Lamentations

(315) November 11: Lamentations 1-2 & Hebrews 7

Ask God to open your mind, heart and will to understand, delight in and obey what you read.


To discover:­
As you read consider what the writer says has caused Zion’s predicament.

To ponder:
The writer laments the destruction of Jerusalem and fate of the Jews. This great and regal city is now deserted and like a widow or slave. She weeps and is not comforted by her lovers (false gods) or friends (allies), who have turned against her. After such hardship Judah is now in exile. So the roads on which people go to Zion mourn as none celebrate religious or wedding feasts any longer. And this is from the LORD, who has brought her grief because of her sins. All her splendour has therefore left her (1v1-6). Jerusalem is therefore said to be suffering and wandering into exile, remembering the treasures she once had. However, she was destroyed because she had become unclean. The note about those who honoured her now despising her in having seen her nakedness may refer to them witnessing her prostitute and flaunt herself with false gods. And because she did not consider her future, but continued in this, she fell in an astounding way with none to comfort her. So pagans entered the sanctuary of the temple and took her treasures, and the people give their treasures away in desperation for bread (1v7-11).
            Here the writer speaks as Zion. He calls on God to consider how he is despised, and calls on onlookers to see that the suffering the LORD has brought on him in fierce anger is most extreme. This suffering is described as a fire (which destroys) and a net (which captures), leaving him faint. He describes his sins as having been made into a yoke that weighs him down, weakens him, and mean that he is not subject to others just as the ox driven by its owner (1v12-14). He is clear it is the LORD who summoned the army against his warriors, crushing the vulnerable Judah in the winepress of his wrath. And seeing his children (the people) destitute means that Zion weeps without comfort. Jacob’s neighbours have turned against him. Jerusalem has become unclean. And Zion in the guise of the writer affirms that God is righteous in what has happened, for he (Zion) rebelled against him. He therefore recounts how his allies betrayed him, his leaders perished through famine, and how he is in torment because of the death within his walls. Asking God to see this, he prays God will bring the day he announced in which Judah’s enemies, who rejoice at her downfall, will experience what she did in judgement at their wickedness (1v15-22).
            In all this, we see a foreshadowing of the despair those who are exiled from Christ’s kingdom will feel as they remember what they once had and lost.
            Chapter 2 begins portraying how in anger God brought low the splendour and power of Jerusalem and Judah (2v1-3). This repeated emphasis implies Judah’s splendour was a sign of blessing. Shockingly, God is now portrayed not as Judah’s friend, but her enemy, destroying the place he dwelt in and met with the people, causing her feasts to be a thing of the past, her king and priest – the maintainers of her religion – to be spurned, and her altar and sanctuary to be rejected (2v4-7). In other words, God has given up the means by which his presence was maintained amongst the people. What follows is a description of the ramparts and walls of the city lamenting at her destruction, with her royalty exiled, the law no more, and prophets no longer receiving visions (2v8-9). So there is no guidance for the people either. In a day when we see large sections of the church lacking any who would preach the Bible, one cannot but wonder whether it is a judgement on our own society or church for its turning from Christ.
            The elders’ silence as they mourn, may be simple shock, or include the fact that they are no longer administering God’s law. The young and so unmarried women bowing low probably implies there is no hope for marriage and children as there is no hope for the future (2v10). At this point the writer, speaking as Zion (see 2v21) describes his own weeping because of the destruction of his people and the children fainting from hunger (2v11-12). He states that the city’s sufferings are incomparable, and seemingly beyond healing – in part because of the prophets’ false visions and refusal to expose the people’s sin (2v13-14). As before, passers by are said to scoff and shake their heads that this “perfection of beauty” and “joy of the whole earth” could come to this, whilst enemies angry boast of how they have finally swallowed her up. Yet we are told this is what God planned and predicted, and this is why he has exalted the horn (symbol of power) of Judah’s foes (2v15-17). But the hearts of the people are now said to be crying to the LORD, and the walls themselves told to weep without rest in the presence of God, praying for the starving children. Moreover, the writer as Zion calls God to look and see, asking who he has every treated this way, that women would eat their own children because of hunger, priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the temple itself, and young and old lie together in the streets, slain by the sword without pity (2v18-20). It’s a shocking picture that displays just how serious Judah’s sin was, to warrant such punishment. Indeed, Zion can say God has summoned these terrors as he once summoned a feast day, meaning that all Zion cared for (his population) are destroyed, with none escaping God’s anger. Yet we are given a hint that the situation is not without hope, because the people can still cry to God. And this reminds us that whatever sin we might have committed, and whatever desperate situation we might face, we can always call upon the Lord.
           
Praying it home:
Praise God that he is ready to hear prayers for forgiveness and mercy. Pray that he would keep those who would reverse the decline in his church by the faithful preaching of his word.

Thinking further:
To read the NIV Study Bible introduction to Lamentations, click here.

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(316) November 12: Lamentations 3-5 & Hebrews 8

Ask God to open your mind, heart and will to understand, delight in and obey what you read.


To discover:­
As you read consider what the response to the exile the writer is commending.

