and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. I give credit to Cooper P. Abrams, III and his article Where Was the Birth Place of the Lord Jesus? During this time, Passover played little or no role in the national life of the people. Every They knew where they had to go, the place where the temple lambs were born, the place where Scripture said the Messiah would be born, The Scriptures tell us that the shepherds were outside. The Mishnah states it is because livestock eats crops. Location: Canada. Ephrath means ash heap and place of fruitfulness, and seems to refer to Isaiah 61:3, which mentions beauty from ashes . There is an interesting clue in the Greek Interlinear Bible. The newborn lambs would be wrapped tightly swaddled in specially designated temple cloths, and they would be laid in a manger to keep them contained while they were being examined for blemishes. I am currently researching the shepherds from Luke and shepherds/shepherding throughout the Bible. One one hand it says that shepherding of small cattle was a decent profession to earn a living. It was not just any stable in Bethlehem. In the year 932 BCE, Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, reintroduced idolatry. The Renewed Covenant is the Covenant of newness, it never gets old. Yeshua also pronounced these same words once His blood was spilled. My first book, The Last Shofar! Some scholars regarded the injunction to have the lamb roasted as a distinction from ancient pagan spring festival rites, when meat was eaten either uncooked or half-broiled. I am trying to find evidence in the Talmud and Mishah but it is long and difficult. He was born on the beginning of the Hebrew year. Furthermore, the lambs were slaughtered by the Israelites, privately by each family, and the priests poured the blood on the base of the altar. It is defined as a stall where animals are kept, and in Luke 13:15 it is translated that way. The first appearance of the Messiah was to be at the tower of the flock. The hill of the daughter of Zion, the daughter of Jerusalem was this a reference to Mary, that long awaited daughter of Eve, whose seed was promised in Genesis 3:15 after the fall of mankind? I am going to be focusing mainly on the knowledge that we gained about the biblical period from our experiences today. Edersheim also referenced the Targum (The Targum is an Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanak), which was written during Israels seventy-year captivity in Babylon. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. Herod died in 4 BC, and we know that Jesus was already two years old, when the command was given to kill all male children in Bethlehem, 2 years and under. What does it mean that baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes? It seems it was a place for lost livestock (Mishnah Elucidated). Paganism spread throughout Israel and Judea and reduced the number of Jews who made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This unique ritual included the slaughtering of the lamb on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan (Leviticus 23:5). It seems to me they have picked thru the oral law to fit their narrative of how fitting it was that God gave the message to the lowest of the low. WebThese were the men who raised the lambs that were to be sacrificed in the Temple. Luke has the most complete account of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, as recorded in Chapter 2: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and linage of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. Kuehls Temple, Where Was Herods Temple? If this was so then, it makes no sense that they would be outcasts since they were doing a service and raising product for Temple service and service for the people. The Bible teaches us that mankind has a sin problem. Gestation period for a ewe is about 5 months. This feast coincided with the feast of the paschal lamb. In fact the shepherds may have been on the same land that Boaz redeemed for Naomi and passed on to his son Jesse, Davids father. Therefore, according to the Jewish regulations, the flocks under the care of the shepherds near Bethlehem must have been for the Temple-services. These shepherds watched over sheep destined as sacrifices in the Temple at Jerusalem. Everything points to these shepherds watching over sheep used for sacrifice. Suffice it to say that it was in the springtime, during Passover]. Some of you here know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem-Ephrathah not Bethlehem (there were two). Joseph belonged to the family of David, which is why they were in Bethlehem that night. They hired shepherds who were experts in animal husbandry. Every firstborn male lamb from the area around Bethlehem was considered holy, set aside for sacrifice in Jerusalem. 