newYou can now listen to Fox News articles.
For the first time in recent history, Christmas has been canceled in Bethlehem. Services will continue to be held at the church that is the birthplace of Jesus, but the glittering decorations that usually illuminate this West Bank city remain dark for the holiday season.
Bethlehem city officials have canceled the annual Manger Square Christmas tree lighting, fireworks display, Christmas parade and holiday market. The Christmas festivities seem out of proportion to the seriousness of the war.
The idea of a darkened Bethlehem in 2023 makes us think about what the first Christmas was like in the same place more than 2,000 years ago.
Cross-America driver and National Guardsman ‘honored’ to take part in holiday mission
That night was interrupted by a sudden heavenly brightness, and an angel appeared and announced the good news of Christ’s birth to the shepherds in the field, who were soon joined by “a crowd of the heavenly hosts praising God” (Luke 2 :8-14). A shining star cast its light on Bethlehem and led the wise men to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:9-11). However, the joy of those days was overshadowed by the sadness of suffering.
Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Hananiah poses for a portrait in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank, Thursday, December 14, 2023. As the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies, Palestinian Christians are observing a solemn Christmas this year, with celebrations canceled. . (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)
You may remember that story. An angel told Joseph in a dream that King Herod was planning to kill Jesus. Joseph obeyed God’s command and fled to Egypt that night, taking Mary and Jesus with him, but he was just in the nick of time.
In a fit of demonic rage, Herod decided to eliminate the potential “King of the Jews” by killing every Jewish boy under the age of two in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. (Matthew 2:13-16).
To explain how a family in Bethlehem responded to the merciless slaughter of an innocent infant, the evangelist Matthew cited a prophecy from Jeremiah 31:15. “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and the voice of deep sorrow. Rachel wept for her children.” (Matthew 2:18).
This brutal massacre of Jewish children is similar to the harrowing images we have seen on our newsfeeds since October 7, 2023, when Israel was once again tormented by the evil bloodshed of their families, friends, and neighbors. It must have been.
There’s a real sense of tension in the Christmas story. It seems that the birth of Christ was supposed to be a moment of triumph for God’s people. Finally, the long-awaited savior has appeared. Its arrival heralded the end of oppression, suffering, and despair. A savior has been born!
But it wasn’t long before first-century Bethlehem had to bury a slain baby. God had arrived, but the power of sin and death remained. How can a small town endure experiencing its brightest night followed by its darkest day?
Christmas contains mysteries. The restoration that God’s people expected to happen all at once will instead unfold over time. On the first Christmas, the hope of Israel began to spread the light of dawn to Bethlehem. Christmas carols sing, “A new bright morning is coming.” But the light slowly grew larger. God works in His own time, not ours. There was more to accomplish, more to uncover.
For more FOX News opinions, click here
From our perspective, the birth of Christ feels like a series of painful and unnecessary delays. God has come to earth. He became one of us to save us. But 2000 years later, we are now grappling with the same problem.
In a fit of demonic rage, Herod decided to eliminate the potential “King of the Jews” by killing every Jewish boy under the age of two in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. (Matthew 2:13-16).
We still feel the pain of death. There will be too many empty tables this year, as there have been every year since the birth of Christ. So, is Christmas really “good news”? Is it still worth celebrating?
I think the answer lies in my favorite Christmas carol, “Joy to the World.” When Isaac Watts composed this hymn in his 1719 year, he did not intend it to be a Christmas carol. His focus is not on Christ’s first coming as a baby in Bethlehem, but on his second coming as “the righteous King of the earth, who will rule the world in truth and grace, and cause the nations to testify to the glory of God’s righteousness.” was aimed at someday. And the wonder of God’s love. ”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
As I point out in my new book, Are We Living in the End Times? “The Old and New Testaments connect the first and second comings of Jesus. What we begin at Christmas will be completed at Christ’s second coming.” We are living in that in-between time now, with all the pain and heartache that comes with it. But one day the earth will have a king who promises to forever defeat evil, injustice, and the poison of death. ”
This glorious eternal future began centuries ago, on an innocent dark night in Bethlehem. We can thank God that the baby born in that little town will soon return to finish what God started on that blessed Christmas day.
Click here to read more about Dr.robert jeffreys
