Used by permission. 2 This month is the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of the year for you. Gestation period for a ewe is about 5 months. 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. 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. But why would Moses record that Jacob pitched his tent at Migdal Edar at Bethlehem? HE KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS.JESUS BLESS YOU WITH MUCH FAVOUR,AND GRACE TO CONTINUE DOING HIS WILL. Who were the shepherds of Bethlehem that greeted Yeshua at the time of his birth? He was born in the small city of Bethlehem. 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. 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. 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. He was born on the beginning of the Hebrew year. Such sheep were kept in the environs of Jerusalem including Bethlehem which lies just five miles south of that city. Yeshua was born around the Passover season. I give credit to Cooper P. Abrams, III and his article Where Was the Birth Place of the Lord Jesus? When the Magi from Persia came to Jerusalem in search of the Jewish Messiah, they called upon King Herod as a courtesy and inquired of him where the Messiah was to be born. 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. 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. They were Levitical shepherds (shepherd-priests). WebIf the 14th of Nissan fell on the Sabbath, the first group stationed itself on the mount of the Temple in Jerusalem, the second group in the el, the space between the Temple wall and the Temple hall, while the third group remained in the Temple court, thus awaiting the evening, when they took their lambs home and roasted them on a spit of On our farm, we generally kept the rams with the ewes all the time. But where in Bethlehem? These bands helped to provide comfort to the child, the tight bands replicating the feeling of the womb. WebIt is likely that the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem were raising lambs in the very fields that King David, as a boy watched over his sheep and composed Psalms to honor his God. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 170-235 after Yeshua), we find that he mentions the date of the birth of Yeshua as the 25th of December. Nothing is too difficult for God! 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.. WebThese were the men who raised the lambs that were to be sacrificed in the Temple. 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 ) 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). You can see this in Luke 2: 8, That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Why is it important that he would be born at this time? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 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). . The new community kept the festival of Matzot seven days with joy, for God had made them joyful (Ezra 6:22). Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock, was the place where lambs destined for the Temple were born and raised. 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. In the Bible we find several other names for Bethlehem, includingEphratah (Micah 5:2) andEphrath (Genesis 35:16, 19; 48:7). At the same time, Mish. Just go to the highlands of Scotland or to N. Ireland! When we first entered the cave there was another group of tourists within. So the December birth date is, at the very least, doubtful. . Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. A bevy of explanations has been offered for these various biblical rites attached to the paschal lamb and its sacrifice. [5] They were on the road traveling south between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, trying desperately to get to their relatives house before Marys time came. [7] The Micah prophesy starts in Micah 4:6 and continues through 5:5; see explanations and structure in the Companion Bible. He died on Passover when the sacrificial lambs were sacrificed. Habib simply amazes all of us with the amount of knowledge that he possesses about all of the scared places within Israel. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. Both goats and sheep are acceptable for sacrifice, according to Jewish law. Probably not. Personally, I lean towards Him being born closer to September but, it is really an endless argument with each side presenting their evidence. It is the major source of the rabbinic teachings of Judaism. One other possibility: Mary would be unclean for seven days following a male birth, potentially affecting those around her and their ability to celebrate the holiday. When the ewes would come into heat, the rams would sense this, and mate. When was Yeshua really born? 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). These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year 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. 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. . And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 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. 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). The sacrifices were only to be offered by the hands of the Kohanim.Before building the Temple in 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. Pilgrims from distant lands brought animals to sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem, fueling the city's economy, new research suggests. A blood sacrifice is required by God, as presented in Leviticus: For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul (Leviticus 17:11). It all fits together, for thats the place where sacrificial lambs were born! So an event as important as his birth would have to coincide with a Festival as well. That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, was a settled conviction. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Pig smell is the worst! Noah broke open the Ark on Nisan 1, and new life came upon the earth. 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. He sent the Set-Apart Spirit to his disciples on Shavout (Pentecost). God is holy and He cannot have sin in His presence. Actually its Mishnah Shekalim/Sheqalim 7:4 that youre referencing. 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. These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year round. 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. Surprisingly, the Old Testament gives us the answer. 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. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply: a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee will I give the land. A public celebration of Passover with the slaughtering of paschal lambs was the climax of the festivities. One one hand it says that shepherding of small cattle was a decent profession to earn a living. Ewes were brought there to give birth to the lambs. It seems only fitting that Fathers Lamb that is to be sacrificed for the sins of the world be born with the other sacrificial lambs! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? In fact, any livestock found in a 6.8 mile radius of Jerusalem could be used for whole burnt offerings or peace offerings, depending on the sex of the animal for which offering. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Since these sheep needed to remain outside the shepherds were also outside, not using the cave during the awful winter (rainy season). 7 Why are shepherds banned from the temple in the Bible? 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. We see from the New Testament Scripture that Jesus was, indeed, born in Bethlehem. Interestingly, the smearing of blood on the doorposts did not become a part of the Passover pageantry. He changes the calendar of our lives. I personally was not knowledgeable to the depth of the parallels between the sacrificial lamb from Bethlehem and Jesus Christ. The census required families to travel back to their fathers town of origin. Their solution was to keep livestock in the wilderness, or Syria, etc. As far as shepherds keeping sheep in the fields as Luke 2 mentions, sheep can stay outdoors all year due to their heavy wool coats, so this piece of info the Luke records isnt strange to me. 