“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief,” 1 Timothy 1:15.
This is a timely topic girls and boys since we are surrounded by the many evidences of the world’s celebration of the birth of Christ. Many Christians have expressed reservations about whether they really have any relationship to the first advent of Christ. Whatever we believe about Christ must be grounded on the Word of God. That is made clear in the last warning given in the Bible.
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book,” Revelation 22:18-19.
We cannot add to or take from that which God has revealed about Himself in His Word. Man has done so at every level of religious activity and thought!
Just what does the Bible say about the birth of Christ, particularly when it took place?
THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS NOTHING SPECIFICALLY OR DIRECTLY STATED ABOUT WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN.
However, there is a number of circumstances recorded that would give us some clear indications of the time of the year when it did take place.
1. Let’s start with that best known of all events surrounding the birth of Christ — the shepherds watching over their flocks by night near Bethlehem, Luke 2:8-11. These shepherds would not have had their flocks outside in the dead of winter.
2. Israel’s winters are much colder than we imagine. The virtuous woman, Proverbs 31:21, “is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet”. Some say that the word clothed carries the meaning of double-wrapped. Winters can be severe in Israel.
3. It is unlikely that Roman Empire would have required its citizens to travel at a time when such was difficult. There were many areas of the Empire which endured very severe winters. It is unlikely that such a decree (Luke 2:1) would have been issued when travel would have been made difficult, if not impossible, by the weather. Note the words of Christ, Matthew 24:15-16, 20. “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day,”
These two considerations certainly cast a serious doubt over a mid-winter date for the birth of Christ.
4. Furthermore God, Who is over all, would not have permitted the mother of Christ to travel when travel was hazardous! Consider the care taken of the infant Jesus, Matt 2:12-15; 19-23. True heart of Herod, V16.