Rachel wept for her children : Celebrating Christmas in the face of tragedy!
When we all rejoice over the birth of our Savior during the Christmas season, we see on the other side of the good news the slaughter of the innocent babies by Herod. Herod slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. This was fulfilled in accordance with the word of prophecy spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying, “In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. (Matt.2:16-18).
What a paradox! When the Savior was born for the salvation of the whole world, bringing the people “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10), there were voices of weeping, lamentation and great mourning. Many women in Israel lost their children and could not be comforted, because they were not.
An angel of the Lord asked Joseph to take the young Child and His mother to flee into Egypt because Herod sought to kill the Child. They came into Egypt and were there until the death of Herod. After the slaughter of the children by Herod, Herod was dead. Then an angel of the Lord asked Joseph to go into the land of Israel. Then the parents along with the Child came into the land of Israel. But when Joseph heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in place of his father Herod, he “was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee”. Then the parents came and dwelt in Nazareth (Matt:2:13 to 23).
First, all the young children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof were murdered by Herod and there was a great mourning in all these places. Then the parents carrying the Baby Jesus on their shoulders were fleeing from one place to another. God first took them to Egypt, then to the land of Israel and finally to Nazareth. God revealed His whole plan to Joseph in a phased manner. The parents of the divine Child were full of anxiety and fear with their young Child in their hands, spending sleepless nights.
Why the children who were born at the time of the birth of Jesus were slaughtered so that there were voices of weeping, lamentation and great mourning in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof? There is no other answer to this question except that the word of prophecy spoken by Jeremy was fulfilled. Just for the sake of prophecy, the heads of innocent children rolled! The Baby Jesus was also ultimately killed after completion of His mission of salvation, on the Cross and that too, in accordance with the words of prophecy in the Old Testament books.
Oh, Rachel wept for her children who were not there! The love of a mother towards her child or children is incomparable with any other form of human love. This word of prophecy is still applicable to the present day Christians. Many mothers wept over the loss of their children due to the terrorists' attack in America on Sept. 11th, 2001. Similarly, many Christian mothers continue to weep throughout the ages all over the world when their beloved children are being killed due to terrorism, civil wars, wars with other nations, persecutions etc. Gladys Staines, the wife of the Australian missionary Graham Staines, who was burnt alive along with his two sons Philip and Timothy by the Hindu fanatics in India on 23rd January 1999 wept for her two sons who were not there! Rachel continues to weep today. How apt is the word of prophecy for us today! We cannot ignore the cries of Rachel today when we celebrate Christmas. Christmas without remembering Rachel has no meaning at all.
Dear Christian, do you weep for the children who were slain by the Devil in your nation? The Devil is fast destroying the young people in your nation through drugs and alcohol, music and entertainment, illicit sex etc. Many spiritual children could have been born in your nation if you had wept before God for their salvation. Alas, they were lost in eternity. You should now rise up from your deep slumber and weep for the lost souls in your nation so that these precious souls are restored to God’s Kingdom.
Second, the persecution and afflictions undergone by the parents of the divine Child at every stage of their warning by God are not different from the persecution and afflictions of the Church, the Body of Christ, who are giving birth to the spiritual children in these days. Dearly beloved in Christ, as you celebrate Christmas this year, do you remember that there are many spiritual parents in Communist prisons and in non-Christian nations who undergo horrible persecutions and afflictions in their bodies so that the spiritual children are born in this world?
During the Christmas season, I exhort you to set apart some money for the persecuted Church, and to send the same to them or their families. You should find out on your own the organization concerned which is involved in helping the persecuted Christians in your nation or other nations. Praising God for His wonderful gift of His Son within the four walls of your church with all comforts and with the religious freedom in your nation, will have no meaning at all if you do not take time, at least during the Christmas season, to think about the Christian brethren and sisters who undergo untold persecutions and afflictions.
- Job Anbalagan