FRIDAY December 30, 2022

Voices of Lamentation and Sorrow

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:17-18

God, in His sovereignty, warned the wise men in a dream that they should not return to Herod. Instead, they left for their own country another way (Matthew 2:12). Joseph was also warned in a dream of Herod’s evil intentions to destroy Jesus. So during the night, he took Mary and the Child and fled to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15). He would remain there until the death of King Herod.

Once King Herod found out he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated. A new King would not be tolerated, and to protect his throne, Herod would commit mass murder. As he had already determined the possible age of the Child when he had spoken with the wise men, he ordered the merciless slaughter of all the male children two years old and under, not only in Bethlehem, but also in its surrounding districts.

Once again, we find that Scripture is accurate. These unthinkable atrocities committed by a power-hungry king were written hundreds of years prior in the book of Jeremiah: Thus says the LORD: “a voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15).

Why was there a reference in Scripture to Rachel? She was the wife of Jacob, the Patriarch of Israel. As they journeyed from Bethel, they neared Bethlehem, and she went into labor. Rachel died in childbirth, but before her last breath, she was able to see the birth of her son, whom she called Ben-Oni meaning, “son of my sorrow,” but his father called him Benjamin meaning “Son of (the) right hand.” Rachel was buried on the road to Ephrath––Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16-20).

Life can be hard, full of sorrow and pain. What comfort is there? There is comfort in the One who was born in Bethlehem. He identified with us.

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
~Isaiah 53:3~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!