The Book Of Lamentations – Part 2 – Description Of Emptiness – Chapter 1:4-6 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 2 – DESCRIPTION OF EMPTINESS – CHAPTER 1:4-6

Lamentations is a little studied book but we wish to open it up and see some great gems here. There are very valuable lessons and principles among the sorrow.

PART [A]. ROADS AND GATES; PRIESTS AND VIRGINS ARE IN MOURNING

{{Lamentations 1:4 “The ROADS of Zion are in mourning because NO ONE COMES to the appointed feasts. All her GATES are desolate. Her PRIESTS are groaning; her VIRGINS are afflicted; and she herself is BITTER.”}}

In the next series of verses the prophet highlights Judah’s loss and sorrow. Here are the first losses –

The roads in Zion are mourning; the appointed feasts have died; the gates of the city are desolate; the priests are groaning; the virgins are afflicted, and Judah is bitter. (6 of them)

The roads groan under the burden of sorrow, for it was along those roads the Babylonian troops came, and the people were taken away in exile. The roads are sorrowful reminders of the people’s sins that caused all this to happen. They continued to mourn until the remnamt travelled on them some 70 years later, back to Zion.

Of course no one came to the appointed feasts after the destruction. Three times a year representatives from all over Israel came to three feasts because the Lord determined that – {{Deuteronomy 16:16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths; and they are not to appear before the LORD empty-handed.”}} In coming to the Feasts they would ascend to Jerusalem and sing the Songs of Ascent as they went.

Some came genuinely to the feasts but most of it was meaningless ritual, condemned by the Lord because of the hypocrisy and utter idolatry of the nation. How can one celebrate the Feasts of the Lord and still be engaged in idolatrous worship? This is God’s summation of the whole affair, the great hypocrisy of unclean hands – {{Isaiah 1:13-15 “Bring your worthless offerings no longer. Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. I HATE YOUR NEW MOON FESTIVALS AND YOUR APPOINTED FEASTS. They have become a burden to Me. I am weary of bearing them so when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”}}

What a terrible situation the deception of sin had made. It is no different with us today for some think they can serve God while engaged in the world’s things; the things of the flesh, and all that is dishonouring to the Lord. A fountain does not produce clean and dirty water from the same source. For any in this compromised situation, cleanse your hearts.

When Jeremiah speaks of the gates being desolate, that is because no one is journeying on the roads. The gate was the place of greeting, and of discussion and decision-making. No more would that happen in Jeremiah’s time for the gates were silent, and only phantoms were there – memories long gone. As well, some gates were broken down.

The next mention was of the groaning priests. In all situations there are the true and the false. Sadly in Judah’s case the priests were very false, so over and over the prophets condemned the priests for what they were. They had made themselves enemies of Jeremiah. The Major Prophets are sinking in the indiscretions of the priests but I am selecting only some references mainly at the beginning of the books.

(a). The priests were drunk; full of the lust of the flesh and no commitment; false shepherds of the LORD – {{Isaiah 28:7 “These also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink. THE PRIEST AND THE PROPHET REEL WITH STRONG DRINK.”}}

(b). Jeremiah speaks here of the coming destruction under Nebuchednezzar and what the attitude of the leaders will be. The priests will be taken in their own wickedness – {{Jeremiah 4:9 “It shall come about in that day,” declares the LORD, “that the heart of the king and the heart of the princes will fail, and THE PRIESTS WILL BE APPALLED, and the prophets will be astounded.”}}

(c). Next is the arrogance of the priests who dismiss God and create their own authority. All has become decadent but the sad thing is there is no opposition to that from the people because they love that wickedness themselves. Is our modern time any different? Wicked people vote wicked governments. {{Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and THE PRIESTS RULE ON THEIR OWN AUTHORITY, and MY PEOPLE LOVE IT SO, but what will you do at the end of it?”}}