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Birth of Jesus: City of Bethlehem, Migdal Eder

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Christmas, Gospel, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 22, 2022 by paulthepoke

Micah 4:8 As for you, tower of the flockhill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come, even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

Many believe this is the location and address of the birth of Jesus Christ. The address is the “tower of the flock”. In the original Hebrew, it is “migdal eder”.

Per Strong’s Concordance, migdal eder means: tower of the flock.

The following paragraph is from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim.

At the time of the birth of Jesus, Migdal Eder was a specific place. It was the location where shepherds brought their sheep. The sheep were to be sacrificed at the Temple. These were not just any flock and herd. The shepherds who kept them were men who were specifically trained for this royal task. They were educated in what an animal that was to be sacrificed had to be and it was their job to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged or blemished. During lambing season the sheep were brought to the tower from the fields, as the lower level functioned as the birthing room for sacrificial lambs. Being themselves under special rabbinical care, these priests would strictly maintain a ceremonially clean birthing place. Once birthed, the priestly shepherds would routinely place the lambs in the hewn depression of a limestone rock known as “the manger” and “wrap the newborn lambs in swaddling clothes,” preventing them from thrashing about and harming themselves “until they had calmed down” so they could be inspected for the quality of being “without spot or blemish”.

Custom of the day utilized swaddling cloths for newborn infants as well as sacrificial lambs. These cloths or bands were also used for restraining lambs prior to sacrifice. The swaddling bands held the lambs for inspection to insure they met the standard set forth in the law (Numbers 28:3, Exodus 12:1-6). The lambs were restrained to keep them from harming themselves and disqualifying them from sacrifice. Lambs had to be without blemish.

See also http://hethathasanear.com/Birth.html

~

Today, the exact location of Migdal Eder is speculation.

Luke 2:7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

The angel had directions for the shepherds in the hills. 

Luke 2:12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Notice, the shepherds did not need guidance. Migdal Eder was a destination. Any shepherd in the area knew the exact location. Directions were not necessary. These guys knew the specific address.

Luke 2:15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

Luke 2:16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, was born in the same location as sacrificial lambs for the Temple. Jesus was wrapped “snugly” in swaddling cloth like a sacrificial lamb for inspection.

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

Zechariah the Priest & Prayer

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels with tags , , , , , , , , on March 15, 2020 by paulthepoke

Luke 1:5a In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah…

Luke 1:8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty…

This is the introduction of Zechariah the priest, father of John the Baptist.

But first, let’s look at the name Zechariah. His name means “Yah has remembered”. It would appear, Zechariah is the first person to talk to the angel (Gabriel) in the New Testament. We know that he has prayed for a child.

Luke 1:13a But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard…

A man whose name means “Yah remembers” has prayed to Yahweh. Yah has heard, remembered, and grants “Yah remembers” his wish. Then “Yah remembers” does not believe Yah remembered him and discounts the promise of a child.

Luke 1:18 “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

~

Luke 1:11 Just then, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of the incense.

The angel was located at the right side. Symbolically, the right of God is known as a position of presence, power, and authority. Christ has ascended into Heaven and is located at the right hand of the Father.

golden_altar_of_incense

The directions for the construction and purpose of the altar of incense are located in Exodus 30. The priests are instructed to burn incense continually. This is a request for all generations. The burning of incense is perpetual.

Exodus 30:7-8 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations.

The incense is fragrant and pleasing to smell. God only wants incense from this altar.

Exodus 30:9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.

In Revelation, in the throne room of Heaven, the incense is equated with prayers.

Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne…

Despite being a priest and serving God in the Temple, Zechariah did not believe God’s message. He was still granted his prayer request. But with his unbelief, there was a consequence. Silence!

Luke 1:20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time. -Gabriel

Do not underestimate the power of our prayers. Gabriel was located at a position of authority near the symbol for prayers.

Prayer should be part of our lives. God wants us to communicate with Him. He desires to hear from us. Our prayers are a sweet aroma to Him. He does listen and He always remembers.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

Revelation: Sardis, A Victorious Priest

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

The one who conquers This is the Greek verb νικαο/nikao. It is a term for a victorious military hero. Nike athletic shoes and apparel comes from this Greek root word. The grammar states the action is continuous.

We always have victory in Christ. There is not one human being outside of Jesus who can win the day on their own. We prevail by Jesus. As members of the body of Christ, we succeed via the Overcomer. Scripture is very clear. There is only one way to conquer.

1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world…our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

…will be clothed thus in white garmentsThis is the same type of garment described in the previous verse in Revelation 3:4. The garment is a long, flowing outer tunic. The color is white or λευκός/leukos in the Greek. This is defined as a bright, brilliant white.

We know our future as believers with Christ is that of a king and a priest.

1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father–to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

A brilliant white flowing robe is the clothing consistent with a priest. Heavenly, priestly clothing is of linen. That’s the type of cloth Jesus was buried and covered. Before going to Heaven to be at the right hand of the Father, Christ the high priest was buried in linen. Matthew 27:59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth(see also Mark 15:46, Luke 23:53). The body referenced is Jesus after His death.

Exodus 28 gives instructions for the priestly garments. The clothing for the priest is to be made of linen. Exodus 28:5 They shall take the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen. The concept is stated seven times in Exodus 28. Priestly garments are of linen (Exodus 28:6, 8, 15, 39, 39, 42).

Jesus Christ is setting the stage for His bride to be clothed in Heavenly splendor.

 

 

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https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/731160

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Revelation: Sardis, Keep Your Clothes

Posted in Gospel, Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:3b …If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

This phrase would have a special meaning to priests who stood watch at the Jewish Temple. The night watch was divided into three groups. There were 24 stations at gates and in the courts of the Temple complex. Each station had 10 men for a total of 240 night guards.

During the night, the captain would make his rounds and check on the guards. The catch, no one knew what time the captain would come for inspection. If a watchman was found asleep, he would be beaten or his garments would be set on fire.

Temple insights provided by: Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, Chapter 7 At Night in the Temple

We should pay attention to the analogy. As believers we will be kings and priests in the future. John makes the point in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 5:10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.

The believer’s position of royalty and priesthood with Jesus Christ is confirmed later in the book.

Revelation 20:6…Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

See also Revelation 20:4.

Consider the course of the priest who was given the responsibility to stand watch. He fell asleep. He lost his clothes to fire. But, he was still a priest. He had to report to his superior naked. It was obvious what had occurred. That had to be embarrassing.

Shame entered the world with nakedness at the fall of man in Genesis 3. From this point forward, nakedness is associated with sin. Two of many examples are noted below.

Lamentations 1:8 Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away.

Isaiah 47:3 Your nakedness will be uncovered, your shame also will be exposed; I will take vengeance and will not spare a man.

As believers, do we want to stand naked before Jesus Christ? He shed His blood for us and clothed us in priestly linen garments to cover our sin. He is the High Priest and King. Jesus is our authority. Christ is going to know what happened and whether or not we faithfully stood watch.

Don’t make it obvious by showing up naked.

 

Rapture Promo

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Available in ebook and paperback at Amazon.com

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Trend Update: Temple Institute Calls on Israel, “Rebuild the Temple!” August 2016

Posted in Prophecy, Temple, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , on August 10, 2016 by paulthepoke

The destruction of the first and last Jewish Temples took place on the 9th of Av on the Hebrew calendar. In memory of the upcoming date Tish b’Av (9th of Av), the Temple Institute has called on Israeli’s to rebuild the Temple on the Temple Mount.

The vessels and instruments are ready. The priests are being trained for Temple worship service. The sacrificial altar has been built. Blue prints for the Temple are complete. Efforts are being made for a genetically engineered red heifer. We are getting closer.

Click on the link below (2 1/2 minutes) for a video published by the Temple Institute.

 

https://paulthepoke.com/2016/04/06/trend-update-temple-red-heiferpriest-identification-april-2016/

https://paulthepoke.com/2015/08/02/trend-update-temple-red-heifer-august-2015/

https://paulthepoke.com/2015/03/25/trend-update-temple-stone-altar-march-2015/

 

Trend Update: Jewish Priest Provides Blessing for Israel on Temple Mount, July 2016

Posted in Prophecy, Temple, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 17, 2016 by paulthepoke

Numbers 10:2 Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out.

Amihai Ariel is the father of Hallel, the 13 year old girl who was stabbed and murdered by a terrorist while she was sleeping in her bedroom. On July 15, 2016 Mr. Ariel was followed by 50 family members and close friends to the Temple Mount.

Keep in mind, Jordan is responsible for security on the Temple Mount. It is illegal for Jews to ascend the Mount and engage in “religious” activity, pray, or talk to God.

Amihai Ariel is a priest. At the foot of the Temple Mount, Amihai Ariel blew a silver trumpet that is to be used in the Third Temple. The trumpet blast was a signal to alert the people of Israel. A priest is calling. Come to the Temple.

A shofar (ram’s horn) was also blown. This shofar blast indicates a Temple worship service is about to begin. A shofar is used in the Temple service.

Translation, I am going to the top of the Temple Mount and I am going to perform a priestly, Temple service.

After this, the party ascended to the top of the Temple Mount. Mr. Ariel went to a specific place on the Temple Mount where priests are to give a blessing to the people of Israel. The outcome was a priest blessed the Jewish people on the Temple Mount. The blessing was from Numbers 6:23-27. The highlights from the verses are listed below.

May the LORD bless you and guard you. May the LORD make His face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you.  May the LORD lift up His face unto you and give you peace.

This was completed in the presence of the Muslim Waqf security. This is the kind of stuff that can lead to a war. No arrests were made. There was no violence.

“After my daughter is murdered, what more can they do to me? Ban me from the Temple Mount? Arrest me? What more can I possibly lose by blessing Israel? A Jewish man goes up to God’s mountain. I was trying to connect to God. So what are they going to do to me for doing such a thing?”

