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CHAPTER 9
A CLEARER PERSPECTIVE
Scholars believe that Jesus
our Lord was born in either the spring or the summer but no one really knows
for certain. However, for Bible scholars and inquiring minds the debate
goes on as to an accurate date of the nativity. In this section there are
some interesting key scripture we will investigate as when our Messiah was
truly born. One of these is found in the gospel of Luke. At the time Jesus
was born we read about the shepherds in the field:
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.” Luke 2:8
Most scholars believe the
Savior’s birth could not have taken place in the winter month of December.
According to Bible scholars the winter month of December was too cold so the
flocks were brought into shelter at this time in Canaan. If this is true
then that would likely rule out a winter time birth of the Savior because
the Bible tells us the flocks were outdoors at that time.
Scholars through Biblical
research have provided a more accurate time of the Nativity. This key verse
is in Luke’s 1st chapter:
“There was in the days of Herod the king of Judaea, a certain priest
named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: …” Luke 1:5
The key here is “course of
Abia”. Dr. Bullinger’s amazing research and work in the Bullinger’s
Companion Bible says:
“This [course of Abia] was the eighth of
the priestly courses of ministration in the Temple (1 Chronicles 24:10), 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 Ethanim (Appendix 51.5). 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 (Leviticus 23:39).
The first course fell by lot to Jehoiarib,
and the eight to Abia or Abijah (1 Chronicles 23:10).
Bearing in mind that all the courses
served together at the three Great Feasts, the dates for the two yearly
“ministrations” of Abiah will be seen to fall as follows:
The first ministration was from 12-18
Chisleu =December 6-12.
The second ministration was from 12-18
Sivan =Jun13-19.
The announcement there fore 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. After finishing his
“ministration”, the aged priest “departed to his own house” (Luke 1:23),
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. This leaves
ample time for the miraculous “conception” of Elizabeth to take place on or
about 23rd of Sivan – which would correspond to June 23-24 of
that year. The fact of the conception and its date would necessarily be
known at the time and afterwards, and hence the 23rd Sivan would
henceforth be associated with the conception of John the Baptist as the 1st
Tebeth would be with that of the Lord.
But the same influences that speedily
obscured and presently obliterated the real dates of our Lord’s “Begetting”
and Birth, were also at work with regard to those of the Forerunner, and
with the same results. As soon as the true Birth day of Christ had been
shifted from its proper date, videlicet: the 15th of Tisri
(September 29), and a Festival Day from the Pagan Calendars substituted for
it (videlicet: December 25), then everything else had to be altered too.
Dr. Bullinger’s
research calculates the conception of Christ six months after the conception
of John the Baptist through this verse:
“And in the sixth month [Of
Elisabeth’s pregnancy] the
angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a
virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and
the virgin’s name was Mary.” Luke 1:26-27
The angel Gabriel went on
from there to inform Mary:
“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bring forth a son,
and shalt call His name Jesus.” Luke 1:31
Six months into Elisabeth’s pregnancy,
according to Dr. Bullinger, puts the conception of Jesus at the 25th
of December. Then calculating a nine-month pregnancy cycle would put the
birth of Christ at the end of September on the first day of the Feast of
Tabernacles. Dr. Bullinger continues on to say:
“The fact of the birth of our Lord having
been revealed to the shepherds by the Archangel Michael on the 15th
of Tisri, corresponding to the September 29th, 4 B.C. – the first
day of the Feast of Tabernacles – must have been known to believers in the
Apostolic age. But the ‘mystery of iniquity’ which was already working in
Paul’s day (2 Thess. 2:7) quickly enshrouded this and the other great fact
of the day of the Lord’s ‘begetting’ on the first day of the Jewish month
Tebeth, corresponding to December 25th, 5 B.C., as well as other
events connected with His sojourn on earth, in a rising mist of obscurity in
which they have ever since been lost.”
Dr. Bullinger charts his
calculations in the “Bullinger’s Companion Bible”:
The conception of
on or about in the year
John the Baptist
23rd Sivan=June 5 B.C.
24
The Gennesis
on or about in the year
(Begetting) of our
1st Tebeth= 5 B.C.
Lord December 25
The birth of John
on or about 4th- in the year
The
Baptist 7th Nisan=March 4
B.C.
25-28
The birth of
our on or about 15th in the year
Lord Tisri=September
4 B.C.
Whether these calculations are accurate or not,
Dr. Bullinger has done some incredible research on this subject. That
September 29th calculation claimed by Dr. Bullinger is to have
been the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles of that year 4 B.C. And it
would seem logical that Jesus Christ was born on the first day of the Feast
of Tabernacles. After all, John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made
flesh, and dwelt (Greek word for “dwelt” is “to tent, encamp, to occupy
or to reside, (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection
and communion) among us, …”. Since Jesus our Lord died on Passover
wouldn’t it make sense that Jesus our Lord was to be born on one of His
appointed Holy days, the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:39-42, Deu.
16:13-15, Num. 29:12, Neh. 8:14)? Eight days later was another Holy day
(Lev. 23:39, Num. 29:35, Neh. 8:18) which is when the Christ child
was circumcised. It is a long-standing Jewish custom to circumcise their
children eight days after birth (Lev. 12:2-3):
“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before
he was conceived in the womb.” Luke 2:21
However one may look at it, the picture seems
to be much clearer when examining the birth of Christ to the Holy days of
the Bible. However, we know that it was not in the winter month of
December. There are other research methods and dates other scholars have
come up with but the Bible seems to remain silent on the precise birth date
of our Heavenly King, and probably for a good reason. Reasons we won’t
exactly know until our Lord comes again for His people. And when that
glorious day does come the scriptures make it clear that the whole world
will be observing the Feast of Tabernacles. Speaking of Christ’s second
coming and establishing His Kingdom on this earth, the prophet Zachariah was
inspired to write:
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the
nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to
worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the
earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them
shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that
have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the
heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This
shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that
come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zac. 14:16
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