When was Jesus Really Born?

By David Hamshire

Was Jesus born at Christmas?

Is it true that God's Word does not indicate the date of Christ's birth?

David Hamshire takes the reader on a journey of discovery to find that the date of Jesus' birth is revealed in Scripture from Creation to the Feasts of Israel. David Hamshire explores the Ge

• Language: English
• Publisher: Faithbuilders
• Release date: Feb 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781910942406

Book preview

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

If I have understood correctly a few of the signs in Scripture to reveal the day chosen by God for the birth of His Son, then the praise belongs to God. If, on the other hand, I have made any errors, then these errors are entirely my own.

A lesson I have learnt from my study of the Bible is not to ignore minor details. As this study suggests, even the swaddling cloths that Mary used for wrapping Jesus in, and the manger in which she placed Him, are items of significance. When an angel of the Lord informed Bethlehem’s shepherds of the birth of Jesus, the angel included not only the details of when and where they might visit Jesus, but also two signs to confirm that this new-born child was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah—the Christ child.

Such signs in Scripture can assist us in understanding why Jesus came. The fact that the Bible contains many prophetic and historical signs to indicate the time when Jesus was to be born, is one of the mysteries of the Bible, and is one that continues to inspire those who seek to understand God.

For those who believe in God the Father, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, it should come as no surprise that we can read about the timing for the birth of Jesus, recorded in Scripture, long before Jesus was born; and so I wish to acknowledge the importance of Scripture when determining the time and the reason for when (and where) Jesus was born.

When an angel announced His birth, it was with these words: For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). ‘This day’ that the angel referred to (recalling Psalm 2:7) was the day chosen by God for the birth of His Son; and so I wish to acknowledge the angel’s contribution to the biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

Also, I acknowledge and thank those who I have quoted. Their thoughts and writings have been a great encouragement and I am grateful for what they have contributed to this fascinating subject.

I am grateful to Dr Tony Stone, a British born Messianic Jew who is Chairman of Love Never Fails and a trustee serving on the board of Trustees of Christ for all Nations UK, for writing the Foreword. Thank you Tony—your comments are so kind; they have helped me.

My thanks also go to Mathew Bartlett, Commissioning Editor of Apostolos Publishing. Thank you Matthew for helping with the publication of this book; you have been both accommodating and patient.

Finally, I’m aware that what we seek to do for Jesus must not be of ourselves. Jesus once said to His disciples: Without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Therefore, I wish to acknowledge my dependency on Jesus alone for what I have written. He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).

David J. Hamshire

February2016

FOREWORD

David Hamshire has given us a book that explores a question that has challenged the Church for centuries. When was Jesus really born? directly challenges traditional thinking and adds a biblical dimension, well thought through and scripturally supported throughout. If read with an open mind, it can only bring the reader to the point of making a decision relating to a very important subject. The argument is convincing, well presented and will undoubtedly cause a re-thinking for many.

In addition to the main subject, I was personally greatly blessed by the five points used to present the writer’s conviction. Each "Sign" is a complete study in itself. To have a copy of this inspiring book is to gain a five-book library of good, solid, biblical teaching. Any one of the five points is a book in itself, and I found myself wonderfully enlightened on great truths of the Word of God.

Whilst each reader will be challenged to a personal conviction to the conclusions of this excellent piece of work and research, I am convinced that this book should be read widely as a source of biblical information that is nothing short of a "Treasury of Teaching". I would particularly recommend it to anyone who has a thirst for learning more of God.

Dr Tony Stone

INTRODUCTION

The title I chose for this book concerns God’s Son, the Lord Jesus, and when He was born. For centuries, possibly for nearly two thousand years, the question as to when Jesus was born has been vigorously debated. Many theories as to when Mary gave birth to her firstborn Son have been discussed, but there exists, as far as I am aware, no universal agreement.

