Week #3 - What Jewish Festival Season Was Yeshua (Jesus) Born In?
Blog Series Intention Recap
The Questions of Christmas series invites us to slow down and look at the Christmas story with fresh eyes. We begin by seeing how Matthew, Luke, and the Old Testament fit together to tell one true story about Yeshua (Jesus)—Israel’s King and our Savior. Then we explore how Hanukkah’s themes of light and God’s faithfulness shape the world Yeshua (Jesus) was born into. We also look at why many scholars believe Yeshua (Jesus) was likely born during the Feast of Tabernacles, when God came to dwell with His people. Finally, we discover who the magi really were and how their long journey shows that the nations have always been drawn to Israel’s Messiah.
This page is a post in the series “The Questions of Christmas.” Click here to see the rest of the posts.
Let’s jump into Week #3:
Was Yeshua (Jesus) really born in December?… This post is purely my thought process. As a kid, I struggled with the fact that Yeshua (Jesus) was probably not born on December 25. We don’t have Yeshua’s birth certificate. However, I think some clues in the Bible’s own timing point us in a different direction. When we follow Luke’s timeline and Zechariah’s priestly service, everything lines up with the fall festivals—especially the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot. That feast celebrates God choosing to live right in the middle of His people, even in something as temporary and straightforward as a little booth. When we place Yeshua’s (Jesus) birth in that season, it highlights the heart of the incarnation: God stepped into our world to dwell with us.
Why it Matters:
The Bible gives timing clues for Yeshua’s (Jesus) birth by tracing the priestly service of Zechariah.
These clues suggest Yeshua’s (Jesus) birth landed during a feast season, likely Sukkot.
Sukkot’s themes—joy, God’s presence, and God dwelling with His people—fit the meaning of the incarnation.
Understanding the likely timing strengthens our confidence in Scripture and deepens our worship at Christmas.
Go Deeper:
Just a Subject for Bible Nerds?
Every December, the question comes up again: Was Yeshua (Jesus) really born on December 25? And just as quickly, many believers shrug and say, “Does it really matter?”
In one sense, no—the Bible never gives us a date. The gospel doesn’t rise or fall on a calendar page. But Scripture does give us clues. And when we slow down and follow those clues, they don’t lead us to a random guess. They lead us to a season on God’s calendar that is rich with meaning.
That’s where this becomes more than trivia. Understanding the season of Yeshua’s birth doesn’t change the gospel—but it does deepen it. It reveals the brilliance of God’s planning. It reminds us that God acts in history with intention, precision, and purpose.
God didn’t just send His Son sometime. He sent Him at the right time.
The Jewish festivals were never random holidays. They were teaching tools—living sermons woven into the calendar. Each feast points forward to God’s redemptive work. So if Yeshua was born during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, the timing itself preaches a message: God came to dwell with His people.
This week, we follow the biblical clues and explore what they tell us about the incarnation.
The Biblical Clues Begin with Zechariah
Clue 1: The priestly divisions
Luke opens the story by grounding us in history:
“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah.”
(Luke 1:5, ESV)
That detail matters. According to 1 Chronicles 24, Israel’s priests were divided into 24 courses. Each division served in the Temple for one week at a time, twice a year, plus major festivals.
The division of Abijah typically served in early summer.
That gives us our first anchor point.
Clue 2: John the Baptist’s conception
Luke continues:
“After his days of service were ended, he went to his home… Elizabeth conceived.”
(Luke 1:23–24, ESV)
If Zechariah finished his Temple service in late May or early June, then John’s conception would follow shortly after.
Now we have a timeline taking shape.
Clue 3: Six months later, Gabriel visits Mary
Luke tells us next:
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent… to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph.”
(Luke 1:26–27, ESV)
The “sixth month” refers to Elizabeth’s pregnancy. If John was conceived in early summer, six months later places Gabriel’s visit to Mary in December or January.
Mary conceives by the Holy Spirit soon after.
Clue 4: Nine months later—Yeshua is born
If Yeshua was conceived in winter, His birth would fall in September or October, right during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.
Is there some estimation involved? Of course. But this timeline fits Luke’s details remarkably well—and it aligns with everything else Scripture shows us.
Why Sukkot Fits the Birth of Yeshua
First, Sukkot is a feast of joy
God commands Israel:
“You shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.”
(Leviticus 23:40, ESV)
Jewish tradition even calls Sukkot “the Season of Our Joy.”
