Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Our Bible study on the book of Lamentations. The book of Lamentations. Take your Bible. If you go all the way and go past Isaiah, all past Jeremiah, right next to Jeremiah is the little five chapters of Lamentation. If you go too far, you get into the book of Ezekiel. And as we get into the second chapter of the book of Lamentations, in verses one through 22, we'll focus on verse 15 of the 22 verses, Amen. I wanna talk to you about the weight of wrath and the call to repentance. Here, as we get into the Word of God, let's open up with a time of prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before you acknowledging our daily need for your mercy and grace. Forgive us, Lord, for the sins that we commit daily in thought, word, and deed. Cleanse our hearts, renew our spirits, that we may walk in the light of your holiness. Equip us, Father, with the full armor of God, that we may stand strong against the attacks of the enemy. Let us wear the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness. Take up the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit that we may fight victoriously in the battles we face. Guide us in this time of worship and reflection that our hearts may be open to receive your word and to live out its truths. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen. We did our introduction last time as we talked about the weeping prophet Jeremiah. And so the tears of the weeping prophet. Here in this second chapter, as we talk about the weight of wrath and the call to repentance, said man. I was reading about a young woman. that recalled a time when their neighborhood was struck by a fierce storm. She described the devastation, the trees torn from their roots, homes destroyed, power lost for days, and yet amid the wreckage, she witnessed something amazing. Neighbors who had never spoke to one another before began helping, comforting, and supporting one another. You know, in the face of such destruction, compassion and kindness emerged. Like that storm, God's wrath can bring devastation. But in the middle of that storm, there's an opportunity for reflection, repentance, and reconciliation with God. The Book of Lamentations shows us this truth. It depicts Judah's destruction, a judgment brought about by God himself due to their sin. The question is, how will we respond in the face of divine judgment? The wrath of God is not a pleasant subject. Most people ignore it. They refuse to think about God's anger at sin. Some people even deny the fact that God will judge the world. But of course, there are some who even deny that God exists. But one fact always to be remembered is denial does not make the truth null and void. Truth is truth, and therefore, truth will always stand. God does exist, and He is perfect love and perfect righteousness. In the clear teaching of Scripture, out of Lamentations chapter two, God has demonstrated His perfect love by sending His very own Son to save the world from the bondage of sin and death. But even as God has demonstrated His perfect love, so He will demonstrate His perfect righteousness in the coming day of judgment. He will execute perfect justice on earth. He will correct all the wrongdoing, all the unfair behavior, all the injustice of the earth, and every sinful, wicked human being will face God's terrifying judgment. Any act of wickedness, whether it be abusing a small child or cursing of His holy name, arousing God's anger, He warns every human being that a day of accounting is coming, a day when He will pour out His wrath upon all, who continue in their wickedness and refuse to seek His forgiveness so that they can be acceptable to Him. Down through history, the Israelites refused to heed God's warning. They continued to defy and curse His holy name, and therefore the Lord was forced to execute His judgment against Jerusalem, using Babylon as his agent of justice, God aroused King Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the nation of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. And after burning the great city to the ground, the Babylonian army returned home rejoicing in its great victory. Sometime later, Jeremiah, the prophet, stood on a hill inspecting the ruins of his beloved city, and his thoughts focused upon the fact that God had destroyed the city because of his wrath against the people's terrible sins, and their defiance of him and his holy word. When we look, we see the weight of the wrath and the call to repentance. Our highlight verse is verse 15 of Lamentations chapter two. All that pass by clap their hands at thee, they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying, is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? You see, the weight of wrath and the call to repentance here in Lamentations chapter 2, Jerusalem's enemies mock her downfall, once considered a glorious city, now left in ruins due to God's judgment. And this, verse 15, emphasizes the contrast between Jerusalem's former greatness and her current humiliation, showing the consequences of forsaking God. And so, the weight of wrath and the call to repentance. As Jeremiah vividly describes the overwhelming weight of God's wrath poured out upon Jerusalem, this chapter emphasizes God's righteous anger against the sins of His people and how this wrath has resulted in the destruction of the city and its temple and its inhabitants. And so, When we look and we realize of this main thing we see. the outpouring of God's wrath. And I'm glad that when we see the description of God's wrath, we start out in verse one and it tells us, how hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger