Ephrathah

Rachel didn't make it,

Her bones rest by the roadside,

Saul saw nothing,

Though he came so close,

Another man,

He turned, dejected,

The steep slope of his sword,

Summoned him,

Returning to the earth,

There seven sons passed,

But failed,

Fell by the wayside,

The poet preferred to their prowess,

For the suitable successors;

The shepherd shall be substitute,

But Bethlehem's bread,

Was yet to be fed,

The one who would come,

Came from before,

The One whose goings are from everlasting,

The genesis of recreation,

The head of the snake,

Eats the tail of revelation,

Oh Ephrathah 

Never far,

From where we are,

You are by no means the least

Genesis 35:19. 1 Samuel 10:2, Micha 5:2 NKJV

My studies took me to Bethlehem this morning. I am studying the anointing of King David at Bethlehem. It turns out, the first mention of that place in scripture is that Rachel (Jacob's wife) died, and was buried on the way there. Then comparing Saul to David, a thematic contrast between the flesh and spirit, Adam and Christ (As they respectively are types) I found that Saul had been sent there, to Rachels tomb, by Samuel, but not to Bethlehem itself. And of course the brothers were passed over at Bethlehem, in favor of David. David was anointed there, but he himself was a picture, and not the real thing. The bread that would be provided in Bethlehem ultimately, was yet to come, and even now, although he has come, he is still to come. So many nearlys, so many not quites. And it turns out that one we are waiting for (Micha 5:2) IS already, and his goings are from everlasting, and his redemption is only ever just around the corner. Late in time? well, yeah, kinda....