Considering issues around the biblical narrative

True joy at the heart of Christmas

The awesome wonder of how the Creator came to live among us

Whatever you may think as harassed shoppers or parents, Christmas does not come too soon. It’s an example of God’s perfect timing, though I appreciate that the Messiah’s actual birthday was more likely to have been during the Feast of Tabernacles.

There was precise timing in the Divine coming, nevertheless. Naturally speaking, the Christ child should have been born in Nazareth. But because Caesar intervened and ordered a census, the holy family were forced to travel some 80 miles to Bethlehem (the town of David, from which their lineage was traced), thus fulfilling the prophecy of Micah:

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (Micah 5:2)

The stars lined up with such precision, and in such brilliance, that the Wise Men were able to follow the light all the way to the little town near Jerusalem, where the flawless sheep were traditionally prepared for Passover.

And the shepherds on the surrounding hills were perfectly placed to respond to the angelic call to come and worship the new-born King, also to become the Good Shepherd leading his flock to fresh pasture.

Prophetic Statements

Among the precious gifts the Wise Men brought was myrrh, a prophetic statement of the Messiah’s sacrificial death to come as the ultimate Passover Lamb, when he would die on the Cross for the sins of the world – myrrh was used for embalming the deceased for burial.

Bethlehem means ‘House of Bread’ and indeed Jesus was to describe himself as the “bread of life” (John 6:35) whose body (symbolised by the bread of communion) would be given for us, his death bringing us life. Jesus adds: “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Naturally speaking, the Christ child should have been born in Nazareth. But because Caesar intervened, the holy family were forced to travel to Bethlehem, in fulfilment of ancient prophecy.

So the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem and the Wise Men led to the infant King through a once-in-a-blue-moon lining up of the stars were all part of God’s perfect timing. Everything in God’s perfect plan was in the right place at the right time.

Frankincense. See Photo Credits.

The Apostle Paul, referring to the Messiah’s sacrifice, writes: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6).

Immanuel

The gift of frankincense, also brought by the Wise Men, represents the fragrance of God’s presence and speaks of Immanuel, God with us, which is also the central thought of the Feast of Tabernacles, celebrating the time when God made his presence known to the wandering Israelites in the wilderness – providing food, water and shelter in the parched desert environment.

Now, through the one born to be King (hence the gift of gold), God has actually taken on flesh to tabernacle (or live) among us. And at the end of his earthly ministry, the risen Lord promises to be ‘with us’ (his followers) forever, until the end of the age (Matt 28:20).

He Cares!

The reality of God being with us came home very strongly to my wife Linda and I during our recent extended stay in Israel caused by visa problems. Not only did we base ourselves at a guesthouse called Beit Immanuel (Beit = house) but we also learnt perhaps as never before that he really is ‘with you’ when you trust him absolutely.

After all, we weren’t even sure if our bank account could stand up to the pressure, but in the midst of the storm, when the wind and tide is against you, Jesus comes into your boat and says: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Mark 6:50). When you cast all your cares on him, he does indeed care for you (1 Pet 5:7). He is in control – even over immigration officials and government departments.

Through the one born to be King, God actually took on flesh to tabernacle (or live) among us.

And so we were able to enjoy the extra rest, relaxation and beachside restaurants the Lord had graciously provided for us. And documents we needed to board our re-booked flight home arrived in the nick of time – God isn’t in a hurry, but he is punctual. He came at just the right time for you and I to receive him and make him Lord of our lives.

Modern Bethlehem. See Photo Credits.God with Us

The Apostle John records: “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…” (John 1:11-14).

The new-born King of 2,000 years ago desires to make his presence known this Christmas with many new-born believers!

Why not turn the words of this carol into a personal prayer? “Oh holy child of Bethlehem, descend to me I pray; cast out my sin and enter in, be born in me today.”

A day will come when no-one will dare dispute who rules Jerusalem

Predictable fury has erupted in the wake of President Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Days of rage, incited by Palestinian leaders, have been accompanied by a chorus of condemnation from European and other political chiefs – with the honourable exception of the Czech Republic and some African countries.

