“BUT I THOUGHT JESUS WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th “
Contrary to popular Christian teachings, Messiah Yahshua (Jesus) was NOT born on December 25th. Using the Holy Bible as our guide, let us see what the scriptures say concerning Messiah’s birth.
In 1 Chronicles Chapter 23, King David set up the priestly functions for the Holy Temple and in 1 Chronicles Chapter 24, he separated the Priests into divisions for their appointed times of service in the Holy Temple. 1 Chronicles 24:7-18 details the appointed order of Levite service in the Holy Temple with each division of priests ministering there from Shabbat (Sabbath) to Shabbat (1 Chron. 23:1-8). The priestly rotation began at the beginning of the month of Aviv (Nisan) of the Hebrew calendar (Normally late March or early April according to the Gregorian calendar) and continued throughout the year.
*1Ch 24:19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of Yahweh, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as Yahweh Elohim of Israel had commanded him.
*1Ch 24:10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
[Take note of what is in bold writing above as we will tie this in later with Luke 1:5.] According to 1 Chronicles 24, there were 24 courses of Levite Priests who ministered in the Holy Temple. In addition to their normal service, the Priests, all 24 courses, served for three extra weeks during the year in conjunction with the Feasts of YHWH: Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).
*Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before Yahweh your Elohim in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks (Shavuot), and in the feast of tabernacles (Sukkot): and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty:
Doing a little bit of arithmetic we can figure out the following: 24 courses times 1 week equals 24 weeks that have been served by each of the 24 courses of Priests. Next we add the three extra weeks when all the 24 courses of Priests served and come to 27 courses which equates to 27 weeks. But what about the remaining weeks of the year? A Biblical year consists of twelve lunar months with each month equaling 29.5 days, which total 354 days. This is eleven days less than a solar year of 365 days. This means we have to cover 24 more weeks of Levite courses. We can conclude that each Priestly course served a week at the beginning of the year and a week towards the end of the year. The Mishnah (The first written recording of the oral law) also agrees with this conclusion. Each priestly course, therefore, served for one week twice a year, and three times when all 24 courses served during the three appointed Feasts of YHWH. Each Priestly course would then serve a total of 5 weeks out of the year.
We read an interesting verse in the Gospel according to Luke:
*Luk 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
Luke 1:5 lines up perfectly with the verses in 1 Chronicles 24:10 & 19 in that Zacharias (Zechariah) was of the High Priestly order of the sons (descendants) of Aaron and of the eighth course. His time in the Holy Temple would have been the eighth course or eighth week of the year in the month of “Sivan”. The eighth course would, therefore, serve during the tenth week having allowed for the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks (in which all 24 courses of Priests would have ministered), which both occur during the first eight weeks of the year. This is the second Sabbath of Sivan and the week that follows would be approximately Sivan 12-18. This would be around late May or early June according to the Gregorian calendar.
Elizabeth conceived John the Immerser AFTER Zechariah had finished his Temple service. So, she would have become pregnant after the third Sabbath of Sivan (approximately Sivan 19-25). Carrying the baby to full term, there is a very good possibility that John was born around/ during Passover! According to Jewish tradition, Elijah is supposed to come during Passover. Quite possibly, John the Immerser was a shadow picture of Elijah who came in the spirit of Elijah!
Exactly six months after John’s conception, Mary conceives Yahshua (Jesus).
*Luk 1:23-33 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he departed unto his house. And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee. But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name YAHSHUA. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
If we count six months from the 3rd week of Sivan, we arrive at the 9th month called Kislev. If John the Immerser was conceived in the eleventh week, the third Sabbath week of Sivan, Yahshua would have been conceived six months later in the month of Kislev. Mary would have conceived Yeshua after the third Sabbath of Kislev, approximately Kislev 19-26. Kislev 25 is Chanukah. It is noteworthy that our Messiah, the "light of the world", was more than likely conceived during the festival of lights (Chanukah)!
Six months after John the Immerser is born, Yahshua is born. Therefore, since John was born around the 15th day of the first month (Aviv/Nisan), Yahshua would more than likely be born on the 15th day of the seventh month (Tishri), six months later. The 15th day of the seventh month is known as Succoth, or the Feast of Tabernacles. It is quite possible that Messiah Yahshua was born on Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles)!
Looking at some of the information and using logical reasoning (and mathematics) regarding Yahshua’s birth, December 25th does not even come close to the birth day of our Messiah. Looking at this historically has caused many in the Church to cringe when they recognize that this December 25th date is probably a result of the Church fathers accepting pagan traditions. Our Heavenly Father tells us to not mix the Holy with the profane!