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Christine

Christine

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Originally posted by Slippery Mongoose
This is a Christmas card my mom sent out last year.

Is Christmas Jesus’ Real Birthday?

Is Christmas really Jesus’ birthday or was December 25th simply chosen to correspond with pagan winter celebrations, such as Saturnalia? While historical evidence does show that the later is true, scholars have discovered some interesting facts surrounding the birth of Jesus. To unravel the mystery of His true birthday, we must begin by learning about the conception and birth of John the Baptist.

A thousand years before John the Baptist was born, King David scheduled a rotation of priests for service in the Temple. John’s father, Zachariah, was of the family of Abijah, which came eighth in the scheduled rotation. From this, we are able to determine that his first service of the year would have been in June of our calendar. It was during this cycle of duty that he was told that John would be born. This would place John’s birth at Passover, nine months later. Jesus said that John had come in the spirit of Elijah, which is fascinating, because every Passover, an empty place is set for Elijah and at the end of the evening, someone is sent to the door to see if he has arrived yet!

We know that Jesus was born six months after John, therefore we are able to place His birth at the time of the fall festivals, most notably, the Feast of Tabernacles in late September or early October. The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes God’s dwelling with His people in the wilderness. This is especially meaningful because John starts his Gospel by affirming that Jesus, who is the Word of God, actually became flesh and dwelt (“tabernacled”) among us! (John 1:1, 14) At this time of the year, shepherds would still be with their sheep in the fields. Also, because of the fall feasts and the census that was being conducted, the towns and villages would have been flooded with people. This would account for why Mary and Joseph could find no room at the inn. So, why celebrate December 25th if that is not Jesus’ real birthday?

The fact that Jesus was born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles means that His conception would have been nine months earlier in December! How appropriate it is, then, to celebrate the coming of the One who is The Light of the World. (John 1:2-9; 8:12) Reflect on this as you observe the twinkling lights around your neighborhood and let them help to remind you of the true meaning of Christmas!

In Christ,
Becky
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
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That's great Slip, but the Feast of Tabernacles normally falls September/October. If you do celebrate Christmas, please understand that you aren't celebrating the birth of Christ. In our family, a get-together (such as Christmas) is a great opportunity to witness to some of my lost cousins. :)
 
Christine

Christine

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By the way Slip, I do think it is neat how the Jewish feasts coresspond th Jesus' birth and life. But, then again, anything that has to do with Judism is of interest to me.
 
Christine

Christine

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Well, I'm talking to you :) , and I'm researching information for a letter that I'm writing to my cousin. He's 29 and not a Christian, so I've been trying to witness to him.
 
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