You Have a Place at Grace - 12/23/2025

“A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more” (Matt.2:18).

This verse from Jeremiah 31:15 is fulfilled in the slaughter by Herod over his terrific fear of Jesus, the One born “King of the Jews” (Matt.2:2). The deranged King unleashes a murderous rampage on all male children in Bethlehem and its surrounding districts two years old and under. His rage has no bounds, just as the devil himself.

Context is important for Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel’s “weeping” in the OT is over her exiled children following the Babylonian captivity. They’re “no more,” gone, taken away from the Promise Land as that penalty foretold for Israel’s rank idolatry and rejection of the LORD. However, Jeremiah quickly preaches words of comfort and peace, restoration and mercy in verses 16-20. Rachel weeps but hope comes, preaches Jeremiah. According to Matthew, this passage has a final fulfillment in the coming of Christ to save and restore His people still lamenting a sinful world. Now comfort is in the Messiah, the One having come to “save His people from their sins” (Matt.1:21).

The ”Slaughter of the Holy Innocents” is a powerful text. Sadness overwhelms parents losing their innocent children to satanic tyranny. We see already great strife and enmity between the “Seed of the woman” and the serpent, also called the “god of this world” (2 Cor.4:4). Jesus’ words “the world hated me” (John 15:18) display themselves in His early childhood in hatred unabating until His bloody crucifixion. Innocent children die because of Jesus' birth. This isn’t to say they had no sin, only that they did nothing outwardly warranting Herod’s bloodbath. It was hatred, madness, and fear that his throne would be displaced by the true King, and this fear wasn’t unfounded. The True King would survive and establish His throne and Kingdom by blood. Death comes on His own time for reasons foretold, which are to “save His people from their sins.”

God’s Kingdom reigns over the tyrants, the Herods of this age trying to play God only to die like the rest. Jesus continues to be an interruption in a world hellbent on destroying Christ and His people. Even abortion is the devil’s attempt to kill life lest the Church grow by those born of women. Thankfully, Rachel’s weeping finds comfort in the Child whisked away to Egypt at God’s command. Herod would fail, Jesus would live, and God’s perfect plan is fulfilled. This should comfort us in our weeping over those sins we can’t fix or bear by ourselves. Restoration and salvation, the true Peace drying our eyes and renewing our souls rests in the One Herod couldn’t kill, the One Who would die on His own time (John 10:18) and live beyond the death He destroys. Indeed, this makes for a merry Christmas, a season of joy in the One Who saves His people.

-By Rev. Ryan J. Ogrodowicz, “You Have a Place at Grace,” 12/23/25

Grace Lutheran Church - Brenham, Texas

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod