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. You can see this in Luke 2: 8, That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 7:4 mentions none of the other facts that you suggest in your comment, so Im not sure where youre getting that from. I am taking for granted that Edersheim, who was a rabbinic Jew and expert scholar turned Christian scholar, knew what he was talking about when I quoted him for my article. Press ESC to cancel. I give credit to Cooper P. Abrams, III and his article Where Was the Birth Place of the Lord Jesus? Migdal Eder was a tower used from ancient times by the Levitical shepherds to protect their sheep and lambs from enemies and from wild beasts. The Paschal Sacrifice (Korban Pesach) | My Jewish Learning A bevy of explanations has been offered for these various biblical rites attached to the paschal lamb and its sacrifice. It involves a veiled prophecy in Genesis, and it has to do with the first mention in Scripture of the term Migdal Edar, at the time of Rachels death. The name Beit Lechem means House of Bread and Ephrathah fruitful. In the year 720 BCE, King Hezekiah set out to restore the ancient covenant. . It is the major source of the rabbinic teachings of Judaism. I am going to be focusing mainly on the knowledge that we gained about the biblical period from our experiences today. I have had issue with that view for a long time. A swaddle helps your baby feel safe and secure as she adjusts to life outside the womb. Rather odd since there must be livestock for the altar: daily sacrifices and unintentional sin offerings. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. there were shepherds living out in the fields. This all said, again there are much better arguments to use in disproving the Dec 25 brith date of Yeshua. Swaddling Cloths: Gods Attention to Prophetic Details Herod died shortly after his murderous order. The Rest of the Story: Shepherds Abiding in the Field. Equally so, was the belief that He was to be revealed from Migdal Eder, the tower of the flock. ThisMigdal Eder was not the watchtower for the ordinary flockswhich pastured on the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town, on the road to Jerusalem. Abrahams hand was stayed, and God provided a substitute sacrifice, just as He would provide in His Son, Jesus. How old did sheep have to be to be used for sacrifices? I suspect that shepherds and other lower class peasant type people might have been outcasts to the super-Pharisaical types who, like the Brahmam class in Hinduism, considered anyone belonging to a lower social-religious class to be vitally an untouchable. Sacrificial Procedures Torah.org Such sheep were kept in the environs of Jerusalem including Bethlehem which lies just five miles south of that city. Shepherds would typically only watch flocks in the open at night during the lambing season. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Surprisingly, the Old Testament gives us the answer. Pronounced: TALL-mud, Origin: Hebrew, the set of teachings and commentaries on the Torah that form the basis for Jewish law. These special lambs came from a unique flock that was designated for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem., Typically, Migdal Edar, (the tower of the flock) at Bethlehem is the perfect place for Christ to be born. Daily Sacrifices In The Temple of This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. As a nation, Israel began its history by putting lambs blood on the doorposts and lintels of each house. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Actually its Mishnah Shekalim/Sheqalim 7:4 that youre referencing. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. [4] When the ewes were ready to deliver, the shepherds moved them inside a manger. Lastly, Gods ultimate plan of redemption is reflected in the Feasts of the Lord, which God established as yearly rehearsals by the people of Israel, beginningwith the Feast of Passover and the shedding of the blood of an innocent lamb (Leviticus 23). 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. Jesus was not born behind an inn, in a smelly stable where the donkeys and other animals of travelers were kept. It was important that the sheep that was to be sacrificed did not possess any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). WebEvery firstborn male lamb from the area around Bethlehem was considered holy, set aside for sacrifice in Jerusalem. The tower of the flock was built of stones, does not exist today and archaeology has not found its ruins as of yet. 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. in the temple They were not to leave the meat over past the conclusion of the night (Exodus 12:10). On the other hand it mentions that many were considered thieves and also that they had the potential to cause strife with their neighbor because of grazing on their field; also citing an instance (if I remember correctly) in Galilee were they had to go thru private land to get to the open fields and therefore causing strife. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. I grew up on a farm and we raised sheep. 2 This month is the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of the year for you. There is a theological explanation for why Passover occurs in the spring. This unique ritual included the slaughtering of the lamb on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan (Leviticus 23:5). Why did they say ? The beginning of the Hebrew year is in springtime on the first day of the month of Nissan. The shepherds of Bethlehem were in charge of raising sheep for the temple sacrifices. Both were used, depending on the sacrifice. But from Micah 4:8 we now know that He was actually born at the Tower of the Flock (Migdal Edar). Jesus Movements, Where Was Herods Temple? The Shepherds at Jesus Birth and the Geography of Bethlehem 132133). First His birth, then His death, resurrection, etc, The Eternal commands us to begin the year and everything on the first day of the month of Nissan. 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. WebSacrifices were stopped after the Temple's destruction because the Torah specifically commands Jews not to offer sacrifices just anywhere; An olah could be made from cattle, sheep, goats, or even birds, depending on the offerer's means. (765) 361-6100, Civil Rights Road Trip: Selma and Tuskegee, Juthani 15 Seeing New Sides to Old Dispute, Morrison 14 Torn Between Beauty, Ugliness, Story of Bethlehem Sheep More than Legend. Perhaps most significant, sheep were used as part of the temple sacrifices. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. There is a teaching in the modern church that shepherds were outcasts, sinners, untrustworthy, banned from the Temple because they smelled and were unclean. He changes the calendar of our lives. Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock, was the place where lambs destined for the Temple were born and raised. Excerpted with permission from Every Persons Guide to Passover (Jason Aronson, Inc). These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year round. It was a place fit for the Lamb of the Eternal to be born. Every part of their lives revolves around the Temple. After we were finished taking pictures of the incredible Franciscan church we made our way to a natural cave close by. We know from Micah 5:2 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The shepherds of Bethlehem were in charge of raising sheep for the temple sacrifices. [8] The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Book II, Chapter 6 (This 1883 book by Alfred Edersheim is available online, but that makes referencing a page number difficult.). And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother [Esau]. In the Bible we find several other names for Bethlehem, includingEphratah (Micah 5:2) andEphrath (Genesis 35:16, 19; 48:7). 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.). pinpoints the exact place where the Messiah was born. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Why is it important that he would be born at this time? The rabbis did not ban shepherds. The Lamb of Bethlehem - Nerd in the Word He sent the Set-Apart Spirit to his disciples on Shavout (Pentecost). The explanation for the uniqueness of the Passover sacrificial rite may be found in its commemorative aspects. When Habib was explaining the many intricate steps of the sheeps life I was astounded by the parallelism to Jesus Christ. He died on Passover when the sacrificial lambs were sacrificed. Dont know about the Middle East; I never bred and raised sheep there. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. According to the The priest passed the basin to his fellow priest, and he to his fellow, each receiving a full basin and giving back an empty one. Jesus Birth The Case for Migdal Edar | Truth in Scripture 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 attended other tasks not related to the incense or sacrificial service. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". But where in Bethlehem? Crawfordsville, IN 47933 In addition to the statement by John the Baptist referring toJesus asthe Lamb of God, these bits and pieces of Scripture come from diverse sources, from both the Old and New Testaments in the Bible. The temple sheep, the ones raised for the purpose of these Passover sacrifices, would have been pastured and born in the fields outside Bethlehem. Only the Passover made an exception and allowed the unclean to keep the holiday (Numbers 9:10-13). When we first entered the cave there was another group of tourists within. The Gospels of both Matthew and Luke place the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. A LAMB BORN IN BETHLEHEM NAZARENE NOTES And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told by the shepherds. Where did the shepherds get the Lambs for sacrifice? 21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar[Heb. 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. He was born in the very birthplace of tens of thousands of lambs, which had been sacrificed to prefigure Him. Hag HaPesach (the festival of the paschal lamb)the sacrificial rite of the paschal lamb and its consumptionwas the main feature of the ancient Passover ceremony that ushered in the holiday. The daily Temple sacrifice required two unblemished sheep from Bethlehem. Again, it is the day that everything becomes new and everything else becomes old. John the Baptist likened Jesus to those lambs carefully chosen for sacrifice in the Temple. It is defined as a stall where animals are kept, and in Luke 13:15 it is translated that way. Debunking Popular Christmastime Myths: Temple Shepherds, Personally, that date is probably the one day I would not choose to do this due to its pagan roots, but better that his name be lifted up than not, even on December 25. It all fits together, for thats the place where sacrificial lambs were born! This phenomenon took place during the springtime, around the time of the Passover. Here they kept a place that was ceremonially clean for the ewes to lamb. [10] Micah 4:8 composite translation, also uses definitions from Strongs Exhaustive Concordance. [5] Perhaps there was no room due to the impending holiday, which many traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate. Some of you here know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem-Ephrathah not Bethlehem (there were two). Tower of the Flock) in Bethlehem. and give no references, so I cant look it up to verify anything, and I like to verify everything either directly from original sources or from experts who have a good reputation in their field of study for being accurate historically, like Edersheim. However, based on biblical record (Micah 4:8)and other evidence we must conclude that Yeshua was not born a dirty stable of an inn where donkeys and other animals were kept. In the year 932 BCE, Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, reintroduced idolatry. This means that shed be giving birth to the lambs in February to March. Who Were the Shepherds - Redeemer of Israel Once the sheep were of age the shepherds would bring them to the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for the Sabbath (Friday). They were not there when Yeshua was born but around two years later they found him and his parents living in a house. What is the formula for calculating solute potential? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. It was prophesied that he would be a descendant of David, the shepherd king who was also born in Bethlehem around a thousand years prior to Yeshua (. Whether shepherds were tending the flocks in the field with their sheep in December is another issue, which I cant address. Once the other group left the cave Habib informed us that there is much more to the story of the shepherds. According to the Mishnah Baba Kama, they banned livestock. As we have seen many times,bits and pieces from Scripture, taken together, often provide a road map. Sheep have wool and can easily withstand cold temperatures. 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. 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. Note: The following Post is taken from the book by Joseph Lenard entitled Mysteries of Jesus Life RevealedHis Birth, Death, Resurrection, and Ascensions.
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