God's People Become His Enemies~Bob Caldwell

When God's People Become His Enemy 2:5 The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah. It is a horrible thought to find yourself treated by God as His enemy, especially one who, in former times, had been the object of God's pleasure and who He had abundantly prospered in His grace (v. 4-5). God's anger, wrath, and burning indignation are obviously something that we would not like to personally experience. Nor are these descriptions of God's anger something that many people believe God could ever be, if in fact He is a loving God. It raises the question if it is possible that love and anger can find compatibility in God. Consider a cancer that slowly and painfully destroys one you deeply love. Would it not be appropriate, even loving, to abhor the cancer that has so horribly hurt the object of your love? In fact, given the cancer example, it might seem fair to ask, "How can God really say He loves us, yet feel no aversion, no hatred, for the grotesque corruption sin has wrought within us?" To take it a step further, is it not logical that the source of sin's destructive force would also be abhorred? This seems clearly to be the case with how God saw Jerusalem during the time the book of Lamentations was written. The city that was to be a light upon a hill to Israel and the world had become an aggressive force for evil. The Temple that once held the glory of God had become a temple filled with idols. Pagan fertility cults had become commonplace in Jerusalem. They practiced the worship of the powers of fertility through sexual relations with cultic prostitutes. What Israel, and Jerusalem in particular, had become was something God had to hate if He in fact actually loved the people. Like many people today, Jerusalem had a false sense of security in their belief that God was obligated to bless them no matter how rebellious and evil they became. God's love, however, demanded that He rid them of their prideful delusion. Where God sees the destructive cancer of religious deception today He hates it. How could He love us and not hate what is designed to destroy us?
Lamentations 2:1-22 God's Anger with Jerusalem 1 How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion With a cloud in His anger! He cast down from heaven to the earth The beauty of Israel, And did not remember His footstool In the day of His anger. 2 The Lord has swallowed up and has not pitied All the dwelling places of Jacob. He has thrown down in His wrath The strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; He has profaned the kingdom and its princes. 3 He has cut off in fierce anger Every horn of Israel; He has drawn back His right hand From before the enemy. He has blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire Devouring all around. 4 Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow; With His right hand, like an adversary, He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye; On the tent of the daughter of Zion, He has poured out His fury like fire. 5 The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah. 6 He has done violence to His tabernacle, As if it werea garden; He has destroyed His place of assembly; The LORD has caused The appointed feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion. In His burning indignation He has spurned the king and the priest. 7 The Lord has spurned His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has given up the walls of her palaces Into the hand of the enemy. They have made a noise in the house of the LORD As on the day of a set feast. 8 The LORD has purposed to destroy The wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out a line; He has not withdrawn His hand from destroying; Therefore He has caused the rampart and wall to lament; They languished together. 9 Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The Law is no more, And her prophets find no vision from the LORD. 10 The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground and keep silence; They throw dust on their heads And gird themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem Bow their heads to the ground. 11 My eyes fail with tears, My heart is troubled; My bile is poured on the ground Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, Because the children and the infants Faint in the streets of the city. 12 They say to their mothers, "Where is grain and wine?" As they swoon like the wounded In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out In their mothers' bosom. 13 How shall I console you? To what shall I liken you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare with you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is spread wide as the sea; Who can heal you? 14 Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. 15 All who pass by clap their hands at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that is called ‘The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth'?" 16 All your enemies have opened their mouth against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, "We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day we have waited for; We have found it, we have seen it!" 17 The LORD has done what He purposed; He has fulfilled His word Which He commanded in days of old. He has thrown down and has not pitied, And He has caused an enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the horn of your adversaries. 18 Their heart cried out to the Lord, "O wall of the daughter of Zion, Let tears run down like a river day and night; Give yourself no relief; Give your eyes no rest. 19 "Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him For the life of your young children, Who faint from hunger at the head of every street." 20 "See, O LORD, and consider! To whom have You done this? Should the women eat their offspring, The children they have cuddled? Should the priest and prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord? 21 "Young and old lie On the ground in the streets; My virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword; You have slain them in the day of Your anger, You have slaughtered and not pitied. 22 "You have invited as to a feast day The terrors that surround me. In the day of the LORD's anger There was no refugee or survivor. Those whom I have borne and brought up My enemies have destroyed."
Lamentations 2:1-22 v. 1 and did not remember His footstool – The footstool is a reference to the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was symbolic for the presence of God among the people the Israel. v. 3 every horn of Israel – There are a few references to horns in this chapter (also v. 17). Horns symbolized strength and leadership. The horn in verse three is a metaphor for Israel's strength being cut off. v. 6 the appointed feasts and Sabbaths – The feasts were regular assemblies on designated days of the year. These feasts and Sabbaths were forgotten because there were no longer priests to guide the people in the way of God's law. v. 10 gird themselves with sackcloth – Sackcloth was made of goat's hair and was worn as a symbol of mourning. v. 15 all who pass by clap their hands at you – The Hebrew verb used for clap in this passage denotes a gesture of anger or derision. Those who passed by and clapped were scorning Israel. v. 17 He has exalted the horn of your adversaries – Exalting the horns is a metaphor for increasing the strength of Israel's enemies. v. 19 pour out your heart like water – This is a metaphor for an act of worship. v. 20 should the women eat their offspring – Cannibalism was a desperate last resort when starvation was imminent.
The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah. –Lamentations 2:5 Your words of warning speak to our hearts today, Lord. We know that You care for us and love us and seek to protect us. And we also know that You will discipline us as we need to be disciplined. Thank You, Lord, for teaching us where we go wrong. We pray for eyes open to see the coming destruction before it has to occur.
Prison and Jail Ministry I have not been a spiritual person but I've been getting in touch with God and this service is very important to me and my recovery. It means a lot to me to have one of the ladies from Calvary come out here and take time for all of us to come closer to God and our spiritual side. Prayer Points There to be fruit from the teaching on Sundays out at the SBWCC. That women will continue to seek Jesus in and out of prison. For doors to remain open and for Bible studies to continue at these facilities.

