I. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SINS Lamentations 1

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1 THE PROBLEM OF PAIN The Book of Lamentations Dr. Jon McNeff, Senior Pastor February 11, 2018 Note: The following are the pastor s notes used in preaching this message. This is not a complete, word-for-word transcription of what was preached. These notes serve as a companion to the complete message, which is available by listening to the audio version. Bible quotes are primarily from NASB and ESV, respectively. Last week The Prophet of Pain today the follow-up The Problem of Pain Hebrew title ekah = How? From first word of the book in Lamentations 1:1 How lonely sits the city that was full of people. Lamentations came from Latin Vulgate = loud cries Written by Jeremiah during the 30 month siege of Nebuchadnezzar the loss that occasioned the writing of this book is horrific the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar meant they lost the symbol of their nation and identity they lost the city, the line of David, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and the Temple itself was burned to the ground the Promised Land was gone because of the sin of God s people indicated the loss of their special relationship with God as His chosen people it s like describing Pearl Harbor or New York City after 9/11 no other book in the Bible contains such sadness and destruction Today Lamentations is read publicly in synagogues on the ninth day of the Jewish month of Ab, the day on which the second Temple was destroyed by Titus Vespasian in 70 A.D. also causes them to remember the earlier destruction of Nebuchadnezzar that was the occasion of the book it is a central piece of Hebrew literature sort of a precursor to Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum in Jerusalem Structure of the book Lamentations 1, 2, and 4 written in form of a Hebrew dirge Lamentations 1, 2, and 4 all have 22 verses written as Hebrew poetry each verse with successive letter of Hebrew alphabet Lamentations 3 has 66 verses triple acrostic first three verses begin with aleph, second three with beth, etc. to demonstrate this is the central chapter Lamentations 5 has 22 verses but it is not an acrostic Bonhoeffer If you board the wrong train, it s no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction. 1 So what can you do when you fail? Five things to remember I. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SINS Lamentations 1 Sin isn t the cause of every form of suffering but here it is it is evident Jeremiah knew this Lamentations 1 tears your heart out Lamentations 1:1-2 How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer! She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. Their situation is desperate: A once bustling city was now a ghost-town The atmosphere resembled a mass funeral Jerusalem was a widow who had lost her husband The greatness of the nation was history no Queen of Sheba came to see this the kings of the earth who admired Solomon were long gone Lamentations 1:8 All who honored her despise her because they have seen her nakedness A princess was now a slave cried at night with the stain of her tears running down her cheeks no one to comfort her all of her friends and lovers have abandoned her they now have sided with her enemies Lamentations 1:16 For these things I weep; my eyes run down with water; because far from me is a comforter, one who restores my soul. My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed. 1 Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2010),

