WHEN WAS MESSIAH YESHUA (Jesus the Christ) REALLY BORN?
We are approaching Christmas day, and all over the whole, Christendom celebrates this day as the day of Christ Jesus’ birth. December 25th, has been the “birth-date” for almost 2000 years. Tradition has led the world of Christianity to send cards, give gifts, sing carols, light fires in the fire-place, have special dinners, put up Christmas trees and decorate them with lights, ornaments, tinsel, the stores make millions of dollars selling this and that for adults and kids alike.
People are “tradition-followers” is “tradition” always good? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Guess it depends on the circumstances. I would think when it comes to the “coming to earth” our LORD and Savior, our Messiah, wouldn’t it be good to get the date right? If not the exact day and time, perhaps the time of year? I would say, yes, it would be important. Now if you ask people, they would say, “It isn’t the date which is important, but the event, wouldn’t you say?”
Yes, I’d have to agree, it IS the event that’s important. Yeshua came to earth as “God-Man” to teach the Torah, heal the sick, raise the dead, and pay our sin price on Calvary’s tree. But, if the date isn’t important? Then why the 25th of December? Why not February 1st? or June 20th? Or any other day? Why is December 25th the day that Messiah’s birth is celebrated?
The date December 25th, has its origins in Roman paganism, going back thousands of years. It is the date of the Winter Solstes, it is also known as “Saturnalia” it was the date that the Romans believed that their pagan gods were born! Gods like “Mitra” the sun-god, as well as the Egyptian god “Osiris” and others false gods like “Horus” “Hercules” “Bacus” “Adonis” the Babylonian god “Tammuz”, the list could go on. The Romans and other pagan cultures had wild celebration with drunkenness, special foods, green-leafy decorations, later the “Christmas tree” was incorporated in spite of the warning against this by the prophet Jeremiah.
It was in the year 350 A.D. that Pope Julian the first proclaimed in Rome that December 25th was Jesus Christ’s birthday. The emperor Constantine and Julian thought that to entice pagans to accept Christianity better, they would mix our Messiah’s birth together with the other pagan gods’ time of birth, therefore, changing the real time of Messiah’s birth to the 25th of December. But, if Messiah wasn’t born on the 25th of December, when was he really born? That is the big question.
Although the Bible doesn’t record the exact day and time, it gives us an indication as to the time of year, even the month. To figure this out, we need to go back to the Hebrew calendar. All events in the Bible are based on the Hebrew calendar, since the Bible is a Jewish book. The calendar is divided into 12 months like the Gregorian calendar, but it is based on 360 days, and it is also based on the cycles of the moon and not the sun.
“Melech D’vid” (king David) divided the service of the priesthood into 24 orders throughout the year. Each priest would serve in the temple for a period of two-weeks. To see when our Messiah Yeshua was really born, we need to see when Zachariah the priest served in the temple. According to 1 Chronicles 24:10, Zachariah was of the order of Abijah: “the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah” The first order started at the beginning of the calendar year, which is NOT January 1st, it is in the month of Nissan (March) according to Exodus 12:2 the Torah says; “This month (Nissan) will be for you the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of your year” God picked the spring-time, when everything comes alive to be the beginning of the year, only Pope Gregory picked January, when everything is cold and dead to be the beginning of the year, going pretty much against God’s Word.
We read in Luke 1:5-24 quite a few facts. Zachariah went to serve in the temple to offer incense during his turn which was the 8th turn, that means, 4 months after March he went in to serve, he served two weeks, so he left between our “June-July” calendar months, it was during this time that Elizabeth became pregnant with Yochanan (John) who is Jesus’ cousin. Now in verse 26, Gabriel the angel announces that Mary would become pregnant through the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) Luke writes, as a continuation of the pregnancy of Elisheba (Elizabeth) “In the sixth month (of Elizabeth’s pregnancy) the angel Gabriel was sent to the town in Galil called Natzeret….” And we know the rest of the story
Between December and January was when Miriam (Mary) became pregnant, six months after Elizabeth’s pregnancy, so, if we do the math, we count; Dec-Jan (gestation)) Jan-Feb (1) Feb-Mar (2) Mar-April (3) Apr-May (4) May-June (5) June-July (6) July-Aug (7) Aug-Sept (8) Sept-Oct (9th month)
So we can know that Yeshua was probably born towards the end of Sept or the beginning or mid October.
