| Warnings Unheeded
The fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian Empire was a traumatic shock for its inhabitants. Before its fall, Jerusalem had been the most unique city in all the world. Not only had it become a major political and military power in the region, but it was the place that God chose to build the only Temple on Earth in which He manifested His presence. His Shekinah glory filled the Temple with a cloud that radiated with light. It was there, in the Temple, that the original Ten Commandments had been kept within the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark, a beautiful golden box, also contained a jar of the miraculous manna He had provided to the Israelites fleeing Egypt and also the staff that Aaron had carried and that the Lord had made to miraculously bud. There had been no place on Earth like Jerusalem. Yet it had become a massive pile of rubble. And it was not until these days of affliction and judgment that the people of Jerusalem felt the value of all the glorious and pleasant things they had lost. It was only in having lost everything that the people of Jerusalem began to consider the tragic judgment they had brought upon themselves. Their consistent disregard for God's commandments and their love affair with pagan idols brought the destruction they experienced. And, sadly, they had not been without warning. God sent an abundance of messages of impending judgment if they would not repent. Messages they completely disregarded. What is so tragic is if they had responded to the warnings of the prophets, none of these tragedies would have occurred (v. 12-16). If they would have opened their hearts and minds to face the shame of their sin, if they would have felt the burning fire of the wrath that awaited them, and if tears would have been shed in genuine repentance, not one of these tragic events would have had to occur. But their stubborn hearts would not relent. They would not listen though God had warned for decades that judgment and destruction would occur as His last resort if they would not repent. The lesson here should be abundantly clear to us all. One way or another, we will all have to face who we are in God's light. We can do it now and repent and receive healing grace, or we can do it after judgment has fallen upon us. | |||
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Lamentations 1:1-22 Jerusalem in Affliction 1 How lonely sits the city 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, 3 Judah has gone into captivity, 4 The roads to Zion mourn 5 Her adversaries have become the master, 6 And from the daughter of Zion 7 In the days of her affliction and roaming, 8 Jerusalem has sinned gravely, 9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts; 10 The adversary has spread his hand 11 All her people sigh, 12 "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? 13 "From above He has sent fire into my bones, 14 "The yoke of my transgressions was bound; 15 "The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty men in my midst; 16 "For these things I weep; 17 Zion spreads out her hands, 18 "The LORD is righteous, 19 "I called for my lovers, 20 "See, O LORD, that I am in distress; 21 "They have heard that I sigh, 22 "Let all their wickedness come before You, | |||
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| Lamentations 1:1-22 The Book of Lamentations, also titled The Lamentations of Jeremiah, was written by Jeremiah, probably in 586 B.C. Lamentations is a lament written in acrostic or alphabetic fashion. An acrostic is a literary form where the first letter in consecutive lines of the poem forms a pattern. In each of the first four chapters of Lamentations Jeremiah goes verse-by-verse through the Hebrew alphabet, beginning with the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet all the way through to the last letter. v. 1 lonely sits the city – A reference to the vast amount of Jerusalem inhabitants who fell to captivity, or famine, or slaughter. How like a widow is she – It was common for cities in the Old Testament to be portrayed as the mother to those who lived there. Also a reference to the absence of God, who served as a provider and King of the Jewish people. v. 2 Among all her lovers – Lovers refers to Israel's allies (Edom and Ammon); all of whom betrayed Israel during its time of destruction. v. 3 under affliction, and hard servitude – A reference to Jerusalem's treatment of the poor and servants in their society, which was counter to God's Law (Jer. 34:13-22). dire straits – A situation that is impossible to escape. v. 4 the roads to Zion mourn – Poetic language that describes the emptiness of the roads into Jerusalem, how they are no longer filled with travelers. no one comes to the set feasts – There were three pilgrimage festivals on the Hebrew calendar: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of the Tabernacles. The streets would have been filled with pilgrims during these feasts prior to the destruction of the Temple. v. 5 the LORD has afflicted her – Regardless of whom carried out the destruction, it was the Lord's judgment against Jerusalem that caused the result. v. 6 daughter of Zion – The "daughter of Zion" was a personification of Jerusalem. splendor – beauty v. 8 she has become vile – "Vile" or "unclean" in some translations refers to the ceremonial uncleanness of a woman during her menstrual period (Lev. 12:2, 5; 15:19). nakedness – All of Jerusalem's prosperity is being stripped away, and the city's sins revealed for all to see. sighs and turns away – Continuing the comparison of Jerusalem to a woman whose clothing is torn off to expose her publicly, a modest woman will turn away in shame. v. 9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts – This is describing a woman who has her menstrual period so heavily that the evidence of it can be seen down to the bottom of her skirts. Again, referring to the fact that Jerusalem cannot hide what has happened to the city. did not consider her destiny – Although the Lord sent prophets to warn Jerusalem of His coming judgment, they did not heed Lord's warning and continued sinning without thought to God's impending just judgment. v. 10 the adversary has spread his hands over all her pleasant things – This does not refer to Jerusalem's gold and other precious items, but the holy things inside of the Temple of God. she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary – Non-Israelites were forbidden access to the temple courts (Deut. 23:1-3). Only priests had limited access to the sanctuary. Jeremiah laments that the sanctuary had been desecrated. v. 11 They seek bread – There were extreme food shortages in Jerusalem when the city came under siege from the Babylonians. The Babylonians cut off all food and water supply lines until they finally overtook the city. v. 12 any sorrow like my sorrow – A common thought in human nature, that the pain and burden that one feels is the worst, and that no one has a bigger burden. v. 13 fire into my bones – Fire of God's divine wrath, which felt like a burning fever inside the Jews (Ps. 102:3). "Bones" may also refer to the buildings of the city, which were burned completely. And it overpowered them – God, who sent the fire, directs it and none can stand against it. spread a net for my feet – Like trapping wild birds or other animals in a net. turned me back – Caught the city, so that there is no escape. v. 14 yoke of my transgressions was bound; They were woven together by His hands – The image of an ox harnessed into a yoke, with the Lord Himself holding the reins. Symbolism meaning that Jerusalem was punished by the Lord Himself. woven together – It was not just one sin that Jerusalem committed against the Lord. Her sins were multiple and intertwined. not able to withstand – The Jews were not able to rise up against the Babylonians and overthrow their captivity. v. 15 mighty men – Young, strong warriors; soldiers and men of battle. The Lord trampled as in a winepress – The winepress was a common metaphor for God's divine judgment (Is. 63:3; Rev. 14:19, 20; Rev. 19:15). virgin daughter of Judah – Reference to the Babylonian soldiers defiling the young women of Jerusalem. v. 16 my eye, my eye – The repetition is used to show the depth of the grief that Jeremiah is expressing. the comforter – The Lord. Luke 2:25 calls Him, "the consolation of Israel." desolate – awestruck or stunned v. 17 spreads out her hands – calling out for mercy concerning Jacob – Refers to the law given to the house of Jacob. unclean thing – A menstruating woman, who was considered unclean during the period of menstruation (Lev. 15:19-27). v. 18 commandment – peh (Heb.) meaning literally mouth. Refers to the Word of God. v. 19 my lovers – Jerusalem's allies, including Egypt, who did not come to the aid of the city. breathed their last – died v. 20 my heart is overturned within me – restless, or turned upside down | |||
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| Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!" –Lamentations 1:9 It is a shame, Lord, for us to think that because there is no immediate judgment for our sinful actions, words, and thoughts that there will never be any. Forgive us, Lord. Forgive us when we have not heeded Your Word, which tells that we are born with a sinful nature and are completely incapable of achieving the required perfection on our own. Forgive us when we have let Christ cover us so that we are saved, but we have not taken further steps to rid every aspect of our lives from sinful desires and ways. | |||
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1:9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!"
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