As the Jews had departed from God, faith had grown dim, and hope had well-nigh ceased to illuminate the future. The words of the prophets were uncomprehended. To the masses of the people, death was a dread mystery; beyond was uncertainty and gloom. It was not alone the wailing of the mothers of Bethlehem, but the cry from the great heart of humanity, that was borne to the prophet across the centuries,--the voice heard in Ramah, "lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Matt. 2:18. In "the region and shadow of death," men sat unsolaced. With longing eyes they looked for the 33 coming of the Deliverer, when the darkness should be dispelled, and the mystery of the future should be made plain.

Da jøderne var veget bort fra Gud, var troen blevet svækket, og håbet var næsten holdt op med at kaste lys over fremtiden. Man forstod ikke profeternes ord. For det store flertal af folket var døden en frygtelig gåde, hinsides den fandtes der usikkerhed og mørke. Det var ikke blot jammeren fra mødrene i Betlehem, men skriget fra menneskehedens store hjerte, der lød for profeten hen over århundrederne den røst, der lød i Rama: "Gråd og megen jamren; Rakel græd over sine børn og ville ikke lade sig trøste, thi de er ikke mere" Matt. 2,18. I "dødsskyggens dal" sad mennesker uden at finde trøst. Med længselsfulde blikke så de hen til Befrierens komme, hvor mørket skulle spredes, og fremtidens hemmeligheder afsløres.