2 Lamentations 1:3 Judah was now in exile this was 586 B.C. but there had been two previous deportations in 605 B.C. and 597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar had systematically stripped the country the feasts were defunct the Temple was in ruins young people were deported all that was left was silence in the ashes no one came to help The cause of this pain is obvious it is their sin: Lamentations 1:5 For the Lord has caused her grief because of the multitude of her transgressions Lamentations 1:8 Jerusalem sinned greatly, therefore she has become an unclean thing. Lamentations 1:18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against His command Lamentations 1:20 I have been very rebellious All suffering is not because of sin Jeremiah was slandered, lied about, thrown in a muddy pit, and mocked continuously but this was not attributed to his sin much like Job who suffered greatly yet in Job 1:22 we find, Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. But confessing sin is always good James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Word for sick is astheneia weakness, sickness, disease, timidity it means to be powerless, weak, lack of strength it is used of Paul s unimpressive personal appearance (2 Corinthians 10:10) the weakness of the flesh being tempted in Matthew 26:41 the weak elements of human religion (Galatians 4:9) of spiritual weakness in not knowing how to pray (Romans 8:26) one who is weak in the faith (Romans 14:1) a weak conscience regarding issues of conscience (1 Corinthians 8:10) those who are financially weak (Acts 20:35) 2 Weakness is suffering of all kinds Solution? call for the elders context isn t only physical illness elders are to bring encouragement and counsel to all who are suffering through their prayers They also anointed him aleipho refers to the care of the body (Matthew 6:17); as a mark of honour to a guest (Luke 7:38, 46); to honour the dead (Mark 16:1); and to heal the sick (Mark 6:13; James 5:14). 3 Then the prayer offered in faith sill restore the one who is sick what is this? It s the prayer asking for rescue from the suffering And if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. James 5:15 no relief without this selfprotection can kill you II. ACKNOWLEDGE GOD S RULE Lamentations 2 God is in charge even in times of chaos Lamentations 2 begins Lamentations 2:1,2 How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger! He has cast from heaven to earth the glory of Israel, And has not remembered His footstool In the day of His anger. The Lord has swallowed up; He has not spared All the habitations of Jacob. In His wrath He has thrown down The strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; He has profaned the kingdom and its princes. Lamentations 2:8-22 gives details of the devastation the natural inclination is to blame anyone else than God Nebuchadnezzar is a powerful and wicked king our soldiers failed we should have been more prepared no one wants to consider God s role in tragedy! 2 G. H.-Link, "Weakness, Sickness, Disease, Paralysis" in, vol. 3, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. Lothar Coenen, Erich Beyreuther and Hans Bietenhard (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), W. Brunotte, "Anoint" in, vol. 1, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. Lothar Coenen, Erich Beyreuther and Hans Bietenhard (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986),

3 But Lamentations 2:17 summarizes God s role The Lord has done what He purposed; He has accomplished His word which He commanded from days of old. He has thrown down without sparing, and He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the might of your adversaries. Our natural inclination is to blame others for the events in our lives bad boss harsh husband nagging wife financial pressure my mother, etc. but to do this means we view life as practical atheists Is God able to change any of these things? Yes then, if He doesn t, then He must be behind them nothing happens by chance God s providence is seen in good and bad III. AFFIRM GOD S GOODNESS Lamentations 3 focus of book A. Distress Lamentations 3:1-18 Jeremiah s personal pain no sin tied to him He has used 14 times! Ends with Lamentations 3:18 So I say, My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord. What is your distress? Cancer broken marriage wayward children anger bitterness where do you go when you get to the end of the line? B. Hope Lamentations 3:19-38 And yet he affirmed God s goodness Lamentations 3:19-66 Cry to God Lamentations 3:19 Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Only people who have been in the pits can talk like this Corrie ten Boom s sister God created the camp so people would know God s grace is deeper than this hell hole. Review God s Word see His character and ultimate promises of deliverance Lamentations 3:20 Surely my soul remembers, therefore I have hope. What does he remember? Must have been significant Affirm God will not abandon you! Lamentations 3:22 The Lord s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. Hebrew word hesed more than mercy it is loyal-love it is loyalty to his covenant obligations, 4 in the middle of the chaos of losing their nation and all the trappings of the Temple, a ruling king, etc., God reminds them of His covenant keeping love for them God is my inheritance Lamentations 3:24 The Lord is my portion refers to the distribution of land an inheritance God is what we inherit not land, things, fame, health, wealth therefore I have hope in Him. Jeremiah recognized his ultimate hope was not in staying in the land or in Babylon or even in people hearing his message his hope was in the Lord Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us? Believe this? God is all sufficient we will never know this while clinging to the things we want or think we deserve we will never be disappointed if our hope is in Him Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Those who seek God will find Him Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. - We don t wait well 1 Chronicles 28:9 for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. This refers to those who earnestly seek Him Romans 3:11 There is none who understands God, there is none who seeks for God. Refers to natural inclinations - Philippians 2:21 they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. Patience is a virtue Lamentations 3:26 It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord. Calvin It is good when any one hopes in the salvation of Jehovah, and is silent, that is, bears patiently all his troubles until God succors him. The idea is that one should consider what they really want in 4 R. Laird Harris, "698 "חסד in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr. and Bruce K. Waltke, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999),

