Was Jesus Born in a Stable and Laid in a Manger?

A Stable Relationship

It might be the way the words of a familiar carol suddenly catch your attention. Or a conversation with a friend paints the nativity in a different hue. What was it this year that made the season fresh and new-like for you? What reflections stirred your emotions?

I entered December with flat emotions.  We had a glorious visit from family out-of-state for Thanksgiving and with that holiday being later this year, it was a harsh bump into Christmas preparation. I dutifully put up the decorations, trying to drum up spirit, listening to holiday music.

The first tiny spark of wonder crept in as I prepared the Sunday School lesson.  Nothing new about God's choice to bring the first tidings of Jesus' birth to shepherds. Informing the lowliest of society first, confirmed God's disposition towards all mankind, no matter the social status. But what was new thinking to me was the likely idea that shepherds were less positioned to spread the message because of their status, thus keeping Jesus' presence less visible until it was God's time for his ministry. (More on shepherds later)

From a devotional online, another thought brought new challenge into my season. All of the characters in the Christmas story chose what they did not choose.  Mary and Joseph didn't ask for the assignment God gave them, but they chose to embrace what must have seemed impossible and impossibly hard for them personally. Can I accept whatever God assigns for me in this next stage of my life?

Inspiration hit as we attended a grandchild's church program. A mishmash of ages stood in the front, swinging arms, twirling bodies in angelic garb, a shepherd adjusting his headdress every 2 minutes, spoken parts barely audible, others shouted into the microphone, words sometimes spoken haltingly following the prompter sitting in the front row, and then the director ad-libbing to make the whole thing kind of flow into a meaningful production.  But the director ended with a practical application for each of the stories' characters.  Perhaps we could identify with Mary, accepting a big interruption in our lives, or Joseph submitting to God's plan when we thought we had figured out a different solution.  Or the shepherds hearing good news and hurrying to express their worship, or the wise men staying on a path for a long time to follow the unknown because they were convinced there was a new ruler who would change the world and was worthy of the best gifts they could offer. "Which do you most identify with?", was his ending question.

During a phone discussion with my 91 year old father, he responded to my cue for what was new in the story for him this year. How did the wise men find out about Jesus?  They weren't Jewish. Probably not knowledgeable about scriptural prophecy because they go to Herod for answers. And what was so compelling about the  alignment of heavenly bodies that moved them to take expensive gifts and commit to a long journey to find a king who they needed to honor?

One more discussion with friends opened up a new look into the shepherds which may or may not conflict with what I mentioned before. Micah chapter 5 in the old testament  prophesies a promised ruler to be born in Bethlehem. Micah 4:8 mentions a king coming to Jerusalem, and addresses the watchtower of the flock; stronghold of Daughter Zion. According to a Facebook article one of the friends had read, I was intrigued with knowing more about what some scholars were suggesting the watchtower signified.

I looked up more information on the internet and from the patheos.com blog and the estremecedorbook.com site, I found this information. (I’ve included some of the findings word for word and altered some of the texts to condense the information.) Along with the belief that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, it was also believed that He was to be revealed from Migdal Eder, ‘the tower of the flock.’ This Migdal Eder was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks which pastured on the barren sheepground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town, on the road to Jerusalem. These particular sheep were destined for Temple sacrifice and the ones who watched them were not just ordinary shepherds. Unlike the dirty, unclean, according to rabbinical law, these specially trained shepherds cared for Passover lambs that were born and kept in this “tower of the flock” known as Migdal Eder.  These shepherds would then inspect and either certify the lambs for use as sacrifices in the temple or designate them to be released for common use. The new certified lambs would, according to some sources, even be wrapped in special swaddling clothes to protect them from injury The word manger in Luke can also be translated stall.

This seems fitting since Jesus became the Passover Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. Second, it explains how the shepherds knew where to go to find the newborn babe — and why Jesus being wrapped in swaddling clothes would be a significant clue, or sign like the angel said.  These purified shepherds would have strictly maintained a ceremonially clean stable for birthing ewes, who were brought in from the outdoor flocks to deliver their lambs where they could be gently cared for.

Of course, no one knows for certain if this is where Jesus was born, but I like that this possibility nicely foreshadows his sacrificial death as the lamb of God and, being one who knows childbirth first hand, I like to think that Mary had a clean place to birth and care for Jesus.
 
Thank you, Lord, for sharing more insights into the amazing birth of Immanuel. You are with us now as you always intended to be. I bring my worship and gifts to you.