A Christmas Message You Don’t Want To Hear

Christians and their understanding of Christmas

Luke 1:5-24 (NASB)

The birth of John

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah;

1 Chronicles 24:1-10 (NASB)

The eighth for Abijah

2 Chronicles 23:8(NASB)

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7 Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, 8 the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim,

9 the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, 10 the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah,

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23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

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Jesus’ Birth Foretold Luke 1:26-33 (NASB)

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,

36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

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John was born in March around Passover the first month of Jewish calendar

It was customary for Jews to drink 4 cups of wine before the Passover meal representing the 4 redemptive promises made by God to His people

Exodus 6:6-7 (NASB) 6 Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

7 Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

The fifth cup is called the cup of Elijah

They did this to celebrate the forerunner John

17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah…

Malachi 4:4-6 (NASB)

Matthew 17:10-13 (NASB)

John was born during Passover It was their hope that Elijah would come during Passover

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When was Jesus born?

32

The feast of Tabernacle

Leviticus 23:29-43 (NASB)

The Feast of Tabernacles, also called Booths, comes on the fifteenth of Tishri (September-October), the seventh month according to the Jewish (biblical) calendar. This was the third feast that required a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship in the Temple and offer sacrifices and offering to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 16:16-17 (NASB)

This is Israel’s Thanksgiving feast in which they acknowledge the Fall harvest and God’s provision for them. It is happy celebration and a time of joy and rejoicing.

This feast also remembers Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their subsequent wandering in the wilderness for forty years. During this time Israel lived in tents and worshiped at the Tabernacle which was also a tent. To remember this time the Jews build small tabernacles or booths which walls of plaited branches and thatched roofs as God instructed in Leviticus 23:42.

For seven days they were to live in these booths as a vivid reminder of the days in the wilderness living in tents. This was a way to acknowledge that GOD is with us.

John 1:14 (NASB) 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 1:23 (NASB) 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Jesus was not born on December 25th

Why was December 25th chosen to be Jesus’ birthday?