This blog author explores this topic here (http://beit-simcha.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-cant-say-for-certain-that-i-know.html).
She writes:
I can't say for certain that I know exactly when Yeshua was born. But the evidence I have found is so compelling that I want to share it with you all. The journey I will take you on involves the scriptures and external historical and cultural elements.
Second clue:
The Birth of John the Immerser (the Baptist) is important because he is a forerunner who announces Messiah. Establishing when he was born will help us in our quest for when Yeshua was born.
In the interest of keeping this brief, I will just give references instead of the full text.
It is from First Chronicles 24 that we learn the Levitical priesthood was divided into 12 divisions of priests and was well established in the First Century. The ancient Jewish Historian Josephus (Antiquities 7) tells us that each division served for a period of one week. The first division began its period of service on the first day of the year — 1 Nisan (also called Aviv or Abib) — as YHVH had established the calendar in Exodus 12:2. Three weeks out of each year - during the weeks of Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles) - all 24,000 priests served together.
Zachariah is the father of John. Zachariah was in the priestly division of Aviyah (Luke 1:5), making his term of service beginning in early Spring on the first day of the eighth week (27th of Ayyar) and running for one week through the 4th of Sivan.
As the following week (5-11 Sivan) was Shavuot, (Feast of Pentecost), he would have stayed in the Temple and served that week also with all the priests. He drew the lot which gave him the privilege of burning incense before YHVH in the Holy Place. It was the honor of a lifetime. It was then that the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the Temple, announcing he was to have a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. (Luke 1:8-22). Luke 1:23-24 tells us that Zachariah finished his duties at the Temple, and that his wife, John's mother Elizabeth conceived shortly after his return home.
This sets the date for John's conception at around the third week of Sivan. So no one gets too confused with my Hebrew names for months, keep in mind that the month of Sivan is usually in the month of June. Adding nine months to that date puts the birth of John sometime near the first week of March, around Passover time.
When Gabriel visited the mother of Yeshua in Nazareth, she was told two things: You will give birth to Messiah and your relative Elizabeth is pregnant with a child. She left to visit Elizabeth and returned home three months later, after the birth of John.
Since Miriam (Mary) conceived when Elizabeth was six months pregnant, Yeshua was born six months after the birth of John. This timing is in the middle of the Hebrew month of Tishrei - the seventh month, the month we are now in; the time of Sukkot.
Tishrei 15 is the first day of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). "The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us."
I admit I am making a number of assumptions. I am assuming that Yeshua was carried to full term and I am assuming that all the Feasts foreshadow events in Messiah's life. But I believe it is reasonable to assume that His birth and circumcision happened on the first and the 8th day of Sukkot.
Here are some more clues that leads me to believe Yeshua was born during Sukkot:
1. Bethlehem was "booked solid." The census, which was going on at the time would have taken place over the period of one year so something in addition would have be the reason for 'no room in the inn'. Deuteronomy 16:16 tells us that all males were required to come to Jerusalem for Sukkot. Bethlehem is just five miles away and could easily have held the spill over flow of worshippers.
2. Yeshua was born in a 'stable'. The Hebrew word for "stable" is "sukkah" (as in Gen. 33:17) so it is likely that Yeshua was born in a Sukkah/booth - a temporary shelter.
3. If Yeshua was born on the first day of Sukkot then he would have been circumcised on the "eighth great day" a festival following Sukkot. I will write more about this day later as it is coming up this Sunday evening (according to the sighted moon calendar). This day was the original "Simchat Torah" (Rejoicing in the Torah), which is now held the following day in Rabbinic Judaism. Yeshua would have entered the covenant on the day of "rejoicing in the Torah."
4. Sukkot is symbolic of God dwelling in a "tabernacle" (body?) with us.
If any of you have also studied this our for yourselves and have more 'clues', I'd love to hear from you!
In the meantime.....happy birthday Yeshua!
