REFRAIN
Illustration - Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Lamentations does not have a happy ending. The prophet again describes the fearful judgments which have befallen Jerusalem.
Book of Exodus Summary. Itâs hard to read todayâs verses and not start humming the hymn âGreat Is Thy Faithfulness.â This wonderful expression of the truth of todayâs passage has encouraged generations of believers. No wonder that the Psalmist breaks forth into thanksgiving in Psalm 16:6-7, and Psalm 9l. Interesting Facts about Malachi
Interesting Facts about Lamentations ; Outline of Lamentations (from John MacArthur) I. In this first song there are two movements: The first is the language of an onlooker (Lamentations 1:1-11); in the second the city personified, speaks herself of her desolation (Lamentations 1:12-22). We cannot âout- love Himâ, and we cannot do anything that will keep Him from loving us. The prophet indulged in no exultaÂtion. With disgust, he taunted himself that he could not even pull off his own death. Therefore he does not answer the prayers of his children immediately when they come to his throne of mercy and grace, but rather he deepens those convictions that he has implanted; he makes the burdens heavier that he has put upon their back; he hides himself instead of discovering himself, and draws back further instead of coming nearer. Excerpt: In all states of dilemma or of difficulty, prayer is an available source. There are several verses, moreover, which seem to be a foreshadowing of Calvary: ''Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? 30:5). He breathes the rarefied air of inspiration. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. He suffered the most. As a Christian Worker: Your earnest endeavors have failed. What should we learn from the life of Jeremiah? God's compassion and love do not fail (3:22,32). 5487 queen (Ref), The Septuagint (Lxx) introduces Lamentations 1:1 with words not found in Massoretic Text: "And it came to pass, after Israel was taken captive, and Jerusalem made desolate, that Jeremiah sat weeping, and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem and said...", William Orr: This book is mostly remarkable for the great variety of pathetic images it presents, expressing the deepest sorrow. Likewise, the sinner, no matter how deeply he may have transgressed, how vile his past, how extensive his iniquity, can find cleansing, new life, and future hope in one person-- Jesus Christ. Parents placed flowers and pictures of their children on the ruins. (cp Ge 3:4) The writer recognizes that the reason for the sorrow and the heartache and the lament is because of sin. So a silent war was declared that day. Three contrasts of status are listed. In your mind's eye, move some 600 years from Jeremiah's day into the future. Sadly, tradition tells us that Jeremiah was eventually stoned to death while exiled in Egypt. Furthermore, Jeremiah had personally witnessed some of the worst atrocities of human history. How do I apply this? Rules for Understanding the Bible – 2
The Ten Old Testament Books Most Cited in the New Testament
Itâs almost as if the people were saying, âLord, donât You remember who You are dealing with?â Or, âCan You really allow such horrific things--women eating their children or priests and prophets slain in Your house--to happen?â (Lamentations 2:20). It is her loneliness that strikes the poet as the losses mount up: loss of abundance (v. 1), loss of allies (v. 2), loss of a resting place (v. 3), loss of happiness (v. 4), loss of prestige (v. 5), loss of courage (v. 6), and loss of worship (v. 7; see W. Kaiser, Grief and Pain, pp. He carries the lamp of truth amongst heretics while he is lampooned by men.
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee. The Bibleâs Marvelous Unity The Simplicity of the Bible Bible Facts â 1 Bible Facts â 2 Bible Facts â 3 Bible Facts â 4 Seven Wonders of the Bible The Word of the God â The God of the Word The Lost Bible The Bible Warns . Young boys were forced to do the work of full-grown men (Lamentations 5:13). Runyan shared it with his friend Dr. Will Houghton, then president of Moody Bible Institute, who asked musician George Beverly Shea to sing it over the schoolâs radio station. Judah had already witnessed divine judgment on sin when Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. A Journey through the Bible
Although Godâs justice demands judgment, His mercy provides comfort. Lamentations 4.1 -Again this fourth song commences with the exclamatory "How!" (From Human Nature in Its Fourfold State), I believe in my conscience there are thousands of professors who have never known in the whole course of their religious profession what it is to have "examined and tested their ways;" to have been put into the balances and weighed in the scales of divine justice; or to have stood cast down and condemned in their own feelings before God as the heart-searching Jehovah. Chapter 5 of Lamentations is a prayer. Jerusalem was without vision or leadership! . âThe Lord is good to those whose hope is in himâ (v. 25). He faces God before he faces men, but he is self-effacing. Introduction The waiting room, a land where time seemingly stands still. With the siege came severe food and water shortages. Who were the wise men? Jeremiah could not help but acknowledge the abject state of this city, piled with rubble. If that be so of the messenger of God, it is supremely so of God Himself. But it also offers so much more: Weird facts, astonishing sentences, deeply unfamiliar (to me) characters, and big ideas about time and space and science and love. âThou, God, seest me,â and âHis compassions fail not.â And if my compassions are to be like a river that never knows drought, I must cultivate a freshness of sight. Though He was once taken in the pit of Satanic malice and the shadow of death, yet now He liveth to be the shield and protector of his people wherever they are scattered among the nations. I had to lift Chaucer and carry him home from the barn. This law is immutable; it will never be changed. Then too, it is a prayer for future blessing (Lam 5:21). The precious people of Zion, once highly valued, had become like ordinary clay pots (Lamentations 4:2). When he reached the area, what he saw brought tears to his eyes. ÏαλμÏÏ. After you have charted out Lamentations, compare your observations with the table below. King Henry VII had six wives and Parr was the last one. . With events exploding around him, he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and found âstrength and serenity, a wonderful new assurance about life.â The way out of despair always begins by turning to the Lord. We can see a picture of the Lord Jesus in the suffering of Jeremiah, and the people who rejected and persecuted the prophet portray the religious leaders of Israel who rejected their Messiah.
PRAYER - We thank Thee, O Lord, that all things are ours in Christ, working for us, co-operating with us, and bearing us onward to that glorious destiny for which Thou art preparing us. 48:14. Somehow when we reach our lowest point--as Jeremiah had--our gracious Lord begins to whisper truth into our hearts. (Exploring the Book), Mark Dever â Justice Up Close â Overview of Lamentations. And hear the blood speak that hath answered for me. . Consider performing your own Inductive Bible study of the Book of Lamentations - Begin by downloading Lesson 1 on Lamentations from Precept Ministries - this will get you started and give you a good overview of the book (if you want to purchase the remaining lessons - Lamentations Workbook - 3 Lessons). Callused to Godâs word and cruel to their offspring, they brought the horrendous eighteen-month siege on themselves. I remember when I was a little boy I wondered who those ⦠Which now I embrace: Just as discipline communicates love to children, so too our Heavenly Fatherâs discipline reveals His care for us. - Joshua 24:15. Lamentations 2:18 echoes Amos 5:24: âBut let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!â In a poignant reversal, sorrow for sin has turned the river of justice and the stream of righteousness into an unending flow of tears! It would be better far to ask God to discover to you any reason for the chastisement. How to Break Down a Scripture – 1
The devastation of property, the stress of losing virtually everything, and the deep despondency are vividly picturedâso that God will take notice! Each acrostic, but especially the second, includes mention of his anger (1:12; 2:1,2, 3,4, 21,22; 3:43; 4:11). 1884, THE EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE In them the man is wonderfully revealed. Unfortunately, the horrifying reality of pagan conquerors carrying off her treasures (a reference both to temple riches and to people) and entering the temple snapped the personified Jerusalem back to despair. Our generationâs neglect of this volume has meant that our pastoral work, our caring ministry for believers, and our own ability to find direction in the midst of calamity, pain, and suffering have been seriously truncated and rendered partially or totally ineffective. - Isaiah 30:18, Perhaps you were on a sports team as a teenager and remember long hours after school spent training and practicing. God, who works all things after the counsel of his own will, can alone work in us thus "to will and to do of his own good pleasure." Even so, he knew that restoration, return, and blessing could be found only in Jehovah, the Redeemer. And that was--that was my way of life.
