The Book Of Lamentations – Part 10 – A Defeated Nation Mocked And Hissed At – God’s Word Never Returns Empty - Chapter 2:15-17 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 10 – A DEFEATED NATION MOCKED AND HISSED AT – GOD’S WORD NEVER RETURNS EMPTY - CHAPTER 2:15-17

Jeremiah is sometimes called “the weeping prophet,” and I like to think of him as one of the most passionate writers in the Old Testament, in fact, in all of scripture. His prophecy is full of tenderness for his people but now in Lamentations, his heart is torn apart with the sufferings of Judah. In the last message we saw that most clearly.

The prophet pleaded with his people over and over. He preached what the LORD had given him, but the idolatrous stubbornness of the nation refused to listen. Now they are downtrodden, many killed, babies and children languishing and dying and some taken away as captives. Why will people not heed what God their Maker says to them?

[1]. THE IGNOMINY OF FALSITY AND DEFEAT IS MULTIPLIED

{{Lamentations 2:15 All who pass along the way CLAP THEIR HANDS in derision at you. They hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem. “Is this the city of which they said, ‘The perfection of beauty, a joy to all the earth’?”}}

Just get a picture of this. Imagine walking along the road and your shame and judgement is known, and despised. People are cutting and hurtful; that is the old nature. People come towards you and scorn you, mock you, hiss at you, despise you and “rub your noses in it”. In our verse they clap their hands in a joyful mocking at your downfall. People are heartless in any case, but this behaviour towards the earthly people of God in their defeat, is demonic.

There have been some in this world, even in my own country, who delighted in the massacre in Israel perpetrated by Hamas 7 October 2023 when people were savagely killed and others taken captive. Some Moslems rejoiced in our streets at the death of over 1000 innocent people. There is a satanic hatred against the Jews partly promoted by the United Nations and the continual hatred for God’s people reaching right back to Genesis.

There is a huge division in mankind. If one is not under the control of God, then he/she is under the control of Satan. Jesus said this – {{Matthew 12:30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”}} The non-Christian in many cases can be a friendly helpful person, but can turn instantly against a Christian, and the aims of the unsaved are not those of the redeemed children of God. The unsaved will mock and scorn the ones who belong to the Lord, usually not to their faces as was happening to the Jews in Lamentations 2:15, but to each other they do it, and in their hearts.

God said it not me. There are only two camps, saved and unsaved; with Christ or against Him. The bible does not allow for neutrality in this issue; either for or against.

There is something more subtle here. The Lord Jesus hung on the cross who was the guilty one, but He was mocked, despised, hissed at, and they shook/wagged their heads at Him too. The Lord is experiencing what was happening to the nation in the time of Lamentations.

Here they wagged heads and mocked – {{Matthew 27:39-40 and those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”}}

THE LORD WAS DESPISED and derided but it was for us He endured the cross while He, Himself, despised the shame and scorn, for ahead was something of the greatest treasure – {{Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”}}

Jeremiah prophesied what would happen to Jerusalem, and the resultant scorning against its people – {{Jeremiah 18:15-16 “For My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless gods and they have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, not on a highway; to make their land a desolation, AN OBJECT OF PERPETUAL HISSING. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished and shake his head.”}} {{Jeremiah 19:8 “I shall also make this city a desolation and AN OBJECT OF HISSING; everyone who passes by it will be ASTONISHED AND HISS BECAUSE OF ALL ITS DISASTERS.”}}

Zephaniah takes up the same theme – {{Zephaniah 2:15 “This is the exultant city which dwells securely, who says in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, a resting place for beasts! EVERYONE WHO PASSES BY HER WILL HISS and wave his hand in contempt.”}}