and cast down from heaven under the earth the beauty of Israel and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger. God's anger is like a dark cloud that overshadows Zion, casting down his form of beauty. You know, verse one, speaks to those moments when we feel overwhelmed by life's struggles, as if the beauty and blessings we once had are no longer remembered. It reminds us that God's judgment may sometimes seem severe, but it's a part of his righteous plan. In verse 2, the Lord has swallowed up all the inhabitants of Jacob and hath not pitied. He hath thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah. He hath brought them down to the ground. He hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. The Lord's wrath has not spared Judah, even its strongholds and leaders have been brought low. In verse two, when hardships come, they often strike every part of life, our home, our work, and even the security that we place in leadership. This verse resonates with times when it feels like no place is safe or untouched by suffering. And so, in verse three, as we continue on talking about the outpouring of God's wrath in verses one through 10, in verse three it says, and to King James, he hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel. He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about. God has withdrawn his protection from Israel, allowing his anger to consume the nation like fire. You know, there are times when it feels like God's hand of protection is removed, and we are exposed to the harshness of life, and the imagery of fire reminds us of the consuming nature of grief and judgment. In verse 4 of the King James, it says, "...he hath bent his bow like an enemy. He stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion. He poured out his fury like fire." God's depicted as an enemy, wielded his bow against his own people. striking down even what was once beautiful, because the weight and the wrath and the call to repentance, when we look and realize that this verse expresses the feeling of being at odds with God, when it feels like life's beauty and peace are being torn apart by forces beyond our control, it reflects the anguish of seeing what we love being destroyed. In verse five, The Lord was an enemy. He hath swallowed up Israel. He hath swallowed up all her palaces. He hath destroyed the strongholds. He hath increased in the daughter of Judah, mourning and lamentation." God is described as acting like an enemy, destroying Israel's places of refuge and increasing the people's mourning. This verse 5 speaks to those times when we feel like every refuge or source of strength is being stripped away, leaving us in mourning and destruction. And it's a reminder that even in those times, God's purpose is greater than our pain. In verse 6, he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden. He hath destroyed his places of assembly. The Lord hath caused the solemn feast and the Sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised it in the indignation of his anger, the king and the priests. God has destroyed the places of worship, calling the holy days to be forgotten. You know, in verse 6, when tragedy strikes, even our spiritual life may feel disrupted. It may seem that God has abandoned sacred traditions. And verse 6 reflects the sorrow of feeling cut off from the worship and from God's presence. In verse 7 of the King James, the Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces. They have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in the day of a solemn feast. You know, the Lord, as He rejected His own altar, allowed the enemy to desecrate the temple. In verse 7, it shows the heartache of a spiritual desolation. When it feels like even the sacred places in our lives are no longer safe, the imagery of desecration reminds us of a pain of seeing what we hold sacred being disrespected. And so, in verse 8, The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion. He hath stretched out a line. He hath not withdrawn his hand from destroyed, and therefore he made the rampart and the wall to laminate. They languished together." God had a purpose, you know, in the destruction of Zion's walls, because nothing would stop his judgment upon them. And so, in verse 8, even when life feels like it's falling apart, It reminds us that God's actions have purpose. Sometimes what seems like destruction is a part of a larger plan that we may not even yet understand. But in verse 9, her gates are sunk into the ground. He hath destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the Gentiles. The law is no more. Her prophets also find no vision from the Lord. You see Jerusalem's gates as they were destroyed, as the leaders were exiled, as the prophets received no vision from God. Verse nine speaks to the feeling of hopelessness. When leadership fails and spiritual guidance is absent, a sober reminder of how sin and rebellion can lead to a lack of direction and vision. Where there's no vision, the people perish. And so in verse 10, The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit upon the ground and keep silent. They cast up dust upon their heads. They girded themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground. You see, the elders, the young people of Jerusalem, here was a deep mourning, sitting in silence with dust on their heads as a sign of mourning and grief. The silence reflects the depths of sorrow and despair that many will experience even when we're faced with overwhelming loss or tragedy. The imagery of dust, the sackcloth symbolizing the humility and the repentance. And so, We see