John the Baptiser (Immerser): Type of the Christian/Messianic [Believer]
–Forerunner of the Lord Messiah for the first advent
–the believing Christian and the two witnesses preparing and heralding the way for the second coming
–prophet in spirit and power of Elijah
–Not the Light, but bearing witness to the Light: people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light
–Proclaiming Yeshua as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
–Filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb
–No one born of woman greater than John, yet anyone born into the Kingdom of Heaven greater than John
–Gabriel’s angelic announcement to Zechariah, John’s father, on the Memorial of the Blowing of Trumpets (1stday of 7th lunar month of redemption, and a New Moon) — trumpeting the herald!
— with conception following, possibly during the Days of Awe leading up to the Day of Atonements.
–Priestly family
–Zechariah’s name means “YAH’s remembrance”
–Elisheva (Elizabeth), John’s mother, means “God of oath”
–Yochanan (John) means “YEHOVAH is gracious”
–The set (appointed) time of the Memorial of Blowing of Trumpets (now referred to as the Jewish civil New Year) is a day to remind God of His covenant and of His promises and oaths; to be reminded ourselves of the same and to repent of our waywardness, turning back to the Lord and to His Word; to proclaim the way of salvation and to exhort one another to humble ourselves and to exalt the gracious Creator and Redeemer, our Father in Heaven and Lord Jesus Christ
–a herald of God’s faithfulness and holiness
–precedes the Day of Atonements, on which Israel’s iniquity, sins, and transgressions were atoned for and cast away: Yeshua/Jesus, the perfect sinless Lamb, becoming like unto us goats (sinful flesh) and becoming sin for us
–John’s birth at Shavuot (Feast of Weeks; wheat harvest)
–in the 3rd redemptive month, and the time of the giving of God’s law on stone tablets and of the Holy Spirit putting God’s law in our minds and hearts [of flesh]
–The Law and the Prophets were until John, but now the Kingdom of God is preached.
–I must decrease; He (Yeshua) must increase.
–typifying the birth of the Church, the Body of Christ, which bears witness to Messiah Jesus being our Passover Lamb, our Savior and Lord
–the born-again Christian filled with the Spirit of God from new birth
–prophetic ministry: repentance unto the LORD God our Father and faith in the LORD Jesus Christ
–priestly ministry : grace and mercy and compassion according to God’s Name
–kingly ministry: self-control; authority in Yeshua’s name; royal priesthood in Messiah
–six months before the birth of Yeshua, meaning Savior: “He will save His people from their sins”
–Yeshua/Jesus born during 9th Hebrew month
–A Great Miracle Happened Here! A mighty act of God to celebrate!
–the evening of the 24th/the morning of the 25th of the 9th month is the beginning of the 8 days of Hanukah, commemorating the rededication of the Temple altar–the acceptable approach to God: Jesus restores the eternal way and is greater than Temple (Hag 2:18-23)
–His circumcision would have been on the last day of the Feast of Dedication (the 3rd day of the 10thmonth); [The 24th/25th of the 9th Hebrew lunar month in some years coincides with the 24th/25th of the 12th solar month, December, with the last and eighth day of Hanukah then coinciding with Dec 31/Jan 1, the new solar year. The Jewish lunar calendar is adjusted for synchronization with the solar: the sun—the greater light–rules.]
–winter, typically dark and cold; (Could not the God of nature not have caused, if needed a pleasant early winter night to go out to?!) Jesus came into the darkness to defeat the powers of darkness, beginning the repossession of the Earth and of all the nations back to Himself from Satan and those other diving beings who oppose the sovereignty of YHVH!
–the Light (Festival of Lights) shines into darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it
–from the beginning of winter the daylight begins to increase, “pushing back the darkness”
Yeshua was conceived at the end of the Hebrew calendar year (12th month of Adar in March/April), and born at the end of the Western calendar year (12th month of December). He was conceived at the turn of the first season of the ‘Christian’ year, Winter/Spring, and was born at the turn of the last season, Fall/Winter. Between these two events, marked by Purim and Hanukkah – two Jewish holidays established by the peoplecelebrating God’s faithful covenantal interventions and mighty acts on their behalf – is the redemptive calendar established by YHVH to Israel from Passover thru the Day of Atonements up till the Feast of Booths, and celebrated by the Church at the Lord’s Supper: remembering His death until He comes. This timeline shows a harmony between the Jewish and Western Christian calendars, between the lunar-solar and the solar calendars which bear witness to HIStory.
Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah/Christ: Fulfilling the Word of God and His Set Times (either providentially, or as revealed)
—Purim (not an expressly revealed set time, but providentially set by God and acknowledged by His people)
—Conception by the Holy Spirit as God acts on behalf of His covenant people Israel, in Spring, when kings go out to war
–celebrated on the 14th day of the 12th and last Hebrew month (Adar; corresponding to March), thus during a full moon
–“help for deliverance from another place”
–spiritual enmity and warfare: Seed of the woman vs. the seed of the serpent
—Hanukkah (but greater) (not an expressly revealed holiday, but providentially set by God and acknowledged by His people), to restore true worship from the paganism that had come in
–In the Second Book of Maccabees (written approximately 80 BC) we are told that “on the very same date on which the Temple was profaned by foreigners, there occurred the purification of the Temple – on the 25th day of the ninth month (that is, Kislev). Joyfully they held an eight-day celebration after the pattern of Tabernacles … remembering how a short time before, they spent the Festival of Tabernacles like beasts… Therefore, holding wreathed wands and branches bearing ripe fruit, and palm fronds, they offered songs of praise to Him Who had victoriously brought about the purification of His Place. By vote of the commonwealth they decreed a rule for the entire nation of the Jews to observe these days annually” (2 Maccabees 10:5-8Apocrypha))
The same writer states at the opening of 2 Maccabees, “And now we ask you to celebrate the Days of Tabernacles in the Month of Kislev” (2 Maccabees 1:9).
For those believers who say that Yeshua was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, because He “tabernacled” among us, once again we see how God has gone before us: “There is no wisdom, or understanding, or counsel against YHVH!” (Pr 21:30)
–see Haggai 2, with its several references to the 24th day of the 9th month, Chislev (Hag 2:10,15,18-22; Lk 2:10-11; 1:46-55 )
The Lord also speaks through Haggai about what He will do from this day and forward:
—He will lay the foundation of the temple: Yeshua is the true Temple (His person and body); He is the Cornerstone, the Stone that the builders rejected. (Hag 2:18; Ps 118:22-23; Eph 2:20-22; Is 28:16; Mt 16:18; 21:42-44; Lk 20:17-18; 1Pt 2:4-8; 1Cor 3:11)
—He will bless: Glad tidings of great joy — this day in the city of David is born Messiah the Lord! Glory to God in the Highest! Peace on Earth and good will towards all mankind!; This is the acceptable year of YHVH; Today, is the day of salvation.
—He will shake Heaven and Earth: the heavenly host of angels praise God at the Earth-shaking news that the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the King of kings was entering the world in such a manner to take it back for Himself, overturning the kingdoms of this world, and the works of the devil! (Gen 3:15; Is 9:6-7; Mt 2:2; Lk 1:30-33,52; 2:9-14; Mic 5:2; Jn 8 – 10; Dan 2:36-45; 7:14; Rev 12:1-5; Heb 12:25-27second coming)
—Zerubbabel would be His signet ring: Zerubbabel appears in both lists of Yeshua’s genealogy (Mt 1; Lk 3), descended from David.
—Birth and Circumcision on the first and the eighth day of Hanukkah
–10 lunar months/9 solar months after Purim
–on Friday afternoon: the second and last Adam, leading into the Sabbath eve, as the first and last day/night of the Feast
–Sabbath: God’s rest and refreshment found in His Son.
— The Shabbat/Sabbath is the 7th day of the week, bringing to completion, fulfillment of the ‘old’, that God can bring in the new.
–in winter; at a time not expected; 24th/25th of ninth Israeli month (Chislev; corresponding to December), coinciding [at times] with 24th/25th of December
–-A [truly] Great Miracle Happened Here!; The Heavens declare the glory of God, and nature speaks!: a warmer than usual early winter night (?)
–Israel was commanded to celebrate in holidays YHVH their God and His mighty acts for their life and redemption. (Dt 16:1-17)
–Believers in Israel free-willingly celebrated and rejoiced from generation to generation His greatness and mighty acts and works. (Ps 145:4-13; 150:2)
–Surely the Body of Messiah would have even more reason to free-willingly offer to our great God and Savior family and corporate celebrations of His coming to personally bring redemption and salvation by the greatest mighty act in human history (not to diminish the crucifixion and the resurrection)! (Phlp 4:8)
–the Light of, and in, the world; the true Deliverer and Savior; the God of gods was reclaiming all that was rightfully His!
—Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and the 40th day of counting the sheaves
—Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension
— nature speaks: a colder than usual spring night of betrayal and the powers of darkness (Jn 18:18)
–from the 14th day of the 1st of the months (Aviv/Nisan; corresponding to April) to Israel through to near the end of the 2nd lunar month of redemption; begins at a Full Moon
–Passover <Exodus <Coming up from crossing of Red Sea: Thursday<Friday <Day after the Sabbath–the first day of the new week
–Jubilee: restored liberty and inheritance: joy in YHVH
—Shavuot/ Pentecost
–in the 3rd Hebrew lunar month of redemption (Sivan; corresponding to June) (on the 50th day of counting the sheaves from the day after the first real Sabbath during the Passover week, counting seven full Sabbaths from that day of Firstfruits/Resurrection; thus always set to occur on the 1st day of the week) Lev 23:15-17
—God the Father’s promise of the Holy Spirit
–John the Baptiser born: filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb
—INGATHERING: The Good Shepherd regathering the lost sheep of the House of Israel and of the other nations
—Memorial of Blowing of Trumpets
–the set time on the 1st day of the 7th lunar month (Etanim/Tishrei; corresponding to October) of redemption; a New Moon
–John’s conception: herald of Messiah; God is gracious to remember His covenant promises and oaths to Abraham and to David
–John’s “Elijah ministry” preparing for and preceding the Messiah’s revelation to Israel
–“Repent! Prepare ye the way of YHVH.”: prophetic righteousness for the remission of sins
–“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”: priestly grace
–the first resurrection at the last trumpet, following great tribulation but before God’s wrath poured out
—Day of Atonements
–set for the 10th day of the 7th Hebrew month
—propitiary sin offering by (of) Jesus as a Man and High Priest unto the LORD God His Father
–scapegoat offering of Jesus bearing away upon Himself the reproach of our guilt and shame (Lev 16)
—Jubilee: [new] year of release proclaimed by Yeshua and secured through His redemptive death and resurrection
–The Day of YHVH
–Jubilee trumpet blown (possibly the ‘last trumpet’)
—Feast of Booths (Tabernacles)
–the seventh Feast of the LORD, celebrated from the 15th – 22nd days of the 7th month of redemption
—YHVH God with His people — Immanuel — on the basis of the finished work of atonement; Jesus establishing His Kingdom on the Earth after His return in great power and great glory; the Sabbath rest for the people of God
–the fruit harvest
–Jesus’ baptism (at about 30 years of age): the fullness of God’s satisfaction in Man, as the dove rested on His Son
–water pouring ceremony at Pool of Siloam
–transfiguration: glorification — the fullness of God’s presence in Man
–God the Father’s testimony of His Son, through and in Whom are His people: “This is My Son in Whom I am well pleased (have found delight)”: Immanuel
–each child of God, and the Body of Christ corporately, is the Temple of God in the Spirit, God’s dwelling place
–Yeshua led into the wilderness by the Spirit in order to be tempted and proved: 40 days in the wilderness/desert correspond to Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness after the redemption and deliverance from Egypt at Passover, which is commemorated during Succot (Feast of Booths): we remember His death until He comes. Yeshua succeeds where Adam and Israel failed! Praise to our only wise God and Savior!
I did a quick count-down and count-up and came to this: Jesus died in 30 AD (which is 40 years before the Temple’s destruction; see corroborating evidence from a hostile third party, the Talmud, an unsympathetic source). It is widely accepted that Messiah/Christ was 33 1/2 yrs old at His death. Having begun His 3 1/2 yr public ministry when He was about 30 years old, then He was born on the 24th of Chislev, 5 BC, by my reckoning, being necessary that He was born before King Herod died, whose death is historically recorded as being in 4 BC. The magi from the East could have seen His star up to a couple of years before they actually arrived in Bethlehem, Israel.
Revised Nov 6, 2013; Jan 7, 2014; Nov 2014; Nov 2015
This article originally appeared on Streams in the Negev and reposted with permission.