WHEN WAS JESUS REALLY BORN?  THE BIBLE HAS THE TRUE ANSWER

 

If you read this blog you know we try to allow the Bible to interpret itself in all things. This means using the entire Bible to discover truth—both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus was not born at Christmas! In fact, he was born about 2 ½ months earlier during the Feast of Tabernacles.

 

Jesus physically fulfilled the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread when he was crucified on Passover. He is also going to physically fulfill the Fall Feasts of the Biblical Calendar. This will be during the time of Jacob’s trouble also known as Armageddon in the Book of Revelation and His second coming.

 

It is impossible to understand the end times if you do not understand the Feasts of the Lord (Lev 23.1). The Book of Revelation and the judgments therein revolve around the fall feasts. Therefore it is important for you to understand the fall feasst if you want to understand the book of Revelation.

 

Below is a short outline of the time of Jesus’ and John the Baptist birth allowing the Bible to interpret itself. You can use the notes to follow the video presentation link provided at the bottom of this page. It is very important for us to put aside the traditions and teachings of men that we have grown up hearing in the church and begin to hear and obey God’s truth. Dig in.

 

 

 GOD HAS APPOINTED TIMES FOR EVERYTHING

 

A. Ecclesiastes 3:1 NAS There Is An “Appointed Time” For Every Event

1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.”

 

B. Lev. 23:1-2 Appointed Times/Feasts That Are “Holy Convocations”

1 “The LORD spoke again to Moses, saying, 2 ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, “The Lord's appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations-- My appointed times are these…”

 

1. “Appointed Times” Hebrew word “Moed”

· “A fixed time”

· “Feast or assembly convened for a definite purpose”

· “A signal (sign) appointed before hand”

(Prophetic sign of a future event)

2. “Holy Convocation” Hebrew word “Miqra”

· “Rehearsal” (Prophetic practice for a future event)

 

C. Ecclesiastes 3:2 NAS Appointed Times of Birth And Of Death

2 “A time to give birth, and a time to die…”

 

1. Rom. 5:7-8 NAS Jesus died at an “appointed time”

7 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

2. Gal. 4:4 NAS Jesus was born at an appointed time

4 “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.”

· If Jesus died at the appointed time/Feast of Passover, He was probably born at an appointed time/Feast

 

                      APPOINTED TIMES ARE ACCORDING TO GOD’S CALENDARS

1. When we allow the Bible to interpret itself we understand that the Bible is happening according to God’s Biblical calendar, which is also the Jewish calendar still observed today.

We know from the Biblical calendar that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) rose from the dead on the 17th of Aviv/Nisan

·  He was sacrificed on the 14th of Aviv (Passover Lamb) which is Passover.

·  Rose after being in the grave three full days and nights; 72 hours (17th of Aviv) as First Fruits from the dead ref: Matthew 12.40; Matt 16.3-4. If he says three days and nights he means 72 hours. He was not crucified on Good Friday as we have been taught.

 

                                      PRIESTLY DIVISIONS AND THEIR CYCLE OF SERVICE

Now we begin to see how the Bible interprets itself. King David established an order of priestly service for the Temple that was going to be built by his son Solomon. There were 24 divisions or courses of these priests. The served a full week according to the calendar on two occasions during the year (48 weeks). On the Pilgrimage Feasts all 24 divisions served together for the length of the feasts which account for the rest of the weeks in the year. All according to God’s Biblical Calendar.

 

1. 1 Chron. 24:1-18 David And Zadok Divided The Priesthood Into 24 Divisions (Courses)
    

1. 1 Chron. 24:5-6 - Drew lots to determine their order of service

2. 2 Chron. 23:8 - “Come in and go out on Sabbath”

3. Deut. 16:16 - All priest serve during the Pilgrimage Feasts (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot)

                                                   APPOINTED TIMES OF CONCEPTION

Using the Biblical Calendar we will follow the scriptures according to John the Baptist’s birth.

