If you’d like to know some interesting (and little-known) facts about Christmas, then I think you’re really going to get a kick out of this message.
Here’s why:
Although something miraculous did happen on December 25th, 2000 years ago…it wasn’t the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It was actually something quite different altogether.
Something that slipped through the cracks of history somewhere down the line.
Let’s start from the beginning and you’ll see what I’m talking about?
Book of Luke Chapter One
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.
Note how it says Zacharias was of the course of Abia.
The “Course of Abia” is discussed in 1 Chronicles 24 and was the eighth of the 24 courses, or classes, into which the priests were divided for serving at the altar.
It’s the key to determining the date of Christ’s birth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 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.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 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.
So here we have (a no doubt very surprised) Zacharias being told that his barren wife is going to conceive and that the baby’s name is to be John.
Let’s skip to verse 23:
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his [Zacharias] ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
Okay now, this is where we have to pay close attention.
Since Zacharias’s ministration had just ended, we actually have a time frame now.
The 8th course (“8″ symbolizing “new beginnings” in Biblical numerics) was from 12-18 “Sivan” on the Hebrew calendar, or June 19th on our calendar.
He would not have been able to travel the next day (June 20th) because it was a Sabbath (all ministrations ended on Friday and Saturday was the Sabbath). So he would have to wait until June 21st (or Sivan 19 on the Hebrew calendar).
Then, figure it was about a 30-mile journey going by the geography of the location from Jerusalem to the “city in the hills” he lived in (see verse 39).
Common sense tell us that 30 miles for an elderly man like him would take at least a couple days.
So he would get home on about June 23rd.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
Obviously, when Zacharias got back he “did his duty” (see verse 13) so to speak and that would mean the conception of John would have taken place around June 23rd-24th of (our calendar).
Still with me here?
Good, it will all be clear in a few more verses:
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Did you catch that?
It’s now been six months since the conception of John which happened on about June 23rd-24th.
So now we’re at December 23rd-24th on our calendar.
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 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.
30 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.
Now, let’s skip down to verse 36:
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.
It’s the sixth month of Elisabeth’s pregnancy which means we’re in December now.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39 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:
And there we have it.
Not the birth…but the conception…of Jesus Christ on or about December 25th.
Exactly 6 months after the conception of John had taken place on June 24th!
This is reckoned by the fact that although today our calendar date changes at 12:00 midnight, the solar calendar dates they used back then changed from sunset to sunset.
So when you see June 23rd-24th it’s the same “day” from June 23rd sunset to June 24th sunset.
The same applies to December 24th-25th.
But that ain’t all.
There are a few more incredible facts surrounding the timing of Jesus’ birth.
By these numbers, for example, it would appear Jesus was actually born on or about September 29th (our calendar), which is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
This would also mean He was in the womb for exactly 280 days.
Which comes out to 40 weeks or 40 “7’s” (“7″ meaning “spiritual perfection” in Biblical numerics and “40″ meaning “probation”).
And, from what I understand, is the perfect gestation period of a human baby.
So that’s the real story of “Christmas”, when Jesus was actually conceived, not born.
It was in the conception when God technically began to “dwell with us” (as was evidenced when John leapt in the womb at Mary’s presence just after the conception).
Anyway, I found this to be kind of interesting information. And I hope you did too.
Either way, God bless you and have a Merry Christmas.
P.S. Here’s a nifty little excerpt from Appendix 179 of The Companion Bible (which explains everything you’ve just read in this letter in much more detail) listing some more arguments against the Nativity having taken place in December:
(i) The extreme improbability, amounting almost to impossibility, that Mary, under such circumstances could have undertaken a journey of about 70 miles (as the crow flies), through a hill district averaging some 3,000 feet above sea-level, in the depth of winter.
(ii) Shepherds and their flocks would not be found “abiding” (Gr. Agraulo) in the open fields at night in December (Tebeth), for the paramount reason that there would be no pasturage at that time. It was the custom then (as now) to withdraw the flocks during the month Marchesvan (Oct.-Nov.) from the open districts and house them for the winter.
(iii) The Roman authorities in imposing such a census taking for the hated and unpopular foreign tax would not have enforced the imperial decree (Luke 2:1) at the most inconvenient and inclement season of the year, by compelling the people to enroll themselves at their respective cities in December. In such a case they would naturally choose the line of least resistance, and select a time of year that would cause least friction, and interference with the habits and pursuits of the Jewish people. This would be in autumn, when the agriculture round of the year was complete, and the people generally more or less at liberty to take advantage, as we know many did, of the opportunity of “going up” to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (cp. John 7:8-10, &c.), the crowning Feast of the Jewish year.
Posted by Azriel 