Luke 2:12 (CJB) 12 Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped cloth and lying in a feeding trough (manger).” Birth of the Messiah Part I Roman Empire First we must understand that the Romans had a very strong dislike for those who followed the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We see this when reading Josephus, especially Chapter 18.3.1 of “The Antiquities of the Jews. This chapter tells us that Pilate, the procurator of Judea, who removed an army from Cesarea to Jerusalem to take their winter quarters there in order to abolish God’s Torah, known in most english translations as law. This is the same Pilate who ruled over the trial of the Messiah. The Romans being in control of their known world were very prideful in their ways and of their knowledge. When the Romans saw that the God of Israel had a very different view of how God’s creation should live their life, conflict began. If you read the history of God’s chosen people you will see that there was conflict from the beginning of man between good and evil with short periods of peace. Today looking back it seems simple that when the followers of God follow His instruction, Torah, there was peace. However peace disappeared when God’s instructions were not followed. Also remember approximately fifty years after the death of the Messiah, I John 5:19 tells us “We are from God, the world is under the power of the Evil One”. This fulfills John 14:30-31 with the Messiah telling us “30 - I won’t be talking with you (talmidim/disciples/students) much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me; 31 rather, this is happening so that the world may know that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father has commanded me. Comment: Means the “Evil One, also known as Devil, Satan, Adversary, Sah-tahn, etc. will be the ruler of this world until the return of the Messiah. Why the Birth of the Messiah was not December 25th The Roman Empire started out and continues to follow pagan traditions like most of the world population. They celebrated the sun and provided many names for this god as did other pagan nations. The celebration started when the people could tell that the days were getting longer. It became consistent that four days after the winter solstice (December 21), which is when winter normally began, man could tell the days were getting longer and it became common to celebrate on December 25 the coming of warmer days. Then there is the Roman Emperor Aurelian, who is known for promoting the worship of the ‘god of the Unconquered Sun’, creating an official priesthood as well as building a temple to the sun god. Aurelian’s proclamation happened in the year 274 CE on December 25. The pagans continued to worship the sun as their biggest celebration of the year until Constantine became ruler of the entire Roman Empire and called his Empire a Christian empire. Then Constantine changed the celebration from Sol Invictus to Christ Mas which we know today as Christmas. December 25 is still celebrated but the name of what was worshipped changed from the sun god to the birth of the Messiah and today known as Christmas. As far as worshipping the sun, the date kind of makes sense since the winter solstice normally happens on the 21 of December and after four days man could tell that the days were getting longer thus giving man a reason to celebrate that longer and warmer days are ahead. The Romans were very pagan before the beginning of their nation and continued the tradition of celebrating on December 25 to the sun god, Sol Invictus. However when Constantine came to power and Constantine wanted Rome to be a Christian nation then this became a problem. Becoming a Christian nation was mainly due to the influence of Constantine’s mother. Of course at this time there were a lot of problems with this conversion since most followed the pagan traditions and also had little or no education among the majority of citizens to know the difference. A good example would be when the monk, Dennis the Small created a split in the calendar by creating BC and AD around the year 500 AD. At the time of the calendar split there were those that believed Dennis made an error in his calculations and the empire continued saying the Messiah was born December 25. Then the Julian calendar created by Julius Caesar had to be replaced due to dates that normally predicted the seasons, drifted apart from their assigned time. By the time the Julian calendar was replaced with the Gregorian calendar the actual winter solstice was December 31 drifting ten days when using the Julian calendar. From this worship of the sun god we have ended up with a tradition of worshipping the birth of the Messiah on December 25 that has lasted more than 1500 years. Remember what God’s Torah tells us not to worship objects in the sky many times, as do the certain prophets. God is also tell us: Worship the Creator and not the