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. 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]. The census required families to travel back to their fathers town of origin. 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. WebEvery firstborn male lamb from the area around Bethlehem was considered holy, set aside for sacrifice in Jerusalem. Pronounced: TALL-mud, Origin: Hebrew, the set of teachings and commentaries on the Torah that form the basis for Jewish law. The observance of the first Passover in Palestine is mentioned in the Book of Joshua(5:10-11). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The idea was to restore the livestock to its owner. This is a big problem with God and, consequently, with man. This includes the sacrificial lambs, born in Bethlehem. I thought it was quite intriguing that all of the fixtures within the church served purposes, which are absolutely amazing tour guide Habib explained. The Greek word which is translated manger in our English Bibles is Yatnh phat-ne. Where did the shepherds get the Lambs for sacrifice? On the ground floor, a room was designated for the delivery and protection of these special lambs. [2] Temple sacrifices used only perfect lambs, without spot or blemish and the sacrificial system needed lots of lambs: two lambs a day for the daily sacrifices, and many thousands more for holidays, individual sacrifices, etc. According to Rabbi Abraham Bloch, the main distinction between the Hag HaPesach and Hag HaMatzot lies in the historical area that each seeks to reflect. This Migdal Edar was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks which pastured on the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town, on the road to Jerusalem. We headed to the Shepherds Fields within Bethlehem that was specifically dedicated to the shepherds depicted within the nativity story. There is a teaching in the modern church that shepherds were outcasts, sinners, untrustworthy, banned from the Temple because they smelled and were unclean. Once again, we have Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena, to thank for the erroneous selection of the site of Jesus birth. A bevy of explanations has been offered for these various biblical rites attached to the paschal lamb and its sacrifice. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. . (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007); Rabbi Mike L Short; Bryce Haymond; Leo Hohmann 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. 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. for bringing together many of the details in support of the case for Migdal Edar. One would think that the New Testament would tell us precisely where the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Itdoes not. 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). A swaddle helps your baby feel safe and secure as she adjusts to life outside the womb. Suffice it to say that it was in the springtime, during Passover]. [6] In fact, the angelic message did not say, You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in A manger as the story is told in our English Bibles, but rather, lying in THE manger. This is like the difference between telling someone that you are visiting a white house rather than visiting the White House. To these shepherds, the manger meant a specific place. It is the major source of the rabbinic teachings of Judaism. People finding free livestock would want to offer something they did not have to pay for. It all fits together, for thats the place where sacrificial lambs were born! And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. But the New Testament does not state the exact place in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. And the power of Messiahs presence is to make everything new. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history. In this case, I believe the road map supports my position that Jesus was actually born at a place called Migdal Edar (Heb. 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. You reference the Gemara, etc. 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. He is, indeed, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.. The Renewed Covenant is the Covenant of newness, it never gets old. I believe that Jesus was born on Nisan 1, (April 1st) 6 BC. Crawfordsville, IN 47933 The clues to the possible season of Yeshuas birth are based on teachings by Jonathan Cahn. Kuehls Temple, Where Was Herods Temple? It is the new year, everything starts anew. 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. 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.). Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. 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. 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. Gods ultimate plan of redemption is further seenin the account of Abrahams willingness to offer his son, Isaac, on an altar at Gods command (Genesis 22). It was a place fit for the Lamb of the Eternal to be born. 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. Both goats and sheep are acceptable for sacrifice, according to Jewish law. 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). This sacrifice was meant to be sufficient to atone for the sin-debt of all mankind. He changes the calendar of our lives. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. With the destruction of the Temple, the offering of the paschal came to an end. In biblical times, the region around Bethlehem was ideal for raising sheep. After we were finished taking pictures of the incredible Franciscan church we made our way to a natural cave close by. Copyright by Institute for Scripture Research. Only the Passover made an exception and allowed the unclean to keep the holiday (Numbers 9:10-13). 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. Maybe he didnt. 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. This unique ritual included the slaughtering of the lamb on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan (Leviticus 23:5). When Messiahs presence comes, everything that was before is old everything now is new. 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. It decided it would be another good day to rain and be cold, all of our wet feet did not agree. 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. 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. 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. Press ESC to cancel. The Gospel of Luke states that Mary gave birth to Jesus and placed him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. 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. Suffice it to say that it was in the springtime, during Passover]. So an event as important as his birth would have to coincide with a Festival as well. A swaddle keeps baby cozy and warm until her internal thermostat kicks into gear. As a nation, Israel began its history by putting lambs blood on the doorposts and lintels of each house. It seems (?) In the Bible we find several other names for Bethlehem, includingEphratah (Micah 5:2) andEphrath (Genesis 35:16, 19; 48:7). But where in Bethlehem? Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. Every important event in Yeshuas life corresponds to a Festival or day commanded by the Eternal. And yes, no mention is made specifically of Bethlehem here, as Alfred Edershiem mentions in his book and which I quote. But Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. 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. [4] When the ewes were ready to deliver, the shepherds moved them inside a manger. Yeshua was sacrificed on Passover so he was born on or around Passover 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. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 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. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. About 400 years after Samuel, during the religious revival in the reign of King Josiah (637-607 BCE), reference was made to a Passover celebration with this statement: The king commanded all the people saying, Keep the Passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant. For there was not kept such a Passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; but in the eighteenth year of King Josiah was this Passover kept to the Lord in Jerusalem [II Kings 23:21-23]. 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. In the area of the camp, a sign proclaimed that "George II is Chief of the Chilkoots and a friends [sic] WebThe bawling of sheep rang across the fields of Bethlehem. a month in advance of Pesach (Nisan), sheep may have been left there by shepherds. It should be noted that Ephrath (or Ephratah) was the ancient name for the area which later was called Bethlehem. The Magi, who were astronomers from the east saw a special star in the sky. These verses are a clear indication that the general function of the Passover pageantry was to serve as a constant reminder to the Israelites of their struggle against slavery and their wondrous deliverance from Egyptian bondage. I believe that Jacob trusted in God for redemption and that he knew God would eventually make all things right, including the removal of death and heartache. The word in Hebrew means repetition, which means that it was memorized material. They saw it at the time of Yeshuas birth and they journeyed from their country to look for him and honour him. 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). Thus, Jewish tradition in some dim manner apprehended the first revelation of the Messiah from that Migdal Eder, where shepherds watched the Temple-flocks all the year-round. Why Swaddling Clothes of Jesus are Mentioned Three Times in the Nativity Story. 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.. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. The Sadducees, in charge of Temple sacrifices, also owned the Bethlehem fields and the lambs raised there. 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 book of Leviticus. During this time, Passover played little or no role in the national life of the people. Interestingly, the smearing of blood on the doorposts did not become a part of the Passover pageantry. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Usually Iyar-Sivan (our April-June) are birthing months for ewes. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. At that elevation there is usually a mild snow if any. 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. 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 construction of the magnificent Temple in Jerusalemlent new significance to the festival of Passover. Instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. 5 What was the tower of the flock in the Bible? In Proverbs 14:4, in the Septuagint [Greek translation of the Old Testament], the word means a stall or a crib. What, then, was the stall or manger referred to in the New Testament; and what kind of animals were fed or housed there? Yeshua was born around the Passover season. [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. Gestation period for a ewe is about 5 months. The shekalim 7:7 of the Mishnah does not suggest that Migdal-Eder was used as a permanent location for sacrificial lambs. Whether shepherds were tending the flocks in the field with their sheep in December is another issue, which I cant address. The new lambs would, according to some sources, be wrapped in special swaddling clothes once certified. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When she died, he was heartbroken. I want to thank Habib for helping this entire experience come to life for this group from Wabash College. 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. In this sheltered building/cave the priests would bring in the ewes which were about to lamb for protection. 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. 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. Who were the shepherds of Bethlehem that greeted Yeshua at the time of his birth? Once the sheeps blood was completely spilled for all of the sins the priest would return to the people and proclaim, It is finished. Pronounced: ah-doe-NYE, Origin: Hebrew, a name for God. Your email address will not be published. There are several biblical references indicating that this procedure was also followed in Solomons Temple. The Levitical shepherds would take the sheep to specific caves used for birthing the sacrificial lambs. Yeshua lay in the tomb after living a life without sin. It would have to be a Spring Festival as everything would have to be in order. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross. Today we had the privilege to travel to the Western bank to the small town of Bethlehem. There good grazing land, and the hillsides contained numerous caves that shepherds could use for shelter. This parallel passage is part of an extensive section of Micah dealing with the first advent of the Lord. 960 BCE]. Both are component parts of the same festival, the festival of Passover. This all said, again there are much better arguments to use in disproving the Dec 25 brith date of Yeshua. WebOfferings are mentioned in the Book of Genesis, but further outlined in the later four books of the Torah, including aspects of their origins and history.. * They were led into the city at the time of the Passover Festival to shed their blood like the ancient lambs before them. He was born on the beginning of the Hebrew year. It does not store any personal data. What about the watch tower of the flock? Undoubtedly, this was a military tower used to watch over the valley at the edge of Bethlehem and to provide protection to the city. And yet Jewish tradition may here prove both illustrative and helpful. So the minimum age for any sacrifice is eight days. Just try to leave out the pagan trappings! Abrahams hand was stayed, and God provided a substitute sacrifice, just as He would provide in His Son, Jesus. In it he states: That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem was a settled conviction. You never know, a seed that was planted in someones heart on December 25 may just yield fruit for the kingdom of Elohim! The explanation for the uniqueness of the Passover sacrificial rite may be found in its commemorative aspects. December would have been too cold and probably too rainy for the shepherds to be out at night watching their flocks. 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 . Critique and Rebuttal. As we have seen many times,bits and pieces from Scripture, taken together, often provide a road map. 