God is All Powerful

Lamentations - Learning to Lament God is All Powerful - Lamentations 2:1-22 August 17, 2025 Roughly four weeks ago, a rising star in Christian music named Forrest Frank broke two vertebrae - his L3 and his L4. On day five of recovery, he posted a video of himself attempting to sit up and stand from his bed, and as he was attempting this, you can see and hear the pain that he was going through. As he is in tears, he calls out to Jesus for relief. In those first 3-5 days, he documented his progress, and I would argue, that he had focused on three aspects as he suffered through this recovery: pain, praise, and prayer. This was evidenced when he initially posted the video of his skateboarding accident and the attempt to get out of bed. That was followed by two song releases (from his bed, laptop, and recording equipment), to a video posted from a Tauren Wells concert where 5,000 people were praying for him. Within only two weeks of the fractures, he posted yet another video, this time with miraculous results. No pain and no brace. So, he ordered an "emergency" x-ray and imaging, which came back without any fractures. Within 5 days of that post, he was in Iowa doing a show. Of course, as we saw last week when we opened up our series in Lamentations, that it is not always good news, like Forrest's. But we did learn that lament is a process. Sometimes we are healed. Other times, we must go through the trial that has been put before us, because that process has a purpose. Speaking of last week, Pastor Pat did an amazing job in opening our sermon series in Lamentations, am I right? One of the learnings from last week was the definition that was used that will help guide us through this book, which is: A lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. We also saw that when one laments biblically, there are four elements to that lament: * Turn to God in prayer * Bring my complaints * Ask boldly * Choose to trust I think it is safe to say that Forrest Frank did indeed follow these steps of lament. Remember, this is one of the purposes of this book, to teach us how to lament. As we get started in this second chapter, we do need to set it up a little bit. Structurally, we see that this chapter is like chapter one, namely that it is written in an acrostic. One commentary noted that the literary usage of an acrostic poem was for the writer to "give full expression to the suffering of his people and the sorrows of his own soul - in effect, to offer a lament 'from A-Z.'" In many ways, it was used to be memorable, and to emphasize its meaning and its impact. I think we will see that here in chapter two. One of the primary differences we'll see from chapter one to chapter two is the focus of the lament. Last week, the focus was largely on Jerusalem, and this week the focus is largely on the Lord. With that background in mind, let's read Lamentations, chapter 2: 1 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. 4 HE HAS BENT HIS BOW LIKE AN ENEMY WITH HIS RIGHT HAND SET LIKE A FOE; AND HE HAS KILLED ALL WHO WERE DELIGHTFUL IN OUR EYES IN THE TENT OF THE DAUGHTER OF ZION; HE HAS POURED OUT HIS FURY LIKE FIRE. 5 THE LORD HAS BECOME LIKE AN ENEMY; HE HAS SWALLOWED UP ISRAEL; HE HAS SWALLOWED UP ALL ITS PALACES; HE HAS LAID IN RUINS ITS STRONGHOLDS, AND HE HAS MULTIPLIED IN THE DAUGHTER OF JUDAH MOURNING AND LAMENTATION. 6 HE HAS LAID WASTE HIS BOOTH LIKE A GARDEN, LAID IN RUINS HIS MEETING PLACE; THE LORD HAS MADE ZION FORGET FESTIVAL AND SABBATH, AND IN HIS FIERCE INDIGNATION HAS SPURNED KING AND 7 THE LORD HAS SCORNED HIS ALTAR, DISOWNED HIS SANCTUARY; HE HAS DELIVERED INTO THE HAND OF THE ENEMY THE WALLS OF HER PALACES; THEY RAISED A CLAMOR IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AS ON THE DAY OF FESTIVAL. 8 THE LORD DETERMINED TO LAY IN RUINS THE WALL OF THE DAUGHTER OF ZION; HE STRETCHED OUT THE MEASURING LINE; HE DID NOT RESTRAIN HIS HAND FROM DESTROYING; HE CAUSED RAMPART AND WALL TO LAMENT; THEY LANGUISHED TOGETHER. 9 HER GATES HAVE SUNK INTO THE GROUND; HE HAS RUINED AND BROKEN HER BARS; HER KING AND PRINCES ARE AMONG THE NATIONS; THE LAW IS NO MORE, AND HER PROPHETS FIND NO VISION FROM THE LORD. 10 THE ELDERS OF THE DAUGHTER OF ZION SIT ON THE GROUND IN SILENCE; THEY HAVE THROWN DUST ON THEIR HEADS AND PUT ON SACKCLOTH; THE YOUNG WOMEN OF JERUSALEM HAVE BOWED THEIR HEADS TO THE GROUND. 