Lamentations 4:1-13 "How is the gold become dim ! how is the most fine gold changed ! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter ! Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. The LORD hath accomplished HIS fury; HE hath poured out HIS fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her."
In this fourth chapter we return to the now familiar word that opened the first two chapters of the book of Lamentations: "How." The prophet Jeremiah's lament begins with a question that captures the reality of the terrible destruction of the city. Human life was now devalued of any worth. He compares their pre-siege existence to their present dire circumstances (vv.1-2). Rather than precious commodities, the people were regarded as worthless earthenware, disposable at the whim of the owner. This debasing of life was further evidenced in the fact that the parents now ignored the basic needs of their children (vv.3-4). Those who once had wealth now had nothing (v.5). The devastation was even greater than the demolition of Sodom, which GOD accomplished "in a moment" when HE poured out HIS fury in the form of fire from Heaven (v.6 cf. Genesis 19:24-25 pictured above). This judgment upon Jerusalem took much longer and involved another nation, Babylon, which GOD used to accomplish HIS purpose (vv.6, 11-12). The situation in which Jeremiah and the other survivors lived was heartrending. To see not only the obliteration of the buildings but also of the lives of GOD's people had to have been overwhelming beyond words (vv.12-13).
The reality that GOD rebukes sin seems foreign to many professing Christians in our day. The LORD's righteous indignation is contrary to what they presume the Bible teaches about GOD. When we read the words of the prophets in the Scriptures, the LORD may appear harsh or vindictive, but the fact is: GOD must deal with sin. HE is holy and just, and HE eventually will address sin in the lives of HIS OWN (Hebrews 12:6 pictured above). GDF
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.
Used with permission. www.featoday.org
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