2) lying in a manger. We dont tell people that Christ was born on THIS actual day, but rather that, we celebrate the fact that He WAS born. They attended other tasks not related to the incense or sacrificial service. It was in this special manger, Migdal Eder, that Jesus was born after Mary and Joseph could not find other lodging. The first month, on the first day of the month. The birth of Yeshua was foretold to take place in Bethlehem by the prophet Micah, Bethlehem was a small Jewish town 6 miles or 9.6 kilometres from Jerusalem. The tower of the flock was built of stones, does not exist today and archaeology has not found its ruins as of yet. This is the location that showed the entire group how fortunate that we have Habib as our tour guide. Thankfully, on our farm, we only raised biblically kosher animals, so there were no pigs. But Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. She will remain in this estrus cycle until she becomes pregnant. What does Rachel, the wife of Jacob, have to do with the birthplace of Jesus? In biblical times, the region around Bethlehem was ideal for raising sheep. Yeshua, who was the fulfilment of the foreshadowing of the sacrificial lambs, was also sacrificed during the Passover so it follows that he would have been born around the same season in springtime. In the area of the camp, a sign proclaimed that "George II is Chief of the Chilkoots and a friends [sic] Your email address will not be published. When we first entered the cave there was another group of tourists within. Birthday: 08/26/1982. The Levites and priests are also described as having praised God day by day [Hallel], singing with loud instruments to God (11 Chronicles 30:21). When the ewes were ready to deliver, the shepherds moved them inside a manger. The place these special Temple sheep used for delivery of their lambs was the tower of the flock, located close to the road between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. In Hebrew, the name of the tower is Migdal Eder. When the ewes would come into heat, the rams would sense this, and mate. Who is better than these shepherd-priests to welcome the Lamb of the Eternal. Gender: Male. WHEN WAS YESHUA THE MESSIAH BORN? Following the rededication of the Temple by King Hezekiah, the priests are described as tossing the blood of the paschal lamb upon the altar (II Chronicles 30:16). Dont know. Isa 53:6, 1011). The church was led astray in the 4th Century AD and has since steadfastly supported the traditional site of the cave under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. When the shepherds heard the spectacular announcement by the multitude of heavenly host praising God, they knew exactly where to go to find the baby, wrapped in swaddling cloths, just like the newborn Temple lambs. I thought it was quite intriguing that all of the fixtures within the church served purposes, which are absolutely amazing tour guide Habib explained. This is not a good argument to use to try to disprove the Dec. 25 brith of Yeshua. When a baby was born, the umbilical cord was cut and tied; then the baby was washed and rubbed with salt and oil, and wrapped with strips of cloth. a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger? To be a sign, it would have to be distinctive, understandable, and unique. It was important that the lambs that were to be sacrificed did not have any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). It was important that the sheep that was to be sacrificed did not possess any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). Surrounding the town of Bethlehem grazed flocks of sheep tended by shepherds trained by the Levitical priesthood to provide the lambs for temple sacrifices. Sin is violation of Gods Word, a rebellion against God. Again, it is the day that everything becomes new and everything else becomes old. Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock, was the place where lambs destined for the Temple were born and raised. At that elevation there is usually a mild snow if any. The idea was to restore the livestock to its owner. Used by permission. Cooper P. Abrams III states in his article regarding Migdal Edar in Jerusalem: This watch tower from ancient times was used by the shepherds for protection from their enemies and wild beasts. Yeshua lay in the tomb after living a life without sin. My position is that they went to where the newborn lambs were typically wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger in the Tower of the Flock (Migdal Edar), not far from where they were tending the sheep which birthed the lambs used for sacrifice in the Temple. In this case, I believe the road map supports my position that Jesus was actually born at a place called Migdal Edar (Heb. Migdal Edal: Tower of the Flock]. The Season Clue: Mangers in 1st century Israel were made of stone as it was more abundant than wood. It does not store any personal data. Their job was to raise animals that were healthy and without blemish and pure enough for the temple sacrifices as stated in the Eternals instructions in the. Once the other group left the cave Habib informed us that there is much more to the story of the shepherds. Here they kept a place that was ceremonially clean for the ewes to lamb. Suffice it to say that it was in the springtime, during Passover]. He was born in Bethlehem, at the birthing place of the sacrificial lambs that were offered in the Temple in Jerusalem which Micah 4:8 calls the tower of the flock., In his classic book, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah (1883; Latest Edition, 1993), Alfred Edersheim (1825 1889), a Messianic Jew, had great insights regarding the birth of Jesus from a Hebrew-Christian perspective. