Daily Thoughts – December 11th
Prophecy 8: Jeremiah 31:15
"This is what the LORD says:
"A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for
her children and refusing to be comforted because her children are no
more."
- Jeremiah 31:15
- Jeremiah 31:15
A prophecy of great mourning and lamentation. We are frequently hearing in the news the terrible tragedies of children being kidnapped, trafficked, abused, killed, or aborted. When
the life of a child is taken or is in jeopardy, there are commonly feelings of
anger and often times a diminishing faith in God. I know, it raises anger in me even when I have no personal attachment
to the affected families, how much more does it impact the parents and direct
family members?
If you have been in this same state of anguish, then
you know exactly how the men and women of Israel were feeling in the mid 6th
century B.C. Rachel was the wife of Jacob. They had two children together -
Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was believed to be killed when actually was
sold into slavery by his brothers. Jacob spent years in grieving and mourning,
refusing to be comforted over the apparent loss of his beloved Joseph. Rachel
died in Bethlehem after the birth of her 2nd son, whom she named Ben-Oni (son of
my sorrow). Jacob then changed his name to Benjamin (son of my right hand).
In Ramah (a biblical city outside of Jerusalem), there was much mourning during the reign
of David. The Amalekites had taken the wives and children of David and his men.
In 1 Samuel 30:3-4 we hear of "...David and his men weeping until they had
no strength left to weep." His men threatened to stone him over the loss
of their sons and daughters, blaming David and God for not protecting them.
David sought God's counsel and with His approval pursued and destroyed the Amalekite
army, retrieving all of the women and children who had been captured.
So when Jeremiah references the great mourning and weeping of Ramah and Rachel in this prophecy, he is foretelling of (Matthew 2:16-18) King Herod's annihilation of all the male children under two in Bethlehem after the birth of the Messiah. In Jeremiah 31:16-17 though Jeremiah gives the comfort of knowing that like in Ramah and with Joseph, the children will return one day to their own land. The children referenced in these verses refer to the Israel nation of course, not the reincarnation of the murdered children.
Many times there are atrocities that happen in this life. Things that make our stomachs turn, and anger well up inside of us. We must think back though on the words of our Lord, "your children will return to their own land." God has these children in the palm of His hand and is sovereign in all things. He will in due time bring all of us back together once again in His land with rejoicing, thanks to His Son who was killed unjustly for our transgressions.
- Rich
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