I just read Lamentations, chapter, 3. It gives more details of how great God is. I just want to ask some of the insights inside of that beautiful chapter.
The book of Lamentations is, of course, the lamentations of Jeremiah the prophet as we read in 2 Chronicles 35:25, “And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.” A lamentation is an expression of sorrow, mourning, or regret. Why was Jeremiah lamenting? It was because of Judah’s continued and unrepentant idolatry that the Lord allowed Babylon to overwhelm, ransack, burn and destroy the city of Jerusalem. Solomon’s Temple, which had stood for almost 400 years, was burned to the ground. The Prophet Jeremiah, an eyewitness to these events, wrote the Book of Lamentations as a lament for what occurred to Judah and Jerusalem.
Chapter 3 is a lengthy chapter, containing sixty-six verses. This chapter is a powerful chapter that begins with deep suffering and despair but shifts to hope and trust in God’s faithfulness. The chapter can be viewed in three divisions:
- Verses 1-18 speak of the bitterness of affliction.
- Verses 19-39 speak of the dawn of hope.
- Verses 40-66 is a call to repentance and prayer for deliverance.
The themes of this chapter reflect the reality of the life we live today. This chapter speaks of:
- Suffering and despair
- Divine justice and wrath
- Hope and redemption
- Faithfulness and mercy of God
- Repentance and prayer
Jeremiah begins this chapter by mentioning that he was a man who was acquainted with suffering. He writes in Lamentations 3:1, “I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.” Of course, this prophet had seen his own share of affliction as seen in Jeremiah 38:6, “Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.” Yet, here, as he identifies so closely with Jerusalem, he speaks of being afflicted of God.
Because they are so important and encouraging, let’s read verses 22-26, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 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.” What a realization of the guiltiness of man and God’s rightful judgment of man, only to be introduced to the subject of God’s mercy and compassion, which never fail. They are constantly new! Malachi would later write, “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6). Our unchangeable Lord is full of mercy and compassion towards those who seek Him. How thankful we should be!
“The LORD is my portion…” What a marvelous statement of what is ours when we are the Lord’s Not great riches, possessions, or favor in the world, but the Lord Himself. We read in Numbers 18:20, “And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I AM THY PART AND THINE INHERITANCE among the children of Israel.”
So much more could be said about this wonderful chapter, but for the sake of brevity, we will end here. I do encourage you to continue in your studies in this book and allow the Lord to feed you upon His precious Word. (CC) (635.6)