Luke 2:1-7 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In Matt 5:17 Jesus says "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." This is an amazing statement. How did Jesus fullfill the Law? In several ways. One of the ways He fullfilled the Law was by keeping it's commandments like no man had ever done before. An example would ne in His observation of the 7 Moed (Feasts or Appointed times). When Jesus walked the earth He observed these Feasts, made the required pilgrimages to the Temple, and followed each and every ordinance to the letter. But beyond the ritual keeping of the Feasts He fullfilled them in His death and resurrection. The first four Moed are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits of the Barley Harvest and Shavuot (Pentecost). Scripture says that Jesus was crucified on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, rose on First Fruits and sent the Holy Spirit to His followers on Shavuot. Four Feast, four appointments, all of them kept. Death could not stop Him from keeping these appointments, in fact death actually became the vehicle that enabled Him to keep these Moed and prove Himself to be Messiah. The next Moed He will keep is the Feast of Trumpets (Rosha Shanna). If you want to know what I believe will happen when Jesus keeps this appointed time read I Thess. 4:16. Much like He fullfilled these 4 Feasts by His death, I believe He fullfilled another by His birth. Scripture offers evidence that Jesus was born during the Feast of Succoth. The evidence is substantial and to involved to go into here but I encourage you to check out Eddie Chumney's book "The Seven Festivals of Messiah". The link to his chapter on Succoth is found in the tool section below.

Return to the table of contents