Source: God Reports, November 17, 2023
City officials in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, have announced they will eliminate all decorations celebrating Christmas, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post.
“Bethlehem Municipality crews announced the dismantling of Christmas decorations installed several years ago in the city’s neighborhoods and removing all festive appearances in honor of the martyrs and in solidarity with our people in Gaza,” the municipality wrote on Facebook.
A spokesperson for the city also told the Telegraph, “The reason is the general situation in Palestine; people are not really into any celebration, they are sad, angry, and upset; our people in Gaza are being massacred and killed in cold blood.”
“Bethlehem should send out its own message of condolence and mourning.”
Prayers and religious ceremonies will still be allowed to take place, according to the Post.
The city is majority Muslim. Seventy years ago, Christians made up 80 percent of the population, but now comprise about 10 percent.
The prophet Isaiah also lived in a day when the Middle East was in turmoil, as Stan Key from OneWay Ministries points out.
Lifting your eyes to the nations, also see and share Pray for the Christmas Season (INcontext International), and ponder these words from John Piper: “God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations.”