“But when I look around and see the condition the world is in, I come to the conclusion that the world needs a place for God, his Temple in Jerusalem. We need to start doing the work of building and so many people, for the wrong reasons, are stopping that from happening.” -Amihai Ariel

http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/71920/bin-exclusive-father-slain-girl-performs-priestly-blessing-temple-mount-video/#K5pGwOjV93uXoj3j.97

 

Trend Update: Temple Red Heifer/Priest Identification, April 2016

Posted in Prophecy, Sanhedrin, Temple, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , on April 6, 2016 by paulthepoke

Exodus 28:1 Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

The Temple Institute is looking for a few good men. The Institute has begun the second stage towards building the Temple. They are trying to identify a list of Jewish priests who will be eligible to prepare the red heifer ashes and serve in the Temple.

The term for these priests is kohanim.

Here is the potential resume for such priests or kohanim. The man must be from the line of Aaron and be able to offer proof. He must have been born and raised in Israel. The kohan must not have come in contact with the dead (people or animals). The potential priest cannot have been born in a hospital. He should have no history of visiting a hospital. If the candidate has visited a cemetery, he is discarded. These are some of the ceremonial cleanliness laws noted in the Law or Torah of the Bible.

An eligible list of potential priests will begin training for the preparation of the red heifer ashes. The ashes from the sacrifice of the red heifer are necessary for purification prior to the building of the Temple. Directions for red heifer purification and priestly function are noted in Numbers 19:1-10.

The Temple Institute is committed to raising a red heifer. Not just one, but raise a herd of red heifers. I guess it is time to throw numbers at the issue instead of waiting for one to be born and finding it. The Temple Institute has joined forces with a cattle rancher in Israel. They have applied the best of breeding techniques, genetics, and embryology. Frozen embryos of red angus cattle have been implanted in Israeli cattle.

Numbers 19:1-2 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never been placed.

http://paulthepoke.com/2015/08/02/trend-update-temple-red-heifer-august-2015/

“This is a huge jump for the Temple Institute and a huge leap for the Jewish people. For the first time in 2,000 years, after miraculously returning to the Land of Israel, we are beginning the process of reinstating the Biblical purity of the Jewish priesthood.” -Rabbi Chaim Richman.

Kohanim have recently begun lighting the menorah using pure olive oil for first time in nearly 2,000 years.

The Sanhedrin have recently begun marking time as directed in the Bible with the identification of the new moon or Rosh Chodesh for the first time in 2,000 years.

http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/64632/third-temple-closer-than-ever-search-begins-eligible-jewish-priests-jewish-world/#HtJxxqZpMisUHfAt.99

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/210006#.VwB-ifkrJD8

Birth of Jesus: City of Bethlehem, Address Migdal Eder

Posted in Christmas, Gospel, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 24, 2015 by paulthepoke

Micah 4:8 As for you, tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come— even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

Many believe this is the location and address of the birth of Jesus Christ. The address is the “tower of the flock”. In the original Hebrew, it is “migdal eder

Per Strong’s Concordance, migdal eder means: tower of the flock.

The following paragraph is from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim.

At the time of the birth of Jesus, Migdal Eder was a specific place. It was the location where shepherds brought their sheep. The sheep were to be sacrificed at the Temple. These were not just any flock and herd. The shepherds who kept them were men who were specifically trained for this royal task. They were educated in what an animal that was to be sacrificed had to be and it was their job to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged or blemished. During lambing season the sheep were brought to the tower from the fields, as the lower level functioned as the birthing room for sacrificial lambs. Being themselves under special rabbinical care, these priests would strictly maintain a ceremonially clean birthing place. Once birthed, the priestly shepherds would routinely place the lambs in the hewn depression of a limestone rock known as “the manger” and “wrap the newborn lambs in swaddling clothes,” preventing them from thrashing about and harming themselves “until they had calmed down” so they could be inspected for the quality of being “without spot or blemish”.

Custom of the day utilized swaddling cloths for newborn infants as well as sacrificial lambs. These cloths or bands were also used for restraining lambs prior to sacrifice. The swaddling bands held the lambs for inspection to insure they met the standard set forth in the law (Numbers 28:3, Exodus 12:1-6). The lambs were restrained to keep them from harming themselves and disqualifying them from sacrifice. Lambs had to be without blemish.

See also http://hethathasanear.com/Birth.html

Today, the exact location of Migdal Eder is speculation.

Luke 2:7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

The angel had directions for the shepherds in the hills. Luke 2:12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Notice, the shepherds did not need guidance. Migdal Eder was a destination. Any shepherd in the area knew the exact location. Directions were not necessary. These guys knew the specific address.

Luke 2:15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

Luke 2:16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, was born in the same location as sacrificial lambs for the Temple. Jesus was wrapped “snugly” in swaddling cloth like a sacrificial lamb for inspection.

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