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Yeshua's Birthday

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Yeshua's Birthday Yeshua's Birthday There has been much debate as to when the actual birthday of Yeshua was. Although we may not know with absolute certainty, we find several passages that give us a good indication, that it was not in December. Please follow along as I endeavor to guide you through this process of establishing the most likely time frame for this event. Let's begin in the book of Luke. Luk 1:5 There was in the days of Herodes, the sovereign of Yehudah, a certain priest named Zekaryah, of the division of Abiyah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aharon, and her name was Elisheba. Luk 1:6 And they were both righteous before Elohim, blamelessly walking in all the commands and .יהוה righteousnesses of Luk 1:7 And they had no child, because Elisheba was barren, and both were advanced in years. Luk 1:8 And it came to be, that while he was serving as priest before Elohim in the order of his division, In verse 5 we can determine that John the Baptist's/Yochanon the Immerser's father Zekaryah was of the course or division of Abiyah. Notice in verse 6 that it points out that Zekaryah and Elisheba both walked in the commandments and ordinances of Elohim. This would not be in the “New Testament” if it were not important to keep YHWH's Commandments. What does it mean to be of the course or division of Abiyah? The Levites or the Sons of Aharon were divided by lots to determine who would serve in the Temple at any given time. 1 Chronicles 24:1-19 gives us the divisions of the Priest, we see in verse 10 that Abiyah and later on his descendents would serve during the 8th division. Each division would serve for one week at a time. See 1Chronicles 9:25, and 2 Chronicles 23:8. 1Ch 24:10 the seventh to Haqqots, the eighth to Abiyah 1Ch 9:25 And their brethren, and their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them: 2Ch 23:8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses. It is believed that the first division would start at the first of the year. Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Three times a year all males are required to go to Jerusalem, Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. All 24 divisions of Priest served together at these times. .יהוה Exo 23:17 “Three times in the year all your males are to appear before the Master Zekaryah would have served from the beginning of the 8th week until the beginning of the 9th week, he most likely would have waited in Jerusalem until after the 10th week. Being that he and Elisheba lived in the hill country and that would have caused him to travel back and forth in one week. Luke Chapter 1:39 and 40 tells us where they lived. Luk 1:39 And Miryam arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Yehudah, Luk 1:40 and entered into the house of Zekaryah and greeted Elisheba. This would place Zekaryah in Jerusalem until after Pentecost/Shavuot, which would make it at least the 11th or 12th week of the year before Elisheba could become pregnant. Luk 1:23 And it came to be, as soon as the days of his service were completed, he went away to his house. Luk 1:24 And after those days his wife Elisheba conceived. And she hid herself five months, saying, has done this for me, in the days when He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among יהוה“ Luk 1:25 men.” If Elisheba had became pregnant during the 11th or 12th week of the year that would be around the 3rd week of the 3rd month/Sivan, or around the 1st week of June by our Calendar. The Calendar Biblical Months Babylonian Months Gregorian Months Abib Nisan March/April Ziv Iyyar April/May 3rd Sivan May/June 4th Tammuz June/July 5th Av July/August 6th Elul August/Sept Ethanim Tishri Sept/Oct Bul Kheshvan Oct/Nov 9th Kislev Nov/Dec 10th Tevet Dec/Jan 11th Shevet Jan/Feb 12th Adar Feb/March This sets the conception of Yochanon/John around the 3rd week of Sivan which is close to the 1st week of June. By adding 9 months to this time period puts us into the month of Abib/Nisan which is very close to Passover. Passover is on the 14th of Abib. Lev 23:5 ‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings, is the יהוה Passover to Luke 1:36 can be used to determine that Elisheba/Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant at the time that Miryam/Mary became pregnant with Yeshua. Luk 1:36 “And see, Elisheba your relative, she has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is now the sixth month to her who was called barren, Now if we add 6 months to the 3rd month/Sivan we come to the 9th month of the year which is the month of Kislev. It is during this month that Yeshua was conceived. This can be determined by Elisheba's statements. Luk 1:42 and called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Luk 1:43 “And who am I, that the mother of my Master should come to me? I find it interesting that during the 9 th month/Kislev/Nov/Dec which is the time in we celebrate Hanukah the “Festival of Lights” that Yeshua “The Light of the World” was conceived. At this point in time Elisheba is 6 months pregnant and by adding 3 months to that we arrive at the month of Abib/Nisan. Luk 1:56 And Miryam stayed with her about three months, and returned to her home. Luk 1:57 And the time was filled for Elisheba to give birth, and she bore a son. I also find it interesting that during the Festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread we have a period of 8 days, some speculate that it is at the end of these 8 days that Yochanon/John was circumcised. It does fit the pattern. Luk 1:59 And it came to be, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child. And they were calling him by the name of his father, Zekaryah. Luk 1:60 And his mother answering, said, “Not so, but he shall be called Yohanan.” As a side note, Jewish tradition to this day is to set a place for Elijah the prophet at the passover Seder. Yochanon/John came in the Spirit of Elijah and as a fulfillment of Prophecy. Luk 1:17 “And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Ěliyahu, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the insight of the righteous, to make ready a people ”.יהוה prepared for Mal 4:5 “See, I am sending you Ěliyah1 the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of .יהוה Mal 4:6 “And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with utter destruction1.” By determining that Yochanon/John was born at or near the time of Passover, all we have to do is add 6 months to this time to arrive at the birth of Yeshua. Abib/Nisan plus 6 months equals Ethanim/Sept/Oct which places the birth of Yeshua at or near the Festival of Sukkot also known as the Feast of Tabernacles. A very interesting word comes into play when we look at John 1:14. Joh 1:14 AndG2532 theG3588 WordG3056 was madeG1096 flesh,G4561 andG2532 dweltG4637 amongG1722 us,G2254 (andG2532 we beheldG2300 hisG846 glory,G1391 the gloryG1391 asG5613 of the only begottenG3439 ofG3844 the Father,)G3962 fullG4134 of graceG5485 andG2532 truth.G225 (KJV/Strong’s) If you look at the Greek word for “dwelt” you will find a key reference. G4637 σκηνοω skenoo skay-no'-o From G4636; to tent or encamp, that is, (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specifically) to reside (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion): - dwell. Another translation reads, Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent1 among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favour and truth Many see the phrases of dwelt, to tabernacle, and pitched His tent as an allusion to the Festival of Sukkot. Which is another 8 day Festival in the Fall, and it is quite possible that Yeshua could have been born on the first day, and circumcised on the eighth. ,יהושע Luk 2:21 And when eight days were completed for Him to be circumcised, His Name was called the Name given by the messenger before He was conceived in the womb. We know that shepherds were still in the fields which would not be uncommon at the time of Ethanim/Sept /Oct.
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