Although we do not know the exact date, we know that there are two major feast days, the “Moedim K’doshim” (High Holy Days) during this time; “Yom Teruah” (The Day of the Trumpets) which occurs in September, which announces “Prepare yourself to meet the king, a time of soul-searching and repentance”
In October we have “Sukkot” or the “Feast of Tabernacles” which symbolizes “God coming to tabernacle, or “live” among men. The first time this happened was when Adonai come down to “dwell” in the Mishkan, or the “Tabernacle” in the desert, he came as a cloud and fire. The second time was when he came in the flesh, as “Yeshua” the third was when he returned to earth in the form of the Holy Spirit during Shavuot, or “Pentecost” and the 4th time will be when he returns to set up his Millennial kingdom in the future.
So, all evidence points to Sukkot, most probably, as the time of Messiah’s birth. But as people say, “we celebrate the event, and not so much the date” true, true, but when we follow tradition, for tradition sake, and we learn the truth, do we continue in that “tradition?” anyone can follow tradition, it takes mature men and women of God to break the “tradition” and follow the “truth.
Nothing wrong with celebrating Messiah’s birth during the Feast of Tabernacles. Now, some might be saying, “Hey, these are Jewish feasts and festivals, I’m not Jewish.” But no, these are not “Jewish” appointed times, they are “God’s” appointed times for ALL BELIEVERS, since we are ALL part of the COMMONWEALTH of ISRAEL, being born outside of Israel in the nations, we have been “grafted in” to the olive tree, and share in ALL that Israel is and will be, including the appointed festival times.
Gift giving, that can be done anytime of the year. Christmas tree? Look what Jeremiah says about that;
“Hear what word that YHVH has spoken to you, House of Israel, this is what YHVH says; Do not learn the way of the pagan nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens although the nations are terrified by them, for the customs of the people are WORTHLESS! Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel, He decorates it with silver and gold It is fastened with hammer and nails so it won’t move…Jeremiah 10:1-5
It talks about cutting down a tree and carving it into an idol, but also, we can see that people will take trees, cut them down and decorate them with ornaments and with “silver and gold” tinsel, even though the tree is not made into an idol, it still idolizes the custom of the pagan nations. This is only done during this time of Christmas. Trees are cut down by metal saws, they are “fastened” into tree holders, and “decorated”
What am I saying? Get rid of your Christmas trees? Only you can decide. Trees ARE used during the time of “Sukkot” tree branches are cut and are used to decorate temporary dwelling places. We can not judge one another, as to how to celebrate Messiah’s birth, you have to let the Spirit of God guide you, as to when and how, or to have a tree or not. All I wish to do is present the facts which are in scripture.
Shalom and blessings
J. Ben Avraham
We are approaching Christmas day, and all over the whole, Christendom celebrates this day as the day of Christ Jesus’ birth. December 25th, has been the “birth-date” for almost 2000 years. Tradition has led the world of Christianity to send cards, give gifts, sing carols, light fires in the fire-place, have special dinners, put up Christmas trees and decorate them with lights, ornaments, tinsel, the stores make millions of dollars selling this and that for adults and kids alike.
People are “tradition-followers” is “tradition” always good? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Guess it depends on the circumstances. I would think when it comes to the “coming to earth” our LORD and Savior, our Messiah, wouldn’t it be good to get the date right? If not the exact day and time, perhaps the time of year? I would say, yes, it would be important. Now if you ask people, they would say, “It isn’t the date which is important, but the event, wouldn’t you say?”
Yes, I’d have to agree, it IS the event that’s important. Yeshua came to earth as “God-Man” to teach the Torah, heal the sick, raise the dead, and pay our sin price on Calvary’s tree. But, if the date isn’t important? Then why the 25th of December? Why not February 1st? or June 20th? Or any other day? Why is December 25th the day that Messiah’s birth is celebrated?
The date December 25th, has its origins in Roman paganism, going back thousands of years. It is the date of the Winter Solstes, it is also known as “Saturnalia” it was the date that the Romans believed that their pagan gods were born! Gods like “Mitra” the sun-god, as well as the Egyptian god “Osiris” and others false gods like “Horus” “Hercules” “Bacus” “Adonis” the Babylonian god “Tammuz”, the list could go on. The Romans and other pagan cultures had wild celebration with drunkenness, special foods, green-leafy decorations, later the “Christmas tree” was incorporated in spite of the warning against this by the prophet Jeremiah.
It was in the year 350 A.D. that Pope Julian the first proclaimed in Rome that December 25th was Jesus Christ’s birthday. The emperor Constantine and Julian thought that to entice pagans to accept Christianity better, they would mix our Messiah’s birth together with the other pagan gods’ time of birth, therefore, changing the real time of Messiah’s birth to the 25th of December. But, if Messiah wasn’t born on the 25th of December, when was he really born? That is the big question.
