Can Rachel be Reborn?
I was sharing the significance of Rachel’s tomb with a pastor. I had been talking for about five minutes when his face lit up and a smile came across the pastor’s face. As I anxiously waited for him to join in the conversation with a word of wisdom, he finally spoke. He said with excitement, “Rachel is someone in the Bible, right?” My heart sank as the reality sat in. Christians know almost nothing about Rachel!
Rachel is considered the mother of Israel for a reason. She loved her children with an unconditional, never-ending love that a model mother has. Her generous heart was more concerned about others than her own hopes and dreams. According to Jeremiah the prophet she still intercedes for her children today. God made Rachel a model of His character. Rachel models the heart of God.
Some people criticize Rachel as a thief and deceiver. The Mishnah conveys an explanation of Rachel’s actions that are consistent with a godly heart. When Rachel cooperated with her father’s plan for her and her sister Leah to trade places at her wedding to Jacob, she did so because she was willing to give up her hopes and dreams so her sister could find happiness. When Rachel later took her father’s idols, she did so that he would not worship them. She was willing to risk her life so that her father would worship the only one and true god, the God of Israel.
It is understandable that thousands of Jews per year travel to honor their mother at Rachel’s Tomb. Jewish mothers ask Rachel to intercede on behalf of their children. Barren Jewish mothers ask Rachel to plead to God to help them conceive. This may seem odd to Christians but if we take the Bible literally, Rachel is still “weeping” for her children. She is interceding to God on their behalf.
If Rachel is so important to Jews should she be important to Christians? Paul says in Romans 10:12 that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. He goes on further to say in 11:17 that we believing Gentiles were grafted into the Jews. If we follow the Bible then we Christians must realize that we are Jews; grafted in Jews. We are one with them. Since we are Jews then we need to realize that Rachel is our mother. We need to allow her character to impact our lives. We need to understand the significance of her life. Rachel needs to be reborn in Christianity!
Rachel’s tomb may not seem important to Christians but it certainly should be. One of the holiest sites in Christianity is the birthplace of Christ. Just imagine if we could find the actual place where Jesus was born. The manger where Mary laid the infant would be one of the most amazing sites to see. Imagine what it would be like to worship God where the Messiah came into this world. In order to find the real birth site we must first find Rachel’s tomb. If we can find the remains of Rachel’s tomb, the Tower of the Flock, Boaz’s threshing floor, and David’s well, then we would be able to find the place where Jesus was born and laid in a manger.
Is God finished with Rachel’s tomb? Certainly not!! Rachel’s tomb is a very important part of prophecy. The Bible is very clear how Rachel’s tomb fits into prophecy. In the next article I will discuss what role Rachel’s tomb plays in prophecy.
© Dr. Steven L Smith 2016
Rachel is considered the mother of Israel for a reason. She loved her children with an unconditional, never-ending love that a model mother has. Her generous heart was more concerned about others than her own hopes and dreams. According to Jeremiah the prophet she still intercedes for her children today. God made Rachel a model of His character. Rachel models the heart of God.
Some people criticize Rachel as a thief and deceiver. The Mishnah conveys an explanation of Rachel’s actions that are consistent with a godly heart. When Rachel cooperated with her father’s plan for her and her sister Leah to trade places at her wedding to Jacob, she did so because she was willing to give up her hopes and dreams so her sister could find happiness. When Rachel later took her father’s idols, she did so that he would not worship them. She was willing to risk her life so that her father would worship the only one and true god, the God of Israel.
It is understandable that thousands of Jews per year travel to honor their mother at Rachel’s Tomb. Jewish mothers ask Rachel to intercede on behalf of their children. Barren Jewish mothers ask Rachel to plead to God to help them conceive. This may seem odd to Christians but if we take the Bible literally, Rachel is still “weeping” for her children. She is interceding to God on their behalf.
If Rachel is so important to Jews should she be important to Christians? Paul says in Romans 10:12 that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. He goes on further to say in 11:17 that we believing Gentiles were grafted into the Jews. If we follow the Bible then we Christians must realize that we are Jews; grafted in Jews. We are one with them. Since we are Jews then we need to realize that Rachel is our mother. We need to allow her character to impact our lives. We need to understand the significance of her life. Rachel needs to be reborn in Christianity!
Rachel’s tomb may not seem important to Christians but it certainly should be. One of the holiest sites in Christianity is the birthplace of Christ. Just imagine if we could find the actual place where Jesus was born. The manger where Mary laid the infant would be one of the most amazing sites to see. Imagine what it would be like to worship God where the Messiah came into this world. In order to find the real birth site we must first find Rachel’s tomb. If we can find the remains of Rachel’s tomb, the Tower of the Flock, Boaz’s threshing floor, and David’s well, then we would be able to find the place where Jesus was born and laid in a manger.
Is God finished with Rachel’s tomb? Certainly not!! Rachel’s tomb is a very important part of prophecy. The Bible is very clear how Rachel’s tomb fits into prophecy. In the next article I will discuss what role Rachel’s tomb plays in prophecy.
© Dr. Steven L Smith 2016