People often ask was Jesus born on Christmas? Everyone seems to agree that he was not. Scripture also agrees. Scripture says the shepherds were out in the field at the time of the birth of Jesus and angels appeared unto them. Notice angels were first sent to shepherds just as Jesus is the chief Shepherd. Shepherds were considered lowly in society and Jesus went to the lowliest first. Jesus always goes to what society thinks of as outcasts first. (Luke 2:7-20 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.) Shepherds are not in the fields at night in December. It is too cold and the shepherds would find shelter for the sheep and themselves at night.
Scripture tells us the Romans had ordered a census to be taken and this was the reason that Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Jesus. (Luke 2:1-7 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.) The Romans never took a census in December because the weather could bring snow and other bad weather and it would defeat the purpose of the census if people could not travel and be counted especially since it was for tax purposes.
If Jesus was not born on December 25, does scripture tells us when he was born? Scripture gives us clues to point out his date of birth showing a fall birth. We are told that Jesus was conceived when Elisabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist. (Luke 1:24-27 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.) (Luke 1:36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.) We can determine when John the Baptist was born. Zacharias was the dad of John the Baptist and was a priest of the order of Abijah. (Luke 1:5 ¶ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.) Zacharias was told while he was performing his priestly duties by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elisabeth would become pregnant after his duties were done. (Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.) (Luke 1:23-25 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.) David had the priests divided into 24 orders that would serve at certain times at the tabernacle and later the temple. We are told the order of Abia was the eighth order of priests. (I Chronicles 24:10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,) All of the priests would serve on the major feast days of Passover and unleavened bread, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles since every male was required to bring a sacrifice and help would be needed and then each was assigned a week of eight days from sabbath to sabbath that they served with Zacharias being of the eighth order. (II Chronicles 23:8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.) Each priest would have two cycles of duty throughout the year plus the three main feasts for a total of roughly five weeks of duty a year. The Jewish religious year starts with Nisan which is in the spring around March or April depending on the year since the Jews have a calendar based off of the lunar year of 360 days rather than ours based off of the solar year of 365 days. (Esther 3:7 ¶ In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.) The first two orders would serve and then the third week would be the week of unleavened bread with all orders serving and then the third order would continue for a week and then the orders would continue with the other two main feasts also included. Zacharias would have served the tenth week of the Jewish year with the feasts of unleavened bread and Pentecost having already occurred. This would be the third Jewish month of Sivan around May or June of our calendar. Zacharias would have finished his week on the third sabbath of the month and then returned home with Elisabeth conceiving John the Baptist shortly afterwards. Jesus was conceived six months after John the Baptist as we read earlier. Six months from late in the third month of Sivan brings us to late in the ninth month of Kislev which is November to December of our calendar. Hanukkah is on 25 Kislev and is the festival of lights. It is also known as the feast of dedication. (John 10:22 ¶ And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.) Jesus most likely was conceived on Hanukkah as Jesus is the light of the world and would have been dedicated to the world. (John 12:8 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.) John the Baptist would have been born around the following Passover or 15 Nissan after 40 weeks gestation. Jesus compared John the Baptist with Elijah and even today the Jews put out a plate for Elijah at passover waiting for his return. (Malachi 4:5 ¶ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:) (Matthew 17:12-13 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.) The angel Gabriel also compared John the Baptist with Elijah when he spoke with Zacharias. (Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.) If you go six months from 15 Nisan for the birth of Jesus it places the birth of Jesus on 15 Tishri which is the first day of the feast of tabernacles around September or October of our calendar. (Leviticus 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.) Jesus would have been circumcised on the eight and last day of the feast. (Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.) The feast of tabernacles occurs just after the fall harvest. Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means house of bread and he represents this harvest as the living bread. (John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.) God gives another clue that Jesus was born on the feast of tabernacles in John 1:14. [John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.] The word dwelt in this verse is equivalent to tabernacle and God is saying Jesus tabernacled with us or that he was born on the feast of tabernacles. This would be as if someone was born on Christmas and we said they Christmased with us to let people know when the person was born. Jesus was put into a temporary body of a man just as the Israelites were in temporary booths or succoths on the feast of tabernacles. The feast of tabernacles is today known as Succoth to represent these temporary booths. There was no room at the inn for Joseph and Mary because of all of the people in Bethlehem for the Roman census and also because of all of the people there to celebrate the feast of tabernacles as all Jewish males were required to attend. There were most likely many temporary booths set up for the feast in the fields. Jacob made booths or stables for his cattle and called them succoths. (Genesis 33:17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.) Jesus was born in a manger in a stable since there was no room in the inn. (See Luke 2:7 and 2:12 which I read.) This may be another clue pointing to Jesus being born in a temporary booth or stable for the feast of tabernacles. Jesus may have transfigured on his birthday as Peter asked Jesus if he should build a tabernacle for him, Moses and Elijah not understanding that Moses and Elijah were already in their temporary bodies waiting for their glorified bodies. (Matthew 17:4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.) Peter would have asked since it was most likely the feast of tabernacles. It was at this time just after they returned from the mountain where Jesus was transfigured that Jesus made the comparison between Elijah and John the Baptist also showing how the transfiguration was most likely during the feast of tabernacles.