Provoked by their flagrant sin, His terrifying bow slew those in whom He delighted (v. 4). I was in the darkness of the subway, and it was close and oppressive, but I was moving toward the light and fragrance of the open country. The people had ''missed the mark.'' Interesting Facts about Jonah
The author never says, "I told you so." Lamentations 1:4 The tragedy that had overtaken the nation had now overtaken the center of their religious lifeâ Zion. 52:7-11). Although the lamentations of Jeremiah are directed toward the people of Jerusalem, the great principles of the Bible, expressing both God's hatred for sin and His desire to see the sinner repent are also in view. Great is Thy faithfulness! As stinging taunts ring in our ears, Christ is the tenderhearted One who patiently listens. Unlike most chapter divisions in our English Bible, these chapter divisions find their origin in the Hebrew text. Todayâs passage reveals how deeply he identified with them and bore their pain. Arising out of the suffering is the cry for rehabilitation and restoration (5:21-22). . The fresh eye insures the sensitive heart.
Thatâs because He has heard all this jeering and mockery before--when He hung on the cross. Confess their sins. My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Yet, as we will see tomorrow, a whisper of faith was about to appear. That condition continues even yet. Your ransom and peace, Required to proclaim Godâs word unwaveringly to a rebellious, ungrateful congregation.
The soft, measured breath, or the laboring, gasping breath. Todayâs passage concerns Godâs nature and presents three essential truths about our Heavenly Father, one of which is His sovereignty. Thatâs why Jeremiah squarely blamed the so-called prophets with their âfalse and worthlessâ visions (v. 14). God has covered himself with a cloud so "no prayer can get through" (3:44). As we saw yesterday, only Godâs merciful love gives hope (Lamentations 3:21â22). They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). In fact, the Jewish liturgical custom was to repeat verse 21 after verse 22! 1911, REFORMATION STUDY BIBLE Second, Godâs concern for us will never stop; His multifold compassions never fail (Lamentations 3:22). The Bible prophesied about people turning from Godâs Word in the end times. Very faintly he started singing, âJesus loves me this I know . Throughout the Book of Lamentations, Jeremiah points out plainly that the judgment that has come upon the city is on account of her sin. C W Eduard Naegelsbach The imprecations against the enemies (1:21-22; 3:59-66; 4:21-22), and a litany of repentance (3:40-41) are two facets of that hope. How to Make the Best Use of the Bible
Scientific Facts in the Bible: 100 Reasons to Believe the Bible is Supernatural in Origin is a book written by Ray Comfort, as an attempt to explain Biblical scientific foreknowledge.. Some Do's of Bible Study
Because sin is ultimately an affront to Godâs holiness, His justice demands sinâs punishment and His sovereignty ensures that punishment. Lamentations 1:16 The heartbreak was wrenching to the core of Jeremiah's being, because the enemy had prevailed. - Lamentations reminds us of the importance not only of mourning over our sin but of asking the Lord for His forgiveness when we fail Him. While prayer is an application to divine wealthâit is also a confession of human emptiness.
God had asked them to follow Him and to keep His statutes, so that other nations might have the knowledge of the one true God. He has allâwho has the Possessor of all. Interesting Facts about Philemon
He lives in the heights of God and comes into the valley with a "thus saith the Lord.". This isnât one of them.
. So you endured, resisting the temptation to complain and confident that the âgainâ would outweigh the âpain.â. This verse from todayâs passage (Lamentations 1:12) originally expressed Jerusalemâs anguish following its ruin. This is the best older, overall treatment of a critical nature on the Old Testament Hebrew text verse by verse and is a good standard work to buy. Of course the main question was as to their return from captivity, and deliverance from their yoke. (Notice again Jeremiahâs identification with his people in his use of âwe.â). Yet this âadâ only covers a small part of Jeremiahâs âjob description.â Of all the Old Testament prophets, only Jeremiah lived his entire life without ever seeing any success in his ministry. A mother listens for the breathing of her babe in the dark.