And it’s all about simply acknowledging a fact of history – that Jerusalem has links with Israel going back at least 3,000 years and has long been regarded by Jews everywhere as their capital. But this is disputed by much of the Arab world and beyond.

So, tragically, violence once more spoils the precious scene of Christ’s nativity – he was born in Bethlehem, just five miles from the disputed city – just when billions of believers are about to celebrate his birth there some 2,000 years ago.

Although he was, and is, the Prince of Peace prophesied by Isaiah 700 years earlier, Jesus did also say that even members of the same family would be divided over him (Luke 12:49-53), and it was prophesied over the new-born King that he would be a sign spoken against (Luke 2:34). His promised peace is only felt by those who choose his rule over their lives.

The Nations Rage and Plot

The Bible asks: “Why do the nations rage [or conspire] and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles’” (Psalm 2:1-3).

But the One enthroned in Heaven is not impressed, declaring: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain” (verse 6).

Although he was, and is, the Prince of Peace, Jesus did also say that even members of the same family would be divided over him.

These ancient words of Scripture perfectly mirror the rebellious, murderous reaction to God’s purposes today. The psalmist adds: “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling” (vv10-11).

Notice the phrase, “let us throw off their shackles”, which speaks of the rebellion against God’s rule through much of what was formerly known as ‘Western civilisation’, built up as such on the foundations of the Christian Gospel.

Faith That Can Move Mountains

Discipleship of the One born in a ‘cattle shed’ in David’s ‘royal city’ comes down to faith in God and the courage of our convictions.

Like him or loathe him, President Trump has chosen to surround himself with advisors who have this kind of faith and know the importance of doing the right thing, even if unpopular and liable to cause outrage in the short term.

I have a wonderful friend from Morecambe called Mollie who has a very feisty, practical faith. When she got burgled recently, and the police called round to take a statement and give her a ‘crime number’, she was told not to expect to get anything back as her case would be filed in a drawer and probably forgotten about.

This is not a criticism of our hard-pressed police, who are short-staffed and run ragged by a spiralling crime rate. However, Mollie would not accept that faithless outlook and boldly declared to the man in uniform that God was able to restore her stolen items.

Next day, to her astonishment, her neighbourhood was crawling with police searching for clues and, in no time at all, she was rewarded for her faith with a pile of returned items, including her precious coat.

Discipleship of the One born in a ‘cattle shed’ in David’s ‘royal city’ comes down to faith in God and the courage of our convictions.

Another inspiring example of faith is that of William Cooke who, as a 15-year-old lad from Yorkshire, went on a short-term mission to Mexico, and while staying at a children’s home there, told his youth leader that God had spoken to him and that he would return to Mexico as a missionary one day. It happened just as he said and today, after nearly 20 years of serving in that country – currently running a home for abandoned children - he and his wife Katie have won state recognition with a $12,000 award for outstanding service to social care.

Jesus said that we could “move mountains” through faith in God (Mark 11:22-25).

Peace On Earth

In fact, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb 11:6). Israel was built on the faith of Abraham and his seed while punishment in the form of repeated exile followed rebellion against God’s ways and faith being placed in man-made idols.

It’s important to note that the focus of Hebrews 11’s long list of our spiritual forebears who exemplified great faith was not on the things of this world, but on the Heavenly glory to come.

Peace on earth – especially in the Middle East – will certainly not be built on the secular humanist philosophies of Western or any other leaders who seem unable even to settle sharp differences within their own political parties. It will come only by recognising the One who is meant to be what Christmas is all about – ‘the reason for the season’ - the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ.

You can know his peace within your heart today, and you can look forward to the peace he will bring to earth when he returns to reign from Jerusalem (Zech 14:4-9; Isa 11:6-9)! There will be no dispute about who rules the city then.

Happy Christmas!

Jewish and Christian feasts in rare convergence.