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. WebThe reason of their bringing oxen, and sheep, and doves into the temple, was to supply those that came afar off, and could not bring their sacrifices with them, with such sacrifices as There is a teaching in the modern church that shepherds were outcasts, sinners, untrustworthy, banned from the Temple because they smelled and were unclean. The word Nisan, means new beginning. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The clues to the possible season of Yeshuas birth are based on teachings by Jonathan Cahn. When Messiahs presence comes, everything that was before is old everything now is new. When Habib was explaining the many intricate steps of the sheeps life I was astounded by the parallelism to Jesus Christ. As we have seen many times,bits and pieces from Scripture, taken together, often provide a road map. He once and for all would take away the sins of the world (Heb 10:10, 12), thus rendering their jobs as temple shepherds unnecessary. [Alfred Edersheim The Life and Times of Jesus Messiah (1899)], There was a place just outside of the town of Bethlehem, but still within the region commonly known as Bethlehem, where Passover lambs were kept by specially trained and purified shepherds. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. After the Scriptures, the Mishnah is regarded as the basic textbook of Jewish life and thought and is traditionally considered to be an integral part of the Torah, as revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai.). Howard Hewitt; France, The Gospel of Matthew, New International Commentary on the New Testament This parallel passage is part of an extensive section of Micah dealing with the first advent of the Lord. The Levitical shepherds would take the sheep to specific caves used for birthing the sacrificial lambs. If our tour guide were not with us we would not have noticed the importance of the design and the significance of the fixtures within the church. There are several biblical references indicating that this procedure was also followed in Solomons Temple. They were born on or around Passover. The priest nearest to the altar tossed the blood against the base of the altar. On the ground floor, a room was designated for the delivery and protection of these special lambs. Throughout the day we gained a plethora of information about Bethlehem during biblical times and also the current situation from our visit at Bethlehem University. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. There is a theological explanation for why Passover occurs in the spring. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. The term is derived from the traditions of Abrahamic religion where a lamb is a highly valued possession. Yes, sheep are smelly, but so are every other animal. These bands helped to provide comfort to the child, the tight bands replicating the feeling of the womb. The name , I am the living bread which came down out of the heaven, (Painting by Simon Dewey with Fotosketcher Filter), Bethlehem most probably had a population of fewer than a thousand people, perhaps only a few hundred in Yeshuas day. The festival of the paschal lamb was ushered in on the evening of the 14th of Nisan. Just try to leave out the pagan trappings! They were special too, trained by priests to inspect the newly born lambs who were destined for sacrifice. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history. And Jacob set up a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. Why are shepherds banned from the temple in the Bible? Jesus Birth The Case for Migdal Edar | Truth in Scripture Luke 2:8,Shepherds living out in the fields. One year old lambs were also needed during Passover and other festivals. Today we had the privilege to travel to the Western bank to the small town of Bethlehem. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 2 This month is the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of the year for you. Required fields are marked *. An analysis of bones found in an ancient In the same way Yeshuas birth changes the calendar not only of Israel but of the whole world and now we measure time with before Yeshua and after Yeshua, The Magi Clue: Presumably they were carefully watched over to keep them safe from incurring any blemish that might render them unusable for the temple service. The name Beit Lechem means House of Bread and Ephrathah fruitful. There also were many spaces within the ceiling to allow the natural light to illuminate the room representing the star light and also the light of the heavenly host. We know that these things occurred somewhere in the city of Bethlehem. In his work, Edersheim referenced the Jewish Mishnah (The Mishnah was the first recording of the oral law and Rabbinic Judaism. Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. However, the other evidence provided here is strong; and I believe the case for confirming Migdal Edar as the birthplace of Jesus is compelling. They were of various sizes and around 6 to 8 inches deep. Yeshua the Living Bread was born in the House of Bread. The lambs were born in this Tower of the Flock known as Migdal Eder under the watchful eye of the shepherds priests who would then inspect and certify them for use as sacrifices in the temple or designate them to be released for common use. He is, indeed, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.. When the [Second] Temple was destroyed [in 70 CE], all sacrifice eventually ceased, and only the Samaritans continued to bring the offering in their own community. 132133). They were Levitical shepherds (shepherd-priests). We do it on December 25th merely because it is a centuries old, entrenched tradition and we use this time to bring the good news and of the Nativity story in Matthew and Luke. An Israelite slaughtered his offering and the priests caught the blood. But the New Testament does not state the exact place in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. I think shepherds could have been out in December with their flocks as far as that aspect of the nativity story. Blessings. Every firstborn male lamb from the area around Bethlehem was considered holy, set aside for sacrifice in Jerusalem. Generations of hereditary shepherds tended the sacred flocks. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. What the Fall Feasts of the Lord are Telling the Church (which I co-authored with Donald Zoller and which is also presented on this website) provides an excellent description of Gods plan of redemption in Jesus, as foreshadowed in the Feasts of the Lord. There tour guide was explained to them how shepherds used caves to live in because when it is warm outside it is cool within in the cave and vice-versa with cold weather. Swaddling helps prevent her from flailing her arms and legs, which can trigger her startle reflex and potentially cause her to wake up. Rachel and Jacob would one dayweep no more, as both would share eternal life in the presence of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Messiahs presence comes, everything that was before is old everything now is new. Which is correct poinsettia or poinsettia? This means that shed be giving birth to the lambs in February to March. . The Greek word which is translated manger in our English Bibles is Yatnh phat-ne. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Understanding how Passover was celebrated in biblical times. It should be noted that Ephrath (or Ephratah) was the ancient name for the area which later was called Bethlehem. there were shepherds living out in the fields. The Jewish historian Josephus writing in the first century records that at Passover up to 265,000 lambs would be sacrificed in the Jewish temple at Jerusalem. Nothing suggests there were full time special shepherds enlisted to keep watch over sheep. The impression given is that they were able to go with haste because they knew from the description of the wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger exactly where to go to the Tower of the Flock, Migdal Edar. 960 BCE]. The heat cycle averages about 17 days and she is fertile or receptive to the ram during that period for only 24 to 36 hours. And found in the temple those that sold oxen, &c. Used for sacrifice. How old did sheep have to be to be used for sacrifices? And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. The priests stood in rows, and in their hands were basins of silver and basins of gold. What makes Bethlehem so unique, aside from being Yeshuas birthplace, is the fact that the lambs born and raised in Bethlehem were used for the temple sacrifices, according to rabbinic writings. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. [4] When the ewes were ready to deliver, the shepherds moved them inside a manger. Scholars interpret Micah 4:8 as a prophecy indicating that the Messiah would be revealed from the tower of the flock (Migdal Eder) which is connected with the town of Bethlehem, southeast of Jerusalem. Bethlehem most probably had a population of fewer than a thousand people, perhaps only a few hundred in Yeshuas day. Learn how your comment data is processed. At the time of the Feast of Passover the lambs to be sacrificed had to be one year old and without blemish, this means they were born on or around the Passover season. The father of John the Baptist was Zacharias, a priest who served in the Temple in Jerusalem. Although prophecy called for the Messiah to be born in Bethlehem, understanding of the connection to these lambs came much later, when the disciples realized that Jesus came to end His earthly life like one of the lambs the only difference being that He was the perfect, final sacrifice. The Romans would not have called for a census during winter as it would have been very hard for the people to travel long distances in the cold and rain. They were not to leave the meat over past the conclusion of the night (Exodus 12:10). The Sadducees, in charge of Temple sacrifices, also owned the Bethlehem fields and the lambs raised there. In addition to the more commonly known prophecy of the Messiahs birth in Bethlehem cited above from Micah 5:2, there is a more specific reference to Migdal Eder, also in Micah. A baby
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