The waves of unutterable grief may be breaking in succession against the beaten promontory of your faith, and will be followed by the great tenth wave of apparent desertion: but the return-tide of exultant joy is at hand. Given the evil of his people, however, more is said in Lamentations about God's anger than about his righteousness. Must have unquestioned integrity and exceptional personal strength. Interesting Facts about 1 Peter
The mood is set early in the first chapter when Jeremiah says of Jerusalem, ''She weepeth bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks'' (v.2). DISCLAIMER: Before you "go to the commentaries" go to the Scriptures and study them inductively (Click 3 part overview of how to do Inductive Bible Study) in dependence on your Teacher, the Holy Spirit, Who Jesus promised would guide us into all the truth (John 16:13). Commentaries, Sermons, Illustrations, Devotionals, Click chart to enlarge She that was great among the nations, a princess among the provinces; how is she become a vassal!'' Lamentations 1:22 Jeremiah's request for the day of wrath to fall on the nations as it had fallen on Judah need not make us blush even though Jesus told us to "love our enemies" (Mt 5:44). He is also Savior, and so the hope for redemption, grounded in God's faithfulness, remains alive. This insensitive man did not know that his transgression would one day be repaid by his nephew, Charles Darnay. In the end God will hear. Additional Notes: The Catholic Encyclopedia Magi (Plural of Latin magus; Greek magoi).. If we do not wish to deceive ourselves, if God has made us honest, if he has planted his fear in our hearts, if he has begun and is carrying on a good work in us, there will be evidences of the existence of the life of God within. In the 1940s a young man set out with a burning desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1870, J VERNON MCGEE Human relationships often do disappoint us. The word (in the Hebrew, Aichah) gives the title to the book in the Hebrew Bible. Since THOU REMAINEST, and my heart hath Thee. Morning and Evening Third, those who receive the Lordâs affliction can expect His compassion (Lamentations 3:32). One of the parents looking on asked, âWhat are you doing?â âDigging for my son,â Samuel answered. That fact can be good or bad, and itâs often been both over the many centuries throughout which Christians have been reading the ⦠BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
So she ran to her father's gardener, and when he came to look at it, he said, "I will make it a nice garden for you, that you may grow whatever you want." What are the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets? She asks boldly if any sorrow could be compared to her sorrow, and then confesses that not one pang or stroke had been in excess of her sin. Interesting Facts about 2 Chronicles
Let me encourage you to consider learning how to study the Bible for yourself - inductively - I can assure you that you will never be able to read the Bible the same and you will begin to experience the untold joys of self discovery as the Spirit illuminates truth to your heart and mind and soul and spirit!
Eleven Steps for Studying a Scripture – 2
One writer has said, ''Sin and salvation, like mighty rivers, flow right through the Bible and have come down through the ages together. But g ood news! There is nothing better than to adopt the cry of the prophet, and ask God to turn the soul, and renew its blessed and holy experiences. Keep in mind that the people had just begun to repent and that their perspective was still influenced by past sinful thinking. Recalling the horror of the cityâs destruction struck Jeremiah to his very core--the expression âI am in torment withinâ (v. 11) could be translated âmy intestines are fermenting.â The nightmare of children gasping for basic food and drink (Lamentations 2:12) was indelibly written on his heart. A Brief Chronology of the Entire Bible
The book is divided into 13 chapters, each focusing on a ⦠He is forthright and outright, but he claims no birthright. 1895, EXPOSITOR'S DICTIONARY OF TEXTS Then again, where Jobâs message is focused around an individual, and for that reason easy to identify with, Lamentations is a national book. That one sentence tells the whole story. Surely we have each been there at one time or another. God Has Spoken
And every morning you get up, you have an entire day of Godâs faithfulness ahead of you. The Hebrew word used for this love is hesed, one of the most important Old Testament words. In ancient Israel, true prophets, in addition to receiving insights into the future, proclaimed Godâs law and instructed the people in His ways. As God is a portion that none can give to a Christian but. Lamentations 1:13-15 Four strong metaphors depict the sufferings that Jerusalem endured: (1) fire from heaven, (2) a hunter's net for her feet, (3) an animal yoke on her neck, and (4) being trampled and crushed like grapes in a winepress. It is not in the Lordâs nature to reject forever (v. 31), but to show compassion (Lamentations 3:32). John Stevenson: Lamentations is not the most popular book in the Bible. Treaties with Assyria and Egypt had promised military protection and financial gain, but, in the end, such alliances proved ruinous. God takes no pleasure in our suffering, but His justice compels Him to punish our sin (Lamentations 3:33). This tiny flicker of hope was nearly snuffed out as the memory of affliction (v. 19) threatened a deeper bout of depression (v. 20).
