Chapters 3 & 4

INAUGURATION OF THE TABERNACLE & GOD’S PRESENCE

A year after the Exodus from Egypt, the Mishkan (Tabernacle / Tent of Meeting) was completed and officially opened. On that day, God’s presence filled it.¹

This moment marked the first time God established a visible, physical dwelling place among His redeemed people.

God’s Presence Enters the Tent on Nisan 1

The Book of Exodus is explicit about the timing of the Tabernacle’s dedication:

Exodus 40:2 —
*“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.”*²
 

This first day of the first month is Nisan 1.

When the Tabernacle was completed and erected on that day, Scripture records what happened next:

Exodus 40:34–35 —
*“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”*³
 

God’s glory entered the Tent on Nisan 1.

“The Word Became Flesh and Tabernacled Among Us”

The Gospel of John intentionally draws on this imagery:

John 1:14 —
*“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”*⁴
 

The word translated as “dwelt” literally means “tabernacled.” The Greek verb eskēnōsen comes from skēnē, meaning tent or tabernacle. John’s wording deliberately recalls the Old Testament Tabernacle, where God’s presence dwelled among Israel in the wilderness.⁵

Therefore, the birth of Jesus mirrors the setting up of the Tabernacle.

Just as God’s presence entered the Tent on Nisan 1, God’s presence entered human flesh in the incarnation.

Jesus as the True Tabernacle

The physical Tabernacle was a temporary structure designed to house God’s presence. Jesus fulfills and replaces that structure.

• Immanuel — “God with us” (Matthew 1:23)⁶
• God’s presence no longer dwells in a tent, but in a bod 
• Jesus’ body becomes the true Tabernacle 

“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
— Colossians 2:9⁷ 

Jesus fulfills every element of the Tabernacle. The parallel is direct and intentional.

Biblical Basis for Nisan 1

According to Exodus, the Tabernacle was:

• Constructed during Israel’s first year after leaving Egypt
• Raised and consecrated on the first day of Nisan in the second year after the Exodus⁸
• Filled with God’s glory on that same day 

This event marked the moment when God established His dwelling among His redeemed people.

Theological Connection to Jesus’ Birth

While the Bible does not explicitly state the date of Jesus’ birth, the connection is inferred through symbolic, linguistic, and theological parallels, especially in the Gospel of John.

• “Dwelt among us” intentionally means tabernacled
• The Tabernacle’s purpose was God dwelling with humanity
• Jesus fulfills that purpose permanently 

Some Christian traditions view Jesus’ birth as echoing God’s entry into the Tabernacle on Nisan 1, based on the timing and symbolic meaning of these events.

Timing and Interpretation

The assertion that Jesus was born on Nisan 1 is based on:

• The synchronization of God’s calendar
• The symbolic significance of the Tabernacle’s dedication
• The consistent biblical pattern of new beginnings occurring on Nisan 1

In this view, Nisan 1 represents new creation, the moment when God’s presence is established anew—this time, not in a tent made with hands, but in flesh.

Conclusion

God’s presence entered the Tabernacle on Nisan 1.
Jesus is the true Tabernacle.

Therefore, His birth—God dwelling among humanity—mirrors the very day God first chose to dwell among His redeemed people.

The parallel is too precise to dismiss as coincidence.

References — Chapter 3 (NKJV unless noted)

1. Exodus 40:1–17 
2. Exodus 40:2 
3. Exodus 40:34–35
4. John 1:14 
5. Greek eskēnōsen; Exodus 25:8; 40:34–35 
6. Matthew 1:23 
7. Colossians 2:9 
8. Exodus 40:17

PRIESTLY SERVICE TIME BEGINS

ABIJAH

Nisan 1 marked the first time the Aaronic priesthood and the daily Temple sacrifices were enacted, with fire descending from heaven onto the altar, signaling God’s acceptance of priestly service.¹

This moment establishes priestly time, which becomes essential for dating John the Baptist and, in turn, Jesus.

The Priestly Course of Abijah → Dating John → Dating Jesus

a. Zechariah belongs to the division of Abijah

Luke clearly identifies Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist:

• Luke 1:5 — Zechariah belonged to the division of Abijah. 
• The priestly divisions followed a strict schedule for their service in the Temple.
   

b. Approximate dates of Abijah’s service are known

• The priestly schedule is recorded in 1 Chronicles 24, which lists 24 courses of priests serving in rotation. 
• Each division served for one week at a time, twice per year, excluding pilgrimage festivals. 

This allows the approximate timing of Abijah’s service to be calculated.

c. Zechariah returns home → John is conceived

• Luke explicitly states that after completing his Temple service, Zechariah returned home. 
• John was conceived immediately after this period of service: 

“Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived.”
— Luke 1:24⁴
 

d. John the Baptist is born in Tishri (September / October)

• Based on the estimated timing of Abijah’s service and a normal pregnancy, John’s birth falls in Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.
   

e. Jesus is conceived six months after John

Luke provides a precise chronological marker:

• Luke 1:26 — *“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent…”*⁵ 

This places Jesus’ conception six months after Elizabeth conceived John.

f. Counting forward → Jesus’ birth lands in Nisan (March / April)

• Counting nine months forward from Jesus’ conception places His birth in Nisan, the first month of the biblical year.
   

Prophetic Symmetry

This timeline reveals a meaningful pattern:

• Tishri = Feast of Trumpets → John heralds the Messiah 
• Nisan = New beginnings → The Messiah arrives
   

The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

The Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah, is observed on the first day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.

• Leviticus 23:24 describes it as a day of rest, a sacred gathering, and a memorial marked by the blowing of the shofar.⁶
   

Key Themes of the Feast of Trumpets

• A call to repentance
  The trumpet blasts serve as a wake-up call, marking the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, leading to the Day of Atonement.
• Spiritual awakening
  It is a moment to awaken spiritually and prepare for God’s judgment.
• Announcement of a King
  In ancient Israel, trumpets were used to announce the crowning of a king.
• Prophetic fulfillment
  In the New Testament, the sound of the trumpet is associated with Jesus’ return and the gathering of believers (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16).⁷
   

John the Baptist’s Ministry

John’s ministry directly reflects the themes of the Feast of Trumpets:

• A call to repentance
  John preached repentance and urged the people to prepare the way of the Lord (Matthew 3:1–3).⁸ 
• Spiritual readiness
  He warned of coming judgment and called for visible, genuine repentance. 
• Announcing the King
  John identified Jesus as the Messiah:
   “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
  — John 1:29⁹
  
   

Because of this, many theological interpretations describe John the Baptist as a human “trumpet blast”—a messenger sent to awaken the people and announce the arrival of the King.

His ministry fulfilled the spiritual purpose of the Feast of Trumpets in history, just as the feast is believed to foreshadow events surrounding Christ’s second coming.

Conclusion

The priestly course of Abijah provides a chronological anchor.

• It places John’s birth in Tishri, aligned with the Feast of Trumpets. 
• It places Jesus’ birth in Nisan, the month of new beginnings. 

Priestly service, feast days, and redemptive roles align with precision.

References — Chapter 4 (NKJV unless noted)

1. Leviticus 9:23–24 
2. Luke 1:5 
3. 1 Chronicles 24:1–19 
4. Luke 1:24
5. Luke 1:26 
6. Leviticus 23:24 
7. 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 
8. Matthew 3:1–3
9. John 1:29