brithdayofchrist

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There seems to be much confusion in the Church over when Christ was born and if Christmas is a pagan holiday. The purpose of this study is to clear up these matters. Christmas is misunderstood by some people and not understood at all by many others. It does not take a bible scholar to understand Christ was not born in the winter. You must understand what did happen on December 25, however. It does not matter if Dec. 25 is a pagan holiday, because of its relationship to Jesus Christ. It is easy to prove in our Father's Word that conception of Jesus happened on December 25, not His birth.

There are far more details to document the conception of Jesus, above what we will cover in this study. This is a very important day, for it is the day Christ began to dwell with man. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus at the time of His conception. We know this for when Mary went to visit Elisabeth, the babe in her womb, John the Baptist leaped with joy. We will begin this study in Saint Luke. Luke is so specific about the events that lead up to Christ birth. Let us turn now to Luke chapter one to fix the date of Jesus birth.

Luke 1:1-2
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

Luke is wanting us to understand and know the events that lead up to the birth of Jesus and about His life from the people that were present during that time.

Luke 1:3-4
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

The name Theophilus means "dear friend of Yahweh." We do not know if this was the actual name of a person or Luke was just writing to a fellow believer. It is for certain that he wants you to know the specifics about Jesus birth and life.

Luke 1:5
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Here we have a date. Zacharias was a Levite from the tribe of Aaron. He and his wife both had to be a Levite in order to be a priest and serve a course. Abia is your date. 1 Chron. 24: 10 shows the order. This was the eighth of the priestly courses of ministration in the Temple, and occurred, as did the others, twice in the year. The "Courses" were changed every week, beginning each with a Sabbath. The reckoning commenced on the 22nd day of Tisri or Ethaninm. This was the eighth and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the "Great Day of the Feast" (John 7:37), and was a Sabbath (Lev. 23:39).

The first course fell by lot to Jehoiarib, and the eighth to Abia or Abijah. Bearing in mind that all the courses served together at the three Great Feasts, the dates for the two yearly "ministrations" of Abijah will be seen to fall as follows: The first ministration was from 12-18 Chisleu or December 6-12. The second ministration was from 12-18 Sivan or June 13-19.

Zacharias would not be able to leave the Temple until after the 19th or his course would not be fulfilled.

Luke 1:6
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Here we see that both Zacharias and Elisabeth were full blood Levites and served all the legal requires of a Levitical priest to serve in the course of Abia.

Luke 1:7
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

It is ironic how God touched those women in the Bible that were barren. It seems that Elisabeth was saved for this specific child, John.

Luke 1:8-10
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

In this course Zacharias would burn incense. Lot means time, so we see he burned the incense at a specific time of day.

Luke 1:11-13
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

The appearance of the angle frightened Zacharias. It is apparent that he and Elisabeth had been praying for a son. Most likely to carry on the duties of the Levitical priesthood. The angel also was bearing special instructions about the name of the child. John means "Yahweh's Gift." What gift he would be beloved. The announcement therefore to Zacharias in the Temple as to the conception of John the Baptist took place between 12-18 Sivan (June 13-19), in the year 5 B.C.

Luke 1:14-15
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

What an honor it would be to bare such a child. Even before he breaths his first breath of air, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit!

Luke 1:16
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

John would not be the savior of the world, but he would lead many to the Savior, Yahshua Messiah.

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.

Luke 1:18-19
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

Zacharias was saying, give me a sign. He was making a challenge to the angel. The name Gabriel means "Mighty Man of Yahweh".

Luke 1:20
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Gabriel is going to give him a sign all right, he is not going to be talking back to him anymore.

Luke 1:21-22
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

The people were wondering what was taking him so long. They could tell something had happened in the Temple and wanted to know. The angel Gabriel had kept his word and Zacharias could not speak.

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.

After finishing his "ministration", the aged priest departed to his own house, which was in a city in "the hill country" of Juda (verse 39). The day following the end of the "Course of Abia" being a Sabbath (Sivan 19), he would not be able to leave Jerusalem before the 20th. The thirty miles journey would probably occupy, for an old man, a couple of days at least. He would therefore arrive at his house on the 21st or 22nd of Sivan - which would correspond to June 23-24 of that year. John most like was conceived on one of these two days.

Luke 1:24-25
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

John is five months old in Elisabeth's womb on November 24th. She is so happy she hid herself these five months to take the very best of care of herself.

Luke 1:26
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

Here we see six months after the conception of John, the angel Gabriel appears to Mary on December 25th.

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.

Mary was engaged to Joseph, Joseph was from the house of David and not a Levite. Being from the house of David, Joseph lineage was of the house of Judea. This is not Mary's genealogy here. We know that one of Mary's parents had to be a Levite being a cousin to Elisabeth. Mary's mother was from the Levites and her father from Judah. Documentation that Mary's father was from the house of Judah is Luke 3:23-24. The genealogy of Joseph in Matthew chapter 1 has nothing to do with Jesus. Joseph was Christ's adopted father and had nothing to do with the blood line of Jesus. Since Mary did not have a brother, her father's heritage was passed on to Joseph the son-in-law.

Luke 1:28-29
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

How very special Mary was, she was highly favored by our Father. Mary was troubled and wondering how she could be so blessed for she wasn't even married yet.

Luke 1:30-31
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

The Hebrew name for Jesus is "Yahshua" which translates to "Salvation of Yahweh". Yahshua is both the Father and the Son in one name. Both Jesus and John were named by God, and both were to be perfect term pregnancies.

Luke 1:32-33
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 1:34-35
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

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.

Both of these pregnancies were perfect and easy to time and understand. God's perfect gift to man came on December 25, with the conception of Yahshua.

Let us do a quick review. The conception of John the Baptist was on or about the 23rd Sivan (June 24). The Begetting of our Lord was six months later on the 1st of Tebeth (December 25). The birth of John the Baptist would have came 280 days (40 weeks is a perfect human gestation period) after his conception. This would place John's birth date on the 7th of Nisan (March 29). A gestation period of 280 days after our Savior's conception would be placing His birth on 15th Tisri (September 29).

Luke 1:38
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Mary calls herself the slave of the Lord, and is willing to let our Father have His way.

Luke 1:39-41
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

It came to pass the statement made by Gabriel in the 15th verse that the baby in the womb of Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:42-43
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Elisabeth is asking, who am I and why would the mother of our Lord want to come and see me.

Luke 1:44
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

When does a child have life? Well according to our Father, it is at the moment of conception as this whole study documents.

Luke 1:45-47
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

We see that both Elisabeth and Mary go on to have perfect full term pregnancies and everything the angel told them came to pass. It does not matter beloved if December 25 is a pagan holiday, or if the Lord was actually born on that day. God gave His greatest gift to man on December 25 with the conception of our Lord and Saviour Yahshua Messiah. In closing, I would like to conclude with the often quoted verse John 3:16.

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Beloved, we have no idea how much our Father truly loves us. He gave His only begotten Son so that we could have eternal life with Him. Thank the Father dear friends for His most gracious gift. There was not a more loving act or gift our Father could have bestowed on us. If you have not accepted His Son into your life, want you do so today? Jesus paid an awful price for you, do not let His sacrifice be wasted dear ones. Ask Jesus to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior now.