Greetings of Peace,
The response to this e-mail have been interesting. Isn’t it interesting that the battle raging around this subject is focused and heated at this time of year and not another?
Speaking of ‘heated’, God also uses nature to speak: have you ever experienced where you live a warmer than usual winter night, and you go out to enjoy it? Just so, God “could have” done that on the night the warmth of His love was announced and came into the world in the flesh, sending out the shepherds with their sheep for what would become an awesome heavenly spectacle. When Yeshua was being condemned to death on false charges by the power of darkness, it was the spring, yet the night was especially chilly, and Peter, along with the servants and officers of those powers, needed a fire to warm themselves (Jn 18:18).
Regarding the priestly service of Zecharia, John the baptizer’s father, during the course of Abia, I have not found agreement by those looking into it (including myself) as to when that course started its rotation, and for how long they served it.
God does not bring to pass His Word and promises in a way to satisfy our own understanding or expectation, but rather for us to take note that HE has intervened into the affairs of man for His holy name’s sake. No flesh shall glory in His presence; no pride for having ‘figured it out’ in advance (not to mention how difficult it is for us to understand it after it’s happened!).
Let the peace and joy of God reign in our hearts, both now and forever!