11 MY EYES ARE SPENT WITH WEEPING; MY STOMACH CHURNS; MY BILE IS POURED OUT TO THE GROUND BECAUSE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE, BECAUSE INFANTS AND BABIES FAINT IN THE STREETS OF THE CITY. 12 THEY CRY TO THEIR MOTHERS, "WHERE IS BREAD AND WINE AS THEY FAINT LIKE A WOUNDED MAN IN THE STREETS OF THE CITY, AS THEIR LIFE IS POURED OUT ON THEIR MOTHERS' BOSOM. 13 WHAT CAN I SAY FOR YOU, TO WHAT COMPARE YOU, O DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM? WHAT CAN I LIKEN TO YOU, THAT I MAY COMFORT YOU, O VIRGIN DAUGHTER OF ZION? FOR YOUR RUIN IS VAST AS THE SEA; WHO CAN HEAL YOU? 14 YOUR PROPHETS HAVE SEEN FOR YOU FALSE AND DECEPTIVE VISIONS; THEY HAVE NOT EXPOSED YOUR INIQUITY TO RESTORE YOUR FORTUNES, BUT HAVE SEEN FOR YOU ORACLES THAT ARE FALSE AND MISLEADING. 15 ALL WHO PASS ALONG THE WAY CLAP THEIR HANDS AT YOU; THEY HISS AND WAG THEIR HEADS AT THE DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM: "IS THIS THE CITY THAT WAS CALLED THE PERFECTION OF BEAUTY, THE JOY OF ALL THE EARTH?" 16 ALL YOUR ENEMIES RAIL AGAINST YOU; THEY HISS, THEY GNASH THEIR TEETH, THEY CRY: "WE HAVE SWALLOWED HER! AH, THIS IS THE DAY WE LONGED FOR; NOW WE HAVE IT; WE SEE IT!" 17 THE LORD HAS DONE WHAT HE PURPOSED; HE HAS CARRIED OUT HIS WORD, WHICH HE COMMANDED LONG AGO; HE HAS THROWN DOWN WITHOUT PITY; HE HAS MADE THE ENEMY REJOICE OVER YOU AND EXALTED THE MIGHT OF YOUR FOES. 18 THEIR HEART CRIED TO THE LORD. O WALL OF THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, LET TEARS STREAM DOWN LIKE A TORRENT DAY AND NIGHT! GIVE YOURSELF NO REST, YOUR EYES NO RESPITE! 19 "ARISE, CRY OUT IN THE NIGHT, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT WATCHES! POUR OUT YOUR HEART LIKE WATER BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD! LIFT YOUR HANDS TO HIM FOR THE LIVES OF YOUR CHILDREN, WHO FAINT FOR HUNGER AT THE HEAD OF EVERY STREET." 20 LOOK, O LORD, AND SEE! WITH WHOM HAVE YOU DEALT THUS? SHOULD WOMEN EAT THE FRUIT OF THEIR WOMB, THE CHILDREN OF THEIR TENDER CARE? SHOULD PRIEST AND PROPHET BE KILLED IN THE SANCTUARY OF THE LORD? 21 IN THE DUST OF THE STREETS LIE THE YOUNG AND THE OLD; MY YOUNG WOMEN AND MY YOUNG MEN HAVE FALLEN BY THE SWORD; YOU HAVE KILLED THEM IN THE DAY OF YOUR ANGER, SLAUGHTERING WITHOUT PITY. 22 YOU SUMMONED AS IF TO A FESTIVAL MY TERRORS ON EVERY SIDE, AND ON THE DAY OF THE ANGER OF THE LORD NO ONE ESCAPED OR SURVIVED; THOSE WHOM I HELD AND RAISED MY ENEMY DESTROYED. I'll admit, there is a lot here, so I want to keep this simple (and within 30 minutes). Let's begin with our main idea, which is more of a statement of fact: It's time to acknowledge the power of the Lord. Within this passage, and its sister book - Jeremiah, you see hints of complacency and - unfortunately - deception from leaders. In other words, as seen in verse 14, the people have ignored the power and holiness of the Lord. The Lord has promised - all throughout the Scriptures - that He would deal harshly with His people if they do not hold up their end of the covenant. We could go all the way back to Abraham, or to Leviticus 26 or Deuteronomy 28, or even as recent as Jeremiah 39 and 52. Here, in the book of Lamentations, the writer laments the results of the Lord's promise to His unfaithful people. So, here's what I want to discuss further as we explore this passage for the rest of our time this morning. GOD'S POWER IN RELATIONSHIP TO LAMENT In many ways, it really is all about understanding what He is up to, and why He is doing it. Last week, we saw why Jerusalem was suffering. Chapter 1, verse 8 told us that Jerusalem sinned "GRIEVOUSLY." This morning, as alluded to earlier, we now know that God is the primary actor in this chapter, and as such, we learn what He is up to. Let's begin first with verses 1-9, where we see that ... * Even in judgment, God is faithful (vv.1-9) o What does this mean? o A few minutes ago, I mentioned Deuteronomy 28. Here's a piece of what is revealed there: * In verse 1, we see the promised blessings for obedience: "AND IF YOU FAITHFULLY OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, BEING CAREFUL TO DO ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS THAT