creation. God telling us not to worship objects in the sky Leviticus 26:30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your pillars for sun-worship, and throw your carcasses on the carcasses of your idols; and I will detest you. Deuteronomy 4:19 For the same reason, do not look up at the sky, at the sun, moon, stars and everything in the sky, and be drawn away to worship and serve them; Adonai your God has allotted these to all the peoples under the entire sky. Deuteronomy 17:3 by going and serving other gods and worshipping them, the sun, the moon, or anything in the sky — something I have forbidden. Comment: God’s directions are clear, that is do not worship the sun or anything in the sky! Also know Exodus 34:14 because you are not to bow down to any other god; since Adonai — whose very name is Jealous — is a jealous God. In other words thank God for His creations, do not worship His creations. Examples to thank God for would be a Godly man, objects in the sky, the view of a mountain, things made with man’s hands, etc. Do not worship God’s creations! Clues telling us about the birth of the Messiah We have a great advantage during this time of history in determining the birth of the Messiah. I do not know if God will give us additional words of wisdom but for now we are shown enough to determine the birth and death of the Messiah. Note: God, our creator gave us a calendar stating the first month to be Aviv or Abib depending on your translation. This happens because the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet can in the English translation be either a “v” or “b”. When you realize how difficult the Hebrew language is and how man did not follow God’s calendar and many created their own calendar with the Evil One whispering in their ear to create confusion and doubt. Let us start with God’s words related to the birth and death of the Messiah; Exodus 23:10-17 (CJB) 10 “For six years, you are to sow your land with seed and gather in its harvest. 11 But the seventh year, you are to let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people can eat; and what they leave, the wild animals in the countryside can eat. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove. 12 “For six days, you are to work. But on the seventh day, you are to rest, so that your ox and donkey can rest, and your slave-girl’s son and the foreigner be renewed. 13 “Pay attention to everything I have said to you; do not invoke the names of other gods or even let them be heard crossing your lips. 14 “Three times a year, you are to observe a festival for me. 15 Keep the festival of matzah: for seven days, as I ordered you, you are to eat matzah at the time determined in the month of Aviv; for it was in that month that you left Egypt. No one is to appear before me empty-handed. 16 Next, the festival of harvest, the firstfruits of your efforts sowing in the field; and last, the festival of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in from the fields the results of your efforts. 17 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Lord, Adonai. Comment: This time all of God’s “Appointed Times” are identified together. More details follow in the remaining books of Torah. What you see above is God’s seven year cycle and then the seven day cycle with brief descriptions. We will only deal with those things that involve the birth of the Messiah. Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), years one to six Leviticus 23:33-38 (CJB) 33 Adonai said to Moshe, 34 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of Sukkot for seven days to Adonai. 35 On the first day there is to be a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work. 36 For seven days you are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai; on the eighth day you are to have a holy convocation and bring an offering made by fire to Adonai ; it is a day of public assembly; do not do any kind of ordinary work. 37 These are the designated times of Adonai that you are to proclaim as holy convocations and bring a fire made to Adonai - a burnt offering, a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offering, each on its own day - 38 besides the Shabbats of Adonai, your gifts, all your vows and all your voluntary offerings that you give to Adonai. The seventh year known as Sh’mittah or year of release Leviticus 23:39-43 (CJB) 39 “‘But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to observe the festival of Adonai seven days; the first day is to be a complete rest (Sabbath) and the eighth day is to be a complete rest (Sabbath). 40 On the first day you are to take choice fruit, palm fronds, thick branches and river-willows, and celebrate in the presence of Adonai your God for seven days. 41 You are to observe it as a feast to Adonai seven days in the year; it is a permanent regulation, generation after generation; keep it in the seventh month. 