The Righteousness Of God Series

The Righteousness of God

Lamentations 1:12-22

I. Introductions

A. Measuring By the Right Standard

1. An Eight-Foot Son

a) A young boy proudly proclaimed to his mother that he was 8 feet tall.

b) “Are you sure?” asked his mother.

c) “Yes I am sure. I measured three times.”

2. Prove It

a) “Well son, you need to prove it me.”

b) The boy took his mother to the wall that used to measure the height of the children.

c) He showed his mother the mark that he made so that he could measure.

d) He then pulled out his ruler and began to measure from the floor to the mark,

e) He placed the ruler end to end eight times until it reached the mark

f) His ruler was only 6” long.

B. A True Standard

1. When measuring ourselves spiritually, we must look at a true and accurate standard.

a) Matthew 5:20 – “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees…”

b) The Pharisees were noted for measuring themselves against other people – Luke 18:11

2. God’s Righteousness

a) In Lamentations 1:18, the weeping prophet declared the Lord to be righteous.

b) The word in this case denotes that God is the standard for standard and morality.

c) He is standard of judgment.

3. Lamentations is the funeral speech of Judah.

a) In 1:1-7, we noticed the characteristics of a dead city.

b) In 1:8-11 we saw the causes of their death.

c) Tonight we will look at the consequences of measuring against an improper standard.

d) Four consequences of rebellion against God’s righteousness.

II. Consequences of Rebellion

A. Sorrow and Tears –

1. Three verses that highlight this sorrow.

a) 1:12 – “…Is there any sorrow like my sorrow...”

b) 1:16 – “For these things I weep. My eye overflows with water…”

c) 1:20a – “See O Lord that I am in distress (sorrowful trouble). My soul is troubled (boiling).”

2. Some observation about rebellion and sorrow.

a) Rebellion brings sorrow to people – Romans 5:12

b) Rebellion brings hardship – Genesis 3:16-19

c) Rebellion should be wept about – Matthew 23:37-39

d) Rebellion brings turmoil to life – Jonah 1:17

3. The Purpose of Sorrow – 2 Corinthians 7:9-12

a) Sorrow produces repentance (9)

b) Sorrow leads to salvation and restoration (10).

c) Sorrow produces diligence (11a).

d) Sorrow leads to cleansing (11b).

e) Sorrow opens eyes (11c).

f) Sorrow leads to zeal (11d).

g) Sorrow highlights God’s care for His people (12).

h) When godly sorrow brings joy – Philippians 4:4

B. Stern Correction (13-15)

1. Jeremiah uses four illustrations to describe this correction

2. First he implies that correction comes from our own conscience.

a) “From above He has sent fire into my bones...”

b) We all have within us an understanding of right and wrong – Genesis 3:8

c) Psalm 6:1-3 – David’s plea for mercy because of the distress that he was feeling.

3. Second, he uses the analogy of a net.

a) God’s word can be a net of safety for those that follow it.

b) It can become as a trap to those that abandon it.

c) Judah’s continued rebellion had become a trap for her.

d) Now caught in the net, she needed instruction on how to get out. There was no escape except that which would come from God.

e) The purpose of the net was to turn God’s people back from self-destruction.

4. Third the prophet used the illustration of the yoke.

a) The yoke of God is easy – Matthew 11:28-30, 1 John 5:3

b) The yoke of sin is a heavy burden.

c) God would use this yoke to correct and chastise His chosen people that they might turn back to Him

d) Nothing put His pardoning hand will release the yoke.

5. Fourth, Jeremiah used the illustration of the winepress.

a) The winepress is often used as a symbol of God’s judgment – Isaiah 63:3, Revelation 14:19

b) God’s punitive judgment has restoration in mind – 2 Peter 3:9

c) His affliction on His people is used for corrective instruction for the offender and for future generations – Exodus 34:6-7

d) See Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8

C. Severed Relationships (17-19)

1. No Friends to Comfort (17)

a) No on to console her.

b) Former allies were now adversaries.

c) Cast off because of her impurity.

d) God’s call to his people is to be pure – 1 Thessalonians 4:7

2. No Vitality to Encourage (18)

a) Those with energy and vitality were taken away.

b) Thus Judah was left without encouragement – Hebrews 3:13

3. No Leaders to Lead (19)

a) The spiritual leadership that connected Judah to God was gone.

b) No one left with wisdom to guide her.

c) Close associations were replaced by deception.