Birth Date of Messiah
Christianity contends that the Bible does not provide the birth date of Yahusha (Jesus). However, this date is explicitly disclosed to readers in the book of Luke, specifically in Luke 1. This article aims to demonstrate that Yahusha was born on Shavuot (Pentecost, Firstfruits), precisely on the 16th day of the third month. Additionally, it will be emphasized that His birth aligns with one of Yahuah’s feast days, which is to be observed annually.
In Luke 1, it is explicitly mentioned that the angel visited Maria in the sixth month. The context of this visitation is crucial. According to the traditional understanding, this is often linked to the sixth month of the Gregorian calendar. However, the context of the passage suggests that it is more likely referring to the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar, which is Elul.
Now, in the same chapter, Maria is informed by the angel Gabriel about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. The angel states that Elizabeth is in her sixth month of pregnancy. If we assume that Elizabeth conceived at the beginning of the Hebrew calendar year, which is in the month of Nisan, then by the sixth month (Elul), she would indeed be in her sixth month of pregnancy.
Considering this, it becomes apparent that when the angel visited Maria in the sixth month (Elul), it was precisely the time when Elizabeth was also in her sixth month of pregnancy. This synchronicity provides a key piece of information about the timing of events.
If Maria conceived shortly after the angel’s visitation in the sixth month, and a pregnancy typically lasts around 9.3 lunar months (the average length of a pregnancy in lunar months), then counting forward from Elul, we would arrive at the middle of the third Hebrew month, which is Sivan. This aligns with the idea that Yahusha (Jesus) was born approximately in the middle of the third Hebrew month.
Therefore, drawing from Luke 1 and aligning the events with the Hebrew calendar, there is a compelling argument for Yahusha’s birth occurring around the middle of the third Hebrew month, specifically in the month of Sivan.
And in the sixth month the messenger Gabriel was sent from Aluhym unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27
If Mary (Miriam) conceived in the 6th month at the time of Gabriel’s visitation, as stated above, as happened with Sarah in Jubilees 16 and Genesis 21:2, fast-forward 9 months, and Yahusha was born at an appointed time in the 3rd month.
I’m also seeing a prophecy of Messiah, the One who renews the covenant with us, to be born on Shabuot. Isaac is a type of Messiah, in that, recorded events in His life prophesy of Messiah. Just as Isaac was chosen to be the “only” son of Abraham the father to be offered to YaHUaH on the Mount, so also Yahusha was the “only-begotten” Son of YaHUaH the Father who would be a sacrifice for us on the Mount. Isaac’s life was saved at the last moment, because YaHUaH provided a ram, this was “like” a resurrection, in that he came close to death and was saved. So also, the date of Isaac’s birth, prophesied Messiah’s birth. Evidence in Jubilees 16 that Isaac was born in the 3rd month, on First Fruits:
And in the middle of the sixth month YaHUaH visited Sarah and did unto her as He had spoken and she conceived. And she bare a son in the third month, and in the middle of the month, at the time of which YaHUaH had spoken to Abraham, on the festival of the first fruits of the harvest, Isaac was born. Jubilees 16:12-14
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which Aluhym had spoken to him. Genesis 21:2
NOTE: In Gen 21:2, the phrase, “set time” is moed/muad, in Hebrew, it was an appointed time. He wasn’t born on Christmas in winter, He wasn’t born at Passover or Sukkot.
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which Aluhym had spoken to him. Genesis 21:2
NOTE: In Gen 21:2, the phrase, “set time” is moed/muad, in Hebrew, it was an appointed time.
First fruits is about life, fruit, birth, being brought forth. I believe Isaac (a TYPE of Messiah) and Yahusha were both born on Shabuot, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, on the 16th of the 3rd month. Luke 1 says Gabriel appeared unto Mary in the 6th month, announcing she would conceive THE Messiah. Fast forward 9 months, that brings us to the 3rd month, the month of Shabuot, for the birth of YaHUaH’s firstborn, HIS first fruit…
Compare these events with the account in Jubilees regarding when Sarah was visited and informed of a promised son, also in the 6th month, with a birth of that promise in the 3rd month, on the Feast of First Fruits. The similarities are difficult to be dismissed as coincidence. I believe Isaac’s birth on this significant feast and date was prophetic of Messiah’s birth, just as the sacrifice of Isaac was a prophecy of Messiah’s death. The One who renewed the covenant with us upon His death with His blood, who put the law in our hearts, was born on First Fruits, the appointed time for renewing our covenant with YaHUaH. See Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Hebrews 8:8.