4 considering salvation earthly goods and deliverance or God Calvin It hence appears, that where there is no patience, there is not even a spark of faith in the heart of man; how so? because this is our happiness, to wait or to hope; and we hope for what is hidden. But in the second clause he explains himself still more clearly by saying, and will be silent. To be silent means often in Scripture to rest, to be still; and here it signifies no other thing than to bear the troubles allotted to us, with a calm and resigned mind. He is then said to be silent to God, who remains quiet even when afflictions supply occasion for clamoring; and hence this quietness is opposed to violent feelings; for when some trouble presses on us, we become turbulent, and are carried away by our fury, at one time we quarrel with God, at another we pour forth various complaints. The same thing also happens, when we see some danger, for we tremble, and then we seek remedies here and there, and that with great eagerness. But he who patiently bears his troubles, or who recumbs on God when dangers surround him, is said to be silent or to rest quietly; and hence the words of Isaiah, In hope and silence; for he there exhorts the faithful to patience, and shews where strength is, even when we trust in God, so as willingly to submit to His will, and to be ready to bear his chastisements, and then when we doubt not but that he will be ready to bring us help when we are in danger. 5 Isaiah 30:15 For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength. But you were not willing... Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. The principle is that praying believers are blessed by God with strength in their trials Back in Lamentations Patience and discipline is best learned when you re young Lamentations 3:27 It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth. Remain teachable Lamentations 3:28-30 conflict between the salvation of the Lord and the suffering of life God might choose to put his mouth in the dust so learn from it those who don t learn are like a horse that will not accept the bridle wild and useless Suffering is not forever Lamentations 3:31 but for the one who chooses God For the Lord will not reject forever, for if He causes grief (He does!), then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. causes vs. allows is a shallow view of God Lamentations 2:6 And He has violently treated His tabernacle like a garden booth; He has destroyed His appointed meeting place. The Lord has caused to be forgotten the appointed feast and sabbath in Zion, and He has despised king and priest in the indignation of His anger. - Isaiah 45:7 I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these. God doesn t afflict willingly Lamentations 3:33 For He does not afflict willingly or grieve the sons of men. Both good and bad come from God Lamentations 3:37-38 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth? C. Return to the Lord Lamentations 3:39-66 Jeremiah still offers advice despite the sin of the people: Lamentations 3:40 examine your ways return to the Lord Lamentations 3:42-47 expression of their sins plural Lamentations 3:48-66 Jeremiah s personal reflections Jeremiah offers his own suffering as an example to the nation Lamentations 3:61-66 imprecatory prayer answered in Babylon being judged also final judgment at Great White Throne IV. AVOID FALSE TEACHERS Lamentations 4 The atrocities of the siege continue in Lamentations 4: Lamentations 4:1 Gold has become dullen anything left in the temple has become covered with dust and lost it s value 5 John Calvin, Lamentations, electronic ed., Calvin s Commentaries (Albany, OR: Ages Software, 1998). 4

