From Lamentations 1-3.36
Imagine coming through the punishment of the LORD like and then reflecting on what has happened. Your situation would seem pretty dire. In today’s passage God’s people still hope in the LORD. Its encouraging to see even at this time Jeremiah still holds the LORD in awe, even though Judah has been punished like this. Its not often those who have been punished still continue to respect the punisher. How do you normally feel about the person who has just punished you?
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
Judah has now been punished and sent into exile. Lamentations is a reflection of what has happened. Jeremiah is grieving over what has happened.
2 How the Lord in his anger
has set the daughter of Zion under a cloud!
He has cast down from heaven to earth
the splendor of Israel;
he has not remembered his footstool
in the day of his anger.
2 The Lord has swallowed up without mercy
all the habitations of Jacob;
in his wrath he has broken down
the strongholds of the daughter of Judah;
he has brought down to the ground in dishonor
the kingdom and its rulers.
3 He has cut down in fierce anger
all the might of Israel;
he has withdrawn from them his right hand
in the face of the enemy;
he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob,
consuming all around. (La 2:1–3)
Imagine coming through the punishment of the LORD like this and then reflecting on what has happened. The situation seems pretty dire. But God’s people still hope in the LORD. Its encouraging to see even at this time Jeremiah still holds the LORD in awe, even though Judah has been punished like this. Its not often those who have been punished still continue to respect the punisher.
Story of Israel
Judah goes into exile, they didn’t have much of a change. But those who read Lam 3.22-23 will be encouraged that the LORD is faithful every morning. He will return Judah to the promised land.
Story of Jesus
Its not until we see Jesus, that quite another return from exile happens. He died and rose again from the grave, never again to experience death. Those who believe in him are delivered from the wrath of the LORD. They will not experience the kind of punishment we see here in Lamentations. Jesus has done so already for them.
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