2 Chronicles 15 – Covenant Renewal in the 3rd Month
…For this reason it is ordained and written on the heavenly tablets, that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in this month once a year, to renew the covenant every year… Jubilees 6:17-18
Notice Jubilees 6 says the Feast of Weeks is a renewal of the covenant annually. I have written an article on 2 Chronicles 15, showing how the events at Sinai were very similar to the events in 2 Chron 15. The chapter seems to support Jubilees 6. Let me know if you are interested in receiving this article. YaHUaH has a pattern of renewing covenants with us in the 3rd month.
The people gathered at Jerusalem in the third month during the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. On that day they sacrificed to YaHUaH 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle. Then they entered into a covenant to seek YaHUaH…2 Chronicles 15:10-12
They shouted out their oath of loyalty to YaHUaH with trumpets blaring and rams’ horns sounding. 15 All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. 2 Chronicles 15:14-15
No Feasts of Covenant Renewal in 4th or 5th Months
I’ve searched the scriptures and have not found one instance of a chag with covenant renewal in the 4th or 5th months, only fasting, sword, destruction, death, and judgment. If we are to believe Shabuot should occur in the 4th or 5th month, should there not be at least one other witness of this in the Tanakh? We need 2-3 witnesses to establish every matter, that would include the date for Shabuot. You’d think if Shabuot were in the 4th month or the 5th month, we’d see Israel gathering in Jerusalem for a chag at that time somewhere in the Tanakh. I believe 2 Chronicles 15 is the witness for the feast in the 3RD month.
I found one instance of Ezra instituting a fast (not a feast) on the 1st of the 5th month, after return from Babylon, in Ezra 7 & 8. While Ezra’s fast was honored, the fast first mentioned in Ezra 8:21 became an annual tradition, and after that, YaHUaH rejected this annual fast, because it was not sincere.
3000 Israelites died (not saved, not born again) at the sin of the golden calf, which occurred at end of the 4th month/beginning of the 5th month.
Aaron, the one who made the golden calf idol, died on the 1st day of the 5th month.
Also, the assaults against and the destruction of the Temple occurred in this timeframe.
False Appointed Times and Golden Calves
“And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to YaHUaH.” Exodus 32:4-5
Some lunar Sabbath keepers quote this verse claiming it’s proof that Shabuot was the day they reveled in pagan worship around the calf idol, and Moses came down and broke the tablets, because Aaron proclaimed that day to be a feast. They say that, because there is no mention of Aaron being rebuked for proclaiming a false appointed time, that means there must have really been a chag on the calendar that day. That’s a huge assumption. There’s actually another mention in scripture of a king in Israel committing the same sin once they enter the land, also involving a false chag and golden calves. Remember Jeroboam? As we go to the next slide, keep in mind what Aaron said at the top of this slide, when he called the calf their gods that brought them out of Egypt.
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 1 Kings 12:28
Right here, Jeroboam has made two golden calves, no doubt inspired by the counsel he received from the wrong people, who copied the sins of Aaron, because in this verse, Jeroboam actually quotes Aaron. In Exodus 32, verse 4, Aaron said, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. It does appear this idea originated with Aaron. But this isn’t the only similarity between the two events…
And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense. 1 Kings 12:32-33
Jeroboam ordained a false appointed time, just as Aaron did when he declared of his own devising: To morrow is a feast to YaHUaH! Exodus 32:5
The promise of the covenant stated in Exodus 19:6 was that IF Israel kept His covenant, they would be a KINGDOM of PRIESTS and a kadosh nation. In the instance with Aaron and the calf, it was the HIGH PRIEST himself who was chosen by the people to lead the nation of Israel into this sin in the making and worshipping of this calf. In Jeroboam’s case, he was a KING who ordained FALSE PRIESTS who were not of Levi, to lead the nation into the same sins Aaron did.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 History repeats itself. Jeroboam’s sin happened because it happened with Aaron. Jeroboam was not the last to commit this sin, it happened again, other kings and priests have risen up over the years (Constantine, the Pope, etc…) to change appointed times and laws, and it will continue…
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Daniel 7:24-25
I pray we learn from Aaron and Jeroboam NOT to declare false appointed times centered around idol worship, devised from our own hearts. Let us be the nation of Kings and Priests (Rev 1:6 and 5:10) who are kadosh because of the covenant we are in with YaHUaH, to keep all His laws and appointed times.