Reading Plan:
Matthew 2:13-23
Our Thoughts:
The holy family fleeing for their lives, Herod’s horrific act of infanticide, and an unsettled life avoiding brutal rulers—today’s reading is not typically what we would turn to for encouragement during the Christmas season. The fear, confusion, and grief are palpable in this short passage. Where is the joy, the hope, the comfort we are accustomed to in our Christmas scripture readings? Without knowing the promises surrounding these verses, this might only seem like a grim conclusion to the story of Jesus’ birth. Though the situation was dark, God did not leave His people without hope.
Matthew 2:16-18 certainly seems hopeless. Herod’s dark and unspeakable act shows the sinful condition of the world and the desperate need for a deliverer, a comforter, a savior. These verses also reference another dark time in Israel’s history:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15)
The wailing, the tears, the sorrow. Jeremiah 31 speaks of Israel’s impending exile to Babylon hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth. Ramah was a town near Jerusalem that served as a deportation center for the Israelites. Families were divided; slain by the enemy or chained as prisoners and sent far from their homeland to Babylon. Rachel, a symbol for all the mothers of Israel, mourned the loss of her children. Even in this bleak moment in Israel’s history, they were not left without hope. In Jeremiah 31:31-34, the prophecy of the Israelites’ sorrow is followed by a promise of hope and restoration. God did not abandon his people in exile; God promised to renew his covenant and transform their hearts. He promised the New Covenant, and the Messiah would make it all possible.
This prophecy in Jeremiah was fulfilled a second time in Bethlehem, and the same promise of hope was offered to the mourning mothers of Bethlehem in Matthew 2:18. God saw Bethlehem’s sorrow caused by the evil hearts of men. He did not abandon them in their mourning. His plan for eternal rescue was already underway. From Genesis to the prophets to the Gospels, God's plan for redemption is woven throughout the entire Bible. Here in Matthew, we read how God sent the Promised One to his people. Jesus came to fulfill the Law and offer freedom. With the New Covenant, God’s people would no longer strive under the Law or the sacrificial system to be in right-standing with God. Jesus came to offer a new life and a new heart—not through our meager efforts to be good—but through repentance and a relationship with Him. Jesus gave his life when the time was right so that all could have the hope of eternal life.
Some of you are grieving this Christmas; maybe the loss of a job, a relationship, or a loved one. God sees your sorrow. He knows your pain, and He is not indifferent. He sent the Savior, His Son—for you! Christmas is for the hopeless and hurting. Jesus was born so that you could have hope, joy, and peace. In exile, in mourning, in every circumstance, Jesus is our Hope. I pray that in your heartache you find peace and joy in the hope of Christ this Christmas.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
More Questions:
• What is a reminder of hope in your life?
• Who can you share the hope of Christ with? It’s not too late to invite someone to Christmas at Venture at 3:30 and 5:00 p.m.!
• Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. How has God comforted you in your troubles? How can you comfort those around you who are troubled?
Prayer:
Lord, you are our Savior, our Comforter, our Hope in every situation. Thank you for your presence in the times when I feel hopeless. Remind us of your power, your plan, and your peace. Lord, use us as a beacon of your hope to those around us. Amen.
Author: Amy Fontenot