5 Lamentations 4:3 treatment of children not like jackals who naturally nurse their young but like ostriches, known for ignoring their young Lamentations 4:4 the tongue of the infant cleaves to the roof of its mouth because of thirst; the little ones ask for bread, but no one breaks it for them. Lamentations 4:6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were turned toward her. Their rebellion was worse than the perversion of homosexuality many today consider the opposite yet they continue to rebel against God Lamentations 4:7 Her consecrated ones were purer than snow; they were whiter than milk Lamentations 4:8 but now Their appearance is blacker than soot, they are not recognized in the streets Eating of children Lamentations 4:9-10 Better are those slain with the sword than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children; They became food for them because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. Lamentations 2:20 Should women eat their offspring, the little ones who were born healthy? Normally these were compassionate women but they were so crazed by hunger they ate their own children The end of agony Lamentations 4:11 The Lord has accomplished His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion which has consumed its foundations. Is it possible that people had to get to the place of eating their own children before God was finished with His wrath? Shows how deeply engrained their drive to sin was And why did all this happen? Lamentations 4:12-13 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. Because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who have shed in her midst the blood of the righteous Israel had plenty of prophets most of them were false prophets Jeremiah 23 spoke of the false prophets who led the people astray Jeremiah 23:11 For both prophet and priest are polluted; Even in My house I have found their wickedness, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:13-15 Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; And they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah. Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets, Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood and make them drink poisonous water, for from the prophets of Jerusalem pollution has gone forth into all the land. Today s equivalent Ross Douthat, New York Times op-ed columnist reminds us in Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, America s problem isn t too much religion, or too little of it. It s bad religion: the slow-motion collapse of traditional Christianity and the rise of a variety of destructive pseudo-christianities in its place... In this America too, the Christian teaching that every human soul is unique and precious has been stressed by the prophets of self-fulfillment and gurus of self-love, at the expense of the equally important teaching that every human soul is fatally corrupted by original sin. Absent the latter emphasis, religion becomes a license for egotism and selfishness, easily employed to justify what used to be considered deadly sins. The result is a society where pride becomes healthy self-esteem, vanity becomes self improvement, adultery becomes following your heart, greed and gluttony become living the American dream. 6 Joel Osteen Right now God is showering down blessings, healing, promotions, good ideas. If you are not sharing in His favor, you might want to watch your words. Here s the key: If you don t unleash your words in the right direction, if you don t call in a favor, you will not experience those blessings. Nothing happens unless we speak. 7 Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia upon hearing a voice speak guidance to her It was not an Old Testament Hollywood Charlton Heston voice, nor was it a voice telling me I must build a baseball field in my backyard. It was 6 Ross Douthat, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (New York, NY: Free Press, 2012), 3, 5. 7 Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential (New York: Time Warner, 2004),

6 merely my own voice, speaking from within my own self. And yet this was my voice as I had never heard it before. This was my voice, but perfectly wise, calm and compassionate. This was what any voice would sound like if I d only ever experienced love and certainty in my life. How can I describe the warmth of affection in that voice, as it gave me the answer that would forever seal my faith in the divine... You have every right to cherry pick when it comes to moving your spirit and finding peace in God. 8 Devastation of modern psycho-babble 25 years ago conferences with radio psychologist woman discovered her boundaries swearing divorced selfish Reaction to the false prophets: Lamentations 4:15 Depart! Unclean! they cried of themselves. Depart, depart, do not touch! So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, They shall not continue to dwell with us. People kicked them out realized they lied to them! Too late Lamentations 4:16-19 Lamentations 4:21 Don t laugh Edom you too will be taken! Lamentations 4:22 Punishment is finished! V. PRAY FOR MERCY Lamentations 5 Summary of their problems Lamentations 5:1 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; Look, and see our reproach! Lamentations 5:2-18 reviews of their plight: Lamentations 5:2 inheritance turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens God had promised the land to Abraham 400 years before they possessed it no wonder Jeremiah complained about losing their inheritance from God They were orphans their mothers were widows Lamentations 5:4 Had to pay for water and wood to burn Lamentations 5:6 Had become submissive to both Egypt (former masters!) and Assyria to the north totally dominated Lamentations 5:7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; it is we who have borne their iniquities. Jeremiah recounts the suffering of specific groups: Lamentations 5:8 ruled by slaves Lamentations 5:11 Women were raped Lamentations 5:12 Princes were hung by their hands; elders were not respected. Lamentations 5:13 kids were put to work stumbled under loads of wood. Lamentations 5:14 no music Result of judgment Lamentations 5:15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned into mourning. Lamentations 5:16 The Crown has fallen from our head the Davidic monarchy was temporarily over would not be renewed until Christ evidence of incredible miracle worked by God to resurrect nation of Israel and fulfill this promise Intercession for renewal Ends with Lamentations 5:19-22 You, O Lord, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation. Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long? Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old, Unless You have utterly rejected us And are exceedingly angry with us. Ends with no relief in sight not like TV 8 Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia (New York: Penguin Books, 2006), 10,

7 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How do most people deal with pain and evil in their lives? 2. What role did God play in the pain of the people according to Lamentations 2:1-8? 3. Describe the condition of the people in Lamentations 2: What are the conditions of God s lovingkindness in Lamentations 3:19-38? 5. Why did the people fall into sin according to Lamentations 4:12-13? 6. What have you learned about dealing with pain from this book? 7