where were the sheep raised for temple sacrifices

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. [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. There must have come a moment on that road when they realized they could not make their destination. Used by permission. 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. Posted March 25, 2010. So the December birth date is, at the very least, doubtful. 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 . December would have been too cold and probably too rainy for the shepherds to be out at night watching their flocks. 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. It was important that the lambs that were to be sacrificed did not have any blemishes (broken legs, or injuries). there were shepherds living out in the fields. God commands that burnt offerings (animal sacrifices) must be a permanent statute for the Jewish people to perform in order to receive forgiveness of sins (iniquity). He sent the Set-Apart Spirit to his disciples on Shavout (Pentecost). a month in advance of Pesach (Nisan), sheep may have been left there by shepherds. The Rest of the Story: Shepherds Abiding in the Field Luke 2:8,Shepherds living out in the fields. Dont know. 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. The birth of Yeshua was foretold to take place in Bethlehem by the prophet Micah, Bethlehem was a small Jewish town 6 miles or 9.6 kilometres from Jerusalem. 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. This feast coincided with the feast of the paschal lamb. Once the lambs were of age, the shepherds would take them to Jerusalem for the temple sacrifices. 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. Usually Iyar-Sivan (our April-June) are birthing months for ewes. 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? 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 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). It was a place fit for the Lamb of the Eternal to be born. A baby was not unusual in first-century Israel. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT BEING A FORESHADOWING OF JESUS LIFE AND MINISTRY WHILE UPON EARTH.THE LORD IS SO WISE AND KIND AND LOVING. . The information learned from Habib will not be forgotten and has helped the biblical passages show new life. Yeshua, who was the fulfilment of the foreshadowing of the sacrificial lambs, was also sacrificed during the Passover so it follows that he would have been born around the same season in springtime. Personally, I lean towards Him being born closer to September but, it is really an endless argument with each side presenting their evidence. Press ESC to cancel. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This sacrifice was meant to be sufficient to atone for the sin-debt of all mankind. 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). The place these special Temple sheep used for delivery of their lambs was the tower of the flock, They were not there when Yeshua was born but around two years later they found him and his parents living in a house. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it (Exodus12:8). I have had issue with that view for a long time. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 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. The Levitical shepherds would take the sheep to specific caves used for birthing the sacrificial lambs. Animal Sacrifice Powered Ancient Jerusalem's Economy 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. On that night, the Israelites were ordered to eat the paschal lamb, and several restrictive rules were added to this feast. Did Jacob fully understand all of these things? 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). When the Second Temple was completed in 515 BCE, the entire biblical ritual of Passover was restored. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother [Esau]. So an event as important as his birth would have to coincide with a Festival as well. Debunking Popular Christmastime Myths: Temple Shepherds, How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? There is an interesting clue in the Greek Interlinear Bible. [7] The ancient rabbis referenced this passage in the writings of the Mishnah and Targum. Yeshua was born around the Passover season. Swaddling Cloths: Gods Attention to Prophetic Details Interestingly, the smearing of blood on the doorposts did not become a part of the Passover pageantry. 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 This phenomenon took place during the springtime, around the time of the Passover. The angel gives the shepherds a sign with two parts: 1) wrapped in swaddling cloths The Festivals of the Eternal Clue: [see THE MASTER PLAN OF YAHWEH for more information] 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. literally House of God], he and all the people that were with him. Once the sheep were of age the shepherds would bring them to the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for the Sabbath (Friday). It decided it would be another good day to rain and be cold, all of our wet feet did not agree. The Lamb of Bethlehem - Nerd in the Word Probably not. 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. Just go to the highlands of Scotland or to N. Ireland! Lets see where key statements in the Old and New Testaments lead us in our search to confirm the actual birthplace of Jesus. The Lamb in the Manger Location: Canada. Reflecting on these passages in Genesis regarding to the death of Rachel, it is easy to imagine Jacobs anguish. They hired shepherds who were experts in animal husbandry. I give credit to Cooper P. Abrams, III and his article Where Was the Birth Place of the Lord Jesus? So the lambs offered for Pesach were around 9-11 months old. At the same time, Mish. * They were led into the city at the time of the Passover Festival to shed their blood like the ancient lambs before them. This greatly confuses the issue. Once the sheeps blood was completely spilled for all of the sins the priest would return to the people and proclaim, It is finished. Passover sacrifice He was born in Bethlehem, at the birthing place of the sacrificial lambs that were offered in the Temple in Jerusalem which Micah 4:8 calls the tower of the flock., In his classic book, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah (1883; Latest Edition, 1993), Alfred Edersheim (1825 1889), a Messianic Jew, had great insights regarding the birth of Jesus from a Hebrew-Christian perspective. According to the Mishnah Baba Kama, they banned livestock. They were Levitical shepherds (shepherd-priests). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Habib simply amazes all of us with the amount of knowledge that he possesses about all of the scared places within Israel. Paganism spread throughout Israel and Judea and reduced the number of Jews who made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The Eternal is an Elohim of order. The Magi, who were astronomers from the east saw a special star in the sky. In this case, I believe the road map supports my position that Jesus was actually born at a place called Migdal Edar (Heb. The Eternal. It was extremely important that he did not have any imperfections (blemishes). These special lambs came from a unique flock that was designated for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem., Typically, Migdal Edar, (the tower of the flock) at Bethlehem is the perfect place for Christ to be born. These bands helped to provide comfort to the child, the tight bands replicating the feeling of the womb. Yeshua also pronounced these same words once His blood was spilled. Migdal Edal: Tower of the Flock]. One year old lambs were also needed during Passover and other festivals. 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]. 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. Some scholars believe that it is more likely that Yeshua was born in the autumn festival of the Feast of Tabernacles but there is a problem with this theory because all males had to be in Jerusalem for this Festival, as specified in the Torah. Jesus Birth Traditional vs Actual Site, Jesus Birth The Significance of Migdal Edar, Where Was Herods Temple? 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. The hills around Bethlehem were home to the hundreds of lambs used in ritual worship at the Temple. 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. [7] The Micah prophesy starts in Micah 4:6 and continues through 5:5; see explanations and structure in the Companion Bible. Why are shepherds banned from the temple in the Bible? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. When his time had come Jesus was led to Jerusalem to be sacrificed.