Part 2 — When was the Messiah born?

Did you know there is not a single reference found anywhere in the New Covenant that the early Believers or leaders instituted a holiday to celebrate Yeshua's birth. How do we explain this? For some reason the writers of the New Covenant chose not to record the time of this very important event. It is important to understand something about Jewish tradition. The Hebraic custom is to emphasize the death of a person, more than one's birth. This tradition carries forward even today in the practice of "Yahrzeit", a commemoration of the anniversary of a Jewish person's death. This tradition has some scriptural support, for we see an abundance of passages outlining the events leading up the death of the Messiah.

We have no direct documentation of the precise birth date of Yeshua because He lived in a Jewish culture that commemorated and honored death instead of birth and the authors of the Gospels reflected this in their writings.
The idea of a birthday is a man made tradition that has no roots in the Bible. This is not to say that the custom of celebrating one's birthday is wrong, it just wasn't the practice during the first century. There is abundance of scripture in the gospels that describe the events leading up to the Messiah's birth and the circumstance surrounding it, but nothing as to when He was born.
Having said this, is there any evidence in scripture to indicate when the Messiah was born? Let me suggest evidence to support that Yeshua was born during the Feast of Sukkoth (Tabernacles). Yeshua's ministry centered around the Feasts of Israel. All seven Appointed Feasts found in Leviticus 23 were intended to be a foreshadowing of the Messiah. It was during the Feast of Passover that Yeshua offered Himself as the Passover Lamb. It was on the Feast of First Fruits that He rose from the dead. Fifty days later on the day of Shavuot (Pentecost), He sent the Holy Spirit to fill and empower His followers. Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets) we believe corresponds to the time of the Messiah's Second Coming, when we will hear the sound of the great Shofar 1 Thess. 4:16. He is both the Atonement for man's sin and the High Priest of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The Feast of Sukkoth, the seventh and final feast is a picture of God dwelling, (tabernacling among His people). In Isaiah 7:14, God said that He would give a sign to recognize how the Messiah would be born.
"The Lord Himself will give you a sign; the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and He shall be called Emmanuel (God with us)."

It was during the Feast of Tabernacles that the Jews were commanded to come to Jerusalem to celebrate this annual Feast. That would explain why Miriam and Joseph could find no place to lodge in Bethlehem. Also a December birth is not a favorable time for the shepherds to be tending their flocks in the night. This time of the year is the winter rainy season and can be very cold.

Another clue regarding the timing of the Messiah's birth is found in the gospel of Luke chapter 1. He describes in this first chapter how the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he was conducting his priestly service in the temple. Zacharias was part of the division of Abijah, a group of priests who served one week in the month of Tammus (mid- June) and another week in Kislev (early December).

The Chronology from Luke 1

Mid June - During Zacharias term of service, the angel Gabriel announces that Zacharias and Elizabeth will have a son. vs. 8-13
Early to mid July - Elizabeth becomes pregnant vs. 23-24
Late December - In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Gabriel appears to Miriam to announce that she would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Messiah.
Late December - Miriam conceives the Messiah, possibly during the Feast of Hanukkah. There are exactly nine months between Hanukkah and the Feast of Sukkot.
Early January - Miriam visits Elizabeth who is six months pregnant. Vs. 39-45 Miriam stays for a three-month visit and returns home in early April.
Early to Mid April - Elizabeth gives birth to Yochanon.
Late September - early October - The time of Sukkot - Tabernacles.
Miriam gives birth to Yeshua Luke 2:1-7

Another clue is in Luke 2:10. The Feast of Sukkot is known as the "Season of Joy" and the "The Feast of the nations". With this in mind Luke 2:1 says, "And the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings" (Basar in Hebrew means gospel of great joy). Sukkot is called the "Season of our Joy which shall be to all peoples." Sukkot is also known as the Feast of the Nations because in Zech. 14 it says that during the Millennial kingdom, the nations will be commanded to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Sukkot. We can deduce from the gospel accounts that the birth of Yeshua was announced with themes and messages associated with the Feast of Tabernacles.

In Luke 2:12 it says that Yeshua was wrapped in swaddling cloths. These swaddling cloths were often worn out priestly garments which would have deep significant that Yeshua as Israel's High Priest would be wrapped in priestly garments. Swaddling cloths were also used as wicks to light vats of oil within the court of the women during the Feast of Sukkot and so they were associated with the Festival of Sukkot.

In John 1:1,14 is another clue: "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God … "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory…" This is a powerful testimony of Yeshua being the living Torah that became flesh and dwelt among men.
The word dwelt in Hebrew comes from the root word Sukkah, which is the temporary shelter built during this feast to commemorate Israel's wilderness wanderings. Again we see a Sukkot theme associated with the Messiah's birth.
Hebrews 7: 17 - Another reason that I would suggest as to why God chose not to record the day of the Messiah's birth is found in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews identifies "Yeshua as a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek"
Who was Melchizedek? He was a mysterious figure who first appeared to Abraham. See Genesis 14:18-20. This King of Salem brought to Abraham bread and wine and blessed him and Abraham tithed him a tenth of all. In Hebrews 7:1-3 it says Melchizedek was called a priest of the most High, King of Righteousness and King of Peace. "He was without Father, mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually."
Melchizedek had no Father or Mother, no record of beginning or end of days nor end of life. He offers an impressive type of Messiah.

There is a Messianic prophecy of the Messiah's birth in Micah 5:2
"But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose goings forth have been from of old from EVERLASTING TO THE DAYS OF ETERNITY!"
One Rabbinical source from the Targum (An ancient Jewish writing) translates this verse as: "And you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, you who were too small to be numbered among the thousands of the house of Judah, from you shall come forth before me the Messiah, to exercise dominion over Israel, He whose name was mentioned before, from the days of creation."

We read in this prophecy that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. Yet Micah said that the Messiah existed before the creation of the world. God's word speaks of the Messiah as pre-existent, one who existed before the world was. The pre-existent Messiah was not a created being, or one who was born. He is God who came in the flesh to dwell among men. Why is it so difficult to understand that the creator of the universe, who spoke the universe and the worlds into being could not create life in the womb of a virgin? Is anything too difficult for God? Like Melchizedek, the Messiah had no beginning or end of days because He is the Pre-existent and eternal Messiah who is from everlasting. We worship a Messiah who has no beginning or end of days. We should rejoice in the Messiah's birth 365 days of the year.

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