Christmas In July - "swaddling"

**king'sbloomingrose** · July-7th-2011, 09:25 PM

I found this on a friends wall on Facebook and it nearly blew my head wide open!

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Christmas in July--"Swaddling"!

The KJV Bible contains the word “swaddling” in its text. That word caught my attention the other day so I decided to research the matter to see if God wasted a word on us humans. I first noticed it was in the Book of Luke and was a “sign” to the Jews (and us guys too!). I looked closer and found out that “swaddling” and “manger” were THE SIGN (the two had to go together, sort of like my left side and my right side. . . one is not complete without the other). Well, my curiosity increased and here is what I found. . . .

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2: 7

“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Luke 2: 12

The ancient Jewish prophet Micah foretold the birthplace for the coming Messiah seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Micah said that the Son of God would be born in the little insignificant village near Jerusalem called Bethlehem. History records that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was indeed born in Bethlehem, not in Nazareth where He was raised, not in Capernaum where He conducted His ministry, not even in Jerusalem where He was crucified, buried, and resurrected, but Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

The actual birthplace of Jesus Christ in the little town of Bethlehem has a prophetic significance both in the past and the future. The past significance of Migdal Edar: Migdal Edar, the tower of the flock mentioned in Micah 4:8, is the watchtower where the priestly shepherds would watch over their flocks in the shepherd's fields there at Bethlehem.

It was in the lower portion of this watchtower that the birthing of the lambs would take place. The shepherds would wrap the newborn lambs in swaddling clothes to protect the body of the lambs which would be offered as sacrifice at the Temple just four miles away in Jerusalem. Wrapped in swaddling clothes to keep the new lambs without spot or blemish, they would be laid in a manger until they had calmed down.

Yes, the lamb was wrapped in swaddling clothes to protect it from any harm and they laid the lamb in a manger lined with soft hay. (Remember the lamb for sacrifice must be without blemish. A bruised or broken bone would disqualify it.) Once the lamb had settled down from the birthing process, the shepherd would remove the swathing materials and deliver the lamb to its mother. The lamb would receive special care from the shepherd/priests because this lamb would be sacrificed for the sins of the people.

The prophetic significance of Migdal Edar: the priestly shepherds in their fields near Bethlehem on that Christmas Eve knew where to go to find the newborn Messiah, Jesus Christ. He would be found where the angel had told them, wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger in the lower floor of the tower of the flock, Migdal Edar, and He would be there as the Lamb to be sacrificed to take away the sin of the world.

The shepherd/priests had trained all of their lives for this very moment. To the common passerby, seeing a baby in a manger meant very little; however, to the shepherd/priest it was a sign of the coming Messiah. They were keenly aware that the Messiah would one day free the people from their sins. A baby, announced by the heavenly choir, lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes was more than they could handle – they “came with haste.” They immediately recognized the sign – this baby was the One born to die for the sins of the world.

Micah 4:8 also speaks of the fact that this One born in the tower of the flock, Migdal Edar, Jesus Christ would setup His dominion, His Kingdom in Jerusalem, only several miles from where He had been born. The actual site, Migdal Edar, for the cradle of Jesus Christ, would also reveal the prophecy for where Jesus Christ the Messiah would wear His crown as the King of kings and the Lord of lords for a coming future kingdom right here on earth.

**SonSeeker** · July-13th-2011, 01:52 AM

Thank you, KBR for this post.

I never knew what "swaddling" meant, and now I've learned so much more about the ancient prophecies, and how they were fulfilled.

Our God is an Awesome God!

**mattfivefour** · July-13th-2011, 03:12 PM

From ancient times all babies used to be wrapped in swaddling clothes to make them warm and secure. (Sometimes they even over-wrapped the swaddling clothes with swaddling bands to hold the baby even more tightly!) It was particularly used in Europe but seems to have died out prior to the Renaissance. I had never heard of this use for sacrificial animals before today, though. Does your friend have a source for the information? I would love to study it more. There could be some excellent spiritual applications if the information turns out to be valid.

**livin_in_the_Son** · July-13th-2011, 03:36 PM

While not called "swaddling clothes" newborn babies presently are wrapped (swaddled) tightly in a baby blanket. The info about the animals though is interesting to say the least. I wonder how much of it is true, and how much is deduced by logic stemming from seeing how secure a newborn is once wrapped. I can't wait to see the validation, how intriguing.

**king'sbloomingrose** · July-13th-2011, 08:58 PM

I just asked my friend, so I'm not too sure where his source was yet. :)

**mattfivefour** · July-13th-2011, 09:37 PM

No problem, sis. I am very interested because if it checks out there is good fodder for a sermon illustration there.

**king'sbloomingrose** · July-14th-2011, 06:26 PM

He said that he had found the information written down in some notes that he had taken. I searched for it online and I came up with several websites that all seem to say the same thing...

swaddling clothes | Promised Land Ministries
nrbbc.com

Just to name a few. Some people online conjecture that He was wrapped up in His burial linen while others say that He was like one of the sacrificial lambs.