Reclaiming Christmas - When was Jesus born?

Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was of the priestly line of Abijah (Lk 1:5), and while he was serving in the temple, an angel of the Lord told him that his wife, Elisabeth, would conceive. The priesthood was divided into 24 courses, of which the line of Abijah would be the 8th course (1Ch 24). Jewish temple practice was such that each course will serve a week twice a year. Since there are three major feasts at which all Jews must gather in Jerusalem, there are three times in a year when all priests would be needed to serve together. 

For a moment, let's just assume this is the first time in the year that Zacharias is serving. The religious new year begins on Nisan 1 (being the "first month" which approximates to March). Zacharias' course would have started on Iyar 27 (in April) - and the following week would be the Festival of Weeks (Shavout). This explains why the "whole multitude of the people were praying" outside -- because the Torah requires all Jews to be in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavout. After the Festival of Weeks, Zacharias returned home and Elisabeth conceived John (Lk 1:23-24). This means John would have been conceived no earlier than the month of Sivan (which is around May). 

It is very likely that John was conceived two months later ("after those days") in the middle of Av (about July). Following a 39-40 week pregnancy, John would have been born on Passsover (Nisan 15) -- which is in March. It is important to note that traditionally, Jews expect Elijah to return on Passover -- which is the season of redemption. Christ himself said "Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would" (Matt 17:12, Mk 9:13), thereby confirming John, for he did come in the "spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him" (Lk 1:17). 

This brings added significance when John proclaims "Behold, the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world". For John was himself born on Passover, and his first introduction of Jesus was as the true sacrifice Lamb of God.

Gabriel appeared to Mary when Elisabeth's pregnancy was into the sixth month (Lk 1:26). This will put Gabriel's visit in the month of Shevat (which would be around January). Mary then hurried to Elisabeth's house, learning that she is pregnant (Lk 1:39).  Arriving in January, Elisabeth would have been in her third trimester. Seeing both Zacharias and Elisabeth are old, Mary stayed on to help them. This was especially needful as the baby would be full term around Passover and Zacharias would have to serve in the temple. Mary stayed on with Elisabeth until John was born in March -- thereby staying with Elisabeth for "about three months" (Jan - Mar) before she "returned unto her house" (Lk 1:56).

If Mary conceived when Gabriel visited her (in January), Jesus would have been born in late September / October. More precisely, Jesus would have been full term around the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). All Israel would gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles to remember how the LORD had brought them out of Egypt and tabernacled among them in their journey to the Promised Land. This explains many things. (1) It is a convenient time to tax people - all Israel will all be gathering in Jerusalem anyway -- no wonder "there was no room for them in the inn" (Lk 2:7) (2) It is not yet too cold - travelling in winter just to get taxed may just trigger another revolt -- the memory of the Hasmoneans was still fresh; (3) the cool (but not freezingly cold) climate also explains why shepherds can still be out tending the sheep. 

Immanuel came down on the Feast of Tabernacles to literally tabernacle with Man. God the Father made sure, when Jesus came, the whole of Israel was gathered to honor that day (whether or not they knew the true significance). What more, in Lev 23:36, the LORD declares that during the Feast of Tabernacles, "seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you." 

All Jewish boys have to be circumcised on the eighth day (Lev 12:3). Therefore, on the day the LORD has declared a "holy convocation", Jesus was circumcised in the Temple. 

By the above chronology, everything (logic, common sense, Jewish tradition, and the Law) all begins to converge and make sense, and it is mind-blowing to know that God has ochestrated all these strands together. Indeed His thoughts and His ways are higher. 

Satan's Breast Plate

We often wonder if there is any significance in the mind-boggling details often found in the Old Testament.

For example, when describing Satan, Ezekiel wrote "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold." (Eze 28:13a).

Why did Ezekiel bother describing the nine stones set in gold? Because of our unfamiliarity with Jewish temple practices, we fail to see the relationship with the High Priest's garments. In Exodus 28, Moses describes the High Priest's breast plate.

Exo 28:17  And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. Exo 28:18  And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. Exo 28:19  And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. Exo 28:20  And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

Had we known Exodus 28, it will be immediately clear that the stones are identical. However, Satan has 9 stones on his breast plate, while the high priest has 12 - one representing each tribe of Israel. Therefore, Satan actually has 3 "missing" stones -- all from the third row: ligure, agate and amethyst. To find the "birth stone" of each tribe, we simply order the tribes according to their birth order, starting from Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah ... all the way to Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. Through doing so, we find that the 3 missing stones correspond to the tribes of Gad, Asher and Issachar.

Only then, can we ask the "right" question -- why are these three stones / tribes missing from Satan's breast plate?

To answer this, we have to look at Genesis 49, where Jacob prophesizes about his sons. Gad is an overcomer who  shall "overcome at the last" (v19) and have the final victory. Asher is a royal servant, whose "bread shall be fat" and serve "royal dainties" to the King (v20). Issachar is a burden carrier - a strong ass who lifts burdens. 