It was in 2010 that I identified two signs for the date set-aside for the birth of Jesus, but was not immediately sure if I should consider publication. Later, however, I became convinced that the Bible is actually very clear about when Jesus was born, and that it might be helpful for others to consider why the day I am suggesting is the most appropriate day for His birth.

In the pages that follow, I have provided five pieces of evidence for the day (I believe) when Jesus was born, and these will, I hope, be of some interest. The day I am suggesting not only provides an alternative day for those who wish to remember the birth of Jesus, it is a day filled with great significance for the work and ministry of Jesus. And this should be expected, for it was not Joseph or Mary who decided when and where Jesus was to be born, but God Himself.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus said: You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me (John 5:39). It is in these Scriptures alone—what Jewish people refer to as the Tanakh, and what Gentile Christians refer to as the Old Testament—that the evidence as to when Jesus was to be born (and also for when He was to die) can be found.

In this book, I suggest that the Bible provides us with a number of clues, or signs, which serve to indicate the day when Jesus was born. Of course, any one sign is significant, but the five signs I have chosen reveal something of the importance of the day chosen for the birth of Jesus.

As you will soon discover, all the signs points singularly to the Biblical (or Jewish) Day of Atonement as being the most likely day for the birth of Jesus.

In explaining the five signs, my prayer is that if you have not seen these signs before, then by considering them now, you will see and understand why the Day of Atonement is such an important day. It was God who set this day aside; it was God who made this day HOLY.

For Jewish people and for Christians, the Day of Atonement should always be: AN AWESOME DAY—for the reasons given in God’s Word, the Bible.

David Hamshire

AN AWESOME DAY

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:1–7).

On Friday, July 1, 2011, Jonathan Sacks, who was then the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, was the guest speaker on BBC Radio Four’s Thought for the Day program. In sharing his thought, the Rabbi said:

In one sense life is a lottery, because none of us chooses when and where to be born.

For you and for me, for everyone, how true, not one of us had any say in the matter. But there has been one exception, and his name is Jesus. For among all those who have experienced a physical birth, only Jesus knew in advance when and where He would be born. Remember what Jesus prayed when He was with His disciples, just a few hours before He was led away to be crucified: And now, O Father, glorify Me together with yourself, with the glory I had with You before the world was (John 17:5). And included in this same prayer, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world (John 17:24).

By faith, I believe that Jesus existed before His physical birth; and His miraculous conception in the womb of Mary is an event that I have accepted. The choice of Mary to become the mother of Jesus and for Him to enter her womb and grow to maturity was indeed remarkable, and I do understand why some people find it hard to accept. However, the conception of Jesus, to be followed by His birth, death, and His resurrection, were all part of God’s plan—for God has the ability to implement the detail of His plans at the time and place of His choosing.

The location for the birth of Jesus was planned in advance. Micah prophesied that it would take place in Bethlehem. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2).

In addition, the writer of Psalm 2 introduces a marker as to when Jesus was to be born: You are My Son, today I have begotten You (Psalm 2:7). From this statement (or prophecy), it does appear that an appointed day was chosen by God prior to the birth of His Son. Therefore, although the psalmist does not specify which day he is referring to; nevertheless, it creates an open question as to when God’s Son would be born.

Appointed Times and Appointed Places

For most Jewish people (and some Christians) they regularly observe what are referred to in Scripture as the Seven Feasts of the Lord. Described in Leviticus chapter twenty-three, these feasts are times of remembrance when Jewish people recall certain historical events, such as Passover (their Exodus from slavery in Egypt), as well as times of thanksgiving for current occasions, such as their annual harvests. The dates associated with these festivals were originally determined not by Israel, but by God, and so it is quite acceptable to refer to these feasts as being: The Lord’s Appointed Times.

Moreover, Scripture often indicates God’s choice of a location for where an event, or events, will one day take place. For example, in Exodus chapter twenty, after God presented Moses with the Ten Commandments, we read: An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you (Exodus. 20:24).

One particular place where God was to record His name was, of course, Jerusalem. "Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any