The book of Lamentations is filled with tears and sorrow. It has been so bad that there are some who referred to it as a paean of pain. A poem of pity, a proverb of tragedy, a hymn of heartbreak, a psalm of sadness, a symphony of sorrow, a story of sifting, a tale of tears, a chant of desolation, a tragedy of travail, an account of agony. In other words it’s a book of “boo-hoos.” ??In fact, some call it the wailing wall of the Bible. And no Memphis blues singer has ever sung a sadder song than that which is contained in the Book of Lamentations.??These five chapters are a series of sad song or funeral hymns in which the writer describes and laments over the desolation of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. In other words, Lamentations is this writer’s response to Judah’s chastening by the hand of GOD. ??Well as we look into our text. Judah and its capital Jerusalem had suffered a spanking under the hands of GOD, and had fallen to the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar. ??
The city and those left alive are in a crisis and the siege has taken its toll. The survivors are desperate for food, for their fortunes, and for their futures. They looked around but no help came from their allies. In fact, God had caused their former allies to turn against them in their hours of need. ??The kingdom and city that was once a queen among the nations is now like a hopeless widow. The thing that hurts the writer of Lamentations the most is the realization that this chastening could have been avoided and that this is their own fault. ??You see ... in Deuteronomy 11, God offers Israel a choice: either a life of productivity and enjoyment, which could be made possible just by being obedience to Him. Or he offered them a life of difficulty and opposition made necessary by their disobedience. And unfortunately, over and over again, they chose disobedience over obedience. And what’s amazing to me is that people will choose disobedience, defiance rebellion quicker then they will obedience.??
So as a result of Judah’s sin and their disobedience, they have lost the peace, happiness, and hope that they once enjoyed.??And as I see the hearts of many this morning I know that some may be feeling that way today that you have lost your peace, happiness, and hope. But I’ve have some good news for you this morning and that is, don’t be dismay because trouble don’t last always. Because within our text this morning, are words of comfort to God’s people when we are in trouble and distressed. ??And this is good news, because somebody needs to know this morning that, YES we will all face tragedy in our lives, but in the midst of our affliction, shines a ray of hope. In our dilemma there is rest for the weary. Through our trouble we know that they won’t last always. ??
So let us examine our text...??Let me point out that while the author of our text is not revealed, it is believed that this is the weeping prophet Jeremiah speaking. And in (v.18) he says, And I said, my strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:??Watch this he said that “my strength” Hebrew word which means future, or victory.
This word carries with it the idea that there is no light at the end tunnel.??You know it is one thing to be broke and hungry and you know that payday is tomorrow. ??But it is another to be broke and hungry and you realize that you do not have a job.??Some who find themselves in that situation might say, my strength, my Ne?a?, my future, my victory is dead.
But the question that we must ask ourselves is how did he get this way???Well, it is right here in our text ... ??(v.18) We have already discovered that Jeremiah has lost his strength, and his hope for the future. The light at the end of the tunnel has gone out but the question is why.??Notice (v.18) he says and my hope. ??You know, it is quite interesting when we look at the actual definition of the word hope.??This word in the Hebrew means expectation.??It is derived from the Hewhich means to??To wait?To be patient?Cause to have, or make to have hope?Stay?Tarry?Trust?To be in pain ??So, in essence Jeremiah has given up on his expectation of God’s ability to help him. ?In other words all hope was lost because he believed God has withdrawn (and reneged) and took back His strength and now he is in essence saying...??I’m tired of waiting, I’m tired of being patient?I’m tired of this pain?I’m tired of being still because nothing seems to be changing?I’m tired of trusting cause I don’t see any evidence that things are going to get better, ?so don’t tell be to tarry; you tarry I’m done waiting.
What we have here is a struggle between unbelief and faith. On one hand, Jeremiah rightly attributes that God is the source of his strength and hope. ??While on the other, he was persuaded that God had forsaken him, so he has made up in his mind (v.18) And “I said,” my strength and my hope is perished from the LORD??What brought Jeremiah to this conclusion? It’s right here in our text (v.19).
This whole thing started in his mind.??(v.19) says “Remembering mine affliction and my (maw-rood’) misery, the wormwood and the (roshe) gall??Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. We can be so caught up in remembering the past that we lose all hope for the future. If we are not careful, we will remember our way right out of a blessing.??(v.19) In proper context, the Hebrew writer is referring to Jerusalem’s state of destitution, hostility, and bitterness.??In which he had lost all hope because he remembers his affliction.??So, he finds it difficult to forget his gloomy frame of mind. In essence, this verse ties back to (v.18) and now Jeremiah is trying to justify or should I say make excuses as to why he lost hope in God. ??He blames his lack of faith on his extreme circumstances and the fact that he is so pressed down by his affliction.??However, we should not read the text and try to criticize Jeremiah or think it strange that he has responded this way.
