The Book Of Lamentations – Part 14 – Dwelling In Darkness, Walled In With A Heavy Chain – Prayers Bounce And Ways Blocked And Crooked - Chapter 3:6-9 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 14 – DWELLING IN DARKNESS, WALLED IN WITH A HEAVY CHAIN – PRAYERS BOUNCE AND WAYS BLOCKED AND CROOKED - CHAPTER 3:6-9

We are in the section where blame is attributed to God for the disasters that have overtaken the nation. Judah is in despair because of its long-practiced sin but it did not repent so God stepped in. Now misery is all around. We have the use of “He” over and over again, that being the LORD. There is much lament and misery and dejection all through this section.

[6]. DEPOSED TO OBSCURITY

{{Lamentations 3:6 “In dark places HE has made me dwell, like those who have long been dead.”}}

The beginning of the last message began this way – {{“HE has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light.”}}. In a place of darkness there is no light and light is often used as an expression for understanding and direction. The LORD caused the survivors to live in coma almost – no direction, no vision, no insight to know what to do. Life had lost its purpose and they may as well be dead, for their lives are like those of zombies.

Darkness often means rejection and banishment in scripture. Judas went out into the night. God shrouded the judged earth in darkness in Genesis. The New Testament speaks of outer darkness where there is gnashing of teeth. We read of walking in light not in darkness. So great was this destruction on Judah, it seemed they were in the dark place of God’s forgetfulness.

This is a meaningless situation for the people, for there is nothing enlightened and all is obscure. We could say the nation was banished in forgetfulness (but not really because God will never forget His people). They are reaping what they have sown, and take heed, today’s world, for YOUR time is coming. God’s day of grace right now will quickly come to an end with the removal of His Church and then will descend the Tribulation detailed in Revelation. It also will be a time of horror and revulsion. The Tribulation is not allegory or myth, and Revelation can not be spiritualised away. It is an abuse of God’s word to do that.

A state of darkness (not physical darkness) that the nation was enduring is a terrible isolation from a distant God. Life no longer had any meaning, and the nation, torn and dispersed, was drifting to obscurity. What could the prophet do with such people? The nation laments but the prophet feels their pain and suffering.

[7]. WALLED IN AND CHAINED UP

{{Lamentations 3:7 “HE has WALLED ME IN so that I cannot go out. HE has made my chain heavy.”}}

What freedom do you have when you are walled in, confined with no escape? As well as that, a heavy chain is attached to the legs. Yes, a dismal prisoner with no reasonable prospect. Left in prison to languish away when no one cares or shows mercy. It was that way for the people of Jerusalem who survived. That is how they felt all the time. They were subjugated by the enemy with no escape from their predicament. It was no better than being locked up in prison.

The feeling that is coming from all these verses is HOPELESSNESS for the nation had been battered and ruined – one part killed, one part taken to captivity and one part languishing in hopelessness.

In the verse this state of affairs is attributed to the LORD for the people knew it was the anger of God that had done this to them. Usually when you have your foundation taken away and nowhere to go, you think into what caused all that and the people were realising all this was done by the LORD because of their sin and failure to repent and change their ways. If only we could see repentance come from our Governments and society – what a whole different nation we would have.

Confined in a straight jacket is the loss of freedom. The person is “walled in”. Convicts used to wear irons and chains on their legs. The Jews were restricted with nowhere to go. Here is an interesting passage from the Psalms:

{{Psalm 107:10-15 “There were THOSE WHO DWELT IN DARKNESS and in the shadow of death, PRISONERS IN MISERY AND CHAINS, because THEY HAD REBELLED against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He humbled their heart with labour. They stumbled and there was none to help. THEN THEY CRIED OUT TO THE LORD IN THEIR TROUBLE. He saved them out of their distresses. HE BROUGHT THEM OUT OF DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH AND BROKE THEIR BANDS APART. Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving-kindness and for His wonders to the sons of men.”}}