42 You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Isra’el is to live in a sukkah, 43 so that generation after generation of you will know that I made the people of Isra’el live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.’” Comments: There are two ways that Sukkot is celebrated. The first group of verses is for years one through six which is Leviticus 23: 33-38. Some of the differences are noted in blue. The second group is how to celebrate year seven, the Sh’mittah year. This is Leviticus 23: 39-43 with some of the word differences being in red. Two things that are important to note. First, during the seventh year the month of Sukkot will always be in the seventh month. Also the 1st day of Sukkot will be in the seventh month, on day fifteen which will be a Shabbat or seventh day of the week. The last day of Sukkot will be day 21 of Tishrei which is also the seventh day of the week. Know that Tishrei is a very special month in the Hebrew year 3756, day 15 was the birth of the Messiah and day 22 which is a continuation of the celebration of Sukkot called Shemini Atzeret which was the day the Messiah was given His name, Yeshua and He also was circumsized. See above Leviticus 23:39. To have a better understanding of the Sh’mittah year read Deuteronomy chapter 15. 2 Smauel 7: 11-14 ………..”Moreover, Adonai tells you that Adonai will make you a house. 12 When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set us his rulership. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. 14 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me……” Comment: This can be confusing since Solomon was made king while David was still alive. Therefore Adonai is not talking about Solomon as being king forever. Next we have I Kings chapter 13. “2 And by the word from Adonai he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar, here is what Adonai says: ‘A son will be born to the house of David; his name will be Yoshiyahu; and on you he will sacrifice the cohanim of the high places who burn incense on you! They will burn human bones on you!’” Comment: To fully understand this verse you need to know the history of the split of the ten tribes from Judea and Benjamin. This King, Yarov’am (Jeroboam), of the ten tribes did not want to follow God’s Torah. One of the bigger mistakes the king of the ten tribes made was to move the celebration of Sukkot from the seventh month to the eighth month. You need to know that when God gives a person a name, the name describes a person’s charter. Here are some examples: Genesis 32:28-29(CJB) 28 (27) The man asked, “What is your name?” and he answered, “Ya‘akov (Jacob).” 29 (28) Then the man said, “From now on, you will no longer be called Ya‘akov, but Isra’el; because you have shown your strength to both God and men and have prevailed.” Here is one from the Gospel, Yochanan also known as John the Immerser. Yochanan means “God gives grace”. Luke 1:62-64 (CJB) 62 and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” 64 At that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were a b’rakhah (blessing) to God. Note: Everyone thought that John’s father would name his son after himself. Also the name Yoshiyahu in English is Josiah which can mean God has healed , God supports, etc. Hebrew is a very difficult language to translate. Usually we need to know the context of the word being used. The thing we need to understand that if God gives us a name, our God identifies us by our charter. He knows us completely including why we do certain things. When God looks at us we have no excuses. see above verse Leviticus 23:41 to understand the problem of changing the month of Sukkot from the seventh month to the eight month which is against God’s word. In the 2001 author James Carroll wrote Constantine’s Sword. At the back of this book is a chronology of the birth and death of the Messiah. Carroll seem to have the correct years, born 4 BC and died 30 AD. There are those in the church who know that December 25 is not the day the Messiah was born. When the monk better known as “Dennis the Small” split the calendar into BC and AD there were those that knew Dennis was in error; however, those in power continued with Dennis making the death of the Messiah in 33 AD. The Romans knew that the Messiah lived 33 years and six months, so a lot of the history was based on the Messiah’s death being 33 AD. Remember that the “Evil One” is the ruler of our world and our protection comes from the Holy Sprit. Read John 14. The book “Jesus of Nazareth” is the writing on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ by Pope Benedict XVI, published in three volumes. It was published by Doubleday in 2007. One thing that stood out was Pope Benedict XVI telling us that the birth of the Messiah was between 2 BC and 7BC once again saying that Dennis the Small was wrong in his calculation of when the Messiah was born. Know from the above that God tells us when the Messiah