We’ve heard many different doctrines on the timing of Messiah’s birth. Why? It’s understood that in order for Yahusha to be the Messiah of Israel, He’d have to fulfill certain prophecies in the Old Testament, or Torah/Tanakh. We understand His death fulfilled the Passover, that He died on that Biblical appointed time, so another prophecy people understandably look for to be fulfilled would be the date of His birth. On what date does the Old Testament prophesy that birth would take place? Where do we find that prophecy and that date in scripture? I will share the scriptures I believe answer those questions in this article. My answer is by no means anywhere near the traditional answers Christianity or Judaism may suggest.

Dates we KNOW He WASN’T Born

Anyone reading this article likely is already aware there is no way Messiah’s birth was on December 25^th. He did not come to fulfill Christmas with His birth. That holiday would not be found by name or date in the Old Testament, not to mention the paganism associated with that winter solstice festival.

Some have suggested He may have been born on Chanukah. Many of us, however, do not believe for a second the shepherds informed of His birth in Luke chapter 2 were out in the fields at night with the flock in winter. I’ve also heard some claim He was born on Purim or Easter, however, none of these holidays, not even the Jewish festivals of Chanukah or Purim are commanded appointed times found in Leviticus 23. Neither Chanukah or Easter are mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament, so the people of Jerusalem would not have been looking for the birth of the Prophet, the Messiah, on any of these dates.

Popular Traditions for His Birth

The Biblical feasts in the first and seventh months (Passover, Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, Sukkot) would be among the most popular guesses among Bible believers in the Old or New Testaments who realize Christianity’s pegged His birth date all wrong.

I suggest that the most popular guess would not be the correct one. For the lunar Sabbath remnant, we figured out a long time ago that the popular answer is usually way off base. The way into the Kingdom is narrow, not broad. I believe many Sabbath keepers are dating his birth in the first and seventh months because these dates are suggested to us from Judaism, indirectly so, through Messianic Rabbis or Christian prophecy teachers who study Judaism and what it teaches concerning when the Jewish people would be looking for THE Messiah to be born, ACCORDING TO THEIR TRADITIONS. Of course, their traditions would look to a date that would make the true Messiah of Israel out to be a fraud. He would not fulfill their expectations, because they have wrong expectations, which explains why the Jewish people have not yet recognized Him. Their misguided assumptions about the role, character, deeds, and identity of the Messiah are their blinders. May I live to see the scales come off my brother Judah’s eyes!

Is it possible that we have allowed others who have a love for Judaism and all of its traditions to interpret Luke 1 for us, without us giving much thought to the possible deceptions that might be involved in doing so? After all, we did allow Christianity to season our understanding of Luke 1 with a Christmas flavor, didn’t we? Could it be that we’ve once again been fooled, but this time we were led to look at it through a “Jewish perspective”, when YHUH wants us looking at Luke 1 through a BIBLICAL lens? Come now, let us reason together…let’s take another look at Luke 1…

Luke 1’s Timing of Messiah’s Birth

While Luke 1 gives an indication of the likely timing of Zechariah’s (John the Baptist’s Father) visitation from the heavenly messenger of YHUH, it does not give us certainty about how much time passed until Elizabeth actually conceived.

But the messenger said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. Luke 1:13

The word highlighted in the passage above, shall, could be understood to be in the next moment, or in the very distant future. Unless we believe that John was conceived by the Ruach, (which the Bible does not support) and not Zacharias, we know Zacharias would have to have been with his wife in order for her to conceive. Personally, I believe she conceived right away, as soon as Zacharias got home.

Going on in Luke, we read that Zacharias had to first complete his priestly office of ministration in the Temple. After this was complete, he went home.

And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months…Luke 1:24

The word, after, highlighted in the verse above, could mean immediately after Zacharias completed his service and returned home, a few days later, a week later, a month later, a few months later, at the turn of the year, etc…we don’t know for sure, just looking at these verses alone. We really see no scriptural reason to believe it didn’t happen right away.

