Country Road Faith

O. T. #1839  "Weeping"

Dec. 14, 2020

Introduction to Lamentations

God is so good! I just have to share what He has done for us lately. Since we live in the country, we use propane for heat in our old country house. This year we installed a new heating unit on the wall, which works well and is wonderful. We don't have the mess to clean up in the pellet stone and my husband does not hurt his shoulder carrying in the 40 pound bags of pellets. So I ordered a filling of the propane tank on the 2nd, since we still had 20% left to use. (On the third try, I finally got a contact at the office to order it.) Well, we didn't get it. (Normally 3 days is all we have to wait.) My husband called them twice last week, without any delivery resulting. All this time I have been praying to the Lord to send us the gas, for nothing is impossible with God. There was snow and freezing temperatures coming and we did not need our pipes to freeze in this old house. Still no delivery. (If we had to, we could spend the nights at our son's house.) Finally, I called again since they would not deliver on Saturday. It was delivered on the 11th. I keep shouting out a big thank you to Jesus for the gas to heat our house! He came through at the last day. He always comes through for me! How awesome is our God! (Guess my faith was tested. I did all I could do and had to depend on was God to come through. And He did just that.) Have you experienced the faithfulness of God coming through in the last minute? If you are right there, have faith, for that is our God! Case all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

This reminded me of the story of the widow (1Kings 17) who was almost out of meal and oil. She had just enough for her son and herself to eat their last meal during a 3 year drought. The Lord told Elijah visited her and ask for a drink of water and bread to eat. She made a little cake, sacrificing the last for herself and son to eat before they would die. Her obedience was rewarded and the meal and oil did not run out until the rains came. Isn't that our God! He knows our needs before we ask. Now let's look at our new book of study-Lamentations.

Author

Although his name is not mentioned, ancient Jewish tradition holds that the prophet Jeremiah wrote it. He saw the destruction of the walls, tower, homes, palace in Jerusalem and Judah, as well as the Temple. He wrote it before he was forced to depart to Egypt. (chapter 43)

Since Jeremiah wept over his country and people, he is known as the "Weeping Prophet."

Background

The form that Jeremiah used to relate the content was that of poetry. He wrote using acrostics using a new letter in the Hebrew alphabet in the arrangement.

Jeremiah spent many years prophesying the destruction coming of  Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army if the people did not repent of idolatry and immorality, turning back to worshiping God. Since they did not heed the prophet's warnings, He wept when all was destroyed in his country, burnt to the ground and taken away, shortly after 586 BC.

This book is recited by Jews at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem every Friday in this modern times. Roman Catholics have designated the last three days of Holy Week as a special time to read this book.

John MacAuthur gives us five themes found in the this book of Lamentations: 

1. God's judgment came in response to Judah's sin.
2. Hope was found in God's compassion and faithfulness.
3. God's grace is experienced as Jeremiah moves from lamentation to consolation.
4. Because the hope of Israel's salvation and fulfillment of God's promises (3:18) and appears in the form of prayer.
5. Jeremiah's tears relate to Jesus' weeping over the same city of Jerusalem. (Matt. 23)
6. Since God did not hesitate to judge His beloved people, what will He do to the nations of the world who reject His Word? 

We know that God kept His promises as He provided for a believing remnant during the 70 years of captivity in Babylon. They were allowed to return to Jerusalem and built the city and the Temple.

The First Lament-The ruined city of Jerusalem (1:1-22)

Here we can picture a desolate man of God sitting amid the ashes of the once-great and once-holy city of Jerusalem, weeping over its destruction and exile of the people who had ignored decades of warnings and calls for repentance from the Lord.

Jerusalem seems to be crying out to Jeremiah in her sorrow. So Jeremiah records her laments as she lies in ruins and unfaithfulness to God.

In verse 1-2, how is Jerusalem describe?

• A solitary (separate, alone, desolate) city
• Once a princess, now a widow; she weeps bitterly during the night with no one to comfort her because false gods and lovers had become her enemies.
• Once was a great super-power among the nations, now nothing.
• She became a tributary (a burden; a tax in the form of forced labor; a levy).

What a sad sight to behold. Sorrow and pain can steal our joy. The Lord does not look at crying the same way people do (not manly to cry). weeping may last for a night, but comes in the morning. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Psalm 56:8 tells us that He remembers and preserves our tears.

Are you facing a fork in the road that requires a decision-to walk with God in the power of His Spirit or with sin in the strength of your flesh? Don't live for the present without regard for the future; commit yourself to serving God today and forever. (Swindoll)

My fear doesn't stand a chance when I stand in God's love. (As the song goes) Things can be taken away, but we can find strength in Jesus. Stand in surrender to Jesus and He will fill us with His Spirit.