was born. Luke Chapter 1 Now let us move on to Luke chapter 1:1-4. The first thing we notice is that Luke addresses the book of Luke to Theophilos who was most likely the brother of Jonathan and was High Priest of the temple around the time the Gospel of Luke was written by Luke which would be approximately 40 AD (information from “Josephus”) Luke was passing information to Theophilos verifying who the Messiah was and what was truth by describing events leading to the birth of the Messiah. Luke 1:5-7 Introduction of the Priest Z`kharyah (Zechariah) and his wife Elisheva (Elisabeth) these verses also tell us that these were the days of King Herod or better known as “Herod the Great”. Z`kharyah was in the eighth division also known as Aviyah division, see Chronicles 24:10. King David established these divisions for the many priest that would take care of the duties to keep the temple in order. The major events are Pesach (Passover), Shavu`ot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) which required all Priest to take part to keep the order required. These major events are a big deal because during the time of the Messiah, God commands that all come to Jerusalem to worship and celebrate these Appointed Times or feasts. During Sukkot each family lived in a Sukkah which has other names like booth, tent, etc. A Sukkah is a small structure that the followers of God lived in during the Appointed Time of Sukkot. This is a reminder of how God’s people lived during the forty years of wandering in the land after leaving Egypt. The number of people who attend these events has been estimated as high as 500,000. So if you come from out of town, there would be a problem with getting a room at the Inn. Also Luke 2.1 tell us about a census being taken in the Roman Empire. A census of the empire would take years and the best time to count the number of Jews in Israel would be at one of the events where all are required to come, like Sukkot, that God commands that all go to Jerusalem. Luke 1:8-22 Here we read about Zkharyah being selected by lot to burn incense. The burning of incense is the third lottery of the day, there are a total of four lotteries each day for the priests to preform; however, the third lottery is considered the most beloved part of the Temple services in God’s eyes; it was influential in subduing evil and its characteristic quality aided in amplifying the aspect of Divine mercy and benevolence in the world. The Priest that is selected burning incense can only perform this service once in a life time. Go to “temple institute.org” for more information than you will ever need concerning the temple during the time of the Messiah. Let us take a quick look at the Hebrew calendar during Zkharyah selection as the Priest to burn the incense. He, Zkharyah, appears to burn the incense on Sivan 6 in the Hebrew Biblical year 3755 which is the first day of the tenth week of the year. So if Zkharyah serves temple duty during the eight week how did he end up serving as Priest to burn the incense? This happen due to two events, first Passover/Feast of unleavened bread or Feast of Matzah which is a feast that all attend including all Priest. When these special feast occur time spent by Priest, etc. is inserted into the rotation of the divisions thus adding a week. Meaning Zkharyah is serving his portion during the ninth week and not the eight week. His service ended on the Sabbath around 3PM however since the next day was the first day of the week and also the Feast of Shavu`ot therefore Zkharyah did not return home after his weekly service. We know by using God’s word to count the Omer that Shavu`ot was on the first day of this week. Note this can be confusing since Leviticus 23 only identifies two Sabbaths. The seventh day of the week which is a Sabbath for God and the 10th day of the seventh month which is Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement. This is also considered a Sabbath for us. Also Luke 1:10 is a clue when the different translations tell us that “All the people were outside (CJB), “and the whole multitude were there” (KJ), “and the whole crowd” (TLV). Remember that there was a lottery to see which Priest would burn the incense. After Zkharyah experience with the Angel that told him, he was to have a child and to name him Yochanan (God gives grace) in English “John the Immerser”. The Angel also told him John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore his next step was to head home to get ready for the Sabbath. During this time it was a custom to believe that God blessed conception on the Sabbath during darkness and in this situation anytime after sundown on the twelfth of Sivan at the beginning of the Sabbath, which begins at sundown Friday night which appears to be the time of Elizabeth’s conception. Meaning that the conception of John was 12 Sivan in the Hebrew Biblical year 3755. The Hebrew Biblical year 3755 