And in the sixth month the messenger Gabriel was sent from Aluhym unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27

NOW, once we get to verse 26, we have some indication of when this event was taking place. The messenger Gabriel appeared unto Mary in the sixth month of the calendar. Many say this reference to the sixth month is referring to Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy. However, the original text in the Greek, in this verse, says “in THE sixth month”, not “in HER sixth month”. There is a verse later in the chapter that actually does say, “in HER sixth month”, or “the sixth month with HER,” referring to Elizabeth’s pregnancy, but I believe in verse 26 above, it’s saying this happened in THE sixth month of the Biblical luni-solar calendar, and that this happened to coincide with Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy. In other words, Elizabeth conceived in the first month, and was six months pregnant in the sixth month of the year when Gabriel appeared to Mary and told Mary that Elizabeth was in the sixth month of her pregnancy. I have additional reason to believe this is the correct understanding of Luke 1, bear with me as I explain and build the case…

First and Second Chronicles and the Timing of the Priestly Orders

Earlier in Luke 1 we read that Zacharias was a priest in the order of Abiyah, and 1 Chronicles 24:10 tells us Abiyah received the eighth lot. This lot was apparently to determine when the priests would be serving in the Temple, in what order, throughout the year. It would be helpful if there was more information found in the Bible that could confirm when Abiyah’s course, being the 8^th lot, took its station. There is no such biblical record.

I’ve heard it suggested that 2 Chronicles 23:8 tells us that each priestly course lasted one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath, and I’ve tried to verify that, I looked up the names listed there, and it seems most of those listed are descendants of Judah, not priests of Kohen. The context of 2 Chronicles 23 also suggests the list of people serving from Sabbath to Sabbath in this chapter might be guards, hence the word, captains, not priests offering sacrifices or incense. They could be Levites, but not likely to be kohen priests.

Levites were allowed to intermarry with other Israelite tribes. That would explain why they were serving in the Temple, yet were descendants of Judah. Mary, Yahusha’s mother, had ancestry of both Levi (her cousin Elizabeth was a Levite according to Luke 1:5) and Judah, just like these “captains” in 2 Chronicles 23. Also, Numbers 8:26 states that retired Levites over 50 could serve as guards in the Temple, so the list of captains mentioned in 2 Chronicles 23 could include older Levites, not necessarily Kohen priests, working as guards. We just can’t say for certain that the priestly courses were a week long, or that the first lot served in the first week every year, if we are sticking with SCRIPTURAL references, and we should. After all, there were 24 courses, or divisions, and more than 24 weeks in a year. We also have to remember that there were some years, a 13^th month, which would add 4 more weeks to the year, would occur, and there are New Moon days in between the weeks of the months. It’s very possible that we only read about an order, because there was only an order, not certain dates, weeks, or months assigned, for the priests to serve. Maybe they just took turns, and the time of their service varied, hence no dates given for their service.

We just can’t be certain we know when each course was on duty throughout the year each year. There are Christian and Jewish traditions that CLAIM to know when these courses took place, but their CLAIMS are based on tradition and assumptions. 2 Chronicles 23:8 just does not give enough evidence to support those claims, either. This one witness, in itself, does not contain evidence to support this assertion. Not to mention we don’t have a second or third scriptural witness to establish this as doctrine, which is required by scripture.

There is no mention of any fixed order of service. Only in traditions is it mentioned that the priestly divisions served according to a weekly rotation system, one of those traditions being Josephus, a Pharisee of Yahusha’s time. We all know what Yahusha said about and to the Pharisees, and I choose to heed His advice to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. Whether it’s man’s traditions of religion, or man’s “history” according to its government, it’s a bunch of lies agreed upon. The only historical records I consider to be valid and truly faithful in witness are those that include, “thus saith YHUH”, in other words, scrolls containing prophecies from messengers of YHUH, who come in His name. I believe in sola scriptura, but my version of that includes books like Jubilees, Enoch, and Jasher, not strictly the canons Judaism and the Catholic and Protestant churches came up with.

