His Story
For years, the faithful Christians have been questioned about the truthfulness surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, our King, Lord and Savior. How does the Body of Christ deal with the controversial birthdate of Jesus? What’s up with Santa’s elves? Synonyms for the English word “elves” are the words goblins, imps and fairies. 
What’s worse that some synonyms for “fairies” are leprechauns and gremlins.
Keeping to the point, the Hebrew Calendar had a method of determining the time of year of Jesus’ birth. It is also important that believers understand the awesome prophecies concerning both John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ. Their births worked together for our salvation.
His Story
[rev_slider CHM01]
First of all, King David gave Solomon the designs for a system of patterns and schedules by which the temple was to function. Only the Levites were allowed to be high priests and each Leviticus family had their own particular schedule to perform their sacred duties.
The fact that Gabriel, the angel of the Lord spoke to Zachariah while he was doing his sacred duties marks the time and year on the Hebrew calendar. God places special prophetic events on feast days because those feast days point to the story of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. The plan of God’s timely impregnation of Elizabeth and the miraculous conception of Jesus whose mother was her cousin, Mary are both significant events. John the Baptist and Jesus had to be alive on earth at the same time so that the prophecy of Micah 2:13 would come to pass. John would reject the corrupt temple leaders and go out to seek God in the wilderness. Finally, the time came when the purpose of these two, John—the breaker and Jesus – our Savior would begin the confirmation of our faith by baptism. Jesus reflects on the prophecy of Micah:
NLT Micah 2:13 Your leader will break out and lead you out of exile, out through the gates of the enemy cities, back to your own land. Your king will lead you; the LORD himself will guide you.” (Mic 2:13 NLT)
This prophecy has its importance because John was the breaker in
Micah, as a herd of sheep waited for a brave leader who would challenge the religious system that was in place. It was these men who resisted God’s Kingdom of Heaven.
The Church may have missed use this verse, and as Jesus all-ways used Old Testament Prophecies to teach important messages, the Lord reveals John’s unique purpose.
MIT Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the baptizer until right now the kingdom of heaven is being forcibly resisted, and violent men put the squeeze on it. (Mat 11:12 MIT)
NLT Matthew 11:12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. (Mat 11:12 NLT)
CJB Matthew 11:12 From the time of Yochanan the Immerser until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been suffering violence; yes, violent ones are trying to snatch it away. (Mat 11:12 CJB)
NIV For a long time now people have tried to force themselves into God’s kingdom. But if you read the books of the Prophets and God’s Law closely, you will see them culminate in John, teaming up with him in preparing the way for the Messiah of the kingdom
With the purpose of the “breaker” understood, it’s equally important to understand that the priestly families had their time of service. The end of Zachariah’s time Service at the temple gives us a clue that John was conceived sometime around the months of May and June. If John the Baptist was indeed conceived around May or June, Jesus (Yeshua) was conceived near November or December. There was a system in place that places Zachariah in the temple at this time.
11 Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat;
12 and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God, and for the storehouses of the dedicated things;
13 also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the utensils of service in the house of the LORD; (1Ch 28:11-13 NAS)
If we count 9 months from the time of Jesus possible conception, Jesus’ birth is a longways from December 25.
While, there are arguments for other dates of Jesus’ birth, more importantly we should always give thanks for His gift of salvation to us.
Note: In our next blog we will compare the Jewish celebration “Chanukah” with “Christmas” His Story