could be considered the beginning of the Messianic movement. Luke 1:23-to birth In the sixth month of Elizabeth being with child, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to the city of Nazareth. Luke 1:35 Comment Ha `Elyon (God Most High) gave His seed to Mary, the Angel told Mary that she will be with child and when the child entered this world give Mary would give Him the name Yeshua which means salvation. Yeshua was conceived on the thirtieth day of Kislev, a Sabbath, in the year 3755 and was born in the Hebrew calendar year 3756 on the fifteenth day during the month of Tishrei (seventh month during a Sh’mittah year) on the first day of Sukkot. He was then given His name Yeshua eight days later on the twenty second day of Tishrei. Side note: Oral Torah which is written today believed Shabbat was thought of as a day of mystical union between the Hebrew people and God Reflecting the intimacy of this spiritual union, some medieval Jewish mystical texts speak of Shabbat as an especially propitious day for a husband and wife to be intimate with each other, as a symbolic union of God and the Hebrew people. I believe that the Hebrew Biblical year 3755 starts the beginning of the Messianic age special days happened on the Sabbath. The beginning of the Messianic age with the birth of “John the Immerser”, the birth of the Messiah and when He was given His name. One could imply this is true; however, God’s Word does not directly say this. Just about everything written by me came from God’s Word unless stated otherwise. I also wrote a summary of the death and resurrection of the Messiah for the fifth largest Catholic cathedral in America to use for a sky scape above their alter showing the location of the stars etc. during the night of the resurrection. If you read Matthew 27:63 you will see that the Messiah was resurrected on the fourth day which make sense if He spent three days and three nights in the center of the earth using the Hebrew definition of what a day is. You need to put everything into the Hebrew way of life to see these things since it appears that Luke is the only non Hebrew writer of God’s Word. Another thing is that in Luke they say He rose on the third which is possible using the Roman system of time where the new day starts at midnight and the new day for the Hebrews starts at sunset. Remember the following: “Matthew 5:17-18 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah — not until everything that must happen has happened.” “Luke 16:14-17 The P’rushim heard all this, and since they were money-lovers, they ridiculed him. 15 He said to them, “You people make yourselves look righteous to others, but God knows your hearts; what people regard highly is an abomination before God! 16 Up to the time of Yochanan there were the Torah and the Prophets. Since then the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is pushing to get in. 17 However it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the Torah to become void. The point of all this is to understand who God is and know what He gives us and what He expects from us. Understand that there are certain problems with translations of the Bible and interpretation. If you are young, learn Hebrew which will greatly improve your understanding. There are a lot of opinions about what certain verses mean the trick is to understand what God is telling you. God is not trying to fool us or hide the meaning of His Word, this takes time and prayer to see what God is telling us. God wants all of His human creation to follow His Torah. Though out His Torah we see God continuing to have the foreigner follow His Torah meaning directions. Exodus 22:20“ You must neither wrong nor oppress a foreigner living among you, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. Are God’s prophecies being fulfilled today? The answer is yes! 1948 Israel returned to their land. • Nov 23, 1947
Eleazar Lipa Sukenik is contacted by Mister X about Salahi’s (dead sea) scrolls and gets his first glimpse of a scroll fragment through the barbed-wire fence in Jerusalems Military Zone B • Nov 27, 1947
Sukenik meets with Mister X at his shop in the Old City Nov 29, 1947
Sukenik and Mister X make the bus trip to Bethlehem to visit Salahi. Sukenik arranges purchase. The United Nations votes to partition Palestine (This was also the day Sukenik brought the Isaiah scroll to Jerusalem) Isaiah 66:8 8 Who ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Is a country born in one day? (The day the UN voted to partition Palestine) Is a nation brought forth all at once? (The moment the British left the land) For as soon as Tziyon went into labor, she brought forth her children. 1967 Jerusalem returned to Israel after Six Day War

We Christian are rightly known for playing by the rules and engaging our opponents with respect (we all are created in God’s image), but I suspect the days of Christian grogginess are over.