Those of us who do have faith in the Book of Luke and the Book of Jubilees (Judaism does not place faith in either source), can rest assured that there IS evidence of our Messiah’s birth at a very significant time of the year. Why COULDN’T Yahusha’s birth have been in the MIDDLE of Summer, in the 3^rd month, at the time of the Feast of Firstfruits, aka Pentecost, Shabuot, or the Feast of Weeks? Why is this not being thrown out there as a possibility among the rabbis and scholars, among believers? Why are we force-fed the option of the first or seventh month for Messiah’s birth? This reminds me so much of how we were given the bait and switch with the Saturday or Sunday argument regarding the timing of the Sabbath, or the argument over whether the sheaf should be waved after Saturday or on the 16^th. Can we consider for a moment the possibility that Messiah Yahusha was indeed born in the third month? Yes, we have more than one scriptural witness to support this belief.

Back to Luke 1

We read in Luke 1 that the messenger Gabriel appeared to Mary in the sixth month. We read that Elizabeth was also six months pregnant at that time, and that Mary would also conceive as Elizabeth did:

And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Yahusha. Luke 1:31

There is that shall word again, talking about a future event. Again, we don’t know for sure how much time passed between the word going forth from Gabriel until Mary conceived, like Elizabeth, but in both cases, I believe it happened very soon after. In Mary’s case, it seems even more likely she conceived very soon after, as she was betrothed to Joseph, and this was to be a miraculous conception. Time was of the essence.

And the messenger answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of Aluhym.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with Aluhym nothing shall be impossible.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Master; be it unto me according to thy word. And the messenger departed from her.

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: Luke 1:35-41

Notice it says Mary arose IN THOSE DAYS, not AFTER those days, meaning, not much time had apparently passed since the messenger left Mary here. It goes on to say she went into the hill country WITH HASTE, meaning, she wasn’t wasting time after she heard Elisabeth was blessed with a miraculous pregnancy, as she was. She went to see her right away. Let’s read on to see what happens when she gets there:

And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Master should come to me? Luke 1:42-43

It does appear here, that after the messenger left Mary, and she went quickly to visit Elisabeth, by the time she gets there, she’s already with child, based on Elisabeth’s greeting to Mary. It sounds very much to me like Mary became pregnant in the sixth month. I would guess the most likely time would be that she conceived at the full moon, mid-month, on the Sabbath, because Yahusha is light.

Nine months from the middle of the sixth month would take us to a birth in the middle of the third month, if there was no thirteenth month added in there that year. Could the birth of Messiah have been in the glory of the full moon? Wouldn’t that be something?! What significant appointed time would that be? According to Leviticus 23 and the Book of Jubilees, that would be The Feast of Weeks on the 16^th of the 3^rd month! Wouldn’t that be something if the Firstborn Son of YHUH was born on First Fruits? Yes, there’s evidence that this is the case, found in the Book of Jubilees, in the story of another promised seed/son, with Isaac and his mother Sarah. The story of Sarah’s conception in Jubilees (with supporting references from the Genesis) mirrors that of Mary’s experience with Gabriel in Luke 1. In other words, Genesis and Jubilees are two witnesses I believe contain the prophecy of old that predicted the date of Messiah’s birth.

What Does Isaac’s Birth Have to do with Messiah’s Birth?

It all starts in Genesis with the announcement that Sarah would conceive and give birth to a promised son. YHUH promises Abraham a son, but what does that promised seed’s birth have to do with Messiah’s birth? Much. The birth, life, and death of the promised seed of Abraham, tells us about the future promised seed of YHUH. Isaac’s life, his birth, his death, even His name, in Hebrew, tell us about THE Messiah, THE Chosen Son. How so?