When the stars lined up to lighten the path of the Wise Men as they travelled from the East to worship the new-born King of the Jews, it was the dawning of an amazing new era: an era of light.

Now, 2,000 years later, the Jewish feast of Hanukkah coincides with Christmas. They are usually close together, but such a precise convergence doesn't often happen (the last time was 2005; before that it was 1959). Both are festivals of light cheerily illuminating our dreary winter days with sparkling symbols of God's intervention in human affairs.

But at a time of unprecedented threat both to Israel and the Gentile Christian world, are we about to see God's light shine as never before in the midst of the darkness, with growing recognition – especially in Israel – of the Messiah who appeared as a helpless babe in Bethlehem?

The Story of Hanukkah

Special candles will be lit all over Jerusalem to remind her people of the time, in 167 BC, when God came to their rescue. The ruthless Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus Epiphanes had desecrated the Jewish Temple by sacrificing a pig there and blasphemously proclaiming himself God. Judah Maccabee led a brave and successful revolt against the tyrant and re-established temple worship ('Hanukkah' means dedication) with the aid of the menorah (seven-branched candlestick) which burned miraculously for eight days despite having only enough oil for a day – the Greeks had polluted the rest.

I believe this event foreshadowed another great rescue, less than two centuries later, when the Jewish Messiah – the light of all mankind (John 1:4) – was born in a stable at nearby Bethlehem, as prophesied in the Scriptures (Mic 5:2). And now, much of the world is lit up with brightly-coloured decorations – for many people, in commemoration of his birth.

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light..." Isaiah prophesied of Yeshua (Isa 9:2) who did not at first lead Israel in a military victory, although that will indeed happen one day (Zech 12:9), but came to cast his glorious light on a dark world and bring peace, hope and comfort to all those who seek him.

At a time of unprecedented threat, are we about to see God's light shine as never before in the midst of the darkness?

King of the Jews

I love Christmas, partly because it draws my faith back to its roots in Israel. Tragically, much of the Western Church seems for the rest of the year to have divorced itself from the Jewish state, as if it were unrelated to the ongoing story of the Church.

Hanukkah in Israel, 2013.

But there is no getting away from the Messiah's birth being inextricably linked with Bethlehem and Jerusalem, as the carols clearly reflect: Once in Royal David's City, O Little Town of Bethlehem, O come, O come, Emmanuel...shall come to thee O Israel. And, in The First Nowell (an archaic word for Christmas), the chorus keeps repeating the line "born is the King of Israel!"

The Bible clearly teaches that the Messiah will come first as the "suffering servant" (Isa 53) and then, in the fullness of time, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, ruling and reigning from Jerusalem as the 'Lion of the tribe of Judah' (Rev 5:5) after finally defeating God's enemies on the mountains of Israel.

So it is that, as with his first coming, the focus returns to Israel for his second advent. Should we Christians not more adequately prepare ourselves for this great event by re-aligning our hearts with the hopes and aspirations of God's chosen people? We are in this together.

The anti-Semitic hatred currently manifested through Islamic State and related terrorist groups (and in past generations through Haman, Hitler and others) is directed at those who look to the God of Israel – first the Jews, then the Christians. Encouraged by growing co-operation on this level in the face of an implacable foe, we hope for increasing revelation for all that the child born to a virgin (Isa 7:14) is the true Messiah – Emmanuel (God with us) – who fulfilled all the Jewish scriptures. As the carol put it so beautifully, "He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all." It's an awesome truth. He is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) promised, first to the Jews, and also to the Gentiles (Rom 1:16).

There is no getting away from the Messiah's birth being inextricably linked with Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Bringing Light to All Who Will Believe

Friends from Ireland, Velma and Alan Beattie, at a Christian worship festival in Antrim, Northern Ireland, recently heard the amazing first-hand account of a man who had just returned from Ethiopia, where he had been to look for a remote Jewish village that is under severe persecution. "When he arrived he was told that the people had seen a vision that a man would come bringing light to them. And so he was able to share with them about the light of the world, Yeshua!"¹

Avi Snyder, European Director of Jews for Jesus, tells of a time when his colleague Julia asked a young woman called Miriam to read Isaiah 53, written around 700 BC. "Miriam's eyes literally grew wide as she read from her own Bible the description of the Servant of the Lord killed as an atonement for our sins."

