Required fields are marked *. John the Baptist was the only son of Zacharias, and he was also of the priestly line. Our plans were to (first) travel to the actual location where Jesus Christ was born and view the manger, but surprisingly the Prime Minister of Great Britain (David Cameron) also had the same idea so we had to make a quick change. In the year 720 BCE, King Hezekiah set out to restore the ancient covenant. were The caves were specially cared for to keep them clean and prepared for the birthing process. Why was Jesus born in a manger? - University of Rochester I am going to be focusing mainly on the knowledge that we gained about the biblical period from our experiences today. While this ritual was performed the Levites sang the Hallel [Talmud Pesachim 64a]. The Bible repeatedly emphasized this facet of Passover, And this day shall be for you a memorial (Exodus 12:14); And Moses said to the people: remember this day in which you come out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage (Exodus 13:3); You shall remember what Adonai your God did to Pharaoh (Deuteronomy 7:18); that you may remember the day when you come out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life (Deuteronomy 16:3). Story of Bethlehem Sheep More than Legend Immersion Learning 4 We were therefore buried with Him through immersion into death, that as Messiah was raised from the dead by the esteem of the Father, so also we should walk in newness of life. Since these sheep needed to remain outside the shepherds were also outside, not using the cave during the awful winter (rainy season). . Paganism spread throughout Israel and Judea and reduced the number of Jews who made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 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. Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter. - Facebook It was not just any stable in Bethlehem. was the second part of the sign and that made this baby unique because new-born babies were not normally put in a manger [feeding trough]. Crawfordsville, IN 47933 [7] The Micah prophesy starts in Micah 4:6 and continues through 5:5; see explanations and structure in the Companion Bible. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These types of towers were common and are mentioned in various Old Testament books (Judges 8:17; 9:46, 51; 2 Kings 9:17, 18:8; Nehemiah 3:1). Who Were the Shepherds - Redeemer of Israel 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. 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. PROCLAIMING THE MESSAGE OF YESHUA THE MESSIAH. The clues to the possible season of Yeshuas birth are based on teachings by Jonathan Cahn. In the Bible we find several other names for Bethlehem, includingEphratah (Micah 5:2) andEphrath (Genesis 35:16, 19; 48:7). 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. Once the lambs blood was completely spilled for all of the sins, the priest would turn to the people and proclaim, It is finished or it is accomplished. Jesus was not born behind an inn, in a smelly stable where the donkeys and other animals of travelers were kept. A baby was not unusual in first-century Israel. He sent the Set-Apart Spirit to his disciples on Shavout (Pentecost). Edersheim says the sheep watched were for sacrifice. The renewal of the covenant was to be formalized by a national celebration of Passover, with the paschal lamb ritual as the highlight of the celebration. Ancient Animal Sacrifice In Jerusalem | Live Science It seems the officers, whose province it was to take care of the temple, permitted a market of these animals, and other things necessary for sacrifice, to be kept in the court of the Gentiles, in order that the worshippers might be supplied with victims requisite for the altar. 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 (for more information see THE BIRTH OF YESHUA ) Usually Iyar-Sivan (our April-June) are birthing months for ewes. We see from the New Testament Scripture that Jesus was, indeed, born in Bethlehem. A statue of Hippolytus in Rome today still mentions April as the month of Yehsuas birth [This date varies from year to year as the Hebrew months are based on the moon. The term is derived from the traditions of Abrahamic religion where a lamb is a highly valued possession. Sin came into the world through Adam in the Garden of Eden, as presented in the early chapters of Genesis. The weather was not cooperating today. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel [Heb. All of this thanks to THE LAMB BORN IN BETHLEHEM! Bible Bloodbath: Temple Worship, Sacrifice Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. Used by permission. 45. According to Josephus a Passover-feast at Jerusalem in Neros time, the priests counted 256,000 sacrifices confirming the capacity of such large numbers. . Whether shepherds were tending the flocks in the field with their sheep in December is another issue, which I cant address. On this day everything begins. The Tower of the Flock was perhaps the only structure available on the long road through the fields of sheep between the two cities. All of the information that follows is all from our tour guide, Habib. He was born on the beginning of the Hebrew year. He was the Eternals First-fruit, the First of many to be resurrected. This part of the sign was not enough on its own because any new-born baby would be wrapped in swaddling cloths. The Mishnah states it is because livestock eats crops. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This means that shed be giving birth to the lambs in February to March. In summary, we can state with some certainty that the flocks which were pastured around Migdal Edar were sheep destined for Temple sacrifices, and the shepherds who tended them were special shepherds, trained to take care of these sheep from birth until the time they were delivered to the Temple. They were special too, trained by priests to inspect the newly born lambs who were destined for sacrifice. Not true. Why Swaddling Clothes of Jesus are Mentioned Three Times in the Nativity Story. We headed to the Shepherds Fields within Bethlehem that was specifically dedicated to the shepherds depicted within the nativity story. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. The word of the lord. Yeshua lay in the tomb after living a life without sin. Unlike humans, sheep have a season for giving birth. Understanding how Passover was celebrated in biblical times. 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? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Jacob loved Rachel more than all his other wives, from the time he first laid eyes on her (Genesis 29:1718, 30). Their solution was to keep livestock in the wilderness, or Syria, etc. After we were finished taking pictures of the incredible Franciscan church we made our way to a natural cave close by. I believe that God intended that from the place of Jacobs greatest sorrow, where his beloved Rachel died, would later come the Messiah, who would bring eternal life and joy for all those who trust in Him. Because of the planets involved and their position in the sky they deduced that a Righteous King would be born in Judea. Since all paschal lambs were slaughtered in Jerusalem once the Temple was built, the Israelites would have been too far from their homes to smear blood on their doorposts. 2002-2023 My Jewish Learning. 1 Where were the sheep raised for Temple sacrifices? On this day the calendar changes, the old calendar is gone and a new one begins. In a sense, John the Baptist was the first of several things: First Christian, first Christian witness, first Christian preacher, first Christian prophet, and first Christian martyr. [11] His decree moved Mary and Joseph, at a time close to her delivery date, from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem since Joseph was of the house and lineage of David.[12], [2] 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.). 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. [5] They were on the road traveling south between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, trying desperately to get to their relatives house before Marys time came. He changes the calendar of our lives. literally House of God], he and all the people that were with him. The Eternal. The tower of the flock was built of stones, does not exist today and archaeology has not found its ruins as of yet. So the lambs offered for Pesach were around 9-11 months old. On the ground floor, a room was designated for the delivery and protection of these special lambs. How did Solomon manage to sacrifice 144000 animals? For about three centuries after the death of Joshua, anarchical conditions loomed as a result of lack of leadership and constant harassment by hostile neighbors. This Press ESC to cancel. The beautiful small church is absolutely breath taking and was cleverly designed by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi. Equally so was the belief, that He was to be revealed from Migdal Eder, the tower of the flock. Animal Sacrifice Powered Ancient Jerusalem's Economy He was also the first to baptize converts, and he might have even started the first church as the disciples of Jesus were initially following John before they were instructed to follow Jesus (John 1:3537; Acts 1:1526). Of the deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak. GOD CONTINUE TO HAVE FAVOR,GRACE AND PEACE UPON YOUR LIFE,AS YOU DO HIS WILL. The festival served as a repudiation of idolatry. 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. What they saw was not a star but a rare phenomenon that happens every 6000 years and it pointed them to Israel and to Yeshua. When was Yeshua really born? Why are shepherds banned from the temple in the Bible? Sheep have wool and can easily withstand cold temperatures. On the ground floor, a room was designated for the delivery and protection of these special lambs. All other offerings were generally slaughtered by the priests. He was born in the small city of Bethlehem. Surrounding the town of Bethlehem grazed flocks of sheep tended by shepherds trained by the Levitical priesthood to provide the lambs for temple sacrifices. Summary: 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. He resurrected on the Feast of First-fruits when Israel offered the first fruits of the land to the Eternal. 