HHMI Newsgroup Archives

MESSIAH'S BIRTH AT SUKKOT

By Dr. James Trimm 
 

Shalom All,

There is evidence that Messiah was born at Sukkot (Boothes/Tabernacles) in
4 B.C.E..

The key to calculating the date of the birth of Messiah is Luke 1:5
where we learn that Zechariah the father of Yochanan was a priest
of the course of Abijah.

The priests became to numerous to all serve at the Temple all the time,
so they were divided into 24 courses (1Chron. 24).  Each course served
for two weeks each year, once in the former rain (first half of the
year) and once in the latter rain (second half of the year).  There were
also three weeks in which all the priests were required to serve, these
were the three pilgrimage festivals (Dt. 16:16).  24 times 2 is 48 plus
three is 51.  51 weeks is 357 days fitting nicely within the 360 day
lunar year.

The course of Abijah is the eighth course (1Chron. 24:10) which
serves the tenth week during the former rain portion of the year (this
is because during Passover and Shavuot (Pentecost) all fo the priests
serve together Dt. 16:16).    Zechariah had his vision while serving in
the course of Abijah in the tenth week (It will become apparant that he
was serving his first course not his second as the timing will show as
we progress).  Thus Zechariah's vision took place during the 10th week
of the year (The religious year beginning at Nisan/Abib around 14 days
before Passover).  We must add two additional weeks before Yochanon
(John) could be concieved, due to the purity laws (Lev. 12:5; 15:19,
25).  So Yochanon was concieved in the 12th week of the year.  He was
born about 40 weeks later during the 52nd week of the year (12 + 40 =
52) which brings us to Passover.  Thus Yochanon was born at Passover,
the very time that Elijah was, according to Jewish tradition, supposed
to appear.

Yeshua was concieved 6 months (about 25 weeks) after Yochanon's
conception.  This means Yeshua was concieved around the 37th week around
Chanukah.  This would mean the light of the world was concieved during
the festival of lights.

Yeshua was born 40 weeks later (around week 77 that is week 25 of the
following year) this brings us to the time of the fall feasts.

    There are several clues that Yeshua was born at Sukkot:

1.  Bethleham was "booked solid."  This would not have been due
census which would have taken place over the period of a year.
Every Jew was required to come to Jerusalem for Sukkot (Dt. 16:16)
this would have over run Jerusalem as well as Bethleham just
five miles away.

2.  Yeshua was born in a stable.  The Hebrew word for "stable"
is "sukkah" (as in Gen. 33:17) so it is likely that Yeshua was born
in a Sukkah/booth.

3.  If Yeshua was born on the first day of Sukkot then he would
have been circumcised on the "eigth great day" a festival following
Sukkot.  This day was the original "Simchat Torah" (Rejoicing in
the Torah) which is now held the following day in Rabbinic Judaism.
So Yeshua would have entered the covenant on the day of "rejoicing
in the Torah."

4.  When the angels appeared to the shepherds they made a statement
which closely echos the ancient Sukkot liturgy "...behold, we have come
to declare to you glad tidings of great joy." (Lk. 2:10-11)

5.  Sukkot is symbolic of God dwelling in a "tabernacle" (body?)
with us.

Now in Mt. 2:7-8, 16 Herod kills all the children two and under.  The
fact that he killed such a wide range indicates that he did not know
quite how long ago Messiah had been born.  Yeshua's parants fled to
Egypt until they herad Herod was dead.  They were back in bethleham in
time to perform Miriam's (Mary's) purificationa nd Yeshua's dedication
on the 4oth day after Yeshua's birth (as required by Torah) (Luke.
2:22-38.  By this time Herod had to be dead or they could not have come
to the Tempole in Jerusalem.  Herod had to have died during the 40 days
between Yeshua's birth, and his dedication 40 days later.  Herod is
known to have died in September of 4 B.C.E.  So Yeshua had to have born
in the fall (this rueles out that Zechariah could have been serving
during Abijah's second course of the year, since that would place
Yeshua's birth in the Spring and not allow for Herod's death during the
40 days after his birth in the fall).  This also tells us that the year
of Yeshua's birth was 4 B.C.E.

**********************************************************

Return to Newsgroup Archives Main Page

Return to our Main Webpage


©2011 Hebraic Heritage Ministries International. Designed by Web Design by JB.