To ponder:
The writer seems to continue personifying the afflictions of the nation of Judah itself. In all this, we must see a foreshadowing of Christ’s sufferings, in which he represents his people – suffering the afflictions they should suffer in punishment for their sin.
            The author begins declaring his affliction is to be beaten with the rod of God’s wrath, walking in the darkness of grief and despair away from the land, rather than in the light of hope and joy (3v1-3). 3v4-6 use the language of death. The writer describes the people’s bitterness, and inability to rise up and escape, all by God’s intent, as he will not even hear the people’s prayer (3v7-9). So Judah is without help, like the person dragged away by a wild beast (3v10-11). What follows describes the people’s suffering as being targeted, made a laughing stock, given bitter food, trampled on the ground, and deprived of peace, prosperity and splendour. The sense is of the nation brought low in numerous ways (3v12-18). From 3v19 the writer seems to speak as himself. He remembers all this and is downcast, but also remembers there is hope. It is in God’s daily compassion and faithfulness to his promises, which mean that the people haven’t been totally consumed. So the writer models what the people should do. They should say God is their portion – ie. the inheritance they treasure, and wait quietly for him to act, confident that he is good to those who seek his mercy and hope for his salvation (3v19-26). It’s a model for how we should respond as we suffer the afflictions that accompany humanity’s exile from Eden.
            3v27 even claims that it is good to be burdened with suffering like a yoke when young – no doubt because it brings the things of 3v22-26 to mind. So the writer urges the young person to sit in silence, not complaining, but accepting the sufferings of the exile are from the LORD. To bury his face in the dust may be a sign of bowing low in submission, or of extreme repentance in which dust was put on the head. Offering one’s cheek to those who strike and being filled with disgrace, imply a person accepting the right punishment for their sin. The point is that when someone sins, they need to accept the consequences from God. And they can do this, remembering that men are not cast off by him forever. Indeed, God will show compassion as he doesn’t take pleasure in bringing affliction.
            3v34-36 may refer to God seeing and so punishing Judah for her oppression of the needy. Alternatively, it may refer to how he sees and will bring to account those who oppress others as Babylon have oppressed the people. Whatever the case, what follows is an affirmation that Judah’s sufferings were decreed by him just as he decrees all things. This means that none can complain at their punishment, because it is just (3v27-39). But it also means, that the punishment can be removed, if the sinner repents. So the writer urges the people to examine themselves with him, return to God, confess their sin, and pour out to the LORD the sufferings they are enduring at his hand (3v40-48). He declares he will keep crying until God sees from heaven. And he grieves particularly over the women of Jerusalem, perhaps because they are amongst the most vulnerable (3v49-51). 3v52-66 may refer to the writer as representing the people, speaking in past tense of a future deliverance. But it seems more likely to be the writer (possibly Jeremiah) recounting his own experience as proof of what God might do for the nation if they call upon him. It tells of how his enemies sought his life, and how God then heard his plea, reassuring him not to fear. He notes that God subsequently redeemed his life, before praying for vengeance on his enemies for their plotting and mocking. The point is that God can likewise redeem his people’s life in Babylon, and judge the Babylonians for what they’ve done.
            In what follows the sons of Zion are likened to gold that has lost its worth, being considered like clay pots. The heartlessness of the people in refusing bread to their children is also likened to the ostrich which was considered harsh in its treatment of their young. The loss of the richness of what the people experience is then stressed, and their punishment said to be worse than that of Sodom, in part because famine is worse than sudden death. But the real depth of suffering is seen in the fact that once compassionate women were being reduced to eating their own children to stave of hunger (4v1-10). This all refers to the siege of Jerusalem. And we then read that it was a manifestation of God’s wrath. Although kings didn’t believe Jerusalem could be taken, it was because of the sin and violence of its religious leaders, who now grope through the streets in a lost state and are ostracised by the people for the evil they did (4v11-16). It is very hard to consider such extreme suffering as a just punishment, but it all highlights just how serious evil and idolatry is, and how terrible hell will be also.
            The writer recalls how the people looked for help from a nation (Egypt) who could not save them, whilst having their movements restricted by the Babylonians. They were then pursued and captured, with king Zedekiah (the LORD’s anointed), under whose protection they expected to survive, taken also (4v17-20). To all this, the writer mockingly urges Edom on her rejoicing at the fall of Judah, but adds that the cup of God’s wrath will then be passed to them, and they will lose all they have, whereas Zion’s punishment and exile will end (4v22). It’s a reminder that although the world may laugh at the struggles and sufferings of God’s people, they will one day be judged with no hope of deliverance.
            Chapter 5 again calls God to “see” and so remember all that has happened. A vivid lament details what has happened and the lost it entailed (5v1-14). So joy has turned to mourning, the crown of being the LORD’s people has fallen, their hearts are faint – and all because Zion lies desolate (5v1-18). But the book ends affirming God reigns forever, asking why he has forsaken them so long, and praying that he would restore and renew them (5v19-22). After the relative lack of hope found in the book of Jeremiah, amidst the despair of Lamentations, our eyes are therefore set again on God’s compassion and mercy that is ready to hear and forgive those who persist in calling upon him.

Praying it home:                                                    
Praise God that he displays grace every morning in giving you life and so much good. Pray that you would live repentantly before him.

Thinking further:
None today.


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