The Book Of Lamentations – Part 16 – Restlessness And No Peace In Defeat. Remembering Is The Start To Return. Strength, Hope, Affliction - Chapter 3:16-20 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 16 – RESTLESSNESS AND NO PEACE IN DEFEAT. REMEMBERING IS THE START TO RETURN. STRENGTH, HOPE, AFFLICTION - CHAPTER 3:16-20

We are in a descriptive passage of the sorrows of Judah. This great devastation resulted from the nation’s foul sins in the departure from the Lord. Today’s world is similar and can only wait for the judgement of God to come. Most assuredly it will come on a God-hating, God-blaspheming world that has corrupted itself. History has confirmed that over and over.

The last verse spoke about drinking wormwood and partaking of bitterness. Now we have the broken teeth.

[14]. PERSONAL AGONY AND LAYING LOW IN DEFEAT

{{Lamentations 3:16 “and HE has broken my teeth with gravel. HE has made me cower in the dust.”}}

The very thought of that puts one’s teeth on edge. How does gravel break the teeth? It can happen when you are forced to chew down all the time on gravel. It can happen when gravel is forcibly crashed into the mouth. I can imagine the feeling of crunched and smashing gravel would be horrible, as would be the damage. This is as strong a description of displeasure as one can get.

Judah was forced into submission to cower in its own dust by a foreign power that crunched Judah’s teeth with the gravel of destruction. It portrays great power and force being used against the people.

When Adam and Eve fell from the glorious position they had, the snake was cursed (Satan) – {{Genesis 3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, CURSED ARE YOU more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field. On your belly shall you go and DUST SHALL YOU EAT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE.”}} The curse brought the dust of judgement for the serpent, and the dust of judgement for Judah. The survivors were made to grovel in the dust. They were beaten down so badly it seemed they would never rise again.

This verse ends the 20 mentions of “HE” in the passage. All understood it was God who brought these pains on Judah because of its own gross wickedness and rebellion. The devastated nation was broken, and in great sadness and confusion. It was down but not out. The Lord has preserved His earthly people down through the past 2500 years because His great, glorious plan for then is soon to be laid out. Israel will be restored and become the chief nation in the world. If only people would read and understand Isaiah, Jeremiah and the Minor prophets to know God’s plan for His earthly people. If only these scriptures of the early church were not dismissed as they are by preachers.

Cowering in the dust is the greatest humility, the type of position an enemy is subjected to in defeat. All dignity is removed and the soul is reduced to utter shame and loss. That is what sin will do to a person and a nation. We are fast moving towards national humiliation right now because the departure from God is greater than it has been since before the Reformation. To depart from God, is not going to separate one from the judgement of God. Some think they can be like Adam and hide from God but all will be found, and sin always has its accountability.

Sin is like a pear on a tree. It develops as it grows to reach maturity. When it is ripe, it is picked or it falls to the ground to decay. The picking of that fruit is what the LORD will do in the great Tribulation that comes, the wrath of God against the world – {{Isaiah 13:9-11 “Behold, THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING, cruel, with fury and burning anger to make the land a desolation, and He will exterminate its sinners from it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light. The sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light. THUS I WILL PUNISH THE WORLD FOR ITS EVIL AND THE WICKED FOR THEIR INIQUITY. I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.”}}

You can not concentrate on judgement from the LORD and not look at the other side of the coin. Israel was destroyed by God who brought Judah down in the dust in a great destruction but that is not the end of the matter. Look at this – {{Jeremiah 31:28 and it will come about that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy, and to bring disaster, SO I WILL WATCH OVER THEM TO BUILD AND TO PLANT,” declares the LORD.}} The whole national Israel will be restored as the LORD plants them and builds them into the world’s leading nation in the Millennium. Meanwhile the LORD watches over His chosen people in the world today, for His purpose will soon be put into operation.