Was Jesus Born on Sukkot?

As the world celebrates Christmas, an interpretation of the time of Yeshua’s [Jesus’] birth is gaining credibility in Messianic Jewish circles. A closer look at the Scriptures suggests that Yeshua was born during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles:

• According to Luke 1:5-9, there was a certain priest named Zechariah who served in the 8th rotation of Abijah. These priestly rotations are also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24:10.

• Zechariah’s service was set to take place in the second half of the month of the Hebrew month of Tammuz (around the end of June, July). There were 24 priestly rotations during the biblical year, each lasting two weeks. The first set began in Nissan (around the end of March, April), the first month of the Jewish calendar (Exodus 12:2).

• After finishing his two weeks of service in the Temple, Zechariah came home to his wife Elizabeth (Luke 1:23-24) who soon after became pregnant. This took place around the first day of the Hebrew month of Av (around the end of July, August).

• At the beginning of her sixth month of pregnancy (Luke 1:26, 36) her cousin Mary (Miriam in Hebrew) also became pregnant. That takes us to the first half of the month of Tevet (around December, January).

• Mary “went with haste’ to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who had been barren (verse 39). Mary stayed with Elizabeth during the first three months of her own pregnancy until Elizabeth gave birth to John (verses 56 and 57).

• That means John was born in the middle of the month of Nissan during Passover (around April). It is significant that on the Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Sabbath that precedes Passover, this passage is read in synagogues: “Behold, I am going to send you Eliah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5). John, the precursor and herald of the Messiah, was now born. Luke 1:17 says about him, “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children…”

• Therefore, Yeshua was born six months after John in the middle of the month of Tishri (around the second half of September, October) during a full moon, at the beginning of Sukkot. Nine months after Mary’s conception, the middle of the month of Tevet, takes us right to Sukkot, the 15th of Tishri.

If further proof is needed, it can be found in Luke 2:8””In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.”
According to Bible scholars, the usual custom was to send the flocks out around Passover (March-April) and bring them back at the beginning of the rainy season, around mid-October. Prayers for rain traditionally begin immediately after Sukkot.
It is also well known that the observance of Christmas on December 25th has pagan origins. In the Roman Empire, it was the celebration of the rebirth of the sun, observed during winter solstice. When the Roman Empire adopted Christianity, it was convenient to turn this pagan observance into the celebration of the birth of the Messiah to win over the masses.
But regardless of the Yeshua’s birth date, the eternal message remains the same: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great you which will be for all peoples; for unto us this day is born, in the city of David, a Savior who is Messiah the Lord!” (Luke 2:10-11).
This article is written after Michael Schneider, Israel Today, December 2008.
Some explanations:
Yeshua, the original Hebrew name of Jesus.
Israel has lunar calendar. Dates of our solar calendar every year are different opposite to lunar calendar.
You can read about Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, in Leviticus 23:33-44; Deuterenomy 16:13-17; Numbers 29:12-39.
Sukkot is about dwelling in booths, when God brought Israel out of the land of Egypt.
This feast reminds of waiting of coming Messiah too.
The vast majority of Israel doesn’t believe till now Yeshua is God’s promised Messiah. Israel still waits their Messiah. Christians believe Messiah, Christ Jesus had come as Savior once, but He will come again as King of kings, Lord of lords and Judge. Thus both, Israel and Christians, wait for coming of Messiah.
Sukkot was celebrated on October 14-21, 2008. In 2009 it will be on October 3-10. After lunar calendar Sukkot always take place during 15th-22th of Tishri.