"Does this sound like anyone you've ever heard about?" Julia asked. "It sounds like Jesus," Miriam replied. And, after re-reading the passage, she asked, "Why don't the rabbis believe this?"

"Actually, that's the wrong question," Julia said. "The right question is, 'why don't you believe this?'" Miriam thought for another moment, then said, "I do."²

Just a few chapters later, Isaiah wrote, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn" (Isa 60:1-3).

As with Jesus's first coming, the focus returns to Israel for his second advent.

The Festival of Dedication

Jesus himself celebrated Hanukkah – also referred to as the 'Festival of Dedication' – and it was there that he came under fierce attack from the Jewish religious leaders. As they debated with him about his identity, they threatened to stone him for blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God (John 10:22-42). The encouraging thing about this account is that Jesus subsequently returned across the Jordan to where his cousin John had earlier been baptising, and many followed him there and came to believe in him.

Today we rejoice that more and more Israelis, along with Jews across the diaspora, are putting their trust in Yeshua who, at Christmas, came to dwell (or tabernacle) among us (John 1:14).

Have a happy Hanukkah and a blessed Christmas!

References

1 CMJ Ireland News, October 2016. [CMJ = Church's Ministry among the Jewish people.]

2 Jews for Jesus Newsletter, December 2016. Adapted excerpt from Avi Snyder's forthcoming book Jews Don't Need Jesus – and Other Misconceptions, due out in the spring of 2017.

Clifford Denton discusses the probable date of Jesus' birth, how we got to 25 December and what that means for us today.

There is no known record from early Christian writers concerning the celebration of Christmas. For example, neither of the prominent writers Tertullian (c. AD 155-220) or Irenaeus (late 3^rd Century AD) included Christmas in their lists of Christian feasts. It is therefore generally considered that the Christian festival of Christmas began being celebrated officially sometime after AD 300. In terms of the date we use now, 25 December, the first recorded celebration was in Rome in AD 336.¹

The Pagan Roots of Christmas

Many Christians are now re-thinking the practices of the faith, being concerned to return faithfully to its Hebraic roots. They are concerned that what may have begun as a genuine remembrance of the birth of Jesus (possibly in the 1^st Century AD, incorporated into the biblical Feasts of the Lord) was moved to 25 December in an attempt to Christianise the pagan Roman festival of the sun god Sol Invictus, celebrating the 'birthday of the sun'. In the English language this allows an interesting play on words, but other than that it is not difficult to see that the marrying of the two celebrations is rather fragile.

However, there can be no doubt that God has brought much blessing to families and communities, and immense opportunities to proclaim the Gospel, during the Christmas season. The birth of Jesus is recorded in Scripture and it is something to celebrate every day. Indeed, if we were able to establish the correct date for his birth then Christian ethics of love and sharing and many of the wonderful carols we sing at Christmas could transfer seamlessly to that date or season.

So let us not be too harsh in our judgment as we celebrate this Advent season once more - but let us get our focus clear. Once more we will surely know the blessing of God; yet we might also consider whether he is gradually seeking to re-focus us - and why.

Christians desiring to recover the Hebraic roots of the faith often become concerned that the remembrance of the birth of Jesus was moved to 25 December.

When Was Jesus Really Born?

When, then, was Jesus actually born? We have no clear conclusion from Scripture, but it does give us clues to develop a compelling argument that it was during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Let us begin in Luke 1:5, where we discover that Zacharias was a priest from the division of Abijah. The divisions of the priests were established by King David (1 Chron 24) who appointed 24 Levitical families in a certain order for ministering in the Temple. We discover (verse 10) that Abijah was the seventh division, which would place his priestly responsibility in the first half of the fourth month. If the counting of the Jewish year began at Passover (the beginning of the biblical year – Exodus 12:2), the fourth month after Passover would be Tammuz (around June/July).² We can then estimate when John the Baptist was conceived, i.e. after Zacharias returned home in the middle of the fourth month (Luke 1:23-24).

