Lamentations 4 The Awful Fate of Those Who Forsake God

Jerusalem was once a city of great wealth and beauty. God's temple was covered with gold and was a place for people from all over the world to come and worship. The royal palace was a wonder to behold. Even more importantly, the people in the city were upright and holy, models of service to God. Now, Jeremiah laments because all this has changed. The gold of the temple was lost among the rubble. Those who had plenty to eat now go hungry. They do not even have any food to give their starving babies. Even the holy men of God are gaunt from lack of food. Thus many of the people died a slow torturous death of hunger. Jeremiah laments that they were not given a speedy merciful death as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. That would have been easier to endure. But, God is just and He brought upon Jerusalem a much worse judgment because they had sinned willfully despite all the warnings He had given them.

In the last half of the chapter, he explains why all this evil had come upon Jerusalem. The priests and prophets, who should have instructing the people in the ways of God, were instead persecuting the righteous people. They were shedding the blood of innocent children to sacrifice to Moloch and the blood of the righteous because they condemned their evil lives. They thought that they had hope of another nation helping them, but they were disappointed. Those who put there trust in man instead of God will certainly be disappointed many times.

Finally, in the last two verses, we have some comfort. He tells Edom to continue rejoicing that they have been spared because their destruction in coming. He also promises the Jews that there punishment will be accomplished and they will return to their home country. What a merciful God we have!

Lamentations 3 - Does God Use Us for Target Practice?

Jeremiah now begins to feel sorry for himself and for all that he has been through. He feels that the Lord is against him. God had used him for target practice. He had been like a bear or a lion lying in wait for Jeremiah, and Jeremiah was discouraged. He felt as though he was in a tomb and could not get out. It was a living death. But, then he remembered that all this affliction is what made him humble and he began to thank the Lord for his mercies and for not consuming him. It seems that he begins to realize that God does want the best for us and our afflictions are helps from God to keep us humble and on the right path. We need to patiently bear whatever trials come our way. God does not afflict us without cause. He also has compassion on us. Then it seems that Jeremiah again remembers all that his enemies have done against him. He asks the Lord to avenge them for what they have done.

Do you feel discouraged? Does it feel like God is using you for target practice? Does it seem that God doesn't hear your prayers? If so, remember all the things that God has done for you. Think of how God might be using these difficult times to build your character. He always has a reason for what he does even if we cannot understand it. Sometimes we bring difficulties on ourselves when we refuse to obey Him. Other times, God wants to strengthen our faith or cause us to depend on Him. So, whatever you are facing right now, thank God for the fact that we are not consumed because of His great mercy.

Lamentations 2 When People Go Wrong

In Chapter 2, Jeremiah continues to sorrow for his people. After all, this is Lamentations. However, I find it amazing that he does sorrow. These are the people who persecuted him. They put him in jail. They threw him into the bottom of an empty well. They disobeyed his word. They refused to believe him. Yet, he tirelessly preached God's judgments. He could have rejoiced over their destruction. He could have said, "See, I told you so." He could have been like Jonah when he preached the destruction on Ninevah. He just couldn't wait to see it destroyed and then he pouted when the people repented. Not Jeremiah, he truly wanted the people to repent. He sorrowed greatly after the fall of Jerusalem. He portrays the pain and suffering in graphic terms. He had a heart like God's heart. He cared about his people.

We may sometimes be in a similar situation to Jeremiah. We may warn people or tell them what they should do. Then, how do we respond when they suffer for not listening to us? It's the easiest thing to gloat and tell them that they should have listened to us, but that's no way to win friends or win people to Jesus. If we show true love and compassion, we will have a much better chance of winning them

Lamentations 1

The book of Lamentations is a continuation of Jeremiah. It is Jeremiah's lamentation over the captivity of Judah. While in some ways it seems very negative and repetitive, there are things we can learn and there are glimmers of hope. In chapter 1 Jeremiah is weeping over the captivity of Judah of how far they fell. He speaks of their former glory and of their current state. He mentions how they had formerly ruled an empire, but not they were subjected to another evil empire. They were once a center of worship. Now no one observed the holy days. Once it was a city of rejoicing. Now is was only mourning. Once God blessed them abundantly, but now God had turned against them.

Why had all this happened? Had God failed in His promises? Had the tide of fate simply turned against them? Did their military commanders make poor choices? Had commerce hit a depression? No, it was all their fault! God had blessed them, but they became self-sufficient and stopped serving God as they should have. The kings of Judah lead most of the people into idolatry and awful wickedness. The forsook the very one who had given them all these blessings. Yet, it seems that they couldn't understand why God wasn't blessing them anymore. How are we living our lives. Have all God's blessings distracted us from serving Him? Or, are we using His blessings to bless the lives of others around us.

The Purpose of the Cross

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/3872.mp3

Jeremiah 52 Judgment on a Country that Forsakes God

This last chapter of Jeremiah is a sad summary of what happened to God's people. It begins with a flashback to the siege that happened when Zedekiah was king. It went on for a year and a half and it finally ended because the walls were penetrated. The captain of the guard was determined to destroy the city. He broke down all the walls all the way around the city. He took all the gold silver and brass that was in the city and burned the beautiful temple, the palace and all the houses of the great men. Solomon's beautiful temple was completely destroyed. It was looted and burned to the ground. The whole city which was one of a kind and mostly built by Solomon was now in ruin. Where was the glory of the capital city of the empire God had built for his people? It was lost. God's people had forsaken Him. He was patient with them. He warned them many times. Yet, finally His judgment fell.
How long can our country disobey His laws and ignore His warnings before we suffer the same fate? God is very merciful and longsuffering, but he "will not always strive with man." He is just and someday our country will suffer a similar fate if we do not change our ways.

Jeremiah 51 God is in Control

The song "God is in Control" by Amy Grant is a long-time favorite of mine and I think it illustrates this chapter of the Bible very well.

This chapter continues the judgment pronounced on Babylon. The city Babylon was a great city with walls that seemed invincible. The city was covered six square miles and spanned the Euphrates River. It was surrounded by high double walls. In the time of Jeremiah it was a very beautiful proud city. Nebuchadnezzar had beautified it in many ways. It was also a center of paganism and idolatry. It probably seemed very foolish to prophesy its downfall. Yet, years later, the Medes and the Persians captured the city. They did so by diverting the river and sneaking in through the dry riverbed at night. They then killed the gatekeepers and flung open the gates for their entire army to enter the city. In this was the mighty Babylon was defeated. The city did not immediately become deserted. It was the capital of the Persian empire until it was taken over by Alexander the Great, who planned to make it his capital. However, his successor decided to make a different city his capital and it eventually lost its significance. Today it is 30 miles from Bagdad and is nothing more than an archeological site.

God has spoken many prophecies and promises through his people. Many of them seem unlikely if not impossible. But, God is all-knowing and all-powerful. So, if He says something, it will happen. We must trust God completely, knowing that He wants the best for us. What an amazing God we serve!