YHUH asked Abraham to give his ONLY Son, the son he loved, Isaac, as an offering to YHUH, in Genesis 22:2:

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

The testimony from the Book of Hebrews:

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son… Hebrews 11:17

This brings to mind a similar description of Yahusha in the Prophets and in the New Testament:

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zechariah 12:10 

No man hath seen Aluhym at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 1:18

For Aluhym so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of Aluhym. John 3:18

In this was manifested the love of Aluhym toward us, because that Aluhym sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9

 Yes, we are supposed to connect the dots between Isaac and Messiah Yahusha, just as these witnesses in the Scriptures have done. They were both the One and Only Son, the Firstborn, the Promised, Chosen Seed, to be an offering on a certain mountain. Jubilees is in agreement with the New Testament on the timing of Yahusha’s death on Passover on the 14^th of the first month. There should be no doubt Abraham and Isaac were acting out a prophecy concerning the sacrifice of YHUH’s One and ONLY Begotten Son on a future Passover.

Other Parallels of Isaac’s and Messiah’s Prophetic Sacrifice According to Jubilees and Jasher

Most believers in Torah and Messiah Yahusha are well aware the NEAR sacrifice of Isaac was a prophecy of Messiah’s future sacrifice on Passover. The Bible does not confirm this for us, but Jubilees 17 does. It says it was in the first month, on the twelfth day of the month, that Prince Mastema (Satan) came before YHUH and started accusing Abraham of forgetting YHUH since Isaac’s birth. Jubilees states that it was “on the third day” that the ram took Isaac’s place on the alter on the mount. They counted to the third day inclusively, the twelfth of the first month being the day Satan approached YHUH about Abraham and Isaac, that same day being the day YHUH commanded Abraham to offer  Isaac. The thirteenth was the second day and the day they started their journey to the mount, making the fourteenth, Passover, the third day. There’s your prophecy of Messiah’s death on the Passover, found in Genesis and Jubilees and the ALMOST offering of Isaac, when the ram was killed in his place. The Book of Jasher is actually a second witness confirming this story in the Book of Jubilees of Satan coming before YHUH and suggesting Isaac be offered by Abraham.

There are so many other parallels and themes in Jubilees and Jasher that are identical to the Torah, the prophets, and the New Testament, just in this story alone, teaching us about Messiah through things that happened to Isaac. Abraham uttered the prophetic words, “My son, Aluhym will provide himself a lamb.” Of course, this was referring to how YHUH would in the future provide His own sacrificial ram, YHUH’s own ONLY Son, to die for man’s sins, in our stead. The account in Jasher is that Isaac was later told by Abraham that Isaac was the one chosen by YHUH for the sacrifice, and that Isaac rejoiced to be found worthy and laid down his life as a willing sacrifice, just as Yahusha did. Once it was clear that Abraham and Isaac were following through with this willing sacrifice, the Messenger of YHUH intervened and Abraham saw the ram YHUH provided with its horns caught in the thorns. There was even a point in the story when Satan is lying to Sarah about Isaac’s death and says that Isaac cried out to his father for help, just like Yahusha called out to YHUH for help, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”, interpreted ‘My El, my El, why hast thou forsaken me?” Then Satan says that Abraham did not look upon him with compassion at his death. Because of the very similar circumstances between the events in this story about Isaac’s NEAR death, and Yahusha’s death, and because we see it as a prophecy about Yahusha’s death at Passover, we can only conclude Jasher and Jubilees to be from scrolls of authority that uphold Torah and that contain prophecies of Messiah and other prophecies that have come to pass. It only makes sense.

The obvious references to Messiah’s death and resurrection should make it clear this was not a story with its origins in Jewish tradition, or Judaism. The clear support for keeping the Sabbaths and all the appointed times and laws of Moses make it clear Jubilees and Jasher were also not concocted by the Catholic or Protestant Churches or Christianity, either. The purity and uniformity of Jubilees and Jasher weave together the Old and New Testaments in a beautiful way that should clear up any remaining confusion for those who deal with supposed “contradictions” honestly. These “secret” books, these ancient scrolls, simply cannot be counterfeit. They claim to be the word of YHUH, coming in His authority, proclaiming what is written on the heavenly tablets. They really do end the argument for such people who accept the word of YHUH as the authority on these matters concerning the laws and appointed times.

