The Book Of Lamentations – Part 47 – Restoration Of The Displaced People – Had God Forgotten Them Forever? Lamentations 5:20-22 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 47 – RESTORATION OF THE DISPLACED PEOPLE – HAD GOD FORGOTTEN THEM FOREVER? Lamentations 5:20-22

This is the second last message in Lamentations. I believe these last three verses to be Jeremiah speaking to God in regard to the people. The prophet was wondering how long the rejection was going to continue in that immediate timeframe and was asking God about it. I also think he was asking not just for himself but knew people were altering their lives when they realised they had sinned.

It is amazing what changes take place when we remember we are sinners and then allow God to take the helm of our lives. All things change – our behaviour, attitudes, expectations, hope and our whole demeanour.

We do not have a God who hates people. God is not willing that any should perish but that all might come to the truth (that truth being that as sinners all must repent and turn to God for conversion). People refuse because the sinful nature hates God and hides from Him often in open rebellion.

We have seen the change with these people displaced by conquering Babylon in Lamentations 5:17. BUT WHAT OF THE FUTURE? That is what was occupying Jeremiah’s thoughts as he closes off this writing. Let us look at that for a while now.

[20]. JEREMIAH SPEAKS BOTH ON BEHALF OF HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE

{{Lamentations 5:20 “Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long?”}}

God forsakes for as long as it takes. His longsuffering tolerated Judah’s sin for centuries but the time of reckoning came. Sins will produce their fruit to be harvested. His time of restoration comes in its own time.

God was not going to turn around judah’s deprivations immediately. How much of this questioning came from Jeremiah and how much from the nation? I think this time it is Jeremiah. The severity of Judah’s overthrow was God’s long time promised judgement against them, but in reality God had never forgotten them nor forsaken them. His watchful eye was still over them but their time had not yet come for their re-gathering or restoration.

God’s timing was with Cyrus the Great and in fulfilment of the following verses against Judah – {{Jeremiah 25:8-11 (8) “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, (9) behold, ‘I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will send to NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF BABYLON, MY SERVANT, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about; and I WILL UTTERLY DESTROY THEM, AND MAKE THEM A HORROR, AND A HISSING, and an everlasting desolation. (10) ‘Moreover, I WILL TAKE FROM THEM THE VOICE OF JOY and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. (11) ‘And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations SHALL SERVE THE KING OF BABYLON SEVENTY YEARS.”}}

Verse 8 is the ultimate verdict against Judah for what it had become. Verse 9 was fulfilled with the destruction of Judah. Verse 10 is the result, and Lamentations speaks to that. Verse 11 is the prophecy of the 70 years captivity. Jeremiah 25:8 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT OBEYED MY WORDS. . .”

The Edict of Cyrus is dated around 539/538 B.C. and the Jews came back. In Babylon God preserved the Jews as He did in Egypt. He does it today, and the hate of the United Nations and the absolutely corrupt ICC will not overcome God. The world’s nations turn against Israel with a current short reprieve from the United States because of Donald Trump, who is God’s man for this time (whether he is converted or not it is not for me to say). The Lord has not forgotten nor forsaken His earthly people but the time of their restoration is not now. It bursts into all its glory at the Second Coming. I have written on this and it is in SermonCentral.

As the LORD will never forsake His earthly people, nor will the Lord forsake His heavenly people. When we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow or in a maze with no apparent escape, and the pressures of life are closing in, then we need absolute assurance. How is your faith? Can you hold on to the promises God gives?

For that situation of great despair, here is the verse you need – {{Hebrews 13:5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”}} [[KJV – {{Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”}}