I Am The Man
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I really like a Facebook post which I recently read...
“What a year this week has been!”
While some many not catch the meaning of that post, I believe most not only catch the meaning but will readily agree with it!
Because of “the year this week has been,” we are going to take our time this morning to look at an individual who very well could have (and probably did) say the same thing: the prophet, Jeremiah.
Jeremiah had just lived through the experience of seeing the city of Jerusalem completely destroyed and the people taken captive.
Notice how Jeremiah begins the book of Lamentations:
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, And princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
With “shelter in place” orders in effect in many communities across the US; with businesses and restaurants closing their doors; with people self-quaranteeing themselves; with churches sitting empty this morning, the statement, “How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people...” seems to be a very apt description of Charlotte, NC right now.
Take your Bibles this morning and go to Lamentations chapter 3. We’re eventually going to get to a familiar portion of Scripture but, we’ll begin with vs. 1:
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
“I am the man that hath seen affliction...”
“I am the man that hath seen affliction...”
Jeremiah had just seen the utter destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. He certainly had seen affliction. While I am not trying to make a comparison between the destruction of Jerusalem and the COVID-19 pandemic, I do believe that there are Biblical truths that we can glean from Jeremiah’s experience.
That word affliction means depression, trouble, misery.
Over the past several days we all have seen things that we never, in a million years would have dreamed of seeing, outside of a Hollywood movie.
The travel industry is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Schools, colleges, and universities have closed their doors.
The stock market has…I don’t think I need to remind you of that.
The government has effectively shuttered thousands of businesses around the country.
Whole communities have been told to “shelter in place.” (That’s one way of being told that you are under “house arrest.”)
We have seen depression; we have seen trouble; we have seen misery - all within a short span of time.
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
It is likely that we have all read this verse - this passage of Scripture in the past but it probably hasn’t meant much too us until now because now “it’s personal!”
The coronavirus was fine, as long as it stayed in China, in Asia, in Europe. In fact, the coronavirus was fine as long as it stayed on the west coast and only bothered Washington State and California. But, it’s a big deal now that we are being “bothered” by it.
That’s really the way Scripture is as well. Biblical truth doesn’t seem to really mean much until it hits right at home!
For example, Proverbs 3:5-6 have taken on a whole new meaning lately!
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
As I was telling our staff earlier this week, here in the United States, we really don’t know what it is like to truly, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart!” Now, though, it’s becoming painfully obvious what those verses mean and how utterly unprepared we are to practice them!
David wrote:
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I might learn thy statutes.
This is an opportunity for us, as Christians, to not only “say” what we believe but to also “live” what we believe!
In the verses that follow Lamentations 3:1, Jeremiah begins to personify the city of Jerusalem and describe how the city is feeling as a result of the judgment of God.
I want to reassure you that I am not saying that COVID-19 is the judgment of God upon mankind. However, back in Lamentations chapter 1, Jeremiah wrote,
Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; For the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: Her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
The nation of Israel had sinned. Jeremiah wrote, “the multitude of her transgressions.” Ladies and Gentlemen, while it is not my intention to “add insult to injury,” we need to agree that the United States also has a multitude of transgressions!” We are a nation which no longer merely “allows” sin but actively flaunts sin in the face of God!
This morning, we should be on our knees crying out, “God, have mercy on us!”
Turn to and read Daniel 9:3-5, 19
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
We should remember the promise of God:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Now, back to Lamentations chapter 1...some of Jeremiah’s description is pretty accurate and applicable to our current situation:
Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries All her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: The adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
It is easy, right now, as we experience this “affliction” and “misery” for us to think back on and wish for “the good ‘ole days!” Right now, we all want things to go back to normal. We are all wondering, “When will things get back to normal?”
The question that we need to ask ourselves, though, is this, What if things don’t go back to normal? Are we still going to trust the Lord?
Turn back to Lamentations chapter 3. Again, in the verses that follow Lamentations 3:1, Jeremiah begins to personify the city of Jerusalem and describe how the city is feeling as a result of the judgment of God.
Many people, right now, feel like vs. 17-18:
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:
There’s one thing that seems to be in short supply right now - Peace.
People have forgotten prosperity. Right now people are wondering how they’re going to get by.
People have no strength.
People have no hope.
If any of those describe how you are feeling right now, take heart!
Let’s read a familiar passage of Scripture. Turn to and read Lamentation 3:17-26.
We must be humble.
We must be humble.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
If we do not willingly humble ourselves before God, He will humble us.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Right now, our first response needs to be: Humility.
We must change our thinking.
We must change our thinking.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
That phrase, “recall to my mind,” literally means, “turn back, return.”
Right now, many people are in a state of panic and paranoia because their minds are focusing on all the questions that they cannot answer.
Let’s change our thinking!
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Our thinking must change. We should meditate upon our God!
God is merciful.
God is merciful.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Consumed: wasted; burnt up; destroyed; dissipated; squandered; expended.
The only reason that we, individually and collectively, have not already been destroyed is because of God’s mercy!
This morning, what we should be doing, individually and collectively, is exactly what the publican did in Luke 18:13:
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
God is ready to be merciful if we will humble ourselves and seek His forgiveness.
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
God is love.
God is love.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Notice, “His compassions fail not;” God’s loves never fails. Even in righteous anger toward our sin, God still loves us. That’s the amazing thing about God. He can be 100% righteously angry toward sin while still showing 100% love toward the sinner.
Notice, again, what Jeremiah wrote in vs. 32:
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
God has demonstrated His mercy and love through His Son, Jesus Christ.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
When we are tempted to doubt God’s love, we must remind ourselves that God’s love has never failed.
God is faithful.
God is faithful.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
God is faithful. God has never failed us. God will never fail us. God cannot fail. Why? Because He is faithful.
His faithfulness is shown every morning!
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
Every day, as we watch the sun rise in the east and set in the west, it should serve as a reminder that God is faithful!
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
God is faithful. We can trust Him. You can trust Him. I do not know how God will show Himself faithful in your life; I just know that He will.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
God is all we need.
God is all we need.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Jerusalem had just been destroyed. The city which served as a reminder of God giving to the nation of Israel a promised land. Now, it was gone. Now, what did they have left?
“The Lord is my portion...” God is all we need.
Over this past week it seems that a lot has been taken away from us.
When you find that He’s all you have; you’ll find that He’s all you need!
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
In this time of trouble and uncertainty, we must remember that He is all we need!
God is good.
God is good.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
God is good…(All the time)!
All the time…(God is good)!
There is no doubt that God is good.
I do understand that some will say, “If God is so good than why has He allowed this virus to spread like it has?” In answer to that specific question I will say, “I don’t know.” But although I cannot answer that question I still know that God is good.
The fact that God is good means that He has no evil in Him, His intentions and motivations are always good, He always does what is right, and the outcome of His plan is always good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
I do not know why God has allowed the events of the past week to happen. But I do know this…God has a plan and because God is good, I know that His plan is good.
Because of that, we must do two things:
Be patient
Be patient
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
And, we must...
Seek the Lord
Seek the Lord
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
I do not know how God is working…I just know that He is.
I do not know what God’s plan is…I just know that it is good.