I COMMAND YOU TODAY, THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL SET YOU HIGH ABOVE ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH. * But, later in verse 15, we see the result of disobedience: "BUT IF YOU WILL NOT OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD OR BE CAREFUL TO DO ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES THAT I COMMAND YOU TODAY, THEN ALL THESE CURSES SHALL COME UPON YOU AND OVERTAKE YOU. o In other words, the Lord is faithful to His Word. o It was probably about 1,500 years between the Lord's covenant with Abraham to the exile that we're reading about here. o What we see here is that, while the Lord proves to be faithful to His Word, He is also patient. o Notice how the Lord is responding out of anger. o This means that when we sin, we must understand how it angers the Lord, and therefore, sin should anger us as well. o James talks about this in his letter too, chapter 4, verse 9 tells us to ... BE WRETCHED AND MOURN AND WEEP. LET YOUR LAUGHTER BE TURNED TO MOURNING AND YOUR JOY TO GLOOM. * Just before those words, he called for purification and cleansing from sin and temptation. o When the people of God turned on Him, as a righteous judge would, He had to respond in kind. o The text here further reveals that while God is the primary actor here, He used nations and rulers like Nebuchadnezzar to carry out this judgment. o So, what was the impact of His righteous anger? To summarize: * He came against them like an enemy ... * He tore down their walls, making them vulnerable to her enemies ... * He destroyed the temple, because their worship was false ... * And the prophets were quieted. o It is like what Romans 1 reminds us of, namely that the Lord will eventually give us over to our desires. o Again, we have the proof right here that when the Lord says He will do something, we can count on Him to do that. o This means that when He offers salvation through His Son, He is faithful to do so. o That means that when He says when we confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive us. o That means that when He calls for repentance, He is giving us time to respond. o Another lesson in our Lord's power is the hard truth that ... * We are all impacted by our sin (vv.10-17) o This section of the lament describes the impact of our sin. o Which means that - as mentioned above - we need to take our sin seriously. o Notice the personal anguish of the elders and young women in verse 10. o Notice the pain that the prophet is experiencing as he witnesses this in verse 11, along with the infants and babies. o Notice the mother's inability to care for her family in verse 12 o Then, we see in verse 13 why, in part, this occurred. * The false prophets promised them restoration without repentance. * This is a false gospel, and it destroyed the people and the city. * And it destroys, even today. o As stated above, sin affects everyone. And guess what? Verse 16 reveals that our enemies love to see us fail. o Verse 17 may be the most important verse in this chapter. We saw this earlier, but we are reminded that the Lord has done what He has purposed to do. * He is faithful, and He is requesting that we are too. o As we continue in this book, remember the four elements of lament. That's where our response comes in. o So, what is our response? * Cry out to the Lord. (vv.18-22) o We saw last week that we are to turn to God in prayer. o When we do this, we are to bring to Him our complaints. o Then, we are to ask boldly for His mighty hand to be at work. o Finally, we are to choose to trust Him. o When we approach the Lord in our times of trouble, we are acknowledging that we trust Him, and that He is all powerful. I meant it earlier when I said in our main idea: It's time to acknowledge the power of the Lord. That's because it is His power that can destroy, and His power that can restore. It is His power that judges, but it is His power that saves. It is His power that can make a dead man, alive in Christ. It is His power that holds the universe together, and His power that will usher in a New Heaven and a New Earth. So. We all must choose. We can choose to trust Him, or we can choose to reject Him. This lament shows us the result of that choice. What will you choose? Let's pray. 2