the weight of wrath and the call to repentance because the outpouring of God's wrath in verses 1 through 10. But secondly, we see the consequences of sin and judgment. In verses 11 through 17, Jeremiah expresses his deep grief over the suffering of his people. He weeps uncontrollably for the children who faint from hunger, the young that have been killed by the sword, the destruction, leaving no one untouched, false prophets that mislead the people with lies, leading them into a false sense of security. And now, Jerusalem's enemies gloat over its downfall. The tragic consequences of sin have brought about the full force of God's judgment. And so, through the consequences of sin and judgment. When we see that description of God's wrath in verses one through 10, and verses 11 through 17, the agony of the people experiencing God's wrath and Jeremiah's deep compassion for them. Because in verse 11 of the King James, mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city." Here is a verse that mirrors the emotional and physical toil that grief can take on a person. When witnessing the suffering of the innocent, many today resonate with that deep sense of pain over injustice and loss in some of the foreign countries that we've been in, that we saw while doing missionary work. In verse 12, They say to their mothers, where is corn and wine? When they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mother's bosom. You know, here in verse 12 are the desperate cries for substance that reflects the deeper human needs for physical and spiritual nourishment. Because in today's world, this verse 12 highlights the suffering of the most vulnerable when resources are scarce. In verse 13, in the King James, it says, What thing shall I take to witness for thee? What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea. Who can heal thee? As Jeremiah struggles to find words, the comparisons describe Jerusalem's great sorrow, which is vast as a sea. In verse 13, the depths of sorrow seem beyond description. No words of comfort seem adequate. And this verse reflects the feeling of helplessness in trying to console someone in a profound grief. In verse 14 of the King James, it says, Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turn away thy captivity, but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. You know, as we talked earlier about the false prophets that misled Jerusalem, We see that this verse warns against that false guidance and highlights the importance of spiritual leaders that are truly genuine men and women of God that speak the truth because today can relate to the pain caused by being led astray by false promises. These name it and claim it television people out there today, that they're just up there for the gloating, the glamor and the recognition and the money. Where is the genuineness in all of that that we see today? And so, in verse 15 of the King James, it says, all that pass by clap their hands at thee. Here is the highlight of the verse that I read earlier. All that pass by clap their hands at thee. They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying, is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? And so, of the mockers, The experience of being mocked and ridiculed when we fall from a place of success or honor is all too common. And it reflects the sorrow of seeing something once great reduced to shame. In verse 16, all thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee. They hiss and gnash the teeth. They say we have swallowed her up. Certainly this is the day that we look for. We have found, we have seen it. You see, Jerusalem's enemies are rejoicing at her downfall, seeing the fulfillment of their desires. But this verse, 16, resonates with those who have experienced betrayal or that triumph over enemies. And it reminds us of the bitter feelings that come when others take pleasure in our misfortune. And then we get down to verse 17 of talking about the consequences of sin and judgment. That the King James says, The Lord hath done that which he hath devised. He hath fulfilled his word that he hath commanded in the days of old. He hath thrown down, he hath not pitied, and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee. He hath set up the horn of thine adversaries. You see, God carried out His judgment and He warned a long time ago given the enemies of Jerusalem power. And so it emphasizes the importance of heeding God's warning and the consequences of ignoring his commands. The sobering reminder that God's judgment is real and it is just. And so we see the outpouring of God's wrath and the consequences of sin and judgment also, but we see the call to repentance and the crying out to God. In verse 18, all the way down to the end of verse 22, the final section shifts from lamenting to a call for repentance. because Jeremiah encourages the people to pour out their hearts to God and to cry out in repentance. And he urges them to cry aloud in the night, to lift up their hands in prayer, to plead for the lives of their children, the suffering that it was unbearable. But the prophet knows that only a sincere return to God can bring relief and here in chapter two concludes with a desperate plea for God to see the suffering of his people and to intervene with mercy. As we pick up in. Back up, in verse 18, Aideman, that we look. We see the description of God's wrath in verses one through 10. The agony of people experiencing God's wrath and Jeremiah's deep compassion for them in verses 11 through 17, Aideman. But then the plea to the Lord for mercy in verses 18 through 22. As we pick up in the call to repentance and cry out to God, the plