Christmas Day

There are primarily three views among professing Christians concerning the observance of Christmas Day. 

1) A holy day that should be faithfully observed  

2) A pagan festival that should be faithfully rejected (Catholic system is full of paganism) 

3) A cultural tradition that is harmless so long as it is not observed in a way that dishonors God and His word. In other words it is an issue of personal liberty. I personally view it as a great opportunity to witness (tell people WHY He came) and spend quality time with family. It is not a religious day for me. I esteem every day alike. 

God gave Israel various holy days in the Law (Christmas wasn’t one of them) but He did not give the Body of Christ any holy days under grace (Col. 2:8-17). So, what about all the professing Christians that esteem days like Sunday, Christmas, and Easter above other days. There is a difference between those who are weak in the faith and therefore do not fully understand and appreciate their liberty in Christ (Rom. 14:1-12) and those who are trusting religious observances to be right with God (Gal. 4:8-11).  

Christians should love and stand for the TRUTH. Our Savior is THE TRUTH and the word of God is TRUTH. We should NEVER choose the traditions of men over the truth of God. Was Christ born on December 25th? Is that truth or tradition? Well, the Bible does not give us the date of Christ’s birth, but there things in the Bible that indicate He was not born in December. The Bible does not always just plainly STATE things for us. There are many things that require STUDY if we are going learn the truth about them. I believe God wrote the Bible in such a way that we must search it to learn His truth. 

Read Luke 2:1-20

1. It is very unlikely that the Roman Emperor would have tried to enforce a taxing on the people at the most inconvenient and inclement season of the year. It would have been asking for an uproar and revolt among the people who were already hostile toward the Roman authorities. The fall would have been the best time because the agricultural round of the year was complete and many Jews were traveling anyway to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. 

2. How could Mary, being great with child, have undertaken the 70 mile journey through a hill district averaging 3,000 feet above sea level in the dead of winter? 

3. Shepherds and their flocks would not have been abiding in the open fields at night in December. There would have been no pasturage for the flocks during that time of year. The custom was to withdraw the flocks and house them for winter. 

Read Luke 1:5-31

Jesus was conceived in the virgin’s womb the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. So, if we can know about the time that Elizabeth conceived John, we can add sixth months and have a good idea of when Jesus was born. It is clear that Elizabeth conceived very soon after her husband arrived home from fulfilling his course in the temple. 

King David divided the priests into 24 courses to work in the temple. The course of Abia was the 8th course (1 Chron. 24:10). Each course began on the sabbath and lasted a week. The priests fulfilled two courses a year plus they all worked during the three great feasts (Deut. 16:16). Israel had a lunar calendar and their sacred year began with the month of Passover (Nisan, our April). According to Dr. Bullinger, the two ministrations of the course of Abia would have been Sivan (June) 12-18 and Chisleu (December 6-12). Because we don’t know which ministration Gabriel appeared to Zacharias, we can’t be sure when Elizabeth conceived John.  But based on either one, Christ wouldn’t have been born in December. 

If Gabriel appeared to Zacharias in June, he would have made it home around the 21st or 22nd (would not have traveled on the Sabbath and would have taken a day or two to get home) and it is reasonable to assume Elizabeth conceived John on the 23rd or 24th. That would put the birth of John around the end of March. Adding in the 6 months would put the conception of Jesus at the end of December and His birth at the end of September. It would be fitting for the Word to be made flesh on the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16; Lk. 2:10). 

We don’t know the exact date that Christ was born but we know that He was. Likewise, we don’t know the exact date He is coming again, but we know that He will! I believe God had very good reasons for not revealing the date for either advent.