Their capital city, Jerusalem, was blessed by God. Men and women often regard money or fame or romance as the principle thing ; Godâs people should give a higher place to wisdom . . sins of Edom . ''He shutteth out my prayer'' (Lam 3:8; Mat 27:46). Just because God abides for ever, and his throne is from generation to generation, He is able to renew the soul with new pulses of energy and life. Psa. When he looks back, he can say, "Surely goodness, and mercy have followed me all the days of my life" (Psalm 23:6). The Bible – A Library of Sixty-Six Books
Facts about the Bible The Bible is filled with many interesting facts. But wherever divine life is implanted there will be certain fruits and feelings that spring out of this life. ''All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee'' (Lam 2:16; Psa 22:13). Lamentations 1:11-14 Is it Nothing to You? You just need to know how to tap into His mercies which are new every morning . Then weâd unleash them, test them, find them back over at the barn, and have to repeat the process. . He is ordained of God but disdained by men. Lament III. The first two chapters have 22 verses each and are an acrostic; that is, starting with aleph, the first word of each verse begins with the subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The contrite heart and broken spirit, the inward panting of the soul after his manifested presence, the heaving sigh and penitential tear will be regarded by him, when he will turn away from mere lip-service and bodily exercise. Original Manuscripts
A remarkable description of the ruin of Jerusalem. The winepress of the Lord (Lamentations 1:15), used elsewhere to trample pagan nations, was now used to crush Jerusalem. Interesting Facts about 2 Kings
In Lamentations 1:18 the principle is stated: ''The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against His commandment.''. Perhaps more than any other prophet, Jeremiahâs experience paralleled that of Christ. God has barred the petitioner's way as "with blocks of stone" (3:9). Armandâs school was a pile of debris. The Old Testament Commentary for English Readers It is a book about deep sorrow. Interesting Facts about 2 Thessalonians
Edom, land of the descendants from Esau, was located in Uz, southeast of Jerusalem. The prophetâs grief for the smitten city reminds one of Davidâs for Saul and Jonathan (2Sa 1:17-27), of Rachelâs for her dead children (Jer 31:15)... Jeremiahâs lamentation for favored, sinful and ruined Jerusalem is a cry of sorrow so touching as to move the stoutest heart, and must have been read with streaming eyes and quivering lips by many a Jew. HARRY A IRONSIDE They were doubtless composed by Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem. Natureâs worst nurturers--jackals and ostriches--were more caring than Godâs people! As you read this poem-dirge observe carefully who is speaking: Jehovah , Jerusalem, Jeremiah. the same loyal love praised in chapter 3! Although Jeremiah wasnât in athletic training, todayâs passage addresses the patience required of the soul undergoing Godâs discipline. âHave a good day at school, and remember, no matter what, Iâll always be there for you.â They hugged and the boy ran off to school. Interesting Facts about Colossians
At last he was able to call out, âJesus!â, and the evil presence fled. As we have seen, however, Jerusalem was far from sinless. Permit me, with the greatest deference and respect, to lay at your feet the following genuine Narrative; the chief design of which is to excite in your august assemblies a sense of compassion for the miseries which the Slave-Trade has entailed on my ⦠She acknowledges that her punishment is from the Lord, and confesses ''The Lord is righteous; I have rebelled.''. The long minutes left alone to consider his wrongdoing seemed like an eternity--he was sure his mother had forgotten him. Faith's Checkbook and Pamela Harrison on March 17, 2019 at 6:33 am . Leaders are to blame (4:12-13). Weâre precious in his sight, and he pursues us. He is ever guiding us, sometimes with the delicacy of a glance, sometimes with the firmer ministry of a grip, and He moves with us always, even through âthe valley of the shadow of death.â Therefore, be patient, my soul! And tragedy can destroy in a moment all the material securities of life. Major Points of Inspiration – 1
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, But there is much also implied in the words, "God in the heavens." Teach Us O God . He then grabbed a rock and put it to the side, and then grabbed another one. Prayer plumes the wings of God's young eagletsâthat they may learn to mount above the clouds. - Psalm 103:19. Now if you know nothing of having from time to time your ways searched and tested by God's word, or if you rise up with bitterness against an experimental, heart-searching ministry that would test them for you, it shows that there is some rotten spot in you--something that you dare not bring to the light. There is something about a new morning that suggests hope and a fresh beginning. GOD’S PLAN IN GOD’S BOOK
Theyâre completely in the way. Commentary on Lamentations, KEIL and DELITZSCH The funeral dirges set the tone (chaps. Hence the persistent cry, "Look, O Lord" (1:9,11; 3:63; 5:19-21).
