[Peace-discuss] a Christmas message

[E. Wayne Johnson]

Many of those who have studied the Bible at some length begin to understand
after some time that Jesus was surely not born in December.

All indications are that the birth of Jesus was in September, at the
feast of tabernacles or Sukkot. (Sukkot also means a cattle shed.)

But what of December 25th? The 25th of Kislev (the winter month) was the
feast of dedication, the traditional date at which the tabernacle in the 
wilderness was
completed in 1312 BC, the traditional date at which Nehemiah dedicated 
the temple after the
captivity, the date of the dedication of the new altar in Jerusalem 
after the Maccabean Revolt,
a date associated with fire and light, & the most likely date of the 
Conception. Jesus was born
in September after a normal gestation length of about 280 days, in a 
cattle shed, or sukkot.

John 10:22, fol.:
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews
round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt?
If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I 
do in my Father’s name, they bear
witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I
said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave
them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones
again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed
you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus
answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he
called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture
cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and
sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of
God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do,
though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and
believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Psalm 82
God stands in the assembly of gods; and in the midst of them will judge
gods. How long will ye judge unrighteously, and accept the persons of 
sinners?
Pause.
Justify the orphan and poor: do justice to the low and needy. Rescue the
needy, and deliver the poor out of the hand of the sinner. They know 
not, nor
understand;  they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth 
shall be shaken.

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you children of the Most High. But
ye die as men, and fall as one of the princes. Arise, O God, judge the 
earth: for thou
shalt inherit all nations.