One more clue shows that Jesus was born on the feast of tabernacles. Daniel 9:25-26 says Jesus would be cut off or crucified 483 years after the order was given to rebuild Jerusalem. The people should have known when Jesus would be born. The wise men followed the star to find him just as scripture said Jesus a Star would come out of Jacob, but they were not at his birth. (Matthew 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.) (Numbers 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.) They probably came to Jesus when he was closer to two years old as Herod had all of the children under two years old killed based on the timing of the wise men and they saw Jesus when he was a young child and living in a house. (Matthew 2:11 ¶ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.) (Matthew 2:16 ¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.) (Daniel 9:25-26 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.) Notice Daniel 9:26 says the Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself. This shows that Jesus died for our sins not for his as he was sinless. Messiah means anointed one and Jesus was publicly anointed as the Messiah by the Holy Ghost at his baptism which started his ministry. (Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:) (Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.) Luke says Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry. (Luke 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,) A Levite male had to be thirty years old before he could become a priest and Jesus is our High Priest. (Numbers 4:3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.) (Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;) Jesus died on passover 3 ½ years after he started his ministry just after his baptism. If you go back 3 ½ years to his baptism, then his baptism was on the feast of tabernacles and the thirty years before that his birth on the feast of tabernacles. Every major event in the life of Jesus in his first coming was on a Jewish feast so his conception and birth would have been as well rather than on Christmas.
Since I have shown that Jesus was born in the fall on the feast of tabernacles and not on Christmas on December 25, many Christians ask should Christians celebrate Christmas. Some Christians have started celebrating the birth of Jesus on the feast of tabernacles rather than on Christmas. Scripture never tells us to celebrate the birth of Jesus and there is no evidence any of the apostles or disciples of Jesus did, so if a Christian chooses not to they are not required to do so.
The origin of Christmas comes from pagan traditions. Christmas was made Christian by the Roman Catholic Church to attract the heathen. The Roman Catholic Church changed the pagan holiday Saturnia for the false Roman god Saturn to Christmas supposedly to celebrate his birth. Christmas means “Christ’s Mass” with Mass meaning death not birth showing how the Roman Catholic Church really feels about Jesus. The Roman Catholic Church often took a heathen thing and renamed it for some Christian purpose in order to get the heathen to convert to Roman Catholicism. The Catholic Dictionary admits that December 25 was chosen to replace the pagan winter festival to the sun. Saturnia was in celebration of the supposed rebirth of the sun after the recent winter solstice, the shortest day of the year which was believed to be the death of the sun. It is also adapted from the Yule holiday celebrated on the winter solstice. The origin of Christmas really goes back even further to the Babylonians. The Christmas tree is also from Babylonian origins. The Babylonians believed an evergreen tree sprang out of a dead tree stump. The stump of the tree represented the dead Nimrod and the new evergreen tree symbolized that Nimrod came back to life as Tammuz. The Romans decorated fir trees with red berries for Saturnia. The Egyptians and others also had similar trees decorated with the Egyptians using the palm tree instead of evergreen trees and the Druids the oak tree. The Romans decorated their trees with metal fertility balls in honor of their fertility god Bacchus to represent male testicles and placed twelve candles on the tree for their sun god Sol. Jeremiah 10:3-4 may speak of these heathen customs of the tree, especially the Egyptians which the Israelites would know as it mentions the palm tree. (Jeremiah 10:2-5 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.) Santa Claus and everything associated with Christmas is of pagan origin with Santa being Satan.
An interesting side note is the history of the candy cane. There are many stories and no one knows for sure which is correct. One story says an Indiana candy maker wanted a candy to represent Jesus to children as a witness. He supposedly made the candy cane with white and red stripes, the traditional candy cane we have today. The white was to represent the virgin birth of Jesus as well as his perfect sinless life who became our Saviour. The red stripes represent the shed blood of Jesus from his beatings and for our sins on the cross. The hardness of the candy cane represents Jesus as the solid Rock that our foundation is based upon as well as security of the church and security of our salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.) (Deuteronomy 32:15 ¶ But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.) The shape represents the “J” of the name Jesus as well as being in the shape of a shepherd’s hook representing Jesus as the chief Shepherd and Shepherd of our souls. (I Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.) (I Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.) This is why the angels appeared to the shepherds first. This story may not be true, but I do believe we can use the candy cane in its original colors and flavor of peppermint as a way to teach children about Jesus.
Christmas is not the physical birth of Jesus though it is possible he was conceived on Christmas. I mentioned how Jesus was conceived on Hanukkah, but sometimes on rare occasions Christmas will fall during the time of Hanukkah and it could be Jesus was conceived on that day. Jesus would know that people would later celebrate his birth and it is possible that on the year of his birth the days were shared so Jesus could take Christmas from the heathen. Christians can celebrate Christmas if they want or they can choose not to as some Christians do. We are never commanded to do so. It is nice to have a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus as the God-man. If a Christian does celebrate it, keep the secular part out including secular decorations and music and anything to do with the satanic Santa Claus. The wise men gave gifts to Jesus, not each other. If you want to give gifts give them to Jesus since it is supposed to be his birthday, not ours and do not get carried away in your spending. Let us remember Jesus in Christmas, but remember he was really conceived on Hanukkah and born on the feast of tabernacles and there true meanings. Maybe we Christians should really be celebrating the birth of Jesus on Hanukkah since life begins at conception not birth. If Christians are going to celebrate Christmas let us remember we celebrate it for Jesus, so let us use this time of year when people are more open to hear the gospel to witness for Jesus and tell others about Jesus and his birth in Bethlehem so that he could later die for our sins. Let us win the lost at Christmas and take Christmas from Satan.
