CML Shearings

Hanukkah starts this year at sunset on December 21st & concludes at sundown on December 29th. Among Messianic Jewish believers it has been popular to teach that Yeshua was not really born at Christmas time but rather at the Festival of Tabernacles - Sukkot. Some are now supporting that Yeshua may have been born the first day of Hanukkah. In reading the gospels, the reader is struck by the frequent imagery of light clearly associated with Yeshua's birth. (Mt. 2:1-12; Lk.2:1-14; Jn. 1:1-9) The story of His birth appears to be intentionally told against the backdrop of this imagery of light. The prophets use similar imagery in texts that relate to Messiah's coming. (ie. Isa.9:1-7; 60:1-3) In the first century - as today - the most recognizable aspect of the Hanukkah celebration was the kindling of the lights for eight days. In "light" of this, it is striking to read Simeon's response to the circumcision & dedication of Yeshua in the Temple when He was eight days old: "My eyes have seen your salvation...a light for revelation to the Gentiles & the glory of your people Israel." (Lk. 2:30-32) On the eighth day the Hanukkah lights would have been at their fullest & brightest since all eight candles would be lit, providing a most appropriate setting for Simeon's statement!

Luke 1:26-27 is often cited as evidence of a fall birth for Yeshua, when coupled with calculations as to when Zechariah's priestly division was scheduled to minister at the Temple. If it is assumed that this verse refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, the calculations may well be valid. (It is also assumed by the advocates of a Sukkot birth date that the angel's announcement to Zechariah about John's birth & his conception occurred at virtually the same time, which is not necessarily the case.) However, the text of Luke 1:26 does not say "her" sixth month as it does is verse 36. Rather, it says "the" sixth month. In other words, this is a simple calendar reference such as frequently occurs throughout Scripture. When Mary arrived to visit her relative Elizabeth, Mary was pregnant. (vv. 40-44) The onset of her pregnancy apparently coincided with the angel's announcement "in the sixth month". Working from the most commonly used Jewish calendar in the first century- which approximates the one in use today - Yeshua's birth nine months later would have occurred in the third month, the month of Kislev. Hanukkah always begins on the 25th of Kislev.

There is also some interesting prophetic imagery related to this time of year in Haggai. Haggai 2:6-9 describes the Messiah's arrival as the coming of the "desired of all nations" who will "fill God's house (in this context, the second Temple) with glory," a glory such that "the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house" (the first Temple, which Solomon built). These events are then connected with the events of verses 18-23, which are in turn connected to the day following the laying of the foundation of the second Temple . That event occurred on the 24th day of the ninth month; in other words the Messiah's arrival is connected with the 25th day of the ninth month. Using the calendar current in Haggai's day, the ninth month is Kislev, hence Kislev 25.

Hippolytus was a second century church leader who was also a calendar expert. His testimony - the earliest such testimony regarding Yeshua's birth outside of Scripture - was that December 25 was the commonly accepted date of Yeshua's birth. The simplest transformation of Kislev 25 (the first day of Hanukkah) from the Jewish calendar into the one current today is December 25.

Regardless of any agreement or disagreement over the precise date of Yeshua's birth, let's all celebrate His coming in the reality of Isaiah 60:1. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is revealed to you!" Have a Merry Hanukkah & Happy Christmas! ( I borrowed this research & write-up from Rabbi John Fischer, PhD, ThD)