 

A. Conception Of John the Baptist

1. Luke 1:5-24 Gabriel Visits Zacharias While Serving In The Temple

· Luke 1. 5, 8 Division/Course of Abijah (8th Division) matches with 1 Chron 24.1

Zacharias would have been serving during his first course of the year at this time which would have been sometime during May on our Roman calendar. It would have been about six weeks after Passover. Using the Biblical calendar we can figure the time of a pregnancy of nine months, that John the Baptist was conceived in the 4^th month of Tammuz.

Six months from that time would have been when Mary is notified by the angel of her conception. This would have been the month of Kislev, the ninth month of the Biblical calendar. Remember we are not on the Roman calendar but the Biblical calendar and feasts.

The month of Kislev is the time of the Feast of Dedication also known as Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. Since Jesus is the Light of the World it would be appropriate that he was conceived at this time!

B. Conception of Messiah Jesus (Yeshua)

1. Luke 1:26-38 Gabriel visits Mary during the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy (Kislev – Nov / Dec) and

tells her she will conceive a child by the Holy Spirit; that He will be the Messiah and to name Him Jesus (Yeshua)

 

2. Elizabeth’s six month would be the month of Kislev (Nov/Dec)

· Some speculate that Jesus was probably conceived on the Hanukkah (25th of Kislev)

· John 10:22 Jesus is in the Temple during the “Feast of Dedication” (Hanukkah)

· Hanukkah is also called the “Festival of Lights”

· Jesus (Yeshua) is the “Light of the World” (John 8:12)

 

3. Luke 1.39-45 Mary visits Elizabeth at this time.

 

                                                         APPOINTED TIMES OF BIRTH

The most incredible part of this birth story is how Yahweh is doing everything at an appointed time according to His calendar and Feasts. This is why it is so import to understand the Feasts of the Lord. Everything that is happening makes perfect sense when we allow the Bible to interpret itself.

 

A. The Time of John’s Birth

1. Luke 1:56 Mary stays with Elizabeth about three months and then goes home at the end of Adar (12th month)

 

2. Luke 1.57 After this, Elizabeth gives birth to John

· Probably born on Passover (14-15 Aviv)

· Passover would be approx. 280-290 days from conception

 

3. Probably born during the Seder meal (Erev Passover) around the time of the “Cup of Elijah” when everyone invites the “spirit of Elijah” to come in.

 

B. Appointed Time of Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) Birth

1. Count six months forward to 15 Tishri

· Jesus (Yeshua) probably born on 15 Tishri (Feast of Sukkot)

· Between 280-290 days from His conception

· Sukkot is an 8 day celebration that ends on (Shemini Atzeretz)

· Jesus would have been circumcised on the 8th day, Shemini Atzeretz, which is the eight day of the Feast of Sukkot and signifies a “new beginning.”

 

                                    ADDITIONAL CONFIRMATION

 

A. Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23 NAS Jesus (Yeshua) is Immanuel

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel [God withus]”

 

1. John 1:1, 4-8, 14 The Word became flesh and “dwelt” among us to reveal God’s Light & Glory

1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God…

 

4 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 “He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

 

8 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light…14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

 

2. Hebrew word for dwell/dwelt is “succah”

· Coincides with “Sukkot” or Tabernacle

· Yahweh came as Yeshua (Jesus) to Tabernacle with us at the appointed time of Tabernacles

 

1. Luke 2:7  Wrapped Him In Swaddling Cloth, Laid Him In A Manger, Because There Was No Room At The Inn

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.

 

1. Swaddling cloth (strips of old cloth) were collected and sent to Jerusalem to be burned in the 4 large menorahs that were lit in the Temple at Tabernacles (Sukkot)
    
2. No room at the Inn because it was the Pilgrimage Feast of Tabernacles and all the rooms were taken
    
    

C. Luke 2:8-10 KJV Tabernacles is also called the “Season of Our Joy”

10 “And the angel said unto them [the shepherds], ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.’”

 

Video presentation by Norm Franz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhyBKi3gdXs