Gen. 1:14 tells us the sun, moon and stars are also used for signs. A constellation and a star (likely the planet Jupiter) were used by the Magi. According to a sign in the Heavens in Rev. 12:1,2 ( in which a this constellation appeared around Jesus Birth), Jesus was born on Sept. 11, 3 BC ... calculated to within a 81 minute window.
(Sunset @ 6:18PM and Moonset @ 7:39PM)
This would have been Tishri 1, The first day of the Feast of Trumpets;
The anniversary of the first day of Creation;
Also the Birthday of Noah.
This would mean Jesus was 33 1/2 years old if He was crucified in 31 AD.
It has always been a question when Jesus was really born. It could have been on a pagan holiday, to overshadow that holiday and erase it. But since the shepherds were tending to sheep that were grazing out in the fields, it probably didn't happen in winter. I guess they could have had a warm year. Sheep and cattle di sift through the snow to get at dead grass too, dont they? I don't know.
This study goes into detail about it.
When Was Jesus Christ Born? The Bible Says September 11, 3BC-The Day of the Feast of Trumpets
I read something similar years ago. There is a few days difference, but I am happy to accept either one or both explanations.
Before the name “Christmas” was invented, December 25th was celebrated as “The Great Miracle”. But they were not celebrating the birth of JESUS. The one thing about the First Corning of our Messiah that is not miraculous was His birth. His birth was just like yours and mine. What our forefathers were celebrating was the Great Miracle of His Conception, which was not a bit like mine or yours! So the first riddle to unscramble is the “nine-months-out” one.
But surely, we celebrate the Lord's conception on March 25th, calling it the “Annunciation” because of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. Yes, traditionally we do, which raises the question, ‘who is right? Us or Them?’
The answer can be detected in Dr. Luke's book. He is the Sherlock Holmes of the Gospel, having “carefully investigated everything from the beginning” so as to give us “an orderly account” —Luke 1:3.
There’s nothing like starting at the beginning, so he investigates the Reverend Zechariah’s run-in with the archangel Gabriel. Straightway he discovers a date — very useful things, dates. As one of many priests in those days, you might only get one shot at ministering in the Temple. Each year you would wonder if your name would come up. The only thing you knew for certain was the fortnight in the year when your “division” was on call.
It was King David who ordered the organizing of the priests into twenty-four fortnightly tours of duty, according to their family-groups, through the months of the Jewish Year (1.Chron. 24:6-19). Zechariah was of the 8th Division of Abijah —Luke 1:5, and according to the Jewish calendar this falls in the month of “Tammuz”. By our calendar this is around the end of June and beginning of July.
So it was that the LORD GOD made His first move to fulfill His promise to save us, and here we discover something wonderful. The name Zechariah means “to remember” and his wife’s name, Elizabeth, means “God’s Promise” --their joined names: “God remembers His Promise”! Alleluia!
You know the story of Zechariah being struck dumb in the middle of Evensong —Luke 1:8-22. You don’t argue with archangels, you say “Yes, sir.” Gabriel had told this old man to go home and have a word with his wife and start a baby, at their time of life an act of faith and a daunting prospect!
So now we have our first date-clue: Elizabeth became pregnant with John-the-Baptist sometime in July that year! Then Dr. Luke tells us that when she was six months pregnant, Gabriel visits Mary with the offer of the ultimate Spiritual Gift, to conceive, carry and give birth to JESUS, the SON OF GOD.
Already we have another all-important date —that it was December, according to our calendar, when Elizabeth was “in her sixth month”, when JESUS was conceived —Luke 1 :26-38. This tells us that the birth of JESUS was at the end of September, during the Jewish Feast of “Tabernacles”.
Now here is another of those wonderful things: according to the Prophet Zechariah (same name, different bloke, happy coincidence!) the LORD’s Second Coming also seems to be at the Feast of Tabernacles, and will be celebrated thereafter, every year, at that Feast —Zechariah chapter 14.
But we must return to Bethlehem and do some sleuthing. Luke immediately gets into the story-line, but Matthew, whose Gospel was always set first in the New Testament, appears to be incredibly boring. He begins with one of those family-trees which we are tempted to think could have been left out. How wrong we are to think so.
There are two clues in Matthew’s list that are vital for Christians in any generation to know. First, it was outrageous of him to include women’s names -- not done in Jewish practice. But when you realize that all were Gentiles, of whom the first was guilty of incest, the second a prostitute, the third a decent lass but a Gentile nonetheless, and the fourth the unmentionable Bathsheba! -- then you begin to see that Matthew was stirring the pot. He is warning that this family-tree is a nonstarter.
The clincher comes in verses 11 and 12, with the mention of King Jeconiah, also known as Coniah and Jehoiachin; probably the wickedest king Israel had. If you take your magnifying- glass and scrutinize Jeremiah 22:24-30, you will discover that none of this wretched king’s descendants would be allowed to succeed to the throne of David. Now the Messiah must be “of David’s line.” What Matthew is doing is proving the Virgin Birth: that Joseph could not have been the father of JESUS, the Messiah —for this is Joseph’s family tree. Joseph himself adds his personal testimony to the virginity of Mary, and that he was not the father of JESUS. Say ‘thank You’ for Joseph. Luke’s family-tree is Mary’s line, which is A-OK —Luke 3:23-38.
There is an easily missed clue in what the angels said to the shepherds, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Our God speaks clearly and very often confirms His word. So, it’s not every day that you find a baby lying in an animals’ feeding-trough. That alone would have done it for those shepherds. Where do you find a manger in a town? In a stable, of course. So check the stables first. But just in case there should be another baby lying in a manger in Bethlehem, the LORD provides a second clue: “ wrapped in cloths..”
That we are up against here is the old ‘‘chicken or egg” question. The great King James version says, “wrapped in swaddling-clothes.” Now almost all cultures wrap-up babies in cloths of some kind, both for warmth and to simulate the sense of security they have had in the womb. “Swaddling-clothes,” therefore, have become identified in English with ‘what you wrap a newborn baby in’. But there’s something wrong here!
Continued:
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Anyways, it is a day of joy, peace and love - regardless of what the opposers say - a minute amount only. Even non - Christians love the day. It has some of the best musical songs ever written.
