Where Jesus Was Born Series

The Lamb of God Series

Where Jesus was Born

Information taken from Ariel Ministries, Jewish history, and scriptures.

Micah 4:8 Monte T. Brown

December 14, 2014 Sunday Night

Stapp Zoe Baptist

Prelude

Little is said about the actual place where Jesus was born, instead we accept tradition over scriptures as to the place of his birth. This evening I would like for us to go to the Word of God and see what it says about this very topic.

Scripture

Micah 4:8

And you, O tower of the flock,

The stronghold of the daughter of Zion,

To you shall it come,

Even the former dominion shall come,

The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem."

Prayer

Introduction

A little known prophecy about MIGDAL EDAR (mig-dawl ay-der) and the Lord's first coming can be found in small book of Micah.

Before we examine where Jesus was born let us first look at Jacob and his life and see how it leads up to the coming of Jesus.

In Genesis 35:10 Jacob's name is changed

And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. Genesis 35:10

Verse 21. As they traveled onward, Jacob pitched his tent on the other side of Migdal Edar (mig-dawl ay-der).

Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. Genesis 35:21

Israel moved on again and put up his tent beyond Migdal Edar. (mig-dawl ay-der) Genesis 35:21 (GW)

Migdal Edar (mig-dawl ay-der) (flock-tower) was a watch-tower built for the protection of flocks against robbers or animals or any thing that could cause a blemish (2 Kings 18:8; 2 Chronicles 26:10; 27:4) on the other side of Bethlehem, but hardly within 1000 paces of the town, where it has been placed by tradition since the time of Jerome.

8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

2 Kings 18:8

10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. 2 Chronicles 26:10

Genesis 35:16-26

Rachel, who had provided the inspiration and the love Jacob needed, came to the end of her way.

She died in giving birth to her second son, whom she named Ben-oni, [son of my sorrow], but Jacob chose the name Benjamin, [son of my right hand].

It is usually concluded that Rachel was buried in the immediate vicinity of Bethlehem. The traditional site is still pointed out to visitors to that city.

So, (Jacob) Israel settled in the Bethlehem area, where he tended his sheep.

"He spread his tent beyond Migdal Eder, (mig-dawl ay-der)” Genesis 35:21

Bethlehem is where King David tended his father’s sheep.

But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 1 Samuel 17:15

The very place where the King of Kings and Lord of lords would come as the Messiah, the Christ child would be born unto this world.

The Temple sacrifices where so great that the Temple had their own herd of sheep and special shepherds assigned to take care of the flock that would produce the lamb without blemish. The Temple’s dedication, sacrificed 120,000 sheep. 1 Kings 8:63

The grazing fields where the Temple shepherds tended these flocks are in the valley south and east of this town beneath the limestone cliff.

In the middle if this grazing area was a structure known as the MIGDAL EDER or the “Tower of the Flock.”

This tower was used by the priests who oversaw the shepherds.

Every lamb had been declared by the priests to be unblemished and they were separated to be sacrificed in the Temple in Jerusalem or eaten as Passover lambs. ...

By remaining in the MIGDAL EDER the priests were able to keep themselves from becoming ritually defiled.

Micah records the first and second coming of the Messiah and he reveals to us where he shall be born.

Micah 4:1-8

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days

That the mountain of the LORD'S house

Shall be established on the top of the mountains,

And shall be exalted above the hills;

And peoples shall flow to it.

2Many nations shall come and say,

"Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

To the house of the God of Jacob;

He will teach us His ways,

And we shall walk in His paths."

For out of Zion the law shall go forth,

And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

3He shall judge between many peoples,

And rebuke strong nations afar off;