Satan is an imitator. Like Judah, he is a lion, but a roaring lion that "walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1Pe 5:8). Like Dan, he is a serpent - "the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world" (Rev 12:9). Like Simeon and Levi, "instruments of cruelty" are in his habitations (Gen 49:5). Like Napthali, he uses goodly words, but to deceive. Like Benjamin, he is a wolf, who scatters the sheep.

When God created Satan, he knew what Satan would be. However, there are three things Satan would never be. (1) Satan will never be a burden carrier. Only Jesus carries all our burdens. (2) Satan will never be a royal servant. It is not in him to serve. But Jesus is the Servant King. (3) Satan will never overcome. He will never have the final victory. Jesus will.

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How amazing it is, that "mere" stones should contain so great a mystery. How deep, how vast, how unsearchable is His wisdom. 

A testimony unto all the nations

Jesus gave many signs about the End Times in Matt 24. Many of them can be fulfilled multiple times - e.g. false teachers (v5), wars (v6), famines and earthquakes (v7), persecution (v9), false prophets (v11) - and that is one reason why people disagree over "fulfillment". After all, they had happened in the past - and what gives us surety that the circumstances we now face are signs of "the End"?

There is however, one verse, which cannot be fulfilled multiple times.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.

Matt 24:14

Preterists may claim it's been fulfilled in the first century, but "the whole world" is the whole world. There is no need to give a discount to an omnipotent God. In the modern age, with satellite and communications technology, we've finally come to the point where we do know every nation on the globe. 

Perhaps then, the simplest question we can ask (for which there is a definite answer) is whether the Gospel of the Kingdom has been preached in "the whole world" (to every nation)?

Benny Prasad has taken the gospel to every single nation on earth. On 22 Nov 2010, he completed his "world tour" in Pakistan, and set a world record. Where he goes, he has preached the gospel of the kingdom.

References

http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/travel/fastest_time_to_visit_245_countries_Benny_Prasad_set_world_record_112047.html 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Prasad

Danger

It is amazing how vulnerable the human young is.

In all of God's creation, the human is probably the only species whose young will not survive the initial years without a primary caregiver.

Little Elizabeth was trying to do no more than to reach for the slipper on the floor, while on the bed. It wasn't that she was seeking masochistic thrill or being deliberately willful. She was just being singularly-focused on the one object of her desire, and she knew not how reaching out for that could be in anyway dangerous. It is not that the object of her desire is good or evil - it was simply how she tried to have it.

As she extended her hand, she arched forward. Before anyone could react, she had tipped over and went tumbling head down; and of course, she wailed. 

As I meditated on the matter, I realized parenting is God's gift so that we can understand and experience God's perspective. Indeed, we are all like children. We sometimes focus so much on the objects of our desire that when we reach out for them, we place ourselves in danger. It is not that we are self-destructive, or that we are being willful in our pursuit - we just do not know what really lies ahead. Danger is not apparent to us. What we pursue may not be evil (though it may not necessarily be good either) - but whatever it is, it was simply how we tried to have it that endangers us.

For the same reason, Paul admonishes Timothy that the "love of money is the root of all evil" (1Ti 6:10), not money itself. It is often not because of what we want, but how we want things that God denies them ti us. Too often, we simply desire them in the wrong way. When God denies me what I want, may His Spirit also search me, and reveal if there be any wicked way in me. (Ps 139:23-24)

Watching the Fire

Sardis is the slumbering church. It has but a name, and is in reality, dead. Jesus warned that He will "come as a thief" on those who are not watching.

In Leviticus 6:8 - 13, the LORD commanded how the burnt-offering was to be kept. The burnt-offering was to be on the altar "all night unto the morning", and He commanded that "the fire on the altar shall be kept burning thereon" (v9). The fire was so important that the LORD emphasized it again in verses 12 and 13.

"the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out" (v12),

"the fire shall ever be burning on the altar; it shall never go out" (v13).

We so often focus on the offering that we forget the fire. We think the offering is the important thing, but somehow, the LORD placed more emphasis on the fire - that it must not go out.

When the priests were serving in the Second Temple, they were sometimes guilty of not watching the fire and allowing it to go out. The High Priest would randomly make his rounds to make sure that the priests were performing their duties and faithfully watching the fire as the LORD commanded. When the High Priest discovers a sleeping priest, he would set fire to the priest's garments. In no time at all, the sleeping priest would be running around amok and naked in the temple, and all the other priests on duty will see his shame. The High Priest is therefore also nicknamed the "thief in the night".

Jesus says "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame" (Rev 16:15). Jesus is our Great High Priest (Heb 4) and we are the royal priesthood (1Pet 2:9). When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth? Will He have to set fire on our garments that we awake from our slumber? Will we be caught sleeping and not watching the fire?

To those who are slumbering and not watching -- He comes as a thief, and we will not know the hour of his visitation; but we are not in the darkness, that the day should overtake us as a thief (1Th 5:4). Let us therefore do what the LORD has commanded -- to watch the fire of our offering that it does not go out, even in these times. When the Son of Man returns, my fire will be strong and I will be found watching for His return.