By Dr. David R. Reagan
According to Luke 1:24-26, Mary conceived Jesus in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist. This means that Jesus was born 15 months after the angel Gabriel appeared to Elizabeth's husband, Zacharias, and informed him that his wife would bear a child.
According to Luke 1:5, Zacharias was a priest of the division of Abijah. Luke 1:8 says that Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he was serving as a priest in the Temple.
We know from the Talmud and other sources that the division of Abijah served as priests during the second half of the fourth month of the Jewish religious calendar - which would have put it in late June (the Jewish religious calendar begins in March with Passover).
Fifteen months later would place the birth of Jesus in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. That would be in the fall of the year, in either late September or early October. His conception, not His birth, would have occurred in December of the previous year.
The seventh month of the Jewish calendar is the month of the Feast of Tabernacles. John 1:14, speaking of Jesus as the Word, says: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth." The word "dwelt" that is used here is the Greek word "skenoo" which literally means "to tabernacle"!
So, when God came to earth to tabernacle among Men it appears that He timed His arrival in the Bethlehem manger to coincide with the Feast of Tabernacles. That was only appropriate, for the Feast of Tabernacles is the most joyous of all the Jewish feasts. It is, in fact, their feast of thanksgiving.
The total meaning of that feast will not be fulfilled until the Lord returns again to tabernacle among Men for a thousand years while He reigns over the earth from Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. Isn't the Word of God marvelous?
Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com
Disclaimer: Worldview Weekend, Christian Worldview Network and its columnists do not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article posted on this site. We do however, encourage a healthy and friendly debate on the issues of our day. Whether you agree or disagree, we encourage you to post your feedback by using the feedback button.
1658 Views
Printer Friendly Version |
Return to home
Conception at Hanakkah
| Posted On: 12/26/08 02:29:59 AM |
Age 55, SC |
Indeed, the Annunciation most probably DID occur around "December 25." Actually, it was 25 Kislev which we know as Hanukkah. A full term, though, works out to the feast of Trumpets (Jewish New Year) rather than two weeks later at the feast of Tabernacles. I tend to favor the feast of Tabernacles, but other evidence suggests the 270 days between 25 Kislev and 1 Tishri are more likely.
Consider the significance of the conception being during the "feast of lights"! The Light of the World came during the festival commemorating the re-dedication of the temple.
The birth of Christ came just as pilgrims were filling Jerusalem and overflowing into the hamlet of Bethlehem at the beginning of three weeks of religious observances. No wonder there was no room in the inn!
|
The Church Is Not Israel
| Posted On: 12/19/08 07:09:22 PM |
Age 40, NH |
Those feasts were and are for the people of Israel, not the church which is a separate but related entity within the family of God. The feasts were commanded to certain people at a certain time and not to those who have the fulfillment (the church). The church has different commands and the Jerusalem Council (Act 15) spoke of the laws not being imposed upon the church because the Greeks were not old covenant Jews and not expected by Yahweh to adhere to the Teaching. Paul specifically spoke of there not being days that are holy and or not holy because it is a matter of conscience (Rom 14).
Can we celebrate them? Absolutely! Are we expected to do so? No.
Grace and Peace,
Jim
|
Sure
| Posted On: 12/17/08 06:15:51 PM |
Age 40, NH |
Sure, it could have been so but that would even be more iffy than picking a day for His birth. I don't think it really matters either way. Knowing that Christmas is an attempt to "christianize" a pagan celebration is important in my opinion (that and $4 will get a person an extremely small cup o' joe at Starbucks) so that we aren't ignorant and that we have a better understanding of history and also how culture affects our practice.
Grace and Peace,
Jim
|
Do You Mean No Extra-Biblical Celebrations?
| Posted On: 12/17/08 10:48:56 AM |
Age 45, FL |
[quote]If it only the taking over of a holiday not commanded for us to celebrate, we would be barred from celebrating Jewish holidays where only the nation Israel is commanded to celebrate but we have the fuller picture and meaning to celebrate in some fashion.[/quote]
This is not true, as Scripture is for ALL believers not just Nation of Israel.
And it is Christ who fullfilled the various feasts; so to say we would be barred from celebrating would be wrong..we would merely be going back to what the early church celebrated..
|
Great article.
| Posted On: 12/16/08 08:31:34 AM |
Age 49, CANADA |
Thanks to Dr. Reagan for writing this article. The church has schizophrenia. On the one hand we have clear articles like this, which clearly show that Christ was not born on Christmas day, and on the other hand we have Christians sending emails around about how to punish stores that don't celebrate "Christmas".
It is well-known that Dec. 25 was and remains a pagan celebration of the solstice. Scripture forbids adopting the pagan ways of the culture we live in. Why are we surprised when the dominant pagan culture asserts itself, and demands that Christians get out of their holiday?
