The Return of the Children
Jeremiah 31:15 – The LORD says, “A sound is heard in Ramah, a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.” 16 – The LORD says to her, “Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy. I, the LORD, affirm it!…”
When Herod heard the report of the wise men, joy did not fill his heart. He had become so attached to his power and position that the arrival of a new king as announced by the wise men and confirmed by the Scriptures troubled him. Herod’s insecurity was fueled by another great being who feared that his hold on the earth was now in jeopardy because of Jesus. Revelation 12:3 says – Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns. 4 – Now the dragon’s tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 – So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne,…
The wise men found Jesus, presented their gifts and worshiped Him with joy. When the time came for them to return home God warned them in a dream to not go back to Herod. When Herod found that the wise men were not coming back with the location of Jesus the anger of the dragon drove him to a terrible act of desperation – killing all the children aged 2 and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding region in the hope that the new King would be devoured in the onslaught. See Matthew 2:16. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were gone.” – Matthew 2:17, 18.
Those poor families endured the horror of having their children ripped from their arms and slaughtered before their eyes. No words could describe their grief. They could not be comforted from the trauma and loss. Their children became casualties in the cosmic war between good and evil. Where can a person turn in the midst of such pain? There is only one answer. Turn back to God. Turn back to where it was all foretold in the prophecies and see the hope that follows the horror. – Jeremiah 31:16 says – The LORD says to her, “Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy. I, the LORD, affirm it!…”
Children who are sleeping in the land of the dead will return. The LORD affirms it! When Jesus comes again He will resurrect those children and many others. Hebrews 11:35a says “women received back their dead raised to life…” There is hope in Jesus Christ! Our heartfelt repentance will be rewarded with a reunion like no other reunion this world has ever seen.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “The salvation and the power and kingdom of our God, and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, the one who accuses them day and night before our God, has been thrown down. But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them! But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you! He is filled with terrible anger, for he knows that he only has a little time!” – Revelation 12:10-12.
This Christmas, in the little time that is left, may we take the time to worship, praise and be filled with all the hope, joy, and wonder of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ our Savior and King who was born for us will return for us and He will fulfill the promises that have been affirmed in the Scriptures. The children will return from the land of the enemy. All those who are asleep in Jesus will awake to everlasting life. And so we shall always be with the Lord! Amen!
Where two are gathered 