The Book Of Lamentations – Part 43 – Princes Were Abused And Young Men Forced Into Harsh Servitude By Ruthless Babylon - Lamentations 5:12-13 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 43 – PRINCES WERE ABUSED AND YOUNG MEN FORCED INTO HARSH SERVITUDE BY RUTHLESS BABYLON - Lamentations 5:12-13

The subject matter of Lamentations is not pleasant in most of its content, which is probably why it is rarely preached on, or taught. Here in chapter 5 we have some graphic historical accounts of suffering and atrocities done to the survivors of the Babylonian conquest. They were in great need just trying to stay alive. We have been dealing with each of these so far in chapter 5.

In the last message we saw how starvation affected the physical body; how those once slaves now ruled despotically over people. We learned women were raped throughout Israel. It is not surprising that in 70 years time God was going to punish Babylon severely and that was done through the Medes and the Persians. We are so close to God’s wrath falling on this world in the great Tribulation that is coming.

It would be unjust of God to leave the world unpunished considering what happened in Noah’s flood, and the wrath against his own people Israel, and the due punishment against Babylon, and against the Assyrians, and against Sodom and Gomorrah. God is consistent and the Tribulation is consistent with wrath against sin, AND against what the world has done and is doing to Israel (and to Christians for that matter).

The list of anguishing problems that were too heavy for the people to bear, continues in this next message.

[12]. IGNOMINY EVERYWHERE AIMED FOR HUMILIATION

{{Lamentations 5:12 “PRINCES were hung by their hands. ELDERS were not respected.”}}

When an army wants to put its ruthless stamp on the subjection of the people, then it does all it can to degrade and humiliate the conquered inhabitants. In the previous verse we saw the desecration of the women. Now it continues with the princes and elderly.

This world is absolutely atrocious. It saw the horrible, almost unspeakable things Hamas did to the citizens of Israel and to foreign visitors, yet the world turns against Israel and the world press generally, promotes the cause of Hamas. It makes me sick that my nation is one of the very worst in this evil and the Prime Minister – Albanese - is doing Satan’s work as he is a communist who hates Israel with a vengeance. He is a modern Haman. There is only one letter difference between Haman and Hamas but they are “brothers”. The current leader in Britain – Starmer – is just as bad.

The princes here would have been related to godly Josiah, a dreadful thing to happen to his family, but we note that his family (according to the ones mentioned in the biblical record) were wicked and it was because of the wickedness of the people and of his sons, that destruction came on Judah.

I will quote pieces from certain commentators about this hanging matter –

Ellicott – [[The words point to the shameless exposure of the bodies of the dead. (Compare the treatment of Saul and his sons in 1 Samuel 31:10-12. This was the common practice of the Assyrian kings.]]. {{1 Samuel 31:10-12 “and they put his [Saul] weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh, and burned them there.”}}. The “modern Philistines”, the members of Hamas in the Gaza Strip of the Philistines, are no different in atrocities. The disgusting things Hamas did to pregnant women and to people are nothing less than the extreme hatred of Satan.

Barnes – [[After the princes had been put to death their bodies were hung up by the hand to expose them to public contumely. Old age, again, no more availed to shield men from shameful treatment than the high rank of the princes. Such treatment of conquered enemies was not uncommon in ancient warfare.]]

Cambridge Bible – [[The reference may either be to impalement after death, or to torture in order, as Pe. suggests, to obtain information as to hidden treasure. Both death by crucifixion and subsequent impalement were regarded with the utmost abhorrence by the Jews. For the former see Deuteronomy 21:23.]]. {{Deuteronomy 21:22-23 “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.”}}