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. On our farm, we generally kept the rams with the ewes all the time. I believe all of the following will ultimately be shown to point to Migdal Edar as the birthplace of Jesus: The shepherds who while watching their flocks by night became aware of exactly where to find the newborn Messiah in Bethlehem, The special lambs born and raised in the fields of Bethlehem, to be used specifically as Temple sacrifices, The account of the death of Jacobs wife Rachel, on the outskirts of Bethlehem. One sacrificed in the morning and one in the evening as a continual sacrifice before the Eternal. Ewes were brought there to give birth to the lambs. 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. God is holy and He cannot have sin in His presence. Ill take sheep smell any day over that of chickens, for example. To this day, they slaughter a lamb at sunset, read Exodus Chapter 12, and eat the Passover meal after midnight together with unleavened bread (matzah) and bitter herbs. This feast coincided with the feast of the paschal lamb. They were Levitical shepherds (shepherd-priests). 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. Suffice it to say that it was in the springtime, during Passover]. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. An analysis of bones found in an ancient 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. Thankfully, on our farm, we only raised biblically kosher animals, so there were no pigs. The Bethlehem sheep stayed in the fields at night under the guard of shepherds, rather than being moved into a sheepfold, as was typical. He was born in the very birthplace where tens of thousands of lambs, which had been sacrificed to prefigure Him, the Lamb of the Eternal. Presumably they were carefully watched over to keep them safe from incurring any blemish that might render them unusable for the temple service. A passage in the Mishnah (Shekelim 7.4) leads to the conclusion that the flocks, which pastured there, were destined for Temple-sacrifices , and, accordingly, that the shepherds, who watched over them, were not ordinary shepherds.. 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. The daily Temple sacrifice required two unblemished sheep from Bethlehem. With regards to shepherds in the field and what Luke 2 says about that, no mention is made of lambs in this biblical passage or in Mish. You never know, a seed that was planted in someones heart on December 25 may just yield fruit for the kingdom of Elohim! But why would Moses record that Jacob pitched his tent at Migdal Edar at Bethlehem? One would think that the New Testament would tell us precisely where the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Itdoes not. Indeed, that was a unique sign to these shepherds that this baby was, indeed, the Savior, Christ the Lord, the promised Messiah, as told to them by the angel which appeared to them, and as foretold by the Prophets of Israel. Here they kept a place that was ceremonially clean for the ewes to lamb. And finally, the feast was to be held in one house, and no part of the meat was to be taken outside the house (Exodus 12:46). In it he states: That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem was a settled conviction. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. An analysis of bones found in an ancient 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. This is due to the tradition that there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn, so Jesus was born in the stable behind the inn, where the animals were kept. But from Micah 4:8 we now know that He was actually born at the Tower of the Flock (Migdal Edar). Probably not. Before we look at the famous statement by John the Baptist upon seeing Jesus, it is helpful to first review the problem of sin, which relates tothe statement of John and gives us a better understanding of the context. Why is it important that he would be born at this time? What was the tower of the flock in the Bible? There is an interesting clue in the Greek Interlinear Bible. Only the Passover made an exception and allowed the unclean to keep the holiday (Numbers 9:10-13). 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. 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. Rather odd since there must be livestock for the altar: daily sacrifices and unintentional sin offerings. He was born in the small city of Bethlehem. The principal feature of the feast of unleavened bread is stated in the Bible: Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. The unleavened bread commemorated the speed with which the Jews had to leave Egypt and thus became symbolic of Israelite redemption. These strips ensured that the child was warm and that his limbs would grow straight. Gender: Male. The angel announced that this newborn child was YHVH the Messiah (Isa 53:1; Christ the Lord)the Savior (Luke 2:8 cp. Of the deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. In the book of Exodus, we read that the Israelite shepherds were outcasts and detestable to the Egyptians, but I doubt this could have been the case in Israel, since raising sheep and other livestock was one of the main economic activities there. The lambing season in first-century Israel, due to the existing breed of sheep then, occurred from late March to mid-April. In his work, Edersheim referenced the Jewish Mishnah (The Mishnah was the first recording of the oral law and Rabbinic Judaism. Where did the shepherds get the Lambs for sacrifice? Is there a logical place where God would choose to have His Son born, one which would be described by the angel to the shepherds in the country as being . Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. Generations of hereditary shepherds tended the sacred flocks. No alien sojourner, hired servant, or uncircumcised person may eat the meat of the paschal lamb (Exodus 12:43-45). Again, it is the day that everything becomes new and everything else becomes old. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 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. Beyond this, and with regard to the other points you raise in your comment, youll have to provide specific references from the Mishnah and Gemara, so that I can look them up, or else Im just taking your word for it, like I did for that of Alfred Edersheim. Aramaic is one of the Semitic languages, an important group of languages known almost from the beginning of human history and including Arabic, Hebrew, Ethiopic, and Akkadian [ancient Babylonian and Assyrian]). This phenomenon took place during the springtime, around the time of the Passover. WebThe bawling of sheep rang across the fields of Bethlehem. 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. 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. The festival of the paschal lamb was ushered in on the evening of the 14th of Nisan. WebJohn's ministry was foretold by Malachi.trueJesus' baptism was unique.trueJesus' first recorded miracle occurred in Cana.trueOxen, sheep, and doves were used in the Temple sacrifices.trueNicodemus was a scholar and a ruler of the Jews.trueNicodemus readily accepted Jesus as the Messiah.falseJesus' work was to save only Jews.falseThe WebA small Alaska Native camp existed in Sheep Camp during the winter of 1897 98. When his time had come Jesus was led to Jerusalem to be sacrificed. An Israelite slaughtered his offering and the priests caught the blood. You reference the Gemara, etc. 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 hills around Bethlehem were home to the hundreds of lambs used in ritual worship at the Temple. So the minimum age for any sacrifice is eight days. However, all that is stated in Scripture is that Mary gave birth to Jesus, that she laid Him in a manger, and that she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. Why is it important that he would be born at this time? 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. Lets look at two passages in Genesis (Genesis 35:521 and Genesis 48:7): And they journeyed: and the terror of the God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. Location: Canada. Ill let you research this subject out. They were not there when Yeshua was born but around two years later they found him and his parents living in a house. Herod died shortly after his murderous order. I concede that the evidence related to Rachel is not definitive in supporting the case for Migdal Edar. Generations of hereditary shepherds tended the sacred flocks. Once again, we have Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena, to thank for the erroneous selection of the site of Jesus birth. Here it is said that the Israelites, led by Joshua, successor to Moses, kept the feast at Gilgal. 2 This month is the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of the year for you. Dont know. Once the sheep were of age the shepherds would bring them to the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for the Sabbath (Friday). Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Where were the sheep raised for Temple sacrifices? John the Baptist exclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, KJV). A look at the evolution of the four questions. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. When the ewes would come into heat, the rams would sense this, and mate. Every morning and evening a lamb was offered on the altar of sacrifice as a symbol of I personally was not knowledgeable to the depth of the parallels between the sacrificial lamb from Bethlehem and Jesus Christ. Jesus Birth The Case for Migdal Edar | Truth in Scripture (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. The angel gives the shepherds a sign with two parts: 1) wrapped in swaddling cloths The same Mishnaic passage also leads us to infer, that these flocks lay out all the year-round since they are spoken of as in the fields thirty days before Passoverthat is, in the month of February, when in Palestine [Israel] the average rainfall is nearly greatest. We know nowthat the Tower of the Flock would be the birthplace of the Messiah, who would take away all death, heartache, and tears. So the December birth date is, at the very least, doubtful. This greatly confuses the issue. She will remain in this estrus cycle until she becomes pregnant. Once they would know to purchase the libation and meal offering, this would be out of pocket expense, they would then abandon the animal. 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. I believe that Jesus was born in this same Tower of the Flock, and these shepherds went to see Jesus and His mother and father in that structure. The census required families to travel back to their fathers town of origin. 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. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. The Tower of the Flock | The Plan of Time There is a theological explanation for why Passover occurs in the spring.
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