We know, by reading on in Luke 1, that it was after six more months that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. All this has some approximation, but in putting the clues together there is a strong suggestion that John the Baptist would be born nine months on from the second half of Tammuz: in the middle of the first month (Nissan) of the following year. Jesus would be born six months later, in the middle of the seventh month (Tishrei, around September/October).

Bearing in mind that the Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 14^th day of the seventh month (Lev 23:34), the calculation may be exact to that date. If not exact, the strong implication is that Jesus was born (i.e. came to earth to dwell/tabernacle amongst us) during the season of the latter feasts, which includes both the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast announced with the blowing of Trumpets.

All this makes much more sense than 25 December, especially when it also brings to mind his Second Coming, which will also be announced by the blowing of a trumpet (1 Thess 4:16)!

So What?

So, what does this mean for us who are already well into another traditional Advent season? I have, for many years, been among those who have desired and encouraged a return to the biblical roots of our faith. Yet, I have also known the blessings of a traditional Western Christian Christmas, especially as a child in the 1940s and 1950s in post-World War II Britain, when family bonds were strong and when community Christmases centred on remembering the birth of Jesus.

I know that some of those who strongly promote the Jewish roots of Christianity would be quick to argue against any Christmas emphasis, but personally I am uneasy about over-reacting in this. Is our Father in Heaven, whilst increasingly warning us of the pagan roots of the celebrations around 25 December, nevertheless encouraging us to get our priorities straight rather than acting in haste? The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath!

The implication of Scripture is that Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacles - or at least during the season of the latter feasts.

Priorities in Our Remembering

Jesus told us to remember his death until he comes (cf. his birth), through the sharing of the bread and wine of Passover. Yet, in balance, we must also remember his birth as the Son of Man.

It could well be that he was born on the Feast of Tabernacles. Those shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem were most likely those who cared for the flocks of lambs prepared for slaughter at the Feasts. How appropriate that they were among the first to see the Lamb of God, who had come to take away the sins of the world. And if it was the time of this Feast, then it is little wonder that the inn in Bethlehem was so full of pilgrims. How differently we understand the Christmas story when taken in context.

As to the exact date, even though it is not known for sure, we are surely to understand that the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled through the Second Coming of Jesus. If we divert our attentions away from this truth, we will end up unprepared for his arrival. Conversely, recalling his First Coming at the Feast of Tabernacles will help us to prepare for his Second Coming, through concentrating on the priorities of that Feast. If Passover helps us look back and remember his death, then Tabernacles helps us recall his birth and, more importantly in the context of our age, look forward to his return.

Look Up!

As we celebrate this year, let us do so whole-heartedly, as our Thought for the Week this week encourages us to do. Surely, God will still bless us as we sing carols, witness in the world and share love together in community and family. But let us not be foolish with the worldly trappings that divert us from the prime focus of the season. And let us not look down overmuch at the troubles of this world, nor concentrate our attention too exclusively on a now-empty manger.

In the coming days it is my hope that we will gradually adjust our perspective on what we call Christmas, to re-home it among the biblical Feasts of the Lord (especially in relation to Tabernacles). Perhaps our attraction to the tinsel of Christmas will fade away! But whatever happens, let us look up, for he will come back when the world least expects him. Indeed, is it now time to concentrate more on his Second Coming than on his First? Are you ready for Christmas?

Is it time to focus more on Jesus's Second Coming than on his First?

Notes

1 See Wikipedia's page on the origins of Christmas.

2 Ezra, after the Babylonian captivity, led Judah back to the biblical pattern of worship. It is a reasonable assumption that the order of the priesthood would be according to the pre-captivity order, but it is an assumption.