Yeshua (Jesus) was born during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

(Yeshua Messiah, Jesus Christ) was born on the 1st day of Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles, and was circumcised the 8th day (This is no coincidence it is an 8-day long "holiday/feast day").

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w3MNZQXlrs

Editor's Note: Makes perfect sense to me, especially after seeing how the early Church (Roman Catholic) in the first three centuries did away with our Jewish roots and replaced them with dates of pagan rituals, or did away with historical facts. 

Following I share with you Ze'ev Nevo's article on this same subject. Ze'ev is a good friend, a Messianic Jew born in Israel, who now lives in the USA. His contact information is after the article.

Steve Martin
Love For His People, Inc.




Was Jesus Born On Tabernacles?

Jews in Israel and worldwide celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Sukkot. Could it be that this joyful feast begins exactly on the day Jesus was born?

Growing up in Jerusalem, I remember how every year on "Sukkot" (Hebrew for the "Feast of Tabernacles") we used to build our Sukkah (booth) in the small balcony we had in our little condo. It was such a joy to have our meals in this little temporary camping ground, especially being surrounded by all the shiny decorations that we made. I was taught that we Jews celebrate Sukkot to remember how God provided all our needs during the 40 years we lives in booths on our exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. Little did I know that Sukkot points to the Messiah... let along Jesus, whom I considered to be the God of the Christians.

It took another twenty some years for me to realize that this Jesus is really YESHUA, "the King of the Jews," the Messiah of Israel, whom died to atone for the sins of whoever will believe in Him. I was shocked to find out how Jewish Jesus really is! For Heaven's sake, He even died on a very Jewish feast - Passover - just like the Passover lamb in Egypt, shedding His blood to save the people of Israel.

As my search continued, I started to see that Passover isn't the only Biblical feast that foreshadows Jesus. The next obvious one was the "Feast of Shavuot" (Pentecost). It was on this Biblical feast when the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus asked the Father to give us, descended from heaven. So it happens that Shavuot was also the feast on which the law was given to Israel when Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments. It doesn't seem to be a coincidence, does it?

There is no doubt about it - All of the feasts of Israel point prophetically to the Messiah of Israel. These feasts should really be called "appointed times" as this is the correct translation of the Hebrew word "Moadim" (Lev. 23:2). The same verse also clearly indicates that these appointed times are of the Lord. So if the day Jesus died is on one of God's appointed times, wouldn't it make sense that the day Jesus was born is on one of God's appointed times as well?

If that's the case, which one of God's appointed times will be Jesus' birthday? First, we need to refresh our memory to the fact that God commanded all the men of Israel to come up to the temple in Jerusalem just on three of His appointed times:Passover, Pentecost and... The Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 16:16). It is like Sukkot is in the "inner circle" of God's appointed times.

Furthermore, God told the people of Israel that on this day they should be "Only rejoicing." (Deut. 16:15) The Hebrew word "Ach" that was translated to English in a variety of ways - only, surely, wholly, completely, altogether, truly, great - emphasizes the extreme level of joy that will be experienced on this appointed time. Joy so abundant that simply doesn't leave room for anything else.

Any parent knows firsthand that a birth of a child is probably the greatest joy that one can experience in life. The only greater joy that I can possibly think of is the birth of THE CHILD, the Son of God, the promised Messiah of Israel. Do the scriptures agree with that statement? Let's check.

In Psalms 118 we can find some fascinating evidences that tie between Jesus, Tabernacles and great joy. In verse 14 we find the Hebrew name of Jesus, Yeshua, which means salvation: "The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become mysalvation." And on the very next verse we read: "The voice ofrejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord does valiantly." (Psalms 118:15) Then, on verse 24, the Psalms says: "This isthe day that the Lord has made,we will rejoice and be glad in it." Very interestingly, Psalms 118 happens to be the last Psalm of what is called the "Hallel", a unit of six Psalms (113-118) that have been read by Israel throughout the generations on the three pilgrimage feasts - including Sukkot! So here we have it: Rejoicing, Tabernacles and Jesus.

But does the New Testament supports that? Yes! Remember what the angel told the shepherds on the day Jesus was born? - "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (Luke 2:10) Now you tell me, can you think of a better day for God to send an angel to proclaim GREAT JOY? Wouldn't it make sense that this will happen on the only day of the year when God told the children of Israel to be nothing but joyfull?

Not sure yet? Here's more. We read in Luke 2:6-7 that when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, His mother "laid Him in a manger." Why did she do that? "...because there was no place for them in the inn." Hum... I wonder why there was no place in the inn. Let me remind you again that on these three pilgrimage feasts EVERY Israeli man was commanded to come up to Jerusalem, which is just a few miles from Bethlehem. According to the Jewish Historian Josephus, about 2.5 million Jews from countries all around Israel would come up to Jerusalem on these feasts. Take this from one that lived in Jerusalem most of his life - even today, with all the big hotels in Jerusalem, there would be no way for you to get a hotel room if 2.5 million people would come up to Jerusalem on the same week. Forget about it! You would be lucky to find a place in a manger...

Yet there is more. Eight days later, like all Jewish boys, Jesus was circumcised (Luke 2:21). Amazingly, that day "happens to fall" on the last day of the feast of Sukkot, the same 8th day that concludes God's appointed times (Lev.23:36). Jewish people call this special day "Simchat Torah," meaning "The Joy of the Law."

For me, it is quit hard to be "Only rejoicing" on this day. Why? Almost all of my people - well over 99% of us Jews - still don't know the One who came to "tabernacle with us" (John1:14), the One that came to fulfill the law (Mat. 5:17) so that we could be forgiven.

Steve, today millions of Jewish people in Israel and worldwide are taking down their tabernacles. One more year passed without them knowing the joy of salvation. Please join me this year in doing all we can to bring these "tidings of great joy" to all Israel. With God's grace and with your prayers and support, we can lead Israel to Jesus.

May God bless you with joy as we serve Him together,
Ze'ev Nevo

Israel Media Ministries

newsletter@israelmediaministries.org

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