Jeremiah is believed to have written this week’s book – Lamentations. It is a lament, a weeping over the city of Jerusalem after its destruction by Babylon.
Lamentations 1: How Lonely Sits the City
1 How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave.
2 She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude; she dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting place; her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn, for none come to the festival; all her gates are desolate; her priests groan; her virgins have been afflicted, and she herself suffers bitterly.
5 Her foes have become the head; her enemies prosper, because the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone away, captives before the foe.
6 From the daughter of Zion all her majesty has departed. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture; they fled without strength before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and wandering all the precious things that were hers from days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the foe, and there was none to help her, her foes gloated over her; they mocked at her downfall.
8 Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honoured her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away.
9 Her uncleanness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her future; therefore her fall is terrible; she has no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!"
10 The enemy has stretched out his hands over all her precious things; for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, those whom you forbade to enter your congregation.
11 All her people groan as they search for bread; they trade their treasures for food to revive their strength. "Look, O LORD, and see, for I am despised."
12 "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.
13 "From on high he sent fire; into my bones he made it descend; he spread a net for my feet; he turned me back; he has left me stunned, faint all the day long.
14 "My transgressions were bound into a yoke; by his hand they were fastened together; they were set upon my neck; he caused my strength to fail; the Lord gave me into the hands of those whom I cannot withstand.
15 "The Lord rejected all my mighty men in my midst; he summoned an assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.
16 "For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my spirit; my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed."
17 Zion stretches out her hands, but there is none to comfort her; the LORD has commanded against Jacob that his neighbours should be his foes; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
18 "The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word; but hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity.
19 "I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city, while they sought food to revive their strength.
20 "Look, O LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death.
21 "They heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you announced; now let them be as I am.
22 "Let all their evildoing come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint."
Things to think about…
1. The lonely city Jeremiah is writing about, Lam 1:1 is Jerusalem after the year 586BC after the Babylonians had finally come in and killed the false prophets, priests and king’s family and taken everyone else captive to Babylon as Jeremiah had prophesied over the life of his ministry. The city is given a persona and is described as a lonely harlot who has been left by her lovers and friends, they have dealt treacherously with her, vs 2. But she was warned. The same with churches. We must seek after applying God’s truth into our lives, not just be cultural Christians. The church at Laodicea in Rev 3:14-22 was a church in danger of this occurring.
2. The city was taken in distress, Lam 1:3. There were no people coming to the festivals, vs 4. The Passover was the biggest and therefore the most lamented. It is interesting that this festival celebrated an exile. Here now for Jerusalem, the festivals are not being celebrated because of an exile. We are called to take an exile away from sin. Paul says it this way by “Putting off the old man”, Eph 4:24.
3. The inhabitants of Judah believed they were invincible because they were ‘God’s chosen people’ and they thought God would never take them away from the promised land. But as Solomon prophesied at the temple dedication in 1 Kings 8, if the people turned away from faithfully following the Lord they would go into captivity. Churches in the same way lose their influence within the community when they fail to proclaim the Word of God and live it out.
4. While most in ancient Judah were taken to Babylon, some poor farmers were left to cultivate the land. But because the land was destroyed and in a state of famine even those who were left traded their last possessions to survive, Lam1:11. When the gospel is not proclaimed both the land and the people suffer.
5. It is interesting to note the change from a third person narrative speaking about the city from Lam 1:1-10 to a first-person narrative where the city speaks for herself from verse 11 “Look, O LORD, and see, for I am despised”. She is asking the Lord to intervene for her. She acknowledges her wrong, vs 18, but loathes her condition. We must loathe sin, to turn from it that we may be healed in Jesus’ name.
6. Lam 1:17 confirms that Jerusalem is the city spoken about. It says she called to her lovers, and they deceived her, Lam 1:19. This was mainly by the nations of Egypt and Assyria. Both these powers were becoming increasingly inferior to the growing might of the Babylonians. Jeremiah finishes this first chapter with a desire to see judgement come upon the enemies of Jerusalem, Lam 1:21, 22. We know that this would be the case as the Babylonians would eventually be overtaken by the Medo/Persian empire in 538BC. We are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and I would encourage you to pray for the gospel to go out more fully in this city and Israel in general, especially now with the present conflict in Gaza Continue to pray for the One for Israel ministry the endeavours to share the gospel of lofe and hope to both Jews and Arabs.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesdays. 6:30pm every Wednesday. 5:30pm prayer.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for Ric and specialist care this week. Hopefully his condition can be finally dealt with.
2. Pray for Phil and Anna Kennedy especially over the next few days
3. Pray for the work we have going on with site development and TMR.
4. Keep praying for PlayPatch on Fridays, pray for more families to be reached.
5. Pray for Chaplaincy and Kids Hope at Karalee State School.
6. Pray for peace over the US elections
7. The ongoing conflicts in Israel and Ukraine.
8. Church finances to continue to grow and expenses to be more than met.
9. Pray for Kids@Church, Life groups. Young Adults.
10. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Wednesday afternoons, 5:30pm at church. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
11. Pray about the possibility and planning of a Farmers Market at Chuwar Baptist Church once a month on Saturdays. Anastasia taking the lead on this. Pray for us as we plan
12. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
13. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Ric sounded his usual self after yesterday’s events. Praise God he is still with us.
2. Praise God for God’s ministry on Sunday and café afterwards.
3. Did really well with the kids at face painting considering yesterday’s events.
4. Wonderful ministry from CMI and Dr Ron Neller on Sunday night.
5. Praise God for young people stepping up in a number of ministries.
6. New people helping with Playgroup.
7. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Members meeting next Sunday morning 25th Aug after morning tea.
2. Prayer meeting 5:30pm and Life Group Wednesday 6:30pm at church. Not tonight due to holiday
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for August...
Q. 23. What is meant by transgression? A. Doing what God forbids.
