Lamentations 4:6
“The evil guilt of my dear people was worse than the sin of Sodom— The city was destroyed in a flash, and no one around to help.”
“The guilt of my people is greater than that of Sodom, whose utter disaster struck in a moment and no hand offered help.”
Israel was sent into exile because they abused the poor and turned their backs on God. This verse says this abuse (love of money) trumps sex with the same gender. Money love is so insidious. Christians must look carefully into their own heart before dogmatically condemning same sex sex. That prohibition is meant for believers and church government. God alone knows the journey each person undertakes as they navigate this world’s brokenness. Let’s leave judgement to him and focus on learning to live together in love regardless our differences.
Lamentations 3:28-33
“When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way.”
“Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands. Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last. Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies. For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.”
Anyone who suffers will find it validated in Lamentations. There are instructions for endurance too. Always the key is knowing God. A suffer in the walk of faith knows God hates his sin but loves his soul. This is the bedrock. Interpret everything else through it. Suffering is allowed out of love. We don’t understand and must trust God is carrying us in ways we cannot see but through hindsight. Feelings say otherwise, but we trust he lovingly surrounds and indwells us during tough times because he is who he is.
Lord, thank you for suffering, what you have done through it in my life. Its fruit is sweet. Let me not fear to go there again with you.
Lamentations 2:2-5
“The Master, without a second thought, took Israel in one gulp. Raging, he smashed Judah’s defenses, ground her king and princes to a pulp. His anger blazing, he knocked Israel flat, broke Israel’s arm and turned his back just as the enemy approached, came on Jacob like a wildfire from every direction. Like an enemy, he aimed his bow, bared his sword, and killed our young men, our pride and joy. His anger, like fire, burned down the homes in Zion. The Master became the enemy. He had Israel for supper. He chewed up and spit out all the defenses. He left Daughter Judah moaning and groaning.”
“Without mercy the Lord has destroyed every home in Israel. In his anger he has broken down the fortress walls of beautiful Jerusalem. He has brought them to the ground, dishonoring the kingdom and its rulers. All the strength of Israel vanishes beneath his fierce anger. The Lord has withdrawn his protection as the enemy attacks. He consumes the whole land of Israel like a raging fire. He bends his bow against his people, as though he were their enemy. His strength is used against them to kill their finest youth. His fury is poured out like fire on beautiful Jerusalem. Yes, the Lord has vanquished Israel like an enemy. He has destroyer her palaces and demolished her fortresses. He has brought unending sorrow and tears upon beautiful Jerusalem.”
In The Message, Peterson takes a historical account and imbues it with a temporal pathos. It is unspeakable anguish to be the focus of God’s wrath. We believers who walk securely in his love need reminding of this, of what unbelievers will face. The Gospel is their only salvation, and it is up to us to offer it.
Lord, you are an awe-some God. This description of your wrath fills me with gratitude for the cross. I am cradled in your arms, not slain by your sword. I cannot thank or praise you enough. Spirit, you will have to do it for me.
Lamentations 1:18
“GOD has right on his side. I’m the one who did wrong. Listen everybody! Look at what I’m going through! My fair young women, my fine young men, all herded into exile!”
“‘The Lord is right,’ Jerusalem says, ‘for I rebelled against him. Listen, people everywhere look upon my anguish and despair, for my sons and daughters have been taken captive to distant lands.’”
Americans are fortunate in their geological assets to be protected from protracted war such as Europe and the Middle East have experienced. But we have lost the future to hedonism and materialism and our children have gone into exile because of our sin. We have sent them to the land of nihilism and despair. They inherit immense economic and cultural problems or our making. Yet seniors, whose political and cultural decisions led us here, still see themselves blameless. How long before they truly see and are overcome with grief such as this?
Lord, I don’t know how to think about these days. The best parallel I can think of is 1930s Europe. Do we have WWIII coming round the bend? Please, help us! Heal us. Pour out your spirit upon your people to serve and help heal our land. What would you have me do/be right now? How can I prepare myself for the future? Show me. Please grace us with your healing touch.
Lamentations 1:12
“And you passersby, look at me! Have you ever seen anything like this? Ever seen pain like my pain, seen what he did to me, what GOD did to me in his rage?”
“Does it mean nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see if there is any suffering like mine, which the Lord brought on me when he erupted in fierce anger.”
Perhaps Pharisees used Lamentations to develop their belief that all suffering is the result of sin. Christ made hash of it. But in this case, Israel did bring her suffering upon herself. Society today believes suffering is at the hands of others, never the consequence of sin. The truth is both. Suffering is a fact of life for every person. Does it shape or destroy? Our choice.
Lord, you have led me through some dark valleys, proving your faithfulness over and over. Yet I still fear the dark. Forgive me lack of faith. Give me strength to walk through it, allowing your sculpting touch.
Lamentations 1:5
“Her enemies have become her masters. Her foes are living it up because GOD laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Her children, prisoners of the enemy, trudge into exile.”
“Her oppressors have become her masters, and her enemies prosper for the Lord has punished Jerusalem for her many sins. Her children have been captured and taken away to distant lands.”
This is a picture of addiction. The affliction has taken on a life of its own and become a cruel master. Satan specializes in making mole hills into mountains, though addiction is hardly a mole hill. He makes problems seems so big we cannot see God, our salvation. Meanwhile the addiction works to weaken our self-image, relationships and livelihood. Children of addiction are carried into exile too. Their emotional and physical home destroyed, and they lack the solid base of a secure family that teaches how to live well.
It is a hopeless picture. But praise God he has not forgotten nor abandoned us, though mired in the desolate muddy puddle of our own making. He reaches out with the hand of rescue in Jesus Christ. He is God, fully man, who walked our walk and knows the path out of our bondage. He guides, as surely as God led Israel back to their homeland 2,500 years ago.
Lord, thank you for my parents who made great effort to provide me security. In Christ you are my parent now, giving security and intimacy too. You hold my hand as tightly as Mom and Dad did when I took my first steps. Continue the good work my parents began, developing my true self for your glory.
Lamentations 1:3
“After years of pain and hard labor, Judah has gone into exile. She camps out among the nations, never feels at home. Hunted by all, she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
“Judah has been led away into captivity, oppressed with cruel slavery. She lives among foreign nations and has no place of rest. Her enemies have chased her down, and she has nowhere to turn.”
The Message places Israel’s pain and hard labor before exile. The NLT does it after. The NLT’s rendering makes sense but there is a good lesson in The Message. Rebellion engenders consequences and Israel suffered many before the ultimate, exile. They were like open wounds in society as she repeatedly hit her head against a wall. They were a foretaste of that to come. Yes, Israel suffered before her exile.
Hunted and chased, there was no escaping the consequences of her sins. It is terrifying to be completely in the hands of another where nothing you can do will change your circumstances. Still, Israel trusted God. He sustained her in exile and brought her home in his perfect time.
Lord, blind trust is hard. Give me grace to trust when my heart is quaking in my shoes; when feelings way otherwise.