…”as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”
2 Corinthians 6:10 (RSV)
Archeologists fully excavated a magnificent public building which dates back 2,000 years, during the time of Jesus. A photo is attached that shows the ancient building that was dedicated to the shops where lambs, turtle doves and all things related to temple offerings, were once sold.
In 2021 this site was open to tourists after being fully excavated. I heard someone who visited this site, share his story, about his Jewish tour guide who told him, “If you are a Christian, you will want to remove your shoes because this is holy ground for you, since your Messiah was brought here 2,000 years ago.”
The building is situated next to the famous western wall, the remains of the great temple in Jerusalem. Archeologists believe that these shops were where Joseph and Mary bought a pair of turtle doves, for the presentation of Jesus in the temple, when He turned forty days old.
Scripture describes the custom:
“When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves.” (Luke 2:22-24)
Mosaic law declares every firstborn male to be brought to the temple on their 40th day of life, where the parents symbolically “buy back” their consecrated son with the offering of either a one year old unblemished lamb, or two turtle doves, depending on what the family could afford. (Leviticus 12:8)
Mary and Joseph were too poor to afford a lamb to sacrifice, so instead, they offered a pair of turtledoves, purchased at the shop in the attached photo. They didn’t fully understand yet, that their poverty would make many rich, and while having nothing, they possessed everything, within the bundle of humanity held in their arms.
When the Lord of the universe gave this law of dedication to Moses on a mountain, it thundered with smoke and lightning. That same Lord was later incarnated as Mary’s infant son, who was brought into His own temple, in fulfillment of His own commandments, on His sacred 40th day of human life.
Forty days has always been a special number of fulfillment and of God’s intervention. It’s a number repeated throughout scripture, since God is very intentional regarding numbers. Noah and his family were saved while the earth was flooded for forty days. Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai, receiving the commandments in God’s holy presence. Jesus spent forty days fasting and praying in the desert before starting His ministry.
Today, we enter a forty day period of lent, culminating on resurrection Sunday, where we celebrate the generous offering made by our Father in heaven for us. He bought us back, redeeming us with the precious blood and perfect offering, of Jesus, our unblemished lamb of God.
As we recall the sacrifice of Jesus, it makes us sorrowful, but it also gives us cause to greatly rejoice. Though He was rich before coming into this world, yet for our sake He became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
God removes our spiritual poverty and adopts us into the family of God. We have been given the riches of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of His son.
Lord, in entering these forty days, we are speechless and in awe, standing on the holy ground of your truth. Thank you for offering your very best for us and making us a part of your family forever. Amen
