Yahshua's Birth Timeline

WHEN WAS THE MESSIAH REALLY BORN?

Studying with 1 Chronicles Ch. 24 & Luke Ch.1

View/Download Calendar

Let’s first start with the explanation of the 24 Division of Priestly Course Schedule. The Biblical Hebrew Year was based on 51 weeks calendar (357 Solar-Lunar Days):

The priestly divisions or sacerdotal courses; in Hebrew, “mishmar” are temple work groups originally formed during the reign of King David documented in the biblical passage of 1 Chronicles 24. These priests were all descendants of Aaron, known also as Aaronites. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. However, Nadab and Abihu died before Aaron and only Eleazar and Ithamar had sons. One priest, Zadok, from Eleazar's descendants and another priest, Ahimelech, from Ithamar's descendants, were designated by King David to help create the various priestly work groups.  Each order was responsible for ministering during a different week and shabbat, and were stationed as a watch at the Tabernacle. All of the orders were present during biblical festivals. Their duties involved offering the daily and Israel’s holy day sacrifices (korbanot in Hebrew), and blessing the people in a ceremony known as nesiat kapayim ("raising of the hands"), the ceremony of the Priestly Blessing. The priests “cohanim” who were responsible for the daily service in the Holy Temple were divided into 24 separate shifts. These groups were made up of men who hailed from all parts of the land; the duration of each shift's duties was for 1 week. During that week, each respective shift would be entirely responsible to carry out all of the daily functions in the Temple. Thus, the priests took turns throughout the year in a manner that can be compared to military reserve duty - one would come to Jerusalem for his obligatory period of service in the Temple. On three occasions during the year, all the men of Israel were required to travel to Jerusalem for festivals of the Lord, so on those occasions all the priests would be needed in the Temple to accommodate the many sacrifices offered by the crowds. Those three festivals were Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Deut 16:16).

The Annunciation of John the Baptist (Luke 1):

The priest Zechariah could not believe that he and his wife, Elizabeth, were to be the parents of a child who was to fulfill the expectation of a returning Elijah (Mal 4:5-6). Because of his unbelief Zechariah was deprived of speech. As we dig deeper in the birth of John the Baptist and Yahshua the Messiah births we will calculate based on full term birth which is concerned 40 weeks pregnancy period.

Luke 1:5

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the *course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.”

Luke 1:23-24:

“And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,”

Zacharias, the priest, served after the course of Abia. What is the Course of Abia? *Review 1 Chronicles chapter 24 breaks down the courses of the priest that are to serve in the temple.

The course of Abia, in the month of Iyar & Sivan is mentioned in verse 10:

1 Chronicles 24:5 

Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

1 Chronicles 24:10 

The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

1 Chronicles 24:19 

These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

Scripture teaches Aviv/Nisan (Early Feb / Mid-March) is the beginning of months:

Exodus 12:1-3

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

Exodus 13:4

This day came ye out in the month Abib.

Starting in Aviv/Nisan (Early Feb / Early-March), the beginning of months, we count 8 lots. Which puts Zacharias serving in the temple during the eighth lot - 9th week, end of Iyar (April-May) and beginning of Sivan (May-June).

Remember that Elizabeth conceived in the days right after Zacharias returned home from the temple:

Luke 1:21-24

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

Meaning that Elizabeth conceived in mid-end of May!

Luke 1:24-27

And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath God dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from El Shaddai unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Miriam.

Elizabeth hid for 5 months, but it wasn’t until Elizabeth 6th month, the Angel Gabriel visited Mary to announce her receiving the Messiah Yahshua by the Holy Spirit in the month of Kislev (Nov-Dec). Most likely during the 35th week and service order of Abijah.

The Annunciation of Yahshua the Messiah (Luke 1):

Luke 1:35-36

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

Elizabeth was 6 Months when Mary received the Holy Spirit and conceived Yahshua and visited her:

Luke 1:38-42

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Luke 1:56-57

And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

Calculate based on full term birth which is concerned 40 weeks pregnancy period: count 40 weeks. That places the timeline in the month of Aviv (Early Feb/Mid-March). Elisabeth gave birth to John in the first week of Aviv. Mary would have been 20 weeks pregnant. So we continue our count from Aviv, adding the remaining 20 weeks of Mary's pregnancy because her "days were accomplished", meaning it was a full term pregnancy.

Luke 2:6-7

 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Which means Mary would have given birth to Yahshua the Messiah in the month of Elul (Mid-July/Mid-Aug), the sixth month of YAH’s timeline, the Hebrew Biblical Calendar!

What about the Adar 2, the 13 month?

The YAH’s timeline, the Hebrew Biblical Calendar is lunar-solar. Adar II was occasionally added as a 13th month transforming the Hebrew Biblical calendar into what we call the modern Hebrew-Jewish calendar with the solar attached. Changing the essence of record-keeping. If the priestly course immediately starts over again, then Jehoiarib should be placed at Adar II 1-7 in the modern Hebrew-Jewish calendar.  However, this calendar is based on the assumption that Jehoiarib always starts on or very close to Aviv/Nissan 1. There is no where in the scriptures where YAH added an additional 4 weeks to his calendar

In Conclusion:

Remember (Pregnancy is a process of 40 weeks, not 9 months) 1 Chronicles 24 & Luke Ch.1 - The course of Abia (Iyar/Sivan = May/June), Which puts Zacharias serving in the temple during the eighth lot and All Priest Service week for Holy Day of Pentecost. His service would've ended on the 11th day of the month of Sivan on the 7th day Sabbath week. Which would be mid-May. John's conception would have been within the 11th week in the month Sivan during the Jeshua service order week after Zacharias was back home. Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, but Mary got pregnant in the 6 month of Elisabeth's pregnancy which is 9th month, Kislev (Nov-Dec), which Mary received Yahshua by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:24-27). Count 40 weeks, we are now in the month of Elul (Mid-July/Mid-August).

The evening was clear, bright and the weather warm enough for the shepherds to be out with their flock. The month of Elul has an incredible meaning, which people forsook it's meaning. We know the Sabbath is a day of rest, so it wouldn’t be on the 14th. We know Yahshua was circumcised after 8 days, if his birthday landed on 15th, 8 days later would be the 1st of the week, the 22nd, missing the Sabbath day the 21st.

Note:

Due to the modern day Gregorian Solar Calendar which most of the world has adopted for commercial reasons the Biblical calendar will roll between a few weeks in a cycle. Understand, the Biblical Calendar was never to follow the calendars of the nations. Even during the captivity of Babylon, Yahshar’al kept the calendar of YAH.

The reasoning was this:

Leviticus 23:1-2
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

Leviticus 23:4
These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

If you continue to read, even festival were to be done throughout generations

YAH’s calendar was created, seasons were the markers and harvest times were used for gatherings and celebration of abundance by the YAH’s loving will. Every festival was a precursor and memorial to the promise and prophecy YAH set in order. For more information click this link: Holy Days 

Shalom, Brother and Sister of Yahshua

From Fellow Watcher

Pr. Aaron B. Wheeler, Bp

Yahshar’al, Tribes of Judah and Levi