Have a Beautiful Season of Light & Love...

Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYexxEAl8IoMessianic Hanukkah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmPaN-zbJLI Mary (Miriam in Hebrew) was highly favored among women, and blessed to have been chosen to bring forth the Messiah Our Lord and Saviour who was to be called Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew, name meaning God Saves). Thru research of dates within the scriptures it is highly regarded that Mary's immaculate conception took place shortly after the announcement by the angel Gabriel, this took place in the month of December on the Gregorian calendar (Israel used the Hebrew calendar). This then places Our Lord's birth during the Feast of Tabernacles on the Jewish Calendar, 9 months later, very appropriate when you read in scripture that He was also called Immanuel, meaning God with us,... He dwelled among us.  The Festival of Lights, referred to as Hanukkah, being so close to the then later celebrated date for His birth, December 25th, is interesting when you consider that He is the Light of the world, the Hebrews considered the festival as a 2nd form of celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (which as indicated above is the regarded time of His Birth), His conception at during the time we recognize as Christmas lends support to the concept of Life beginning at conception. Then there is the fact that this celebration also marked the Feast of Dedication of the Temple... we know that the Lord said  to the Priests that the stone Temple would be brought down, but in three days The Temple would be raised up, making reference to His Body. There are astronomical and historical accounts that are consistent with the Bible, that the date the Magi(s), also known as wise King(s), came to offer their gifts to the King of Kings would correspond to the date on our calendar of December 25 th. By offering gifts they in fact were dedicating the New Temple which was brought forth in the Birth of the King, were celebrating the Festival of Lights, a time for gift giving, symbolically confirming the Light of the world being present. Our God is an Awesome God! Have a Beautiful Christmas filled with the Love, Peace, and the Presence of Our Lord and Saviour! God Bless you! For more information on researching Christmas, visit the Biblical Archeology Group,  http://dailystrength.org/groups/biblical-archaeology/discussions , and read the posts on Jesus' Birth, Festival of Lights & Jesus, Star of Bethlehem, Prophesies: Birth of the Messiah.