Messiah's Incarnation
And what about Christmas?
Introduction
When we think of the incarnation of Jesus, our Messiah, we typically think of Him being born in Bethlehem in a barn and being laid in feeding trough for animals(manger) wrapped in swaddling clothes(strips of cloth).
- Luke 2:7 She(Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them(Joseph & Mary).
Questions:
- What does "incarnation" mean? Answer: It was at the moment at which the "only-born Son of God(Jn1:14;3:16)" became human, the "son of man" - a phrase Jesus used many times, in reference to Himself.
- Was Messiah's incarnation at His birth or at His conception? Answer: Human life begins at conception, according to the following texts =>
- Jehovah said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
- Luke 1:41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit;
- A list of these and other similar texts, supporting the idea of human life beginning at conception => Genesis 25:22-23; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah1:5; Psalm139:13-16; Luke1:41-44; Exodus21:22-25
This study is a mainly focused on the incarnation of our Messiah, which would have been about 9 months prior to His birth. We also consider the Christmas holiday and it's connection.
Jesus - Light of the World
John 1:1-14 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. ... 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. ... 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ... 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
- Did you notice the incarnation of Jesus, the Word, in verse 14?
- Did you notice how Jesus, as the light of the World, is connected to His incarnation?
- Have you heard of "The Feast of Lights"? Could there be a connection?
The Feast of Lights
This feast or festival, as it is also referred to, is commonly known as Hanukkah, which is a celebration of the successful Maccabean revolt, which gave Israel freedom from the oppression of Greece in 164 BC. More about that later in this study... I also have a study about the events leading up to 164 BC => https://sidnash.org/docs/2300Days.html
There are similarities between Christmas and Hanukkah:
- Both come on the 25th day of the month:
- Christmas on the 25th day of the month of December
- Hanukkah on the 25th day of the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar
- Sometimes, the 8 days of Hanukkah overlap with Dec 25, as it does this year (2025).
But, what does the Feast of Lights have to do with Jesus as the Light of the World? More about that later in this study...
When was Jesus Incarnated as the Light?
I don't think it possible that we can pin-point the exact day that Jesus was conceived as a human. However, we do have evidence as to the approximate time, based on the Bible and historical evidence.
Here is the first clue to the timing of the incarnation: From the following passage, we see that Jesus was conceived six months after John the Baptist was conceived of Zacharias and Elisabeth:
- Luke 1:11-36 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 26 ¶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. ... 35 And the angel{Gabriel(vs.26)} answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her{Elisabeth(vs.5,13)} that was called barren.
So, How does Jesus being born six months after John help us to know the date that Jesus was conceived? For a detailed understanding, see this article on the Abide Network by Richard M. Davidson. But, I will attempt to summarize...
From Luke 1:1-80, and 1 Chronicles 24:1-31, with additional evidence from other Jewish writings, we can see at what time of the year Zechariah was serving in the temple and when he would have gone back home to his wife Elisabeth which is likely the time that John the Baptist was conceived. This, according to Davidson's research, was likely "toward the end of June". Further details can be found by clicking on the link above.
Since we have already seen from Luke 1 that Jesus was conceived 6 months after John, that would mean that Jesus was conceived toward the end of December! And that is Christmastime! And it aligns with Hanukkah!
I will be quoting from research previously done by Richard M. Davidson, PhD, a senior research professor at Andrews University. I don't quote him for doctrine, but rather for the detailed work he has done on this subject, I must give him credit. You can read his article on the Abide Network.
Connection Between the Light and Hanukkah
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah (Deut8:3; Matt4:4)
-Sid Nash: 12/19/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/MessiahIncarnation.html