“After you leave me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s Tomb, in the territory of Binyamin at Tzeltzah. They will tell you that the donkeys you were searching for have been found, and that your father has stopped thinking about the donkeys and is anxious over you and asking, ‘What am I to do about my son?’’”-1 Samuel 10:2
Saul, now the newly anointed young king of Israel is both stunned and scared at the same time.
Why?
Well, think about it for a sec.
Just a few days earlier, he was just your average Hebrew citizen from the tribe of Benjamin on a trek to find his father’s lost donkeys…
And now, practically overnight, he had been made king of Israel.
In fact, not only was Saul stunned and scared, I imagine he was also quite skeptical about the recent turn of events.
In order to ease Saul’s skepticism, Samuel gave him 3 predictions
When these predictions proved to be true, Saul would be reassured that God was indeed in control and be at peace with the matter.
We’re gonna be examining these predictions one by one.
So today let’s take a look at the first one.
The first prediction is that after departing to return home, Saul will pass through the area near Rachel’s Tomb.
When that happens 2 men will approach him and let him know his father’s donkeys have been found.
They will also further let him know that his father’s concern for the donkeys has now switched over to fretting over the fact his son had been gone for so long.
Now one question yet to be settled is where in the world was Rachel’s Tomb?
There’s actually a lot of debate about this issue.
Some folks say it’s in Samuel’s hometown Ramah because of this verse:
“This is what Adonai says:
‘A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamenting and bitter weeping.
It is Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted for her children,
because they are no longer alive.'”
-Jeremiah 31:14
Others say Rachel’s tomb was located in Bethlehem because of this verse:
“So Rachel died and was buried
on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar,
and to this day,
that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.”
-Genesis 35:19-20
Finally, there’s the modern or traditional understanding that says Rachel’s tomb actually lies outside of Jerusalem near a place called GILO…some folks say that’s near KIRYAT-YE-ARIM.
When I asked ChatGTP where Rachel’s tomb was located, I got this answer:
“As of my last update in September 2021, Rachel’s Tomb is considered to be located in Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank. It is a site of religious significance for Jews, Muslims, and Christians. The tomb has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries and is considered a sacred place in all three Abrahamic religions.”
If you wanna explore this issue more, you can read a Wikipedia article about Rachel’s Tomb by clicking HERE…
I also copy and pasted a photo of Rachel’s tomb from the article above.
So let’s switch over to the takeaway for today.
It is this:
When God brings about major changes in your life, it can be frightening as all hell.
Just as Saul was probably quaking in his boots once he had been made king.
“Who am I lead to these people?”
“I have no special leadership ability?”
“What if I fail?”
Undoubtedly, these were some of questions going through his mind at the crazy turn of events that had just occurred in his life.
So what to do when God has brought about a huge change in your life such as a job change, moving to another country or having your first child or whatever and you’re scared about how things are going to turn out?
God may not give you a series of predictions to comfort you like he gave Saul through Samuel.
So what to do?
Of course, the answer is to surrender to God and trust that things will work out.
“Surrender” and “Trust”.
These are 2 words modern folks have difficulty applying in their lives…
Simply because we’re taught to be aggressive, to never surrender and to never to trust anybody.
Yet these 2 words are the 2 key ingredients necessary to possessing a strong relationship with our Father in Heaven.
Because if you can’t surrender…
Or trust your Father in heaven…
Who can you trust in this lifetime?
Something for you to meditate on as you seek to strengthen your walk with the Lord.
Be blessed.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“When Yeshua had entered Capernaum,
a centurion came to him, asking for help.
‘Lord,’ he said, ‘my servant lies at home
paralyzed, suffering terribly.’
Yeshua said to him,
‘Shall I come and heal him?’
The centurion replied,
‘Lord, I do not deserve to
have you come under my roof.
But just say the word,
and my servant will be healed.
For I myself am a man under
authority, with soldiers under me.
I tell this one, “Go,” and he goes;
and that one, “Come,” and he
comes. I say to my servant,
“Do this,” and he does it.’
When Yeshua heard this,
he was amazed and said
to those following him, ‘
Truly I tell you, I have not
found anyone in Israel with
such great faith. I say to you
that many will come from
the east and the west, and
will take their places at the
feast with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob in the kingdom
of heaven. But the subjects
of the kingdom will be
thrown outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.’
Then Yeshua said to the centurion,
‘Go! Let it be done just
as you believed it would.’
And his servant was
healed at that moment.”
-Matthew 8:5-13
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