The Timing of Isaac’s and Messiah’s Prophetic Sacrifice According to Jubilees and Jasher

The story is very similar to when Satan approached YHUH asking him to test Job’s faithfulness to YHUH. Here’s the testimony from the Book of Jubilees regarding the TIMING of Isaac’s “sacrifice”:

And it came to pass in the seventh week, in the first year thereof, in the first month in this jubilee, on the twelfth of this month, there were voices in heaven regarding Abraham, that he was faithful in all that He told him, and that he loved Aluhym, and that in every affliction he was faithful. And the prince Mastêmâ came and said before Aluhym, ‘Behold, Abraham loves Isaac his son, and he delights in him above all things else; bid him offer him as a burnt-offering on the altar, and Thou wilt see if he will do this command, and Thou wilt know if he is faithful in everything wherein Thou dost try him… Jubilees 17:15-16

…And he rose early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took his two young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood of the burnt offering, and he went to the place on the third day, and he saw the place afar off. Jubilees 18:3

According to Jasher the story and the timing is the same:

…And he said to him, Take now thy son, thine only son whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which shall be shown to thee, for there wilt thou see a cloud and the glory of YHUH. Jasher 23:2 Day 1

…And Sarah wept bitterly the whole night on account of Isaac, and she gave him instructions till morning… And in the morning Sarah selected a very fine and beautiful garment from those garments which she had in the house, that Abimelech had given to her…Jasher 23:13-14 Day 2

And on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place at a distance which Aluhym had told him of. Jasher 23:41 Day 3

Let’s see if the account in Genesis confirms or contradicts these events and their timing according to Jubilees and Jasher:

And it came to pass after these things, that Aluhym did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which Aluhym had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. Genesis 22:1-4

There you have it, Genesis records the same sequence of events, which Jubilees said began on the 12^th, ending 3 days later to the 14^th, on Passover. This is complete agreement with the timing of Yahusha’s death, as the prophecy of Isaac was fulfilled.

Satan wanted to see to it that the promised seed – Isaac, and on a future day, Messiah Yahusha – would be destroyed, but YHUH snatched them both from the lion’s jaws (Psalm 22). YHUH wound up having the last laugh in both cases, hence Isaac’s (Yatzchak’s) name (He – meaning YaH – laughs). Sarah said in Genesis 21:6 that all who hear about Isaac’s birth that occurred in her old age, would laugh with her. Now I understand Isaac’s name. When I discovered the lunar Sabbath and the true count to Pentecost, and how it related to Isaac and Messiah’s birth, I laughed. Truly YHUH is smarter than we are. It’s His glory to conceal a matter…He has the last laugh…

So that’s the prophecy of Messiah’s death in the life of Isaac, according to the Torah, Jubilees, and Jasher. Might I point out that’s three witnesses in agreement, in regards to the timing of Yahusha’s death according to prophecy. I know of no other prophecy in Torah that tells us WHEN He would die, which appointed time, which date. Would the Torah forget such an important detail such as the prophecy containing the date Messiah would be expected to die? What about the prophecy of His birth?

WHICH Appointed Time was the Promised Son Born?

Abraham initially thinks Ishmael is the promised Son, but YHUH promises him a CHOSEN seed instead of Ishmael. YHUH promises the Son to come through Sarah, and says He will visit them at a later time and she will conceive and bear a son at an appointed time, the same time, next year:

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Genesis 17:21

In the Hebrew Masoretic text that says:

