The statement that we don't really know when Yahshua was born is usually given to justify the use of December 25 as the date of Yahshua's birth. December 25th is often given because it's supposedly as good as any other date.
But, as we discussed before, there is strong reason to say otherwise.
In fact, as we progress, I think you'll see that the birth of Yahshua Ha Mashiach - as well as John the Baptist -is tied to and intertwined with Yahweh's (G-d's) prophetic calendar.
Let's start our discovery process with the Gospel of Luke. It's there we are given our first landmark for determining the timing of the Messiah's birth.
In this Gospel we find Zechariah fulfilling his duty as priest in the Temple when an angel appears to him. The angel announces that his wife Elizabeth would have a son. We know that this son - known as John the Baptist - was born nine months later.
Six months after the angel visited Zechariah, Elizabeth's relative Miriam (Mary) was told she too would have a son.
How does this help?
Well, get out your Scriptures and look at Luke Chapter one. It's here we learn some important clues that set the time. Look at verses 5-8.
Here in Luke we read that Zechariah "...belonged to the priestly division of Abijah..." and that "Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before G-d..." This tells us the angel appeared to him during the eighth division.
If we've been studying our Tanak ("Old" Testament) faithfully we should remember in 1 Chronicles where we are told that all priests in the order of Abijah were eighth in line for service in the Temple. You may also remember Nehemiah 10:7 and 12:4,17.
Zechariah was eighth in line to perform his duty. The counting of the weeks began at the head of the year which is two weeks before Passover. That corresponds to March/April on our Pope Gregory calendars. If we go eight weeks out, then add two more weeks for mandatory Temple service all priests had to serve during Unleavend Bread and Shavuot (Penetcost) we come to mid to late June.
Elizabeth got pregnant in late June. Nine months later is mid to late March which is the beginning of the season of Passover. In 3 BC Passover was on March 28.
Is there anything significant about Yochanan (John) that would tie his birth to Passover?
Well, ancient Jewish tradition says that Elijah must appear at Passover to announce the coming of the Messiah. Still today throughout the world, part of the Jewish tradition is to set a place at the Passover table for Elijah. During the meal one of the children is instructed to open the door to see if Elijah has come.
In Matthew 11: 10-14 Yahshua (Jesus) tells us that John the Baptist fulfilled the role of Elijah. This reflects the prophecies in Isaiah 40:1-11 and Malachi 3: 1-5.
Later in Luke 1:26,36 we see that it was the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy when Miriam is told by an angel she will conceive and have a baby.
An interesting connection to note is that this would be the month of Kislev. Kislev 25 is Hanukkah. Could it be that the "light of the world" was conceived on Hanukkah, the festival of lights?
Now let's do a little simple math.
When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, Miriam learned she was pregnant by the Spirit. Three months later John was born. At this time Miriam was three months along. So add six months to Yochanan's birth and we come to the birth of Yahshua.
Remember, John's birth was in the month of Aviv which is late March and early April - at the season of Passover. When we go six months from there we come to Tishri or September/October. This puts Yahshua's birth in Tishri.
Is there anything significant about Tishri?
Indeed. It is the time of the Festival of Sukkot (Booths) or the Feast of Tabernacles.
Here's how Avi ben Mordechai, a Messianic Jew who believes in Yahshua explains this connection in his book, Messiah: Understanding His Life and Teachings in Hebraic Context:
"The Greek word "dwelling" means a temporary booth or tabernacle. In a Jewish context this can only be a link to the Hebrew "sukkah" or booth. And according to Jewish Oral Law a "sukkah"could be constructed from an existing cattle stall which is also called a "manger" in the Tanak: see Job 39:9, Proverbs 14:4, and Isaiah 1:3 NASB."
We also know that this was a time of taxation. This was done at the same time as Feast days to reduce the burden of travel. Basically, you could say it killed two birds with one stone.
From this hopefully it should be easy for you to see the timing of Yahshua's birth with Sukkot. Here are the events:
Joseph and Miriam traveled to be counted for taxes. When they arrived the area was full of travelers so no accommodations were available. Joseph, being faithful to the command to stay in a sukkah for the week of the Feast of Tabernacles, would find somewhere to construct his temporary dwelling. Women were not required to stay in a sukkah, but since Miriam could find no other place, they both stayed in the manger/sukkah. It is here where Yahshua is born.
There is also good reason to believe we can pinpoint Yahshua's birth to the first day of Sukkot. As a male child he would be required on the eighth day to be circumcised (Luke 2:21). If He was born on the first day of Sukkot, then His circumcision would coincide with another important event.
The "coincidence" is that on this very same day - the eighth day of the Feast - is the day called Simchat Torah. It is a Festival day that commemorates the "joy in the Torah" when the yearly readings of the Torah have been completed.
Remember, Yahshua is the living Torah. Simchat Torah is a celebration of the rewinding of the Torah Scroll and beginning the readings again. It makes perfect sense since Yahshua was"... the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled in a sukkah) among us."
Christian commentator Matthew Henry states: "It is supposed by many that our blessed Saviour was born much about the time of this holiday; then He left his mansions of light above to tabernacle among us, and he dwelt in booths. And the worship of G-d under the New Testament is prophesied of under the notion of keeping the feast of tabernacles, Zec 14:16."
We will discuss at a later time how this Feast of Tabernacles is not only significant in the birth of the Messiah Himself, but is also a prophetic shadow picture of His return.
I know you've read the verses discussed above many times before. But, if you are like I was for 30 years, you read through them without actually "hearing" much of what they were telling you.
Many of you read Christian books and commentaries. Why not read Jewish extra-biblical sources as well?
By ignoring or downright discarding Jewish works - as has been the rule for much of Christian history - we have left ourselves handicapped. We Westerners with our Gentile/Greek mindsets have tried to comprehend the Hebrew Scriptures without the aid of an Hebraic perspective.
What folly.
Perhaps, as a side benefit of this study, we may also learn that those details in Scripture we previously skipped over do have a purpose.
Because of our lack of thorough study of the very words Yahweh Himself has given us for our spiritual benefit, we often judge some of His words as meaningless or useless. Shame on us.
May we be forgiven.
In conclusion, let us take note that instead of Yahshua's birth being on a date dedicated to the worship of pagan deities, His birth - indeed His whole life - fit perfectly into Yahweh's calendar of appointed times and Festivals.
However, when the Gentile Christian world long ago abandoned its Hebraic roots, it also began to declare that these Feasts of the L-rd were no longer relevant. As a result, generations of believers have been sold on cheap substitutes such as Christ- mass.
May we rise up out of our spiritual anemia and once again regain the spiritual strength that comes from preaching "the full gospel."
