Sin's Harvest~Bob Caldwell

Sin's Harvest 4:6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! Jeremiah gives us several examples that graphically contrast the lives of those in Jerusalem before and after the Babylonian invasion. This list of contrasts shows how blind we can be to the true state of our lives. Everything that appeared to be good in Jerusalem had been the result of God's past gracious blessings upon them. And while still living off God's former blessings, they were, in fact, building up wrath for themselves that would soon fall. Their sins were ready to catch up with them. This has been an experience for many of us. Past obedience to the Lord and His resulting blessing can extend beyond what is really due us. This has caused many of us to live in false comfort. We interpret this delay of judgment as meaning God really does not care. We think we will not reap what we have sown. It is this delusion that had caused the people in Jerusalem to completely disregard Jeremiah's warnings. Nothing too drastic had fallen upon them yet in the midst of their sinful disregard for God's will. Their corruption, oppression, idolatry, and immorality seemed to draw no real consequences down on them. The truth is just the opposite. God is much more longsuffering than any of us realize. It is not His desire that any perish (2 Peter 3:9). God's patient longsuffering is not given to sanction our sin. His longsuffering is to give us every possible opportunity to repent. But if we will not, the day of reckoning will come. Those who felt they were worth their weight in gold will become as gravel thrown on the street or broken, discarded clay pots (v. 1-2). Those who ate from tables covered in every delicacy will not be able to find even bread (v. 3-5). Those who were expressions of beautiful, physical perfection will become unrecognizable skeletons (v. 7-8). Those whose compassion had moved them to help the weak and vulnerable will be so hungry that they will cook and eat their own children (v. 10). The honored false prophets and priests who taught the people what validated their sins will become as defiled dogs in the streets (v. 13-15). Those who despise the warnings of God during His gracious longsuffering will experience all that is warned beyond measure. Let us beware.
Lamentations 4:1-22 The Degradation of Zion 1 How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them. 5 Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps. 6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! 7 Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance. 8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood. 9 Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 The LORD has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations. 12 The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem— 13 Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just. 14 They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments. 15 They cried out to them, "Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!" When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, "They shall no longer dwell here." 16 The face of the LORD scattered them; He no longer regards them. The peopledo not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders. 17 Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us. 18 They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, For our end had come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations." 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, You who dwell in the land of Uz! The cup shall also pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked. 22 The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you into captivity. He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins!
Lamentations 4:1-22 v. 1 gold has become dim…The stones of the sanctuary are scattered – Gold is often a metaphor for God's chosen people and precious stones are often a metaphor for God's Word. (See Song of Songs 5:11-12, 14-15, and Zechariah 9:16 for similar imagery.) v. 5 those who ate delicacies – A delicacy is very fine, rare, or expensive food and was enjoyed by the royal leaders of Israel. The common person could not afford to eat delicacies in their diet. those who were brought up in scarlet – This is also an allusion to royalty. The dye used for these garments were expensive and they were reserved for ceremonial garments of only the highest ranking leaders in the land. v. 6 is greater then the punishment of the sin of Sodom – Sodom was destroyed in a second sparing the people from lengthy suffering. Israel, however, was subjected to a lengthy siege by the Babylonians where sickness, starvation and dehydration also became their enemies. v. 17 For a nation that could not save us – Prior to Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians, Israel made alliances with several nations, including Egypt and Edom. However, none of these nations defended Jerusalem when it fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. v. 21 daughter of Edom – A personification of Edom. The Edomites were allies of Israel, but gave their support to Babylon when it was clear that Jerusalem was going to fall (Ps. 137:7).
The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! –Lamentations 4:6 We know, Lord, when we are living under Your blessings of the past without fully giving ourselves over to You. We ask forgiveness today for living that way. We seek to know Your Word and Your ways so that we can be assured that we are not taking advantage of Your patience and longsuffering. The payment will be due eventually, Lord. We thank You for allowing Jesus to pay for those of us who accept and love Him. We pray for those who believe that You do not exist or You do not care because You have not yet judged those who do evil in this world.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study For me personally, this group of kindred Spirit women were God's hands and feet to me and my family, after the tragic and sudden loss of my brother, last fall. We are so blessed to have the fellowship of the body of Christ, to gird one another up, to encourage one another, to pray corporately together, lay hands upon a sister who is hurting or struggling, and just truly be blessed with healthy female friendships. Prayer Points That the Lord would continue to reign in our hearts and our study time richly. That the Lord brings new women to the Wednesday morning Bible Study.