ואת־ברית֖י אק֣ים את־יצח֑ק אשר֩ תל֨ד לך֤ שרה֙ למוע֣ד הז֔ה בשנ֖ה האחֽרת׃

Notice in the Hebrew, the word, moed/muad. This means appointed time. In this case, there is a preposition here before moed, it’s the Hebrew letter lamed, which means to, toward, or for. We can gather from this that Isaac’s birth was timed for a specific appointed time. The timing of Isaac’s birth on First Fruits in the third month was a prophecy for the timing of Yahusha’s birth on First Fruits, just like Isaac’s “mock” sacrifice prophesied of Yahusha’s sacrifice on Passover. Isaac was the promised seed/son of Abraham, Yahusha is the promised Seed/Son of YHUH. Let’s hear other witnesses on this testimony in Genesis as we read it in the Hebrew text:

In the Greek Septuagint (translated into English):

But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to thee at this time, in the next year. Genesis 17:21

In the Book of Jubilees:

But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to thee, in these days, in the next year. Jubilees 15:21-22

Let’s tie these witnesses together and see what they are testifying. Jubilees says “in these days”, the Septuagint says, “at this time”, and the Masoretic text says, “l’muad”, at this set, appointed time. This set, appointed time, in these days, at this time, they are all referring to the Feast of Weeks, or Shabuot in Hebrew, which occurs in the third month of the Hebrew calendar. More evidence of that will come forth later.

The Hebrew letter, lamed, before muad, or appointed time, means staff, authority, scepter, rod. It towers over all the other Hebrew letters in the alphabet. It signifies the King of Kings. I believe this lamed is placed here strategically before the word muad, in part, to tell the Hebrew reader that the King of Kings would also be born at this same appointed time, like Isaac. The lamed also means to lead, to teach, like Yahusha was the staff in the hand of Moses, that led Israel out of Egypt, that parted the waters and led them through the Sea of Reeds, and led them to the Mountain, where He taught them His laws, on the 16^th of the third month.

Let’s get back to Sarah…

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Genesis 17:21

But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to thee, in these days, in the next year. Jubilees 15:21-22

Genesis goes on to say that YHUH did again visit her as He said He would, and she conceived, and she did indeed have a son at the appointed time spoken:

And YHUH visited Sarah as he had said, and YHUH did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which Aluhym had spoken to him. Genesis 21:2-3

And in the middle of the sixth month YHUH visited Sarah and did unto her as He had spoken and she conceived. And she bare a son in the third month, and in the middle of the month, at the time of which YHUH had spoken to Abraham, on the festival of the first fruits of the harvest, Isaac was born. Jubilees 16:13-14

Genesis 17 and Genesis 21 both say YHUH said Isaac would be born at an appointed time. Is this just useless information, or is YHUH using these two witnesses as a testimony for truth seekers to hear for a reason? Which appointed time are these two witnesses in Genesis alluding to? Jubilees 16:13-14 agrees with these two witnesses in Genesis that Isaac was born at an appointed time, and goes further to pinpoint the date of Isaac’s birth to be in the middle of the third month, on the festival of the first fruits of the wheat harvest.

Exodus 34:22 confirms the Feast of Weeks was to be celebrated with the first fruits of the wheat harvest, Sukkot is the final harvest at the end of the year (turn of the year/end of Summer) when all the rest of the wheat is harvested. John 4:35 is another witness there are 4 months between First Fruits and the Final Harvest of the remaining wheat in the fields at Sukkot. From the 16th of the 3rd month, the Feast of Weeks, to the Feast of Sukkot in the 7th month, is 4 months:

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. John 4:35

Not only is Jubilees 16 giving us the timing of Isaac’s birth AND the Feast of First Fruits in the third month, but it also tells us WHEN SARAH CONCEIVED! She conceived IN THE SIXTH MONTH, WHEN YHUH VISITED HER! Nine months later she gave birth in the middle of the third month, at the full moon! She most likely conceived Isaac at the full moon in the sixth month! Let’s compare Jubilees 16 and Luke 1 more closely:

And in the middle of the sixth month YHUH visited Sarah and did unto her as He had spoken and she conceived. And she bare a son in the third month, and in the middle of the month, at the time of which YHUH had spoken to Abraham, on the festival of the first fruits of the harvest, Isaac was born. Jubilees 16:12-13

And in the sixth month the messenger Gabriel was sent from Aluhym unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary… Luke 1:26-27

In both accounts the proclamation of the promised son came in the sixth month with a visitation from Heaven. We’ve got all the scriptural witnesses in agreement that Isaac would be born at an appointed time, and I believe we have established that Isaac’s birth and ALMOST death would be pretty good candidates for the most skeptical of believers (wouldn’t a skeptical believer be an oxymoron?) for hints at prophecies of the timing of Messiah’s birth and death.