Although the Bible doesn’t record the exact day and time, it gives us an indication as to the time of year, even the month. To figure this out, we need to go back to the Hebrew calendar. All events in the Bible are based on the Hebrew calendar, since the Bible is a Jewish book. The calendar is divided into 12 months like the Gregorian calendar, but it is based on 360 days, and it is also based on the cycles of the moon and not the sun.
“Melech D’vid” (king David) divided the service of the priesthood into 24 orders throughout the year. Each priest would serve in the temple for a period of two-weeks. To see when our Messiah Yeshua was really born, we need to see when Zachariah the priest served in the temple. According to 1 Chronicles 24:10, Zachariah was of the order of Abijah: “the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah” The first order started at the beginning of the calendar year, which is NOT January 1st, it is in the month of Nissan (March) according to Exodus 12:2 the Torah says; “This month (Nissan) will be for you the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of your year” God picked the spring-time, when everything comes alive to be the beginning of the year, only Pope Gregory picked January, when everything is cold and dead to be the beginning of the year, going pretty much against God’s Word.
We read in Luke 1:5-24 quite a few facts. Zachariah went to serve in the temple to offer incense during his turn which was the 8th turn, that means, 4 months after March he went in to serve, he served two weeks, so he left between our “June-July” calendar months, it was during this time that Elizabeth became pregnant with Yochanan (John) who is Jesus’ cousin. Now in verse 26, Gabriel the angel announces that Mary would become pregnant through the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) Luke writes, as a continuation of the pregnancy of Elisheba (Elizabeth) “In the sixth month (of Elizabeth’s pregnancy) the angel Gabriel was sent to the town in Galil called Natzeret….” And we know the rest of the story
Between December and January was when Miriam (Mary) became pregnant, six months after Elizabeth’s pregnancy, so, if we do the math, we count; Dec-Jan (gestation)) Jan-Feb (1) Feb-Mar (2) Mar-April (3) Apr-May (4) May-June (5) June-July (6) July-Aug (7) Aug-Sept (8) Sept-Oct (9th month)
So we can know that Yeshua was probably born towards the end of Sept or the beginning or mid October.
Although we do not know the exact date, we know that there are two major feast days, the “Moedim K’doshim” (High Holy Days) during this time; “Yom Teruah” (The Day of the Trumpets) which occurs in September, which announces “Prepare yourself to meet the king, a time of soul-searching and repentance”
In October we have “Sukkot” or the “Feast of Tabernacles” which symbolizes “God coming to tabernacle, or “live” among men. The first time this happened was when Adonai come down to “dwell” in the Mishkan, or the “Tabernacle” in the desert, he came as a cloud and fire. The second time was when he came in the flesh, as “Yeshua” the third was when he returned to earth in the form of the Holy Spirit during Shavuot, or “Pentecost” and the 4th time will be when he returns to set up his Millennial kingdom in the future.
So, all evidence points to Sukkot, most probably, as the time of Messiah’s birth. But as people say, “we celebrate the event, and not so much the date” true, true, but when we follow tradition, for tradition sake, and we learn the truth, do we continue in that “tradition?” anyone can follow tradition, it takes mature men and women of God to break the “tradition” and follow the “truth.
Nothing wrong with celebrating Messiah’s birth during the Feast of Tabernacles. Now, some might be saying, “Hey, these are Jewish feasts and festivals, I’m not Jewish.” But no, these are not “Jewish” appointed times, they are “God’s” appointed times for ALL BELIEVERS, since we are ALL part of the COMMONWEALTH of ISRAEL, being born outside of Israel in the nations, we have been “grafted in” to the olive tree, and share in ALL that Israel is and will be, including the appointed festival times.
Gift giving, that can be done anytime of the year. Christmas tree? Look what Jeremiah says about that;
“Hear what word that YHVH has spoken to you, House of Israel, this is what YHVH says; Do not learn the way of the pagan nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens although the nations are terrified by them, for the customs of the people are WORTHLESS! Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel, He decorates it with silver and gold It is fastened with hammer and nails so it won’t move…Jeremiah 10:1-5
It talks about cutting down a tree and carving it into an idol, but also, we can see that people will take trees, cut them down and decorate them with ornaments and with “silver and gold” tinsel, even though the tree is not made into an idol, it still idolizes the custom of the pagan nations. This is only done during this time of Christmas. Trees are cut down by metal saws, they are “fastened” into tree holders, and “decorated”
What am I saying? Get rid of your Christmas trees? Only you can decide. Trees ARE used during the time of “Sukkot” tree branches are cut and are used to decorate temporary dwelling places. We can not judge one another, as to how to celebrate Messiah’s birth, you have to let the Spirit of God guide you, as to when and how, or to have a tree or not. All I wish to do is present the facts which are in scripture.
Shalom and blessings
J. Ben Avraham
