Migdal Eder

 

Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."        Luke 2:1-14 

There are many places in Israel that are favorite sites of Christian visitors and pilgrims, who wish to view the very locations spoken of in the Scriptures that are of great importance to the life and death of Jesus. One of these is the birthplace of Jesus. That location has been accepted for many years to be the Church of the Nativity, located in Bethlehem and inspired by Constantine’s mother, Helena (325-326 AD). My conviction is that this location is not consistent with the Scriptures. Another example of this inaccuracy of location is the site of Jesus’s death. Again, Scripture tells us it is not the Church of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem as many people believe.

“In that day,” declares the Lord, “I will assemble the lame and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted. “I will make the lame a remnant and the outcasts a strong nation, and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever. “As for you, tower of the flock [migdal eder], hill of the daughter of Zion, to you, it will come—even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.      Micah 4:6-8

Migdal Eder, translated “Tower of the Flock” (Micah 4:8), was a lookout post located just north of Bethlehem, the city of David. What made the tower special was that the bottom portion was used as the sheep care facility that served as a manger where Jerusalem’s sacrificial lambs were birthed and inspected. 

The place Migdal Eder first appears in Genesis 35:21 where Jacob buried Rachel after she gave birth to Benjamin. In its earliest days, the tower of Migdal Eder was a military structure but in the time of Jesus it had become the Tower of the Flock where the Levitical shepherds would inspect the sacrificial lambs. Migdal Eder is the place where the spotless lambs were wrapped in swaddling clothes to be inspected for sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem. Inspected by shepherds, priestly shepherds [Mishnah, Shekalim 7:4]. 

According to Alfred Edersheim’s “Nativity of Jesus the Messiah:” That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem was a settled conviction. Equally so was the belief that He was to be revealed from Migdal Eder, “the tower of the flock.” Thus, Jewish tradition … apprehended the first revelation of the Messiah from that Migdal Eder (tower of the flock), where shepherds watched the Temple-flocks all the year round. Of the deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak.

But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you are little to be among the clans of Judah; [yet] out of you shall One come forth for Me Who is to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from ancient days (eternity).       Micah 5:2 AMP

We find that the Ancient of Days, a name of God is referenced in three places in Daniel 7 (verses 9, 13, and 22). In verse 9, He is described as seated on His throne, His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames… This description is very similar to the one John gave of Jesus in Revelations 1:13-14: His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire. This passage in Daniel 7 is one of the few Old Testament verses that introduces the Son of Man as having been given full authority and everlasting dominion by the Father. The Revelation passage is the fulfillment of Jesus as having the same characteristics as His Father, the Ancient of Days. In the midst of the vision of the four beasts given to Daniel, prophetic of future kingdoms, God revealed a future expression of the fourth beast as pointing to the Messiah and the anti-Christ.

“I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. “A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, and the books were opened. “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. “And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.   Daniel 7:9-14 

Scripture tells us that the God of the Bible lives outside of time and space, in eternity, yet He is still actively and intimately involved in the affairs of man. He takes a particular interest in those who are contrite and lowly of spirit (humble). According to Isaiah 57:15: For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. He will always resist the proud but give grace to the humble (James 4:6).        

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You turn man to destruction, and say, "Return, O children of men." For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; they are like asleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers. For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.      Psalm 90:1-12

This Psalm, attributed to Moses, provides a Biblical perspective on the God who is known as the Ancient of Days, yet has appeared in human form in history to deliver His people from their sin, their inward enemy in His first coming, and then to deliver them from Antichrist and their outward enemies at His second coming. When time is viewed from His perspective, then a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night. In 2 Peter 3:8, But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. We can be a victim of time and allow it to rule our lives or we can take charge of time as we allow Him to teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. It is time to make our days count!

I say, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, your years are throughout all generations. “Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end. The children of Your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before You."      Psalm 102:24-28