where were the sheep raised for temple sacrifices

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. Saturday Morning Service - April 8, 2023 - Facebook Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. This was an exception to the general rule that all festival offerings are to be sacrificed on the day of the festival. Nativity scenes displayed at Christmas depict the birth of Jesus in a stable surrounded by donkeys, sheep, and cows. 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. Passover Lamb during the 2nd Temple Era 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. He resurrected on the Feast of First-fruits when Israel offered the first fruits of the land to the Eternal. Required fields are marked *. Maybe he didnt. 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! The Gospels of both Matthew and Luke place the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. A sacrificial lamb is a metaphorical reference to a person or animal sacrificed for the common good. 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). (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. (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). The priest nearest to the altar tossed the blood against the base of the altar. This is the location that showed the entire group how fortunate that we have Habib as our tour guide. So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel [Heb. Actually, scientists now know that these ancient astronomers saw a series of conjunctions involving Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Regulus (the brightest star in the constellation of Leo), Mercury and Mars. On that day, God came down and tabernacled with man. 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 priest passed the basin to his fellow priest, and he to his fellow, each receiving a full basin and giving back an empty one. Note: In my next Post I will discuss the significance of Migdal Edar. 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. The priests stood in rows, and in their hands were basins of silver and basins of gold. So an event as important as his birth would have to coincide with a Festival as well. The lambs were born in this Tower of the Flock known as Migdal Eder under the watchful eye of the shepherds priests who would then inspect and certify them for use as sacrifices in the temple or designate them to be released for common use. On the ground floor, a room was designated for the delivery and protection of these special lambs. Although it is not known for certain, I can offer some thoughts which I believe have merit. This greatly confuses the issue. 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. (Luke 2:420 KJV). 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. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. The shepherds in charge of these special lambs were from the tribe of Levi. These bands helped to provide comfort to the child, the tight bands replicating the feeling of the womb. The caves were specially cared for to keep them clean and prepared for the birthing process. 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. On that night, the Israelites were ordered to eat the paschal lamb, and several restrictive rules were added to this feast. The Passover lambs were sacrificed when they were one year old. The festival served as a repudiation of idolatry. Both are component parts of the same festival, the festival of Passover. It was a place fit for the Lamb of the Eternal to be born. Every important event in Yeshuas life corresponds to a Festival or day commanded by the Eternal. Why Bethlehem - Christian Broadcasting Network * They were led into the city at the time of the Passover Festival to shed their blood like the ancient lambs before them. . It all fits together, for thats the place where sacrificial lambs were born! I am currently researching the shepherds from Luke and shepherds/shepherding throughout the Bible. 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. Why Swaddling Clothes of Jesus are Mentioned Three Times in the Nativity Story. Then came the Feast of Unleavened bread (leaven symbolises sin). I was raised on a sheep farm and tended sheep for 15 years. 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 all said, again there are much better arguments to use in disproving the Dec 25 brith date of Yeshua. How did they know about Yeshua? A passage in the Mishnah leads to the conclusion, that the flocks, which pastured there, were destined for Temple-sacrifices, and, accordingly, thatthe shepherds, who watched over them, were not ordinary shepherds. [Alfred Edersheim The Life and Times of Jesus Messiah (1899)]. Herod died in 4 BC, and we know that Jesus was already two years old, when the command was given to kill all male children in Bethlehem, 2 years and under. [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. and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. And the power of Messiahs presence is to make everything new. 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. Joseph belonged to the family of David, which is why they were in Bethlehem that night. The Greek word which is translated manger in our English Bibles is Yatnh phat-ne. A LAMB BORN IN BETHLEHEM NAZARENE NOTES Jesus Birth Traditional vs Actual Site, Jesus Birth The Significance of Migdal Edar, Where Was Herods Temple? The place these special Temple sheep used for delivery of their lambs was the tower of the flock, A tekiah, teruah, and again a tekiah were then blown on the shofar. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. 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. 45. When Messiahs presence comes, everything that was before is old everything now is new. Such sheep were kept in the environs of Jerusalem including Bethlehem which lies just five miles south of that city. 