Can the date of Jesus' birth be biblically verified (part 7)

 

1.      The Ministry of Jesus Christ

It was known when Jesus Christ attained the age of thirty, for according to the law of the priesthood, “from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting:” Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli” (Numbers 4:3; Luke 3:23).

Now, His ministry officially began with the Feast of Tabernacles for it is written; “Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come” (John 7:2-8).

Now when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret and about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?" Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.” (John 7:10, 1-16).

On that same last day of the Feast of Tabernacles whilst Jesus was teaching in the temple, some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from" (John 7:25-27).

The question is, are we still holding on to the notion that no one knows when Jesus Christ was born! How long are we going to continue promulgating this lie and denying the Lord of His honor and glory? How long are we going to continue worshiping the creature and the creation instead of the Creator?

2.      Jesus’ trial before Pilate

When Jesus appeared before Pilate, he said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (John 18:37).

Here again we see as foretold by the prophet Isaiah, that the main objective for the Word becoming flesh is to be King  to reign over the kingdom of David from the time of His birth forever. And so we have been admonished saying; “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zachariah 14:16-18).

Here one can see clearly that the Feast of Tabernacles is affiliated with the worship of the King, a title that was bestowed on Jesus Christ from birth, and the Eighth day of the feast commemorates the circumcision of Jesus Christ.

Even the sugar coating and excuses find for celebrating Christmas calling it a time for family reunion is a theme and custom taken from the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as we have been instructed saying; “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice” (Deuteronomy 16:13-15).

For someone to say that no one knows the date of Christ’s birth is a liar and a deceiver because the scriptures are replete with concrete evidence that Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords and the Feast of Tabernacles with the Eighth day festival is to commemorate the birth and circumcision of Jesus Christ.

So then the root cause for the notion that no one knows the date of Jesus's birth is their refusal and denial to honor and glorify Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords  a title that was prophesied and bestowed upon Him from birth  and will be observed and celebrated in His honor forever.

 The date of Jesus Christ's birth has and could never be a secret because the angel who announced the birth of Jesus Christ said to the shepherds "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.."

Therefore, if it was a secret or unknown, the question is who hid it? But truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, the question is will you?

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph