God speak to people in many different ways.In very early times God spoke to his people through special messengers called"Prophets".But there were no prophets for many years.Some times God also chose to speak through Angels.The angel came to Mary and said her"God's special blessings on you"
Mary could not understand what the angel said.She was very much worried.The angel said to her,"Don't be afraid,Mary.You will have a son.You will call him Jesus.He will known as the Son of God.God will make him a great ruler like his ancestor,King David.He will rule over God's people for ever".
Mary said to the angel,"I am not yet married.How can I have a son?"The angel answered,"The power of God's Spirit will come upon you.so your child will be called the son of God(Emmanuel).
"I am God's servant,"said Mary ."May God do with me as you have said."
Moreover, the birth of our Lord was foretold. The time was also fixed. Jesus was not born suddenly. When was it? It is really a big question. How did the Magi come to Jerusalem to worship the infant Jesus? Indeed, they were wise men, and had the prophecy in their tradition that the King of the Jews, whose Kingdom will last forever, will be born in the holy land. It is also important to observe that the chief priests of Jerusalem were able to tell where he was born
Do we really know the exact day when Jesus was born on earth ? We do not know.
It is believed that the ancient Greeks and the Romans celebrated December,25th as the birthday of the son of god. It is also believed that December.25th was the birthday of a very powerful and notorious ruler of Mesopotamia, Nimrod, who rebelled against God and constructed the tower of Babel. On the day Jesus was born, the shepherds were sleeping outside on the field when angels appeared and declared that the Messiah was born with their celestial voice. If He was born in the month of December, the shepherds could not have slept outside due to severe cold. Therefore, the probability of Jesus being born on December, 25th is a question to to be answered. I am not inviting a controversy here. What matters is the birth of JESUS and not the date of His birth.Byzantine churches observe His birth on 7th of January.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church officially celebrates Christmas on January 7. That is because it follows a different calendar system. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church, and others also celebrate their Christmas on this day.
Only one thing we can say that God of heaven did not want us to know this historic date of the birth of Jesus. God may have a definite reason for not revealing the date. But He has given other proof about this historic events.
Historical, Archaeological and Geographical Proof.
- Jesus was born in a geographical area known as Bethlehem. Thousand years before the birth of Jesus, God has selected this place and promised King David that Jesus will be born through His lineage. Bethlehem was the birthplace of David.
- This was revealed through the prophecy of Micah, hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. (Micah 5:2 )
- It took place during the time of the rule of Herod the Great as the ruler of the Jews under the Roman empire.
- This was the time the Romans were at the zenith of their glory.
- Pontius Pilate was the Roman Governor appointed for the governance of Jerusalem.
- Looking at the magnificent Jerusalem Temple, Jesus said that this will be destroyed and not a single stone will be left on another stone.( Matt.24:2 )
- In AD 70, the Roman army under the leadership of General Titus destroyed this magnificent temple and they removed each stone to pick up the gold from cracks and crevices of the rocks. Even the foundation stones were removed by ploughing with the help of elephants.
- Archaeologists have located the garden of Gethsemane, the palace of Pontius Pilate, the courtyard where the trial of Jesus took place, the place of crucifixion, the tomb where Jesus was buried etc.
- Geographical locations associated with the life of Jesus is still known as the same.The Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Cana, Samaria, Bethlehem and Jerusalem have still its importance in the world map as a center of importance due to the historical birth of Jesus Christ.
- This very clearly shows that God didn't want to reveal the date of birth of Jesus to humanity. If we know, we will start worshiping that day. God has already given a day in the Garden of Eden for worship and reminded us about it by writing it on rock tablets with God's own fingers.
- The four gospels are the eyewitness accounts of the disciples who walked with Jesus about three and a half years. They traveled together, ate together and ministered together.
- We have no doubt in believing the the life and conquest of Alexander the Great of Macedonia who lived hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus as a historical figure. Then why we cannot believe the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, with the eye witness reports of the gospel writers.?
- Except, St.John, the writer of the 4th gospel who was thrown into boiling oil and yet he came out unharmed to die a natural death later, all other disciples went through torture and accepted martyrdom. If Jesus was fake, why should they die for an imaginary hero ?
- Peter denied Jesus three times because he was afraid of the Jews. The same Peter was empowered and gave his own life for Jesus and requested the authorities to crucify him upside down to symbolically kiss the feet of Jesus. Would Peter, once so afraid of the Jews, become ready to sacrifice his life for a fake hero ?
- What made the doubting Thomas to travel all the way to Malabar, the coast of Kerala,India to spread the eternal gospel ? What changed the doubting Thomas to become a believing Thomas? One touch of the resurrected Jesus made Thoas to take a U-turn in His life. If Jesus was false, why would Thomas come to India.?
I am convinced that December 25th is not the real date of birth of Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that the birth of the Divine Child is an imaginary story. The few examples I have cited from the historical, archaeological and geographical factors reveal the historicity of the birth of Jesus. Some people ask me why Christians celebrate December,25th as the birthday of Jesus ? Some of them are really spiritual people.some are hard-core fanatics. But my answers to both are the same.
A Powerful Statement by -Peter Larson;"The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: A Virgin's womb an Empty Tomb.Jesus entered our world through a door marked 'No Entrance' and left through a door marked 'No Exit'.
JESUS MUST BE AN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE AND EVERY ONCE LIFE. NOW JESUS SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING FOR AN INN OR AN INSIGNIFICANT CATTLE SHED GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS,LET THE DIVINE CHILD BE BORN THERE.