Lamentations 1:1–22

December 19, 2011

But now.  But now...

What a tragic ending. What a contrast between what God designed and intended for His people and the reality of the end result and the consequences the people of Israel/Judah suffered. Beautiful Jerusalem was now in ruins. Jerusalem once was full of people, but now the city is empty. Jerusalem was once a great city among the nations, but now she is like a widow. She was like a queen of all the other cities, but now she is a slave.

But now...

• She has extreme sadness (vs. 2)
• There is no one to comfort her—loneliness (vs. 2)
• Loved ones are gone (vs. 2)
• Friends are now enemies (vs. 2)
• She is captive (vs. 3)
• She suffers and works hard (vs. 3)
• There is no rest (vs. 3)
• She's been removed from her home (vs. 3)
• She's been caught by those who chased her (vs. 3)
• There is sadness and suffering (vs. 4)
• Their foes are now their masters (vs. 5)
• They've lost their wealth (vs. 5)
• The LORD is punishing her (vs. 5)
• Her children are captive (vs. 5)
• The beauty is gone (vs. 6)
• They roam as a deer, searching for food and running from hunters (vs. 6)
• They are suffering and homeless (vs. 7)
• They remember the good things from the past (vs. 7)
• They are defeated, alone, and ruined (vs. 7)
• There is panic

But now...

It didn't have to end this way and they have no one to blame but themselves. "She made herself dirty by her sins and did not think about what would happen to her." (vs. 9) They were just so sure nothing would happen to them, after all, they were God's chosen people... and they did not think about what would happen. They convinced themselves they were doing nothing wrong so why should they listen to Jeremiah's warnings? But now here they are. They are alone, captive, and suffering, the recipients of God's punishment. "He stretched out a net for my feet and turned me back." (vs. 13) "The LORD has handed me over to those who are stronger than I." (vs. 14) The LORD rejected them and brought an army against them. (vs. 15)

By the time they figured out God was right it was too late and they were already captive. Jerusalem says, "The LORD is right, but I refused to obey him." (vs. 18) "Look at me, LORD. I am upset and greatly troubled. My heart is troubled, because I have been so stubborn." (vs. 20) Their decisions determined their consequences. IF only they had listened. IF only they had not been so stubborn. IF only they would have thought about what would happen. Sadly, they did not and now we read: But now...

Life Lesson: Sin brings punishment. But sorrow, confession, and repentance brings healing and wholeness. 

"God does comfort good people when bad things happen to them. It is possible to be happy in a world where sorrow casts its gray shadow. Trouble never leaves us where it finds us; sorrow will change our tomorrow. But God inspires us to become better people, not bitter ones. He shows us the negative can be turned into a positive, a minus into a plus, and that is what the cross is all about." ~ Robert Schuler

Next Entry: Lamentations 2