Warnings Unheeded~Bob Caldwell

Warnings Unheeded 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!" 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. Our destiny lies in the balance!
Lamentations 1:1-22 Jerusalem in Affliction 1 How lonely sits the city That was full of people! Howlike a widow is she, Who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave! 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, Her tears are on her cheeks; Among all her lovers She has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies. 3 Judah has gone into captivity, Under affliction and hard servitude; She dwells among the nations, She finds no rest; All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits. 4 The roads to Zion mourn Because no one comes to the set feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted, And she is in bitterness. 5 Her adversaries have become the master, Her enemies prosper; For the LORD has afflicted her Because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy. 6 And from the daughter of Zion All her splendor has departed. Her princes have become like deer That find no pasture, That flee without strength Before the pursuer. 7 In the days of her affliction and roaming, Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things That she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, With no one to help her, The adversaries saw her And mocked at her downfall. 8 Jerusalem has sinned gravely, Therefore she has become vile. All who honored her despise her Because they have seen her nakedness; Yes, she sighs and turns away. 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!" 10 The adversary has spread his hand Over all her pleasant things; For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, Those whom You commanded Not to enter Your assembly. 11 All her people sigh, They seek bread; They have given their valuables for food to restore life. "See, O LORD, and consider, For I am scorned." 12 "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger. 13 "From above He has sent fire into my bones, And it overpowered them; He has spread a net for my feet And turned me back; He has made me desolate And faint all the day. 14 "The yoke of my transgressions was bound; They were woven together by His hands, And thrust upon my neck. He made my strength fail; The Lord delivered me into the hands of those whom I am not able to withstand. 15 "The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty men in my midst; He has called an assembly against me To crush my young men; The Lord trampled as in a winepress The virgin daughter of Judah. 16 "For these things I weep; My eye, my eye overflows with water; Because the comforter, who should restore my life, Is far from me. My children are desolate Because the enemy prevailed." 17 Zion spreads out her hands, But no one comforts her; The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob That those around him become his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them. 18 "The LORD is righteous, For I rebelled against His commandment. Hear now, all peoples, And behold my sorrow; My virgins and my young men Have gone into captivity. 19 "I called for my lovers, But they deceived me; My priests and my elders Breathed their last in the city, While they sought food To restore their life. 20 "See, O LORD, that I am in distress; My soul is troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, At home it is like death. 21 "They have heard that I sigh, But no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; They are glad that You have done it. Bring on the day You have announced, That they may become like me. 22 "Let all their wickedness come before You, And do to them as You have done to me For all my transgressions; For my sighs are many, And my heart is faint."
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
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.
Children's Ministry God was abundantly faithful in bringing volunteers to help with about 400 children who attended the first Family of Promise meeting. Prayer Points For people to continue to open their hearts to those who are coming to the church seeking the Word of the Lord for their families.