, Christ - the Bread of Life - was born in Bethlehem (the
House of Bread) and came to tabernacle with mankind during the feast of
Tabernacles. John 1:14 states that the Word became flesh and tabernacled
(lived) among us. Conclusion So, if you have followed the above reasoning, based on the
scriptural evidence alone, a case can apparently be made that Jesus Christ
was born on the 15th day of the month of Tishri, on a Friday night (Sabbath),
on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which corresponds to the
September - October timeframe of our present calendar! Jewish month Begins.............................John the
Baptist..................Jesus........New moon of
..........................................................................................
1. Abib / Nisan (March-April).............. Birth of
John................................... 4...... 3. Sivan (May-June)...................... Conception of
John..............................
4. Tammuz (June-July)................................
1................................. 7........ 5. Ab / Av (July-August).............................
2................................. 8........ 6. Elul (August-September)......................... 3....... .......................... 9....... 7. Ethanim / Tishri (September-October)......
4...................... Birth of Jesus.. Tishri.......
... (October-November)..............................
5.............................................. 9. Chisleu / Chislev/Kislev November-December.................................
6..............................................
11. Shebat / Shevat (January-February)......
8............................ 2............. 12. Adar (February-March)....................... 9............................
3.............. Luke 3:23 states that Jesus began His ministry shortly after
His 30th "birthday". We know that Jesus lived for another 3.5 years until He was
crucified during the passover. If you count back 3.5 years from the passover, you will arrive
at the period around the feast of Tabernacles—His birthday. Equally interesting is the fact that there
are no examples in the Bible whatsoever of Jesus Himself observing the
anniversary of His birth in any fashion. In fact, focusing solely on the birth
of Christ takes our minds off His death as our Passover - His ultimate
sacrifice for us as our personal Savior. |