Timing of Christ’s Birth — The Mysterious Plan

Celebration of Christ’s Birth

In God the Father’s unsearchable and infinite wisdom, He chose the time of Christ’s birth and death. By considering a number of biblical passages, we discover that the Father’s plan for our salvation was developed before the foundation of the world. Therefore, we should not be surprised that hints of His plan are revealed in the prophets’ writings. 1 Peter 1:10-11 tells us that the holy angels and the ancient prophets looked forward to Christ’s coming. They tried to understand who He would be and when He was coming.

The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 1 Peter 1:10b-11 (NASB)

A specific example of the prophets’ writings is that the prophet Isaiah knew about Christ and prophesied about Him (John 12:41). Some of the Old Testament believers also knew about the Christ as well. The man Job said,

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God.
Job 19:25 (NASB)

New Testament believers have looked back to Christ’s birth, life, death, and ascension to heaven with gladness and joy. The message of Scripture is that the date of Christ’s birth was critical in God the Father’s plan. This may seem to be obvious, but notice that Galatians 4:4 says that Christ was born in the fullness of time, and Romans 5:6 adds that He was born and died at the right time. Had He been born earlier, He would have been born at the wrong time. Had He been born later, it would have also been the wrong time. That means if God the Son had not taken on human flesh and blood at the time that He did, the Father’s plan would have failed.

It is clear from Scripture that God the Father created an intricate plan for the birth of the Son of God. God the Son volunteered to become a human and die so that our sins could be forgiven (Genesis 3:15; Ephesians 1:3-10; Hebrews 10:7-10). He was to be named Jesus. He would be the Messiah (Psalm 2; Isaiah 9:6-7). In the Father’s plan, He and the Holy Spirit would help the God-man, Jesus Christ, be born, live His life among us, perform His ministry, die on the cross, and then raise Him from the dead.

But all of this depended upon Jesus being born at the right time. So, the Father planned both the birth and death of Christ. Daniel 9:24-26 prophesied Christ’s death. It was prophesied that Jesus would die after 24 March, A.D. 33 in the Gregorian calendar. He died on April 1, 33 A.D. In order for Him to die at that time, He had be born before that date.
Scripture does not reveal the Father’s reasons as to why Jesus was born in 3-2 B.C. Most early church fathers report those were the years in which He was born. In addition, Micah 5:2 prophesied that He would be born in the city of Bethlehem. That was also the understanding of the religious leaders when the magi visited Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1-7). The Father shared this information about the date and city through the prophets so that we could identify the Messiah and Savior of the world.

Political events in the Roman Empire resulted in the parents of Jesus traveling to Bethlehem, so He could be born there (Luke 2:1-7). It was and is the city of King David, the city of the Messiah. The Father controlled the events of history so that the prophecy would be fulfilled.

The Father’s plan included Jesus dying on the cross and being resurrected. God the Father planned the millennial kingdom over which Christ, our Messiah, will reign on planet earth (Matthew 25:34), and will be honored by all (Psalm 2; Philippians 2:9-11). 2 Peter 3:9 reveals that God is delaying His millennial kingdom in order that all of the elect, those whose names are written in the Book of Life, will be saved.

When we make travel plans, we set the details and dates for the various places we wish to visit. The Father did the same thing. Galatians 4:4-5 says that the timing of Christ’s birth was designed to buy [redeem] us back from the Law and adopt us into His family.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)

This reveals the Father wanted to end our slavery to sin, and adopt us into His family forever.

Therefore, in order to accomplish all of this, the right time for Christ’s birth was chosen so that historical events would cascade and coalesce together, resulting in Christ’s birth and His death, according to the prophecies. That much is clear. But apart from that, the reason for the perfect timing of Christ’s birth is a mystery to us.

The testimony of the early church fathers supports December 25 as the month and day of Jesus’ birth. Even if it is the wrong date, Jesus was born near that day. That is, we are celebrating His birth near the date in the Father’s plan.
Thank you, Father for planning for Christ to be the perfect sacrifice for our salvation. Thank you for this Joyous Christmas season!