The Book Of Lamentations – Part 46 – Wild Creatures Take Over. The People Put Their God In The Correct Perspective - Lamentations 5:18-19 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 46 – WILD CREATURES TAKE OVER. THE PEOPLE PUT THEIR GOD IN THE CORRECT PERSPECTIVE - Lamentations 5:18-19

We are in the final verses and there are about three messages to go. The study of Lamentations has been very rewarding as we have delved into each verse. I hope it has been enriching.

In this message we are thinking about the desolation that lies through Jerusalem described as it often does, as Mount Zion. Then we consider God’s rule and God’s throne.

[18]. EVEN THE LAND RESONATES TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE

{{Lamentations 5:18 “because of Mount Zion which lies desolate. Foxes prowl in it.”}}

For the sake of context we must add the previous verse - {{Lamentations 5:17 “Because of THIS our heart is faint. Because of THESE THINGS our eyes are dim;”}}

Sin destroys. Everything is affected. Verse 18 connects with verse 17 and should be considered together. When Adam sinned the earth was cursed and separation, guilt, sorrow and judgement entered. The sin of Judah brought destruction and to take a word from our verse – desolation. Desolation refers to a state of emptiness or destruction, often associated with devastation of a place or deep feelings of sadness and loneliness. It can describe both physical landscapes that are barren and emotional states of despair.

Mt Zion, the world’s holiest area was destroyed. The Temple was ruined; the wall was ruined, the palace was ruined and the people were ruined. Jeremiah lived through all that. Before the over throw, the Babylonians knew that the prophet was urging the leadership of the nation to surrender to Babylon for he foresaw the destruction to come. The people and the leaders refused. {{Jeremiah 38:2-3 Thus says the LORD, “He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but HE WHO GOES OUT TO THE CHALDEANS WILL LIVE AND HAVE HIS OWN LIFE AS BOOTY AND STAY ALIVE.” Thus says the LORD, “This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”}}

The Babylonians did this for Jeremiah (God organised it!) – {{Jeremiah 39:11-14 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, “TAKE HIM AND LOOK AFTER HIM, AND DO NOTHING HARMFUL TO HIM BUT RATHER DEAL WITH HIM JUST AS HE TELLS YOU.” So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the Rab-saris, and Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon. THEY EVEN SENT AND TOOK JEREMIAH OUT OF THE COURT OF THE GUARDHOUSE and entrusted him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.”}}

Well, the fact is that Zion lay in desolation. BUT the City of the LORD God will never be a ruinous heap forever. One day Jerusalem will become the chief city of the earth for it is the city of the great King and Jesus Messiah will reign from there for 1000 years. Jeremiah saw it as a ruinous heap but only temporarily. His prophecy contains just so many references to Israel’s restoration and these are on Sermon Central in my series “RESTORATION OF ISRAEL in Jeremiah”.

However for that present time until Ezra and Zerubbabel and a little later on, Nehemiah returned to rebuild, Jerusalem was a ruin and Jeremiah said, “Foxes prowl in it.” There are several prophetic scriptures detailing the judgement of God upon various nations before and after that time. In all of them WILD BEASTS are mentioned as moving in and taking over. I will select a few of them.

[a]. THE OVERTHROW OF BABYLON – {{Isaiah 13:21-22 but DESERT CREATURES will lie down there and their houses will be full of OWLS; OSTRICHES also will live there and SHAGGY GOATS will frolic there. HYENAS will howl in their fortified towers and JACKALS in their luxurious palaces. Her fateful time also will soon come and her days will not be prolonged.”}}

[b]. THE OVERTHROW OF BABYLON – {{Isaiah 34:11 “But PELICAN and HEDGEHOG shall possess it and OWL and RAVEN shall dwell in it. He shall stretch over it the line of desolation and the plumb line of emptiness.”}}

{{Isaiah 34:13-15 “THORNS shall come up in its fortified towers, NETTLES and THISTLES in its fortified cities. It shall also be a haunt of JACKALS and an abode of OSTRICHES. The DESERT CREATURES shall meet with the WOLVES, the HAIRY GOAT also shall cry to its kind. Yes, the NIGHT MONSTER shall settle there and shall find herself a resting place. The TREE SNAKE shall make its nest and lay eggs there and it will hatch and gather them under its protection. Yes, the HAWKS shall be gathered there, every one with its kind.”}}