Lamentations 2

06-23-2019

Recap

2 wks ago we started our study of Lamentations

In we learned oh how the mighty have fallen

We learned how the great and mighty city of Jerusalem had sinned and sinned greatly

How a nation who once walked with God had now fallen

We also see in Lamentations the cry of a nation and no one coming to her aide

We see that God’s judgement on sin

We understand that God cannot and will not be a part of sin and for us to think that God will bless us if we are continuing in sin is not right

This week we will continue on with

Its funny we talked about God’s wrath before Fathers Day

For Fathers day we challenged and talk about the importance of getting involved in the local church and how important that is

and celebrated our fathers

Now we are back to Gods wrath

So

We will start of this morning with some tough stuff

Stuff not often talked about in the church today

The wrath of God

Wow again this does not sound much like a God you and I would want to be a part of but because God has standards and truth

remember church the nation had sinned and sinned greatly and now because of that sin they are getting exactly what they deserve

They are getting what they deserve because there was no repentant heart, there was no turning from sin

Maybe the first chapter we see why God is pouring out wrath on the nation and city, now we are seeing that wrath

In detail the God of the universe is going to bring about the death of his chosen people because they have sinned and sinned greatly

remember church this is a nation who thought their status would keep them safe from others

Almost an arrogance about them that they thought they were better than others because they were Gods people

Little did they understand that being God’s chosen people required more and at minimum required them to walk with God

No where in scripture does God require you to be perfect, rather He does require you to walk with Him

God continues His wrath

God would allow the continued destruction of His temple

It would appear that the presence of the Lord hard departed His people

How scary of a situation to be in once you realize what is actually happening

To understand that the God will allow His meeting place with His chosen people to be destroyed only because the people have sinned and sinned greatly

God says that His temple, His meeting place has become just a common shed, nothing important about about, a useless garden shed

God has allowed the city walls to be overrun and the city to be pillaged and taken captive

If you will recall the nation was actually carried off into captivity

God has allowed this to happen because they continue to allow sin to run ram-pet

Church I believe that the nation slowly began to turn and fade away from their God

I believe church that God had turned them over to the desires of their heart

Jeremiah begins to describe what is actually happening

the nation leaders begin to mourn because they are being overtaken in battle and their city is being destroyed

Jeremiah as he is watching this begins to cry because the nation who once walked with God is experiencing His wrath

Jeremiah is saying the people will search the streets and find nothing

How broken Jeremiah must begin to feel at this point, understand though he knows what is happening

Then in vs 13 we see this question

How shall I admonish you

How shall I reprimand you or warn you sternly

Nation are you listening now?

To us this should be a warning

Are you listening church those of you who walk with Jesus do you understand what happens when we continue on in sin

We will experience Gods judgement

Jeremiah even says that the prophets cant comfort the people that they see false visions

At this point nothing can comfort the people

Their enemies begin to mock them

They begin to poke fun and begin to say that this once great nation has fallen

Oh how the mighty have fallen

How they have fallen from their prestigious position in the world as a great nation because they have sinned and sinned greatly

God has said and will continue to judge sin

In the garden he judged sin and in revelation he will continue to judge sin

Once He has made His mind there is no changing His mind

At this point church the nation will need to be broke and humble and come under the judgement of God

We end the chapter with the utter destruction of Gods chosen people their death and destruction

How horrible this is

See church this should be a warning to Gods people and the church

But we also can begin to apply this warning to our own nation

This is a warning, that at some point God will turn us over to the desires of our heart if He already hasn’t

See church the wrath of God has been and will be poured out on those who denied Him

Understand that this is not sin but it is sin without the repentance

Church without repentance their is Gods wrath

In Lamentations the nation of God had grown to refuse to acknowledge God any longer

Scripture says that God has turned them over to the desires of their hearts

Dare I say it church but I believe we live in a romans 1 world right now

I believe that God being the good parent He is has finally said child of mine you think you know better good luck

Just like parents here at some point your child thought they knew better and you probably said at some point you think you know better, good luck with that

God I believe said that to the nation of Israel in Lamentations and I believe that God has said that to the United States

Oh child of mine you think you know better fine then I will turn you over to the desires of your heart

We are seeing truth looked at as foolishness

We are seeing the natural things being exchanged for unnatural

Church this is a warning to the individual believer and the church and our nation alike

You cannot allow sin to continue in your lives

You and I are to live holy because God is holy

Invitation

as we move into this time of invitation

maybe you are here today and you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, to be honest you are living in sin and you no longer want to live in sin

I want to invite you to the altar and there will be people who can open up the scripture and show you how to accept that free gift of salvation

or maybe you are here and you already have a relationship with Jesus and because of sin in your life have grown apart from God

You can repent of that sin and walk out of this place in true fellowship with God