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. This means that shed be giving birth to the lambs in February to March. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachels grave unto this day. The Eternal is an Elohim of order. There is a theological explanation for why Passover occurs in the spring. I am currently researching the shepherds from Luke and shepherds/shepherding throughout the Bible. This is the location that showed the entire group how fortunate that we have Habib as our tour guide. 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. Paganism spread throughout Israel and Judea and reduced the number of Jews who made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. However, based on biblical record (, Migdal Eder was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks. pinpoints the exact place where the Messiah was born. He was born on the beginning of the Hebrew year. The birth of Messiah would not cause Joseph to break the law of the Eternal by being outside of Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. This background of the problem of sin and Gods remedy through the sacrifice of His one and only son, Jesus, offers us a better understanding of John the Baptists statement upon seeing Jesus approaching, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 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. Of the deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak. Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses. 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 Magi, who were astronomers from the east saw a special star in the sky. 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: What were the lambs born in Bethlehem used for? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Ill let you research this subject out. 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). How so? Rather odd since there must be livestock for the altar: daily sacrifices and unintentional sin offerings. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.[1]. It is the new year, everything starts anew. Their function was to serve in the Temple, even those with certain challenges. [5] Perhaps there was no room due to the impending holiday, which many traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate. I am currently researching the shepherds from Luke and shepherds/shepherding throughout the Bible. Birthday: 08/26/1982. The shepherds in charge of these special lambs were from the tribe of Levi. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:8,Shepherds living out in the fields. He proclaimed, It is finished, and then passed away. This is not a good argument to use to try to disprove the Dec. 25 brith of Yeshua. It was important that the sheep that was to be sacrificed did not possess any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). The beautiful small church is absolutely breath taking and was cleverly designed by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi. He was born in the small city of Bethlehem. The Rabbis Forgot, Where Was Herods Temple? 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. An analysis of bones found in an ancient After the lamb was born it was wrapped in swaddling cloths (strips of cloth were taken from priests old clothes) to keep it protected without spot or blemish (the Scripture requirement for a perfect lamb), and then this lamb would be laid in a manger until it had calmed down and to protect it from being trampled. The Tower of the Flock was perhaps the only structure available on the long road through the fields of sheep between the two cities. At that elevation there is usually a mild snow if any. He was the Eternals First-fruit, the First of many to be resurrected. literally House of God], he and all the people that were with him. It seems (?) Usually Iyar-Sivan (our April-June) are birthing months for ewes. 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. Sources: All other offerings were generally slaughtered by the priests. Blessings. 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? The construction of the magnificent Temple in Jerusalemlent new significance to the festival of Passover. . The shekalim 7:7 of the Mishnah does not suggest that Migdal-Eder was used as a permanent location for sacrificial lambs. Non-Israelites and uncircumcised ones were precluded from participating in the feast of the paschal lamb because the occasion was one of reaffirming Gods covenant with the Israelites. 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. God promised it, pictured it, and performed it at Migdal Edar. [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. In his work, Edersheim referenced the Jewish Mishnah (The Mishnah was the first recording of the oral law and Rabbinic Judaism. The shepherds in charge of these special lambs were from the tribe of Levi. The shepherds did not have to search every stable in Bethlehem. The Greek word which is translated manger in our English Bibles is Yatnh phat-ne. I think shepherds could have been out in December with their flocks as far as that aspect of the nativity story. Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. The symbolism of the eating of the paschal lamb with the matzah and bitter herbs was a reminder to the Israelites of an enslaved past. Perhaps most significant, sheep were used as part of the temple sacrifices. 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). 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. The appearance of Samuel in the 11th century BCE at the end of the period of the Judges brought about a religious revival. This was an exception to the general rule that all festival offerings are to be sacrificed on the day of the festival. Once the sheep were of age the shepherds would bring them to the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for the Sabbath (Friday). One year old lambs were also needed during Passover and other festivals. By his wounds, you have been healed For you had gone astray like sheep. Edersheims book was the result of a seven year effort. Your email address will not be published. Every important event in Yeshuas life corresponds to a Festival or day commanded by the Eternal. But from Micah 4:8 we now know that He was actually born at the Tower of the Flock (Migdal Edar). 301 W. Wabash Avenue I agree with you. After the lamb was born it was wrapped in swaddling cloths (strips of cloth were taken from priests old clothes) to keep it protected without spot or blemish (the Scripture requirement for a perfect lamb), and then this lamb would be laid in a manger until it had calmed down and to protect it from being trampled. During this time, Passover played little or no role in the national life of the people. I am going to be focusing mainly on the knowledge that we gained about the biblical period from our experiences today. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. The clues to the possible season of Yeshuas birth are based on teachings by Jonathan Cahn. The temple sheep, the ones raised for the purpose of these Passover sacrifices, would have been pastured and born in the fields outside Bethlehem. Reference the Gemara. Ewe sheep come into estrus or heat cycle beginning in the fall season (in North America in Oct/Nov) when the days begin to shorten. 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. The Hebrew Bible says that God commanded the Israelites to offer offerings and sacrifices on various altars. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross. So the December birth date is, at the very least, doubtful. Jesus Birth Traditional vs Actual Site, Jesus Birth The Significance of Migdal Edar, Where Was Herods Temple? Now this is for N. America. As a nation, Israel began its history by putting lambs blood on the doorposts and lintels of each house.
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