Courtney McGrailDear Editor, The other day I saw one of the first Christmas ads on television, and I thought, “Christmas is here already!” Well, actually this may be closer to the truth than we may think.
Celebrating Christmas on December 25 and citing the true date of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) birth in the Jewish /Hebrew calendar are two different things. Our clue is with Yeshua’s cousin, John the Baptist (Yochanan). His father Zechariah was a priest in the Temple in Jerusalem and was ministering there when the Angel Gabriel appeared to him announcing that his barren wife Elizabeth (Elisheva) would have a special son.
Zechariah’s priestly cycle was in the ministration of Abijah (Aviyah) which is listed in I Chronicles 24:10. From this we can calculate that John was born at the beginning of Passover and circumcised, like all Jewish boys, on the eighth day, except these days in Passover were High Holy Days or Annual Sabbaths, what the Bible calls ‘appointed times’ or ‘moadim’.
Mary (Miriam) conceived six months after her cousin Elizabeth, which means Yeshua was born six months after John. The Biblical Feast of Tabernacles or ‘Sukkot’ meaning ‘booths’ falls exactly six months after Passover. Thus Yeshua (Jesus) was born on the first day of Sukkot/Tabernacles (Tishrei 15) and circumcised, like John, on the eighth day, both days being Holy Days or ‘appointed times’ according to the Bible. This may sound unfamiliar to those who are used to December 25, but sometimes the Bible can reveal truth than will expose the myths and traditions of men. There would be no shepherds out in the fields at night in December, as the Hills of Judea are wintry at that time.
The time of ‘Sukkot’ falls in September/October when it is still mild enough for shepherds to be outside at night, never mind a young maiden giving birth in the elements also. This year Tishrei 15 falls on September 28, so yes, Christmas did come early, yet very few even realise it.
Yours etc.,
Colin Nevin,
Tel-Aviv,
Israel.