Sin came into the world through Adam in the Garden of Eden, as presented in the early chapters of Genesis. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history. The Lamb of God, as John the Baptist called Jesus, was born in the unique place where the other lambs used for sacrifice were born. The Eternal is an Elohim of order. Jesus Movements, Where Was Herods Temple? 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. Thank you Habib. 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. A look at the evolution of the four questions. WHEN WAS YESHUA THE MESSIAH BORN? They were not there when Yeshua was born but around two years later they found him and his parents living in a house. Where were the sheep raised for Temple sacrifices? What was the tower of the flock in the Bible? The priests stood in rows, and in their hands were basins of silver and basins of gold. . Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. We know nowthat the Tower of the Flock would be the birthplace of the Messiah, who would take away all death, heartache, and tears. Actually its Mishnah Shekalim/Sheqalim 7:4 that youre referencing. Why is it that most of us have never heard of Migdal Edar, let alone in referenceto the birth of Jesus? 45. The events and Holy days of the Old Testament, were a foreshadowing of the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. They were born on or around Passover. But why would Moses record that Jacob pitched his tent at Migdal Edar at Bethlehem? Surprisingly, the Old Testament gives us the answer. We know that every word of Scripture has meaning(Deuteronomy 32:47), so there must be a reason. Yeshua also pronounced these same words once His blood was spilled. But Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. Press ESC to cancel. Their function was to serve in the Temple, even those with certain challenges. Note: The following Post is taken from the book by Joseph Lenard entitled Mysteries of Jesus Life RevealedHis Birth, Death, Resurrection, and Ascensions. 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. No alien sojourner, hired servant, or uncircumcised person may eat the meat of the paschal lamb (Exodus 12:43-45). My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. And the power of Messiahs presence is to make everything new. 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. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. For an overview and complete chapter listing of this fascinating study, click here. The census required families to travel back to their fathers town of origin. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. They were not to leave the meat over past the conclusion of the night (Exodus 12:10). December would have been too cold and probably too rainy for the shepherds to be out at night watching their flocks. 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. Dont know about the Middle East; I never bred and raised sheep there. Jacob loved Rachel more than all his other wives, from the time he first laid eyes on her (Genesis 29:1718, 30). WebJohn 2:14. The tower of the flock was built of stones, does not exist today and archaeology has not found its ruins as of yet. It was also the place ewes were safely brought to give birth to the lambs. 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. These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year 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 The Temple of God is the only place where the Jewish people are allowed to offer animal sacrifices to God. Noah broke open the Ark on Nisan 1, and new life came upon the earth. Because of the planets involved and their position in the sky they deduced that a Righteous King would be born in Judea. This greatly confuses the issue. 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. You can see this in Luke 2: 8, That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 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). By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The explanation for the uniqueness of the Passover sacrificial rite may be found in its commemorative aspects. 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. 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. So an event as important as his birth would have to coincide with a Festival as well. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. YOU POINTED OUT OLD TESTAMENT PASSOVER DATES,AND MONTHS. 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). And why are these items a sign, given to the shepherds by the angel as they tended their flocks in the field? The caves were specially cared for to keep them clean and prepared for the birthing process. 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. 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. 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. 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. This feast coincided with the feast of the paschal lamb. Then came the Feast of Unleavened bread (leaven symbolises sin). In biblical times, the region around Bethlehem was ideal for raising sheep. When Messiahs presence comes, everything that was before is old everything now is new. 7:4 mentions none of the other facts that you suggest in your comment, so Im not sure where youre getting that from. Understanding how Passover was celebrated in biblical times. (Genesis 35:521), And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem. (Genesis 48:7, KJV). 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. 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. When they were ready, they were taken to Jerusalem to How so? 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. Required fields are marked *. Only cattle, sheep, goats, pigeons and doves can be offered as sacrifices. 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. There is a teaching in the modern church that shepherds were outcasts, sinners, untrustworthy, banned from the Temple because they smelled and were unclean. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told by the shepherds. When the ewes would come into heat, the rams would sense this, and mate. 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 ) 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. 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. 132133). The shekalim 7:7 of the Mishnah does not suggest that Migdal-Eder was used as a permanent location for sacrificial lambs. 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. 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. 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. 5 What was the tower of the flock in the Bible? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. They were of various sizes and around 6 to 8 inches deep. 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. We know from Micah 5:2 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Here they kept a place that was ceremonially clean for the ewes to lamb. I am currently researching the shepherds from Luke and shepherds/shepherding throughout the Bible. [5] Perhaps there was no room due to the impending holiday, which many traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate. So the lambs offered for Pesach were around 9-11 months old. He resurrected on the Feast of First-fruits when Israel offered the first fruits of the land to the Eternal. There must have come a moment on that road when they realized they could not make their destination. But where in Bethlehem? Nativity scenes displayed at Christmas depict the birth of Jesus in a stable surrounded by donkeys, sheep, and cows. [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. 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. It is the major source of the rabbinic teachings of Judaism. 960 BCE]. The Rest of the Story: Shepherds Abiding in the Field. 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. 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. To be called a Lamb of God means that God gave Jesus to be killed like a lamb for our sins so we could live forever. The majority of Old Testament passages that mention lamb refer to a sacrifice (85 out of 96). 7 Why are shepherds banned from the temple in the Bible? Unlike humans, sheep have a season for giving birth. One sacrificed in the morning and one in the evening as a continual sacrifice before the Eternal. Every part of their lives revolves around the Temple. In the Bible we find several other names for Bethlehem, includingEphratah (Micah 5:2) andEphrath (Genesis 35:16, 19; 48:7). This includes the sacrificial lambs, born in Bethlehem. The census required families to travel back to their fathers town of origin. I agree with you. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". These bands helped to provide comfort to the child, the tight bands replicating the feeling of the womb. So that free from sin, we might live for righteousness. When his time had come Jesus was led to Jerusalem to be sacrificed. And there was an excellent market for sheep in nearby Jerusalem. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. [7] The Micah prophesy starts in Micah 4:6 and continues through 5:5; see explanations and structure in the Companion Bible. So the minimum age for any sacrifice is eight days. Imagine the spiritual and prophetic significance of heavens angelic messenger revealing to these shepherds the birth in Bethlehem of the spotless and sin-free Lamb of Elohim who was destined to be sacrificed from the beginning of the world (Rev 13:8; John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5).