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. 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. King Solomons sacrifice was enormous 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 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]. It was important that the sheep that was to be sacrificed did not possess any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). 1 Where were the sheep raised for Temple sacrifices? Why are shepherds banned from the temple in the Bible? These special lambs came from a unique flock that was designated for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem. (bibletruth.org) And the shepherds werent any old shepherds. These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year Excerpted with permission from Every Persons Guide to Passover (Jason Aronson, Inc). The tower of the flock was built of stones, does not exist today and archaeology has not found its ruins as of yet. Jesus Movements, Where Was Herods Temple? Cooper P. Abrams III states in his article regarding Migdal Edar in Jerusalem: This watch tower from ancient times was used by the shepherds for protection from their enemies and wild beasts. 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. The Lords incarnation brought God down to man. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told by the shepherds. The Rabbis Forgot, Where Was Herods Temple? 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. It seems (?) 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 ) Who is better than these shepherd-priests to welcome the Lamb of the Eternal. 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. Where were the sheep raised for Temple sacrifices? Thankfully, on our farm, we only raised biblically kosher animals, so there were no pigs. [5] They were on the road traveling south between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, trying desperately to get to their relatives house before Marys time came. Thank you Habib. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. People finding free livestock would want to offer something they did not have to pay for. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I concede that the evidence related to Rachel is not definitive in supporting the case for Migdal Edar. 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. Suppose each family brought one or two animals (which, down through history, was the norm). Who were the shepherds of Bethlehem that greeted Yeshua at the time of his birth? 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). They were not there when Yeshua was born but around two years later they found him and his parents living in a house. The word in Hebrew means repetition, which means that it was memorized material. He sent the Set-Apart Spirit to his disciples on, In the writings of Hippolytus, early church father (ca. The angel gives the shepherds a sign with two parts: 1) wrapped in swaddling cloths . Here they kept a place that was ceremonially clean for the ewes to lamb. 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. 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. There are several biblical references indicating that this procedure was also followed in Solomons Temple. 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.. Location: Canada. We see from the New Testament Scripture that Jesus was, indeed, born in Bethlehem. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Every firstborn male lamb from the area around Bethlehem was considered holy, set aside for sacrifice in Jerusalem. Generations of hereditary shepherds tended the sacred flocks. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. The Lamb in the Manger This . 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. 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. [8] In Micah, after the prophecy of the coming Messiah Who In that day will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever, referring to the Kingdom of God and the Lords rule of the Earth, there is this prophecy of the first appearance of the Lord:[9], And you, Migdal Eder [tower of the flock], hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it shall happen and shall come, the first [or beginning] dominion, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.[10]. In the writings of Hippolytus, early church father (ca. 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. The census required families to travel back to their fathers town of origin. 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. 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). After Jacob buried Rachel, he traveled on . John the Baptist exclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, KJV). He died on Passover when the sacrificial lambs were sacrificed. 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. Every part of their lives revolves around the Temple. All of this thanks to THE LAMB BORN IN BETHLEHEM! John 2:14 Commentaries: And He found in the temple those who I grew up on a farm and we raised sheep. A look at the evolution of the four questions. Perhaps most significant, sheep were used as part of the temple sacrifices. 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. 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). They were not there when Yeshua was born but around two years later they found him and his parents living in a house. The temple sheep, the ones raised for the purpose of these Passover sacrifices, would have been pastured and born in the fields outside Bethlehem. The construction of the magnificent Temple in Jerusalemlent new significance to the festival of Passover. The first month, on the first day of the month. They saw it at the time of Yeshuas birth and they journeyed from their country to look for him and honour him. They saw it at the time of Yeshuas birth and they journeyed from their country to look for him and honour him. Both goats and sheep are acceptable for sacrifice, according to Jewish law. The shepherds in charge of these special lambs were from the tribe of Levi. It was important that the sheep that was to be sacrificed did not possess any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses. A swaddle keeps baby cozy and warm until her internal thermostat kicks into gear. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. What is significant about that place? Yeshua the Living Bread was born in the House of Bread. The Season Clue: I thought it was quite intriguing that all of the fixtures within the church served purposes, which are absolutely amazing tour guide Habib explained. Pilgrims came from hundreds of miles away to sacrifice animals at an ancient temple in Jerusalem, new research suggests. Nothing suggests there were full time special shepherds enlisted to keep watch over sheep. What does it mean that baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes? He changes the calendar of our lives. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. There must have come a moment on that road when they realized they could not make their destination. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The heat cycle averages about 17 days and she is fertile or receptive to the ram during that period for only 24 to 36 hours. 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. On our farm, we generally kept the rams with the ewes all the time. In the area of the camp, a sign proclaimed that "George II is Chief of the Chilkoots and a friends [sic] The Scriptures tell us that the shepherds were outside watching the sheep at night, The following are clues that will help us pinpoint when Yeshua was born. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The church was designed to have only one high point in order to represent a tent that the shepherds would live in. They were special too, trained by priests to inspect the newly born lambs who were destined for sacrifice. Typically, Migdal Eder, at Bethlehem is the perfect place for Yeshua the Messiah to be born. It was in this special manger, Migdal Eder, that Jesus was born after Mary and Joseph could not find other lodging. 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). The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". By the way, I grew up on a sheep farm and shepherded them for 15 years. 170-235 after Yeshua), we find that he mentions the date of the birth of Yeshua as the 25th of December. Why is it that most of us have never heard of Migdal Edar, let alone in referenceto the birth of Jesus? He is without a doubt the best tour guide within all of Israel and today he showed all of us why. WebLas Cruces | 37 views, 3 likes, 1 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Temple Beth-El Las Cruces: Recorded at Temple Beth-El Las Cruces They were not to break any of the bones of the lamb (Exodus 12:46). There was no need for the angel to give the shepherds directions to the place of Jesus birth they already knew exactly where to find him! Personally, I lean towards Him being born closer to September but, it is really an endless argument with each side presenting their evidence. Once the sheeps blood was completely spilled for all of the sins the priest would return to the people and proclaim, It is finished. The term is derived from the traditions of Abrahamic religion where a lamb is a highly valued possession. The Talmud (Pesachim 64b) similarly records: King Agrippa once wished to take a census of the hosts of Israel. 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. Since these sheep needed to remain outside the shepherds were also outside, not using the cave during the awful winter (rainy season). 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). Note what is said of the shepherds: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. They did not have to go around Bethlehem searching each and every stable forthis newly born baby. 3 What does it mean that baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes? The festival of the paschal lamb was ushered in on the evening of the 14th of Nisan. Where did the sacrificial lamb come from? 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. Once the other group left the cave Habib informed us that there is much more to the story of the shepherds. 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. 170-235, [This date varies from year to year as the Hebrew months are based on the moon. I rejoice anytime the name and Truth of Yeshua is lifted up and proclaimed, even if it is on December 25. The name of the Messiah is Yeshua, short for Yehoshua (), www.LumoProject.com (FotoSketcher filter), Who were the shepherds of Bethlehem that greeted, Bethlehem was a small Jewish town 6 miles or 9.6 kilometres from Jerusalem. A swaddle helps your baby feel safe and secure as she adjusts to life outside the womb. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. Whether shepherds were tending the flocks in the field with their sheep in December is another issue, which I cant address. The weather was not cooperating today. 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). We know nowthat the Tower of the Flock would be the birthplace of the Messiah, who would take away all death, heartache, and tears. However, based on biblical record (, Migdal Eder was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks. . We know that these things occurred somewhere in the city of Bethlehem. Nothing is too difficult for God! Joseph belonged to the family of David, which is why they were in Bethlehem that night.