Because certain events are fixed, Jesus’ birth would not have been on December 25, but would have been during the harvest and late fall of the year. This certainly would make the traveling for a census with a pregnant woman more doable.

Since the Jewish year begins with the sliver of the new moon, in the season that seeds can be put in the ground, their year began in March or April. The month can vary since Jews had an occasional leap year that was a month leap 
where ours is only an added day since our calendar compensates by having 30 and 31 day months. If the spring new moon came up and the priests decided it was still too cold for planting, they would wait to start the year with the next new moon in 29 days.

So what does this mean? Not much. It does make more sense to learn that Jesus was born not in the dead of winter, but instead it must have been during the time that the Jews would be observing the third major feast of the year, Tabernacles. And that gives me a stirring thought that God literally came into the world to “tabernacle” amongst us in the form of His beloved Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

If you are so inclined to honor people’s birthdays, you might especially place even more importance on remembering that Jesus was born. That’s your prerogative and God says you may hold a certain day above another if you are convicted to do so. Do it to the Lord and do it in faith. Romans 14. If you want that day to be in the fall as the combines are bringing in the corn or if you want it to be near the end of December, you may do so. It is your private holy day to the Lord. But with the same spirit, be sure you do not judge others who do not have the same conviction or desire to remember His birth. Do not bind it on him. Do not seek to make it a holy day in the church. Romans 14 shows us that a birthday, even one as grand as Jesus’, is to be privately observed. 12/26/2017

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