Listen to how the angels describe Yeshua’s birth:
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
(Luke 2:10, ESV)
A feast marked by joy fits the arrival of the Messiah perfectly.
Second, Sukkot celebrates God dwelling with His people
At the heart of Sukkot is the sukkah—a temporary shelter reminding Israel of the wilderness years, when God’s presence dwelt among them.
John echoes that imagery intentionally:
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
(John 1:14, ESV)
The word dwelt literally means tabernacled. John is using Sukkot language on purpose. Yeshua didn’t just arrive—He moved in.
Third, Sukkot is tied to the Messianic Kingdom
The prophets look ahead to a day when all nations worship the King:
“…everyone who survives… shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths.”
(Zechariah 14:16, ESV)
Sukkot has always carried a forward-looking, messianic hope. A Sukkot birth fits that expectation beautifully.
Finally, the crowds make sense
Sukkot was one of Israel’s three pilgrimage feasts. Jerusalem would have been overflowing. Bethlehem—just a few miles away—would have felt the impact.
Luke’s line suddenly sounds very historical:
“There was no place for them in the inn.”
(Luke 2:7, ESV)
Additional Clues That Support a Sukkot Birth
Shepherds in the fields
Luke tells us shepherds were watching their flocks at night (Luke 2:8). That fits early fall—not the cold, rainy winter months.
The light imagery
During Sukkot, massive lamps lit the Temple courts, symbolizing God’s presence. Later, during this same season, Yeshua declares:
“I am the light of the world.”
(John 8:12, ESV)
The water ceremony
At Sukkot, priests poured water at the altar, praying for God’s provision and Spirit. During that feast, Yeshua cries out:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
(John 7:37, ESV)
He didn’t just attend the feast—He fulfilled it.
So What About December 25?
The early church never claimed December 25 was the actual birth date of Yeshua. It was chosen later for symbolic reasons, not historical certainty. The Bible itself makes no such claim.
There’s no conflict here. We can joyfully celebrate the incarnation on December 25 and recognize that Yeshua was likely born in a different season.
The meaning matters more than the date.
Why Sukkot Makes the Incarnation Even Richer
Matthew tells us Yeshua would be called Immanuel:
“Which means, God with us.”
(Matthew 1:23, ESV)
That’s Sukkot in a sentence.
The sukkah is fragile and temporary. It reminds Israel that life is fleeting and dependent on God. Yeshua entered our fragile world the same way—not with power, but with humility.
And Sukkot points forward—to the day when God’s presence fills the earth:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.”
(Revelation 21:3, ESV)
The incarnation is the beginning of that promise.
A Simple Timeline Summary
Zechariah serves during Abijah’s priestly course (early summer)
Elizabeth conceives shortly after
Mary conceives six months later (winter)
Yeshua is born about nine months after that (early fall)
Sukkot occurs in early fall (September/October)
The clues don’t point to December.
They point to Sukkot.
And that makes Christmas—not smaller—but bigger.
How does this help me understand the concept of “The Questions of Christmas?”
Why does this matter for our celebration of Christmas?
It shows God’s precision in fulfilling His promises.
God does not act randomly. He fulfills prophecy and festival imagery with purpose and beauty.
It ties Yeshua (Jesus) deeply to Israel’s story.
The incarnation is not detached from the Old Testament. It is the fulfillment of it.
It strengthens our understanding of Scripture.
Recognizing how the biblical clues align reminds us that Scripture—from Torah to the Gospels—is one unified story.
It enriches our worship.
Whether we celebrate in December or reflect on the timing, the truth remains:
God came to dwell with us.
It confirms Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah
Using Israel’s feasts as prophetic signposts, Yeshua (Jesus) fulfills every part of God’s plan.
The Feast of God Dwelling with Us
The Bible does not provide a date for Yeshua’s (Jesus) birth, but it does give a season, a pattern, and a message. All the clues point to a birth during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles—a celebration of God dwelling with His people.
This timing is not accidental. It is part of God’s larger story:
God preserved His people (Hanukkah).
God promised His Messiah (the Prophets).
God sent His Son to dwell with us (Sukkot).
When Yeshua (Jesus) was born, God pitched His tent among us. He entered our world, our weakness, and our darkness. The incarnation is the true tabernacle—the moment heaven touched earth.
Sukkot celebrates God’s presence. Christmas celebrates God’s arrival.
Together they sing one song: “God is with us—Immanuel.”