Other Witnesses Giving the Timing of the First Fruits of the Wheat Harvest in the Middle of the Third Month

Where does Jubilees get the gall to claim First Fruits is in the middle of the third month? Are there any other witnesses in Jubilees or any other scriptures that agree with or contradict this timing? Yes and yes.

And it came to pass in the first year of the exodus of the children of Israel out of Egypt, in the third month, on the sixteenth day of the month, that Aluhym spake to Moses, saying: ‘Come up to Me on the Mount, and I will give thee two tables of stone of the law and of the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayst teach them.’ Jubilees 1:1

 After these things, in the fourth year of this week, on the new moon of the third month, the word of HaAdon came to Abram in a dream, saying: ‘Fear not, Abram; I am thy defender, and thy reward will be exceeding great.’

1. And he said: ‘Master, Master, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go hence childless, and the son of Maseq, the son of my handmaid, is the Dammasek Eliezer: he will be my heir, and to me thou hast given no seed.’
2. And he said unto him: ‘This man will not be thy heir, but one that will come out of thine own bowels; he will be thine heir.’
3. And He brought him forth abroad, and said unto him: ‘Look toward heaven and number the stars if thou art able to number them.’
4. And he looked toward heaven, and beheld the stars. And He said unto him: ‘So shall thy seed be.’
5. And he believed in HaAdon, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
6. And He said unto him: ‘I am HaAdon that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee the land of the Canaanites to possess it for ever; and I will be Aluhym unto thee and to thy seed after thee.’
7. And he said: ‘Adon, Adon, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?’
8. And He said unto him: ‘Take Me an heifer of three years, and a goat of three years, and a sheep of three years, and a turtle-dove, and a pigeon.’
9. And he took all these in the middle of the month and he dwelt at the oak of Mamre, which is near Hebron.
10. And he built there an altar, and sacrificed all these; and he poured their blood upon the altar, and divided them in the midst, and laid them over against each other; but the birds divided he not.
11. And birds came down upon the pieces, and Abram drove them away, and did not suffer the birds to touch them.
12. And it came to pass, when the sun had set, that an ecstasy fell upon Abram, and lo ! an horror of great darkness fell upon him, and it was said unto Abram: ‘Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and they shall bring them into bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.
13. And the nation also to whom they will be in bondage will I judge, and after that they shall come forth thence with much substance.
14. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age.
15. But in the fourth generation they shall return hither; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.’
16. And he awoke from his sleep, and he arose, and the sun had set; and there was a flame, and behold! a furnace was smoking, and a flame of fire passed between the pieces.
17. And on that day HaAdon made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates, the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim, the Phakorites, and the Hivites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
18. And the day passed, and Abram offered the pieces, and the birds, and their fruit offerings, and their drink offerings, and the fire devoured them.
19. And on that day we made a covenant with Abram, according as we had covenanted with Noah in this month; and Abram renewed the festival and ordinance for himself for ever. Jubilees 14:1-20

And in the fifth year of the fourth week of this jubilee, in the third month, in the middle of the month, Abram celebrated the feast of the first-fruits of the grain harvest. Jubilees 15:1

The entire chapter of 2 Chronicles 15 is a witness of a festival, an assembly of the people in Jerusalem with mass animal sacrifice and renewing of vows/oaths to YHUH and a return to His commandments in the 3^rd month. Check the Hebrew on the timing, some translations changed it to say “in the spring”. They were celebrating Shabuot, the root word, shaba, meaning to make a vow/oath.

