Priestly Courses / The Course of Abija
The Course of Abija
How many of you have heard of the course of Abija (Abijah)?
Did you know it is one of the only ways to date the birth of Jesus in the Bible?
Interested in the Biblical case for the timing of the birth of Jesus Christ?
Jesus’ Birth
Ok, so, most are familiar with story of the birth of Christ from Luke 2. But it is Luke 1 that provides the means by which the timing of the birth of Jesus can be determined. In Luke 1 we have the story of Zacharias, the priest, and his wife, Elisabeth. Zacharias and Elisabeth were well on in years and without children. As it is told in Luke 1, Zacharias was performing his duty in the temple when the angel appeared and told him they would have a son and to call his name John. Needless to say Zacharias was somewhat incredulous considering their age. As proof of his message the angel told Zacharias he would be unable to speak until the day the message was fulfilled.
The passage goes on to say that Elisabeth conceived after Zacharias’ service ended. Then 6 months later Mary, the mother of Jesus, conceived. Zacharias performed his priestly service during the course of Abijah which fell during the latter part of the 4th month. From this it is a simple matter to determine the general time of the birth of Jesus.
The chart below gives the priestly courses in relation to the conception of Elisabeth and Mary.
Luke 1:35-37 MKJV
And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you. Therefore also that Holy One which will be born of you shall be called Son of God.
(36) And behold, your cousin Elizabeth also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
(37) For with God nothing shall be impossible.
The birth of Jesus fell during the 7th month of the Biblical calendar which is our September/October.
It is during the 7th month that the Biblical holy day of Succoth is celebrated. The term Succoth comes from the Hebrew word “cukkah” which literally means booth or tabernacle. The Jewish people were commanded to dwell in booths during the 8 days of this feast.
Succoth is one of the Biblical holydays which all adult males were commanded to observe in Jerusalem. This is likely the reason the only lodgings, which Mary and Joseph found, were in a stable.
Further confirmation of the evidence of Luke 1 is found in Luke 2. The shepherds were still in the fields keeping watch over their flocks when the angels announced the birth of Christ. This places the birth of Jesus sometime between the spring and fall. It was not common practice in Israel to stay in the fields with the sheep during the winter months.
John 1:14 makes a possible allusion to the birth of Jesus during the feast of Succoth.
John 1:14 MKJV
And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled (dwelt) among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.
The “Word” (Jesus) “was made flesh” (conceived) “and tabernacled or dwelt” (skenoo – from the Greek meaning to dwell or fix ones tabernacle.)
Now look at the priestly courses, above, again.
Jesus “dwelt” with man at his birth during the 13th and 14th priestly courses.
The names of these courses were Huppah (Canopy) and Jeshebeab (dwelling of the father). Pretty neat if you ask me!
The lineage of Yeshua/Jesus in Matthew 1 has long been an enigma. For centuries scholars and critics have argued about its legitimacy. The list claims to be 3 sets of 14 generations (3×14=42), yet it only has 41 names. Further complicating the list is the fact that Yeshua’s lineage is missing 4 Old Testament kings. Why would a list like this be placed in the 1st chapter of the 1st book of the New Testament?
I am sorry to disappoint those of you who are skeptics. This list was not an accident, it was intentional. The “mistakes” are keys to solving an ancient code. Could it be one of the greatest ciphers of all time? I will let you decide.
See if you can solve it. The 13th Enumeration is the key!
Note especially the missing names and their arrangement in the list. Matthew’s lineage of Jesus was intentional, wasn’t it?
A Sign
Isaiah 7:14 MKJV
So, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:23 MKJV
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb, and will bear a son. And they will call His name Emmanuel,” which being interpreted is, God with us.
So, the 1st of Tishrei (The Jewish New Agricultural Year begins).
The Feast of Trumpets. 11th September, 3 B.C. (Gregorian Calendar, NO Year zero; Julian Calendar, has Year zero.)
September 10th the moon was a 1% moon, hard to see on horizon with setting sun.
Revelation 12:1-3 MKJV
And there appeared a great sign in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head,
(2) and having a babe in womb, she cries, being in travail, having been distressed to bear.
(3) And another sign was seen in the heavens. And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads!
September 11th was a 4% moon and below the feet of the constellation Virgo (Rev 12:1-3) between 6:15pm(sunset)-7:45pm(moonset).
This is the only day this could have occurred. 11th September, 3 B.C.
Picture created from software at www.starrynight.com
Stolen
Interesting that as this dating was being confirmed by science, the devil steals the date!
We all equate 9/11 (the American dating of month/day format) with Terrorism.
We would find it hard to celebrate the actual date of Jesus’ Birthday now because the 9/11 date is ingrained in the psyche of the world as associated with Terrorism. Not that God has asked us to celebrate Jesus’ Birth date, as it’s not really that important in the scheme of things.
Let’s now let’s return to: A Menu of Important Things.
