10/7/18
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Lamentations Series)
Lamentations 2:1-22
During the time covered in the Old Testament of the Bible, we are let in on God’s dealings with Israel primarily (during the divided kingdom, Judah and Israel). I call this the blessing of interpreted history.
We get to see how God, through his prophets, would warn His people about the rebellion in their hearts and its natural byproduct, sin. That sinful behavior would lead them into idolatry and going after false gods. The message in general was something like, “Turn back to Me and be faithful to Me, or judgment will come.” Then the specifics of their sins would be listed, along with the penalty for failing to respond. But God would let them know the promised benefits of their obedience as well. That was always part of the message too.
Throughout the course of His trying to get the attention of His people, God was in fact very patient and longsuffering, always giving a prolonged period of time in which the people could repent, preventing their pending judgment that would come. In this case in Lamentations, the time was 586 b.c. and God had used Babylon to judgment Judah, bringing ruin to Jerusalem, its capital city. But this after some three hundred plus years of begging and pleading from the prophets. Time had finally run out for the nation of Judah.
Today, we do not have the blessing of interpreted history. But it begs some questions: Is there any chance our nation is in a similar situation as Judah was? Could we be living in impending judgment from God here in America? If so, for what sins? How has word been getting out if so? Are there prophets?
If God still judges nations based on what is mentioned in Lamentations and what I summarized, should we be getting word out? If so, how? Many will say, But people don’t want to hear about God’s judgment. People don’t want to hear about “what the church is against”. People want to hear that God loves them. And it is indeed true that God loves them. So, what should our message be? What was Jeremiah’s message to Judah?
Our country was established around 242 years ago. Are we pushing God’s patience or are we good? Do we assume God would never do such a thing to America?
What other questions come to mind?
Also, consider that we are not really any different than the people of Judah… except that we are actually privy to a lot more knowledge of history and of the true nature of salvation.
