A Jewish lady was stranded late one night at a fashionable hotel that did not admit Jews. The desk clerk looked down at his book and said, “Sorry, no room. The hotel is full.”
The Jewish lady said, “But your sign says that you have vacancies.”
The desk clerk stammered and then said curtly, “You know that we do not admit Jews. Now if you will try the other side of town…”
The woman’s appearance became more serious…, “I’ll have you know I am a Christian now.”
The desk clerk said, “Oh, is that right?, Let me give you a little test to see if you really are a believer. How was Jesus born?”
She replied, “He was born to a virgin named Mary in a little town called Bethlehem.”
“Very good,” replied the hotel clerk. “Tell me more.”
The woman replied, “Jesus was born in a manger.”
“That’s right,” said the hotel clerk. “And why was he born in a manger?”
The woman said angrily, “Because a mean guy like you in the hotel wouldn’t give a Jewish lady a room for the night!
The Christmas season is a wonderful time of year for those who love Jesus and the fact that He came to earth to offer His life for all of us. Most people do not know the true facts concerning the arrival of Jesus to earth because the story of Jesus birth has been changed by the traditions of men over the course of years.
In this brief study we will explore the facts concerning Jesus birth and look at the evidence from a Biblical perspective.
The gospel of Luke gives us the best account of Jesus birth, so we will start here and move through the other verses of scripture that deal with the event of Jesus birth.
Luke 2:8-20 “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
This verse in the book of Luke reveals information that may ruin your current view of Christmas. We learn from just this single verse that Jesus was not born during the winter month of December. In just a few minutes you will see why.
First of all, it really doesn’t matter when we celebrate Jesus arrival to the earth. December 25th is just as good a time to remember His arrival as any other day of the year.
Romans 14:5 “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.”
This verse describes the fact that there is not one day for any particular event that we choose to honor the Lord in that is better than any other. What is important is that the person who is honoring the Lord on that particular day should be convinced of it in their own mind.
Whether we worship Jesus on Saturday, Sunday, or any other day of the week is irrelevant. The point is that we should worship Him and honor Him every day of the week.
For hundreds of years, people have celebrated the birth of Jesus on December 25th. But Jesus church did not begin celebrating His birthday at all until 400 years after He was born.
We know that the basis for celebrating Jesus birth on December 25th, came from the pagan holiday of “Saturnalia”.
It takes the earth 365.26 days to go around the sun, making one complete year. December 25 is the “Winter Solstice”, the shortest day of the year. From December 25th onward, the days increase in length by one minute every day until it reaches the longest day of the year on June 21st. When the Earth reaches the place in it’s rotation around the sun that is the longest day, we call it the “Summer Solstice”.
December 25th in ancient history, was the time of heathen festivities in worship of the sun. On December 25th, in celebrating “Saturnalia”, They ate large dinners together and visited with their friends and families.
The halls of the Roman homes were decked with boughs of laurel and evergreen trees, lighted with candles and lamps. Bonfires were lit in high place, candles and green wreaths were given as presents as well as the practice of giving and receiving presents were all a part of this Roman holiday.
Some people today feel that if we celebrate Christmas on December 25th that we are partaking of this pagan holiday and the worship of their gods. The question would have to be then: Do you worship these pagan gods, and when you celebrate Christmas on December 25th, are you participating in a Pagan holiday?
If your answer is no, I do not worship pagan gods, nor do I participate in Pagan festivals. Then it doesn’t matter what day you celebrate Jesus birthday, be it December 25th or any other day. If you choose to light a tree, exchange gifts or eat in calibration with friends, it does not mean that you are celebrating a pagan holiday, unless that is your intention.
Paul was very clear in matters such as this. The observance of days, seasons, or occasions is up to the individual and the dictates of their own conscience.
Romans 14:14 “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”
There is nothing “Unclean” in a tree, it is just a tree, it depends on what you use that tree for.
We taught our boys as they were growing up that the red ornaments represented Jesus Blood. The Gold represented Jesus as being God. The silver ornaments, Jesus redemption. The Green, representing the everlasting life that Jesus gives to those who surrender their lives to Him. The lights on the tree represented Jesus as the Light of the world.
