Jeremiah 31:15 – God’s plan may seem puzzling, but it will all come to pass

Rachael was the wife of Jacob who bore him Joseph and Benjamin. The birth of Joseph was uneventful, whereas Benjamin’s birth resulted in her death. Genesis 35:16-19 tell us Rachel was pregnant and was traveling with Jacob from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Bethlehem, she went into labor and gave birth to a son. As she was dying, she named him Ben-Oni. It was Jacob who named and called him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried in Ramah, a place on the way to Ephrath (Bethlehem).

Joseph was Rachael’s other son. He had two sons that were born in Egypt. Their names were Ephraim and Manasseh. In a figure of speech, Jeremiah 31:15 speaks of Rachael’s voice of lamentation and weeping in Ramah. Here she is being used to point to the agony of the judgment of both Israel and Judah. Her son Benjamin represents Judah, and her grandson Ephraim represents Israel.

Rachel was said to be refused to be comforted for her sons were no more. Why? Her descendant from Ephraim, the son of Joseph, meaning Israel was taken by the Assyrians. And now Her descendants from Benjamin, meaning the southern kingdom of Judah were taken by the Babylonians into captivity. Because of these Rachel seemed to have died in vain. Hence figuratively, she was said to be lamenting. However, if the situation had remained this way, it would be pathetic. But Israel’s God had been their faithful covenant God. And hope in Him awaited them which we shall explore as we come to verses that follow.

This verse was quoted in Matthew 2:18 to reference to Herod’s massacre of the children and the mothers in Bethlehem lamenting and weeping. In Mathew 2:16-23 we have a description of what Herod did when the magi did not return to him with the information he requested. In his anger, he ordered that every male child, two-year-old and under, living in Bethlehem and the vicinity nearby, be killed. God saw this long before it happened for this fulfilled what Jeremiah had prophesied. We saw in all these events the preservation of Jesus, the Lord of our salvation. He is God’s hope for all humanity.

God has a plan that will involve us. As His instrument, we may not always see what He is doing and wonder why we have to go through times of pain and discomfort. But be assured that his plan will never fail. In the end, His destiny for his people will come to fruition. When God makes us as His instrument, be sure to learn from the Lord Jesus described in Hebrews 12:2. We do so by “…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”