Give me that old time religion! TR As to the timing of Jesus’ birth, IMHO he was conceived on Hanukkah and born on Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) I believe there is strong evidence for this. I am not adamant about this, though. Of course this goes without saying but this is not a salvation issue. It needn’t divide anyone. Jack Kelley addressed this issue: If the Hebrew calendar was the same as ours you might have a point. But it isn’t. They actually use two calendars. Their religious year begins in mid-March and their civil year begins in mid-September. But if you read a little earlier in Luke you see that Elizabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for 5 months (Luke 1:24). Then in the sixth month, Mary was visited by the angel. Most scholars believe the sixth month in Luke 1:29 refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. In my study called Happy Birthday Lord Jesus, I showed that Elizabeth most likely became pregnant in the month we call June, meaning Mary became pregnant in the month we call December around the time of the Jewish feast of Hanukkah, placing the Lord’s birth in the following September. https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/jesus-born-spring/ King David had divided the priests into 24 courses (divisions) to serve rotating one-week periods in the temple. All 24 divisions served during the Feasts and so each one also served twice a year on rotation. The religious year began about mid-March on our calendar and right away there were nearly three weeks of preparation and Feasts; Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. Then the divisions began their rotation. Comparing Luke 1:5 to 1 Chronicles 24:10 shows that Zechariah was of the division of Abijah, number eight in the weekly rotation. Counting the time all were on duty and the eight weeks in rotation when Zechariah’s turn came puts the visit by Gabriel about 3 months into the religious year. A normal 9 month gestation period places the birth of John the Baptist at the beginning of the following religious year (mid-March, remember) and indeed there are many who believe he was born on Passover. Let’s convert this to our calendar to avoid further confusion and discover a fascinating possibility about December 25th. In all probability John the Baptist was conceived in mid June and born the following March. According to Luke 1:36 Mary conceived in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. That means that our Lord was conceived in late December and born in September. Are we inadvertently celebrating His conception at Christmas instead of His birth? https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/happy-birthday-lord-jesus/ How about a call at midnight, a disclaimer the our Bridegroom cometh! And a trumpet blast at 3:33 am! TR Fits well with the timing of Ruth and Boaz ... I’ll take it! Now that we are so close, could it have been that easy! Forest for the trees! A reviling at such a time as this! We shall see, praying to the Father to hear the cries of His children, let it be your Will.... :prayer-hands: :flyup: Indeed more disclosures to confirm the Blessed Hope! Or as Paul said: I am convinced and/or being convinced! So it is with the Church! TR