Exodus 19:1-8 tells us that when they arrived at Sinai on the 16^th of the 3^rd month, two months after they left Egypt, YHUH called Moses up the mount and Moses mediated the covenant and YHUH and Israel exchanged vows that day, they entered the covenant. This is also confirmed in Deuteronomy 5, especially verses 3 and 27 tied with Exodus 19:1 for the date these words were first exchanged between YHUH and Israel, Jubilees 1:1, and Jasher 82:6.

The passage in Jasher 82 APPEARS on the surface to give a different date for First Fruits, aka, Pentecost, Shabuot, the Feast of Weeks, etc…when it records the date of the giving of the law at Sinai. It says it occurred on the 6^th of the 3^rd month, but I believe it’s supposed to read 16^th. This was a mistranslation, it was translated to agree with Jewish tradition for the date of the giving of the law and the Feast, not necessarily with a purpose to intentionally mislead, but based on the translator’s own understanding. Often times in Scripture numbers are incorrectly translated from the Hebrew, explaining why some Bible translations give a different age for Yahuachayin in 2 Kings 24:8. Some say he was 18 when he began to reign, others say he was 8. In 2 Samuel 15:7, the Hebrew text says Absalom made a vow 40 years ago, the Greek and Syriac texts say it was 4 years ago. In this case, the 2 witnesses in agreement, the Syriac and Greek texts, appear to be the true testimonies. In the case of Jasher’s testimony for Israel’s arrival at Sinai and the giving of the law on the 6th of the 3rd month, it’s one, lone, witness that contradicts the 2 witnesses in Jubilees 1:1 and Exodus 19:1-8 that agree they arrived at Sinai and vowed to keep the covenant on the 16th of the 3rd month. The problem isn’t with Jasher though, just the translator struggling with how the Feast of Weeks could fall on the 16th, as this date would not work with a Gregorian Saturday or Sunday Sabbath or the Jewish tradition of waving the sheaf on the 16th of the 1st month. If this was translated properly, as 16th, rather than 6th, in Jasher 82:6, we would have 3 witnesses in agreement on this date. YHUH only requires there be 2 witnesses in agreement to establish a matter, so if we add all the other witnesses in Jubilees and the Bible, we have far more than what is required to establish the correct translation in Jasher 82:6. We have Jubilees 1:1, Exodus 19:1, Luke 1, Leviticus 23, etc… agreeing on the 16th of the 3rd month. If you count 7 lunar Sabbaths/complete weeks from the day after the Sabbath after the week of Unleavened Bread, 50 days not counting NM days which fall outside of complete weeks, you come to the 16th of the 3rd month.

And in the third month from the children of Israel’s departure from Egypt, on the sixth day thereof, YHUH gave to Israel the ten commandments on Mount Sinai. And all Israel heard all these commandments, and all Israel rejoiced exceedingly in YHUH on that day. Jasher 82:6-7

I have collected MASS evidence in the Bible itself that confirm this date for the Feast of Weeks as recorded in the Book of Jubilees. The Book of Jubilees also has several witnesses that our forefathers established covenants and renewed their vows on this date.

YHUH is having the last laugh. Just imagine all those Hebrew college professors and head rabbi’s faces when they realize they aren’t so smart after all.

For articles pertaining to this subject and additional scriptural witnesses establishing this date for the birth of the First Born of YHUH on the First Fruits of the Wheat Harvest:

https://pentecostcountdown.com/

This document would be well over a hundred pages long if I included all of the evidence here. Articles I especially recommend include:

https://pentecostcountdown.com/the-exchange-of-vows-and-pentecost-on-3-16/

https://pentecostcountdown.com/the-barley-sheaf-and-crossing-the-sea-on-abib-23/

https://pentecostcountdown.com/2-chronicles-15-a-witness-of-pentecost-in-the-third-month/

Shalom in Messiah Yahusha’s Love