2,000 years ago, some Christians had a real problem with other Christians that would eat a steak or some other cut of meat that had been given in worship of an Idol. After these meats were used in their temple services as dedication to these pagan gods, the meat was then sold in the meat markets. Some believers felt that it was wrong to eat meats offered to idols. Listen to what Paul said about this:
1 Corinthians 8:4 “Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.”
1 Timothy 4:4-5 “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
The parallel teaching here is that as the meat offered to idols were nothing except meat, so also is the tree, decorations and celebration of Saturnalia. If a Christian who worships and serves Jesus purchases a tree, places lights upon it, and gives gifts to their family members, they are no more participating in Saturnalia than someone who ate a cut of meat that was offered to an idol. The idol is nothing the tree is nothing, it is the intent of the heart that is what is important.
Jesus has made us free and He wants for us to remain free.
When we start putting all kinds of trips on people and tell them that they cannot celebrate Christmas or Easter, because the pagans celebrate these days, we put people back under bondage. If you celebrate Christmas by loving, worshipping, and honoring Jesus Christ, then it doesn’t matter how you decorate your house, or what you eat. Don’t let people make you feel like you are some kind of a pagan because you love Christmas.
Conversely, if you love to celebrate Christmas, and you have a friend who also loves the Lord Jesus but they do not feel that they can celebrate Christmas, for the sake of their conscience, don’t you put your trips on them either. Don’t tell them that they are wrong to celebrate Christmas or any other holiday just because you don’t have the freedom to do so.
This all being said, it is clear from the Bible that most likely Jesus was not born on December 25th.
Luke 2:8-20 “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
The shepherds in Israel would not be outside attending their flocks at night on December 25th. In Bethlehem during the winter, temperatures often fell below freezing. Shepherds did not attend to their flocks at night in winter because it was just too cold, they put their flocks into pens at night.
The fact that Luke mentions that the shepherds were outside with their sheep at night, is a hint for us of the time of year that this all happened. Also remember that a census had been called for by the Roman government. Every man was required to return to the place of his ancestors birth to register for this census. The Roman government would not have called for people to return to their place of birth during winter, this would have been extremely poor planning by the Roman government who were always meticulous in their planning of every event. The Romans called for the census to be conducted in the fall, when temperatures were moderate and made travel much easier.
The best, and most reliable source for the correct time of year of Jesus birth, is the Bible itself.
Luke 1:5 “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.”
John the Baptist’s father Zechariah was a priest that served in the temple. Each man took his turn to serve according to the division he belonged. According to Luke, Zacharias belonged to the division of Abijah. There were eight divisions, with each priest serving two weeks in the temple.
We know from history that when the Roman army came in and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A. D. The Roman soldiers destroyed the temple. The Jewish historian Josephus tells us that “The first course” of these priests had just taken place when the temple was burned.
All we have to do is take this know fact that the first course had taken place during the burning of the temple, and go backwards to find out what time of the year, John the Baptist father Zechariah was in the Temple serving.
We know that as soon as Zechariah came out of the temple and had finished his time of service, that his wife Elizabeth became pregnant with John the Baptist shortly thereafter. We know that John the Baptist is 6 months older than Jesus. If we count 6 months after John the Baptists birth, we can determine the date of Jesus Birth.
If you put all of this information together, these are the dates that are determined:
It is interesting that the 29th of September places Jesus Birth as the Beginning of “The Feast of Trumpets”, the 1st of “Tishri”.
If Jesus came to Earth the first time during the Feast of Trumpets, then it make perfect sense that He would return to earth to remove the church at the Rapture during the Feast of Trumpets, around the date of September 29th.
Having completed each of the first four feast of Israel on the exact day and in the exact way that they should be fulfilled, Jesus then was crucified and resurrected back to heaven. Jesus finished the fourth feast of Pentecost by birthing the church on the feast of Pentecost. It is then that the summer harvest takes place in Israel at the end of the four months of summer. Then all of God’s people are gathered together by the sound of a trumpet blast and then the feasts of the day of Atonement and Tabernacles are completed. For a complete study on how Jesus fulfilled the seven feast of Israel, CLICK HERE.
Whatever day Jesus was born, we are free to celebrate Christmas on December 25th or to recognize and honor Him on any other day. It is only necessary that we be fully convinced ourselves. If you cannot worship Jesus on December 25th and celebrate His birth, then remain silent over the issue and allow those who have the freedom to do so, to have that freedom.
Rob Robinson
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