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). Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. Sacrificial Procedures Maaseh ha-Korbanos a) Animal and Bird Sacrifices. That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, was a settled conviction. He changes the calendar of our lives. John the Baptist was the only son of Zacharias, and he was also of the priestly line. When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem they went to Herod to inquire about this King that was to be born. The clues to the possible season of Yeshuas birth are based on teachings by Jonathan Cahn. The shepherds of Bethlehem were in charge of raising sheep for the temple sacrifices. Why did the shepherds bring the sheep to Jerusalem? 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. 301 W. Wabash Avenue 170-235, [This date varies from year to year as the Hebrew months are based on the moon. Yeshua also pronounced these same words once His blood was spilled. Posted March 25, 2010. If the lambs were one year oldat the time they were sacrificed during Passover that means they would have been born at around the same time a year before, that is, in the Spring, during the lambing season. [3] From all accounts it appears that Bethlehem was a special place for raising sheep, unlike other areas where they were raised in the wilderness. God promised it, pictured it, and performed it at Migdal Edar. So an event as important as his birth would have to coincide with a Festival as well. The new community kept the festival of Matzot seven days with joy, for God had made them joyful (Ezra 6:22). We dont tell people that Christ was born on THIS actual day, but rather that, we celebrate the fact that He WAS born. The hills around Bethlehem were home to the hundreds of lambs used in ritual worship at the Temple. By the way, I grew up on a sheep farm and shepherded them for 15 years. They saw it at the time of Yeshuas birth and they journeyed from their country to look for him and honour him. All of the information that follows is all from our tour guide, Habib. This Where were the sheep raised for Temple sacrifices? What does it mean that baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Noah broke open the Ark on Nisan 1, and new life came upon the earth. The daily Temple sacrifice required two unblemished sheep from Bethlehem. One sacrificed in the morning and one in the evening as a continual sacrifice before the Eternal. One year old lambs were also needed during Passover and other festivals. The shepherds in charge of these special lambs were from the tribe of Levi. Generations of hereditary shepherds tended the sacred flocks. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar[Heb. (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. Again, it is the day that everything becomes new and everything else becomes old. 132133). Cody Buresh 15 Looking back over the experiences of this trip I am extremely grateful and amazed that this group of Wabash men have had the opportunities to go on many adventures such as: staying on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, visiting the city of Jericho, having the privilege to tour the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and many other mind-baffling occurrences. In Hebrew, the name of the tower is Migdal Eder. At Migdal Eder the ewes delivered in a clean environment (as specified by Rabbinic regulations for these special temple animals) and their lambs were sorted and immediately inspected for spot or blemish. Clean cloths cleaned off the lambs, after which they were wrapped in cloths to keep them warm. WebWhen the ewes were ready to deliver, the shepherds moved them inside a manger. According to the laws of the time the sheep that were used for the offerings had to be a one-year-old male sheep that had been outside for 365 days (one-year). One sacrificed in the morning and one in the evening as a continual sacrifice before the Eternal. [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.). WebThese were the men who raised the lambs that were to be sacrificed in the Temple. Once they would know to purchase the libation and meal offering, this would be out of pocket expense, they would then abandon the animal. 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. Only cattle, sheep, goats, pigeons and doves can be offered as sacrifices. Mangers in 1st century Israel were made of stone as it was more abundant than wood. How so? Luke 2:8,Shepherds living out in the fields. He said to the high priest, Cast your eyes on the Passover offerings. He took a kidney from each, and 600,000 pairs of kidneys were found there, twice as many as those who departed from Egypt, excluding those who were unclean and those who were on a distant journey, and there was not a single paschal lamb for which more than ten people had not registered; and they called it: The Passover of the dense throngs.. Such sheep were kept in the environs of Jerusalem including Bethlehem which lies just five miles south of that city. 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. A little-known fact about Bethlehem is that since it was a relatively close, two-hour walk away from the Temple, it was a location where sheep were raised for the Leviticus 22:27 is pretty clear: When an ox, sheep or goat is born, it must stay with its mother for seven days; from day eight and on, it will be accepted as a burned sacrifice to God. 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 [7] The ancient rabbis referenced this passage in the writings of the Mishnah and Targum. Nothing is too difficult for God! Ephrath means ash heap and place of fruitfulness, and seems to refer to Isaiah 61:3, which mentions beauty from ashes . But some scholars maintain that this date has been doctored because there still exists a page in his writings stating that springtime is the proper season of Yeshuas birth. In the writings of Hippolytus, early church father (ca. The appearance of Samuel in the 11th century BCE at the end of the period of the Judges brought about a religious revival. The description reflects the procedure in the time of the First Temple: The paschal lamb was slaughtered in three groups when the first group entered and the Temple court was filled, the gates of the Temple were closed. Migdal Edal: Tower of the Flock]. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. This reference to Passover stresses the classical message of the festivalthe humble origin of the Jewish people, the covenant with Abraham, Gods intervention in Egypt, the fulfillment of Gods promises, and the reaffirmation of faith. After being washed and salted, the infant was then wrapped with long strips of linen or cotton swaddling bands. But how do you get a descendant of King David to be delivered among the Passover lambs of Bethlehem? So the December birth date is, at the very least, doubtful. 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. These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year Now this is for N. America. Jesus Birth Traditional vs Actual Site, Jesus Birth The Significance of Migdal Edar, Where Was Herods Temple? 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.

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