Contrary to the comment by an earlier poster about the biblical feasts only being for the Jewish nation, they are rather described by God in the scriptures as "my appointed times". They aren't "Jewish", they are biblical and celebrate the God of glory.
Interestingly, biblical holy days also haven't been co-opted by the pagan culture, and when celebrating them one isn't slugging it out culturally with a Santa Claus or an Easter Bunny. The biblical feast days are still an unadulterated celebration of the Messiah.
An earlier poster also asked about the need to "dump" resurrection day because it isn't biblically commanded. But it is, the church has just lost touch with the beauty of the feasts, thinking they were only for the Jews. The day following the sabbath during Passover is called the Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10-14). Jesus rose on the Feast of First Fruits, being the first fruits from among the dead (Rev. 1:5, 1 Cor 15:20).
As Dr. Reagan said, "Isn't the Word of God marvelous?" There are many truths for the church to rediscover. Sadly, most Christians
today are completely unaware of centrality of Christ to all of the biblical feasts. Thinking them only for the Jews, they have ignored them, and now only have two "holy" days, both co-opted from paganism. They fiercely resist abandoning Christmas and Easter, because they are the only days of celebration in their calendar. But the biblical calendar is rich with celebration, spring and fall, all centred on the Messiah; celebrating both his first advent, and looking forward to his second.
Our family left Christmas and Easter about 8 years ago, and have not missed it. No more crass consumerism and materialism to ruin Christmas, no more Santa Claus and Easter Bunny--only the work of our Saviour. We celebrate his death (Passover lamb), resurrection (Feast of First Fruits, first fruits from among the dead), Feast of Trumpets and Feast of Tabernacles, looking forward to His second coming, when the trumpet shall sound, and he will dwell among us.
We are delighted to see these truths coming to light in more and more of the church, and we pray for an end to syncretism in the Church of Christ.
|
Conception
| Posted On: 12/16/08 07:48:59 AM |
Age 46, NC |
Would it then be possible that the conception of our Lord could have happened on or about 25 December?
|
We celebrate the wrong holidays
| Posted On: 12/16/08 07:26:23 AM |
Age 60, SC |
I have a friend who is a Messianic Jew--Completed Jew, in her terms--who goes to a Methodist Church (this is small town South, we still have conservative, Bible-believing Methodist churches) but still keeps the Jewish holidays and ceremonies because they are ALL ABOUT CHRIST. Every detail of these ancient ceremonies are symbolizic prophecies of the coming Messiah, all of which she knows to have been fulfilled by Jesus. I find the Jewish Holidays so much more meaningful to Christians than our own. I am sure these are the Holidays that were celebrated by the early Christian Church before the Popes adopted Pagan rituals and mucked things up. I'd rather celebrate ancient Jewish traditions that truly confirm Christ as God's promises fulfilled in the long-awaited Messiah--whether they know it or not--than Santa Claus and Easter bunny.
|
Do You Mean No Extra-Biblical Celebrations?
| Posted On: 12/15/08 10:14:36 AM |
Age 40, NH |
Do you mean no extra-biblical celebrations or just no taking over a holiday and infusing completely different meaning? I am not looking to pick a fight but am geuinely curious. If no extra-biblical celebrations at all, then Resurrection Day also would need to be dumped because it isn't commanded by Scripture. If it only the taking over of a holiday not commanded for us to celebrate, we would be barred from celebrating Jewish holidays where only the nation Israel is commanded to celebrate but we have the fuller picture and meaning to celebrate in some fashion.
Although the page you recommended has some issues, the point of making sure one's focus is worship of the birthday of Jesus is a good one.
Grae and Peace,
Jim
|
Albion Rover says....
| Posted On: 12/12/08 12:55:34 PM |
Age 42, SCOTLAND |
Spot on, late septamber or early october. So why celebrate christmas??
It was not kept by the apostles or by the early church but instead added by the Roman Church, who got it from paganism!
To add religious practice from such a source is absolutely contrary to scripture..see Jer 10; 2-4
Also refer to http://av1611.com/kjbp/ridiculous-kjv-bible-corrections/Christmas-Trees.html
|
Best guess!
| Posted On: 12/11/08 04:45:19 PM |
Age 40, NH |
Although we know not for sure, this makes the most sense. In the end, it doesn't matter a whole heck of much when we consider His birthday wasn't celebrated by the disciples and early church as far as we know now.
Merry Christmas!!
Grace and Peace,
Jim
|
|
Post Feedback
|
|
|
 | NEW! Visit Worldview Weekend.com on your mobile phone for latest news, audio and video! |
|
|
