December 20 – 27, 2024

THE WAR OF CHRISTMAS

Jeremiah 31:15 “…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.’”

The birth of a Baby. Innocent. Pure. Savior. Messiah! Shepherds came, angels sang, wise men began their travel from afar. The cry of the Christ Child breaks the still air. Jesus, the face and voice of the Father! Kings rage, demons quake, God proclaims! The war in the spiritual explodes into the physical! Kingdom versus Kingdom, King of Kings versus Prince of Darkness, Heaven versus Hell. The world as it had been was no more! Deliverer has come! A tiny package delivered in swaddling clothes whose birth delivered a big black eye to Satan!

Rachel died at the birth of her second son and was buried at Ramah long before Jeremiah wrote his verse. Her sorrow was symbolic of the weeping of Israel, her offspring included, being sent into exile and leaving behind God’s Promised Land. Centuries later, Matthew quoted this verse as fulfilled prophesy as Rachel symbolized mourning for the baby boys killed by Herod’s armies in the massacre to kill Jesus. The wise men had referred to the Baby as King of the Jews, and Herod was not about to lose his throne to anyone. He thought he could thwart the fulfillment of God’s prophesies. He thought he was powerful enough to change the Lord’s plans! But he had never read Acts 5:39, “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 

Just as Herod would kill to keep his throne out of the hands of Jesus, so Satan will kill to keep souls out of the hands of Jesus! Today, Ramah is our town and Rachel is us. Shouldn’t her sorrow be ours every time a person dies without Jesus? Dies without His forgiveness? A captive sent into the exile of hell, leaving behind the Promised Land that God offers? 

Let Christmas be a reminder to us that the war still rages, the battle goes on. Let us go forth as His warriors with His message of salvation on our lips and the gift of His Son in our hearts.

This is an excerpt from a 90-day devotional written by Emil and Karen. To order the full devotional, click on the TO ORDER DEVOTIONAL page.