Major Points of Inspiration – 2
He is dishonored with epithets when breathing and honored with epitaphs when dead. So was the net from God, because it came as a check on one's lifestyle (Ps 94:13; Jer 50:24; Ezek 12:13; 17:20; 32:3; Hos 7:12). She was born in 1512 and died on September 5th, 1548. and this you will learn in your study of Lamentations. God is fundamentally unwilling to bring about grief (3:33). Judahâs enemies were only too happy to taunt âthe city that was called the perfection of beautyâ when it finally received its âjust dessertsâ--a day they had longed for (Lamentations 2:16). Interesting Facts About Holy Bible regarding Verses, Words, Letters and their usage with Animations and Graphs. . But at the heart of this book, at the center of this lament over the effects of sin in the world, sit a few verses devoted to hope in the Lord (Lamentations 3:22â25). The heart was fired and flamed serene to God; O kind stern friend, we leave thee on Timeâs shore, The only friend of earth whom we shall see no more.â. Interesting Facts about Lamentations
The poetic expression, âour very life breath,â poignantly describes the kingâs role as the nationâs protector. The once proud city is now like a widow, a queen become a slave (1:1). Perhaps you are listening to music right now, or you are humming music from this morningâs church service or a song you heard earlier this week. The complaint builds on the understanding that God is a God who, even if experienced as absent, is a God whose concern is for victims, and whose actions are initiated, as at the exodus, by cries for help. Interesting Facts about James
When it acknowledges God but does not honor Him as God? Weâll return to these verses tomorrow. Following the book of Jeremiah lies Lamentations, a poetic work by the ''weeping prophet,'' which is full of instruction but is seldom read or preached. Who made intercession, "My Father, forgive!". But Israelâs inheritance went far beyond the physical land--it was an outward sign of Godâs favor. One scholar summarizes this prayer as follows: âThe only hope for the people is that God Himself will enable them to do what they cannot do by themselves. The citizenry is humiliated and in desperate straits (1:1-21a; 5:1-18). One of them told me that, and I pressed him a bit further. He gained little education, money, or fame, but he wanted to serve God. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; We thank you, great God, for the mercy-seat, a choice proof of Your marvelous loving-kindness. This breaks to pieces self-conceit and self-justification, and the result is a searching and trying our ways whether they are of God. [6] [7] [8] Deuterocanonical books that also make up part of the canon are Sirach , Judith , Esdras 1 and 2 , Meqabyan , Jubilees , Baruch 1 and 4 , Tobit , Enoch , and the testaments of Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob .
Lamentations 1:12-17 The second half of this first lament intensifies as the plan and purpose of God are unveiled. Turn to Lamentations 3:17â26, where youâll find someone aware of sinâs consequences and saddened by the results but who has placed his hope and his trust in the Lord. The people of God were scattered far and wide. The New Testament Library
. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. As time wore on, one by one, the other parents left.