Because as believers, we are not excluded from trials and despair; because many of us have failed for far less affliction. ??For some of us the slightest change in the wind will cause us to fall to our knees and cry out to GOD woe is me. We will even complain at the mere forecast of a “chance of rain”??Watch this in vs 20 he says my soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. Humble this Hebrew verb means:?To be bowed down?To be downcast?It refers to the despair of one’s soul?It refers to the despair one’s life that is broken within, or one’s life that has sunk into the ground in utter hopelessness??It’s interesting to me how something can move from the mind, to the soul.
You see it is one thing to have a nasty taste in your mouth about someone or something, but it is another when that pain has consumed you and now it’s deep and starting to overwhelm your inner most being.??So, can you understand what he is feeling??When he says remembering mine afflictions this thing has caused the gall, deep seeded bitterness that this thing has caused in my life. ??In other words, Lord help me because this situation has got a hold on me.??What we see here is the conduct of a person in deep anguish. In fact, this is an excellent word picture of what happens when the soul is convicted and humbles itself. ?It is as if the soul goes into some secret place and says shhhhhhhh! ??Once it is was quite he then gave himself over to moaning and tears, and then he bows himself before God, as if the soul said, this mortal man has tried everything, but now I’m going to take over.??The soul says I’m in control, I got this, I will take it from here.??It is as if the soul is saying, I have to do something. This mortal man decisions will affect my future, and my destination and if I do not act, I’m going to end up in the pit of hell with him. ??
So here is what we are going to do, I’m going to humble myself, which in turn will cause him to humble himself in complete submission to God, and to lie in the very dust of his despair.??I like this right here the text tells us that his soul is humbled. In other words, something on the inside got a hold of him. Ya’ll don’t hear me.
Something on the inside brought about a change in his mind??You see, Jeremiah wanted to quit and he wanted to throw in the towel, and say take this job I don’t want it, but something on the inside caused him to say in Jeremiah 20:9 “but his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. Something on the inside has reminded him that ??This battle belongs to the LORD?Something on the inside reminded him that he could lift up his eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh his help. Because all of His help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.?No weapon formed against him will prosper.?Something on the inside reminded him that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.?Something on the inside reminds him that trouble don’t last all ways.??Some of you may be feeling like Jeremiah this morning, and ready to throw in the towel and declare that all hope is lost.??Well, let me encourage you. Don’t give up the fight, you see... ??God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
You can say I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
?You can say that I am more than conquerors through Him that love us?* I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present?Nor things to come?Nor height, nor depth?Nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.??Somebody needs to know this morning that man’s extremity, even when all hope seems lost, that this is God’s opportunity.??You see something on the inside got a hold on Jeremiah started him to remember, that a miracle is about to take place in his thinking. ??In his loneliness, Jeremiah reviewed his experiences. He then began to reevaluate his situation. This brought him a feeling that hope just might be on the horizon.??In (v.21) he said this I recalled to my mind, therefore have I hope. ?
And that’s what I came to tell someone this morning to just remember what the Lord has done.
And that reminds me of a story a little boy visiting his grandparents who was given his first slingshot. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target.
As he came back to Grandma’s back yard, he was looking at his grandmother’s pet duck. On an impulse he took aim at the duck and then he let the stone fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The boy panicked.
Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching. His sister Amy had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Amy, let’s wash the dishes."
But Amy said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Johnny?" And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck!” So Johnny did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I’m sorry, but I need Amy to help make supper." Sally smiled and said, "That’s all taken care of because Johnny wants to do it." Again she whispered, "Remember the duck." Johnny stayed home while Amy went fishing.
After several days of doing both his chores and Amy’s, finally he couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he’d killed the duck.
Grandma said "I know, Johnny," and she gave him a big hug. She said I know because I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you were going to let Sally make a slave of you."
And that’s what the Lord want you to know. The devil has kept you captive to long. The Lord is saying I know what you have done and I have already forgiven you, I can hear the Lord saying I was just wondering how long that you were going to let the devil enslave you.
Just remember I so loved the world that I gave my son.
Just remember I am for you more then the world is against you
Just remember I’ll never leave you nor will I forsake you.
