The Migdal Eder:
Really Understanding Christmas
Dr. Jim Garlow
The Migdal Eder: Really Understanding Christmas
Dr. Jim Garlow
Luke 2:4-20,
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Seven Feasts – Lev 23
Four Texts – Luke 2:4-20; Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Three Terms – Mishnah; Targum; Migdal Eder
One Powerful Truth!
What Jesus born December 25th?
Jesus – conceived 6 months after his cousin John (the Baptist)
Jesus’ conception – Kislev 25?
Jesus’ birth – Feast of Tabernacles, late Sept/early October?
Leviticus 23 – 7 Feasts – the story of Jesus
-First four fulfilled by Jesus
-Last three to be fulfilled by Jesus
Spring Feasts:
1.Feast of Passover, 4-8, fulfilled
2.Feast of Unleavened Bread, 6, fulfilled
3.Feast of Firstfruits, 10, fulfilled
4.Feast of Pentecost, 16, fulfilled
Fall Feasts:
5.Feast of Trumpets, 24, Messiah coming
6.Day of Atonement, 26-32, Judgment
7.Feast of Tabernacles, 34, 1,000 Reign
Seven Feasts – Lev 23
Four Texts – Luke 2:4-20; Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Three Terms – Mishnah; Targum; Migdal Eder
One Powerful Truth!
Story of Jesus’ birth: Luke & Matthew
Not normal shepherds, nor normal sheep
Mishnah / Targum
Seven Feasts – Lev 23
Four Texts – Luke 2:4-20; Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Three Terms – Mishnah; Targum; Migdal Eder
One Profound Truth!
Three More Texts – Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Gen 35:19-21, So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel's tomb. 21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.
Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Mic 4:8, As for you, O watchtower of the flock (Midgal Eder)
O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion,
the former dominion will be restored to you;
kingship will come 2 the Daughter of Jerusalem.
750bc
Mishnah – 1st recording/writing of the oral law of the Jews or its Rabbinic Judaism.
means "repetition" or “study by repetition”
Shekelim 7:4
Targum
Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) which was written during Israel's 70 year captivity in Babylon.
Jerome – 300s, lived in Bethlehem – translated Bible – Vulgate (Latin)
Q: Where was Migdal Eder?
Q: Who were these shepherds & how did the shepherds know where to go?
Gen 35:19 -
Migdal Eder, "the tower of the flock" - in Bethlehem in Bible times.
Migdal Eder = Not a watchtower for ordinary flocks which pastured around Bethlehem.
Mishnah - Shekelim (7:4) flocks pastured there were destined for Temple sacrifices.
Targum paraphrases Gen. 35:23, “He spread his tent beyond Migdal Eder, the place where king Messiah will reveal Himself at the end of days.”
Angels only told the shepherds that they would find the Babe wrapped in
"swaddling cloths & lying in a manger."
Q: Why no more information?
The PERFECT LAMB of God…
swaddling cloths could only mean the manger at “the tower of the flock”
Q: Why is this the perfect place for Christ to be born?
birthing place of the sacrificial lambs
“manger”
John the Baptist - John 1:29 - "…the Lamb of God…”
Peter – I Peter 1:19 - "…a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Paul – I Cor. 5:7 - "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us"
John – Rev. 5:6-13, “… the Lamb…”
Greek word - translated - English Bibles = "manger" = phat-ne (pronounced fat'-nay).
Luke 13:15 – translated “stall”
“stall” or crib, Prov 14:4
Q: Where would Mary have gotten swaddling clothes?
Micah 5:2 – Messiah – born in Bethlehem
Gen 25 – Tower of the Flock identified
1,000 years later – Micah 4:8 – kingship reestablished there
Migdal Eder – today – present discoveries
Dr. Jim Garlow
Luke 2:4-20,
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Seven Feasts – Lev 23
Four Texts – Luke 2:4-20; Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Three Terms – Mishnah; Targum; Migdal Eder
One Powerful Truth!
What Jesus born December 25th?
Jesus – conceived 6 months after his cousin John (the Baptist)
Jesus’ conception – Kislev 25?
Jesus’ birth – Feast of Tabernacles, late Sept/early October?
Leviticus 23 – 7 Feasts – the story of Jesus
-First four fulfilled by Jesus
-Last three to be fulfilled by Jesus
Spring Feasts:
1.Feast of Passover, 4-8, fulfilled
2.Feast of Unleavened Bread, 6, fulfilled
3.Feast of Firstfruits, 10, fulfilled
4.Feast of Pentecost, 16, fulfilled
Fall Feasts:
5.Feast of Trumpets, 24, Messiah coming
6.Day of Atonement, 26-32, Judgment
7.Feast of Tabernacles, 34, 1,000 Reign
Seven Feasts – Lev 23
Four Texts – Luke 2:4-20; Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Three Terms – Mishnah; Targum; Migdal Eder
One Powerful Truth!
Story of Jesus’ birth: Luke & Matthew
Not normal shepherds, nor normal sheep
Mishnah / Targum
Seven Feasts – Lev 23
Four Texts – Luke 2:4-20; Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Three Terms – Mishnah; Targum; Migdal Eder
One Profound Truth!
Three More Texts – Gen 35:21; Micah 4:8; 5:2
Gen 35:19-21, So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel's tomb. 21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.
Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Mic 4:8, As for you, O watchtower of the flock (Midgal Eder)
O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion,
the former dominion will be restored to you;
kingship will come 2 the Daughter of Jerusalem.
750bc
Mishnah – 1st recording/writing of the oral law of the Jews or its Rabbinic Judaism.
means "repetition" or “study by repetition”
Shekelim 7:4
Targum
Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) which was written during Israel's 70 year captivity in Babylon.
Jerome – 300s, lived in Bethlehem – translated Bible – Vulgate (Latin)
Q: Where was Migdal Eder?
Q: Who were these shepherds & how did the shepherds know where to go?
Gen 35:19 -
Migdal Eder, "the tower of the flock" - in Bethlehem in Bible times.
Migdal Eder = Not a watchtower for ordinary flocks which pastured around Bethlehem.
Mishnah - Shekelim (7:4) flocks pastured there were destined for Temple sacrifices.
Targum paraphrases Gen. 35:23, “He spread his tent beyond Migdal Eder, the place where king Messiah will reveal Himself at the end of days.”
Angels only told the shepherds that they would find the Babe wrapped in
"swaddling cloths & lying in a manger."
Q: Why no more information?
The PERFECT LAMB of God…
swaddling cloths could only mean the manger at “the tower of the flock”
Q: Why is this the perfect place for Christ to be born?
birthing place of the sacrificial lambs
“manger”
John the Baptist - John 1:29 - "…the Lamb of God…”
Peter – I Peter 1:19 - "…a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Paul – I Cor. 5:7 - "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us"
John – Rev. 5:6-13, “… the Lamb…”
Greek word - translated - English Bibles = "manger" = phat-ne (pronounced fat'-nay).
Luke 13:15 – translated “stall”
“stall” or crib, Prov 14:4
Q: Where would Mary have gotten swaddling clothes?
Micah 5:2 – Messiah – born in Bethlehem
Gen 25 – Tower of the Flock identified
1,000 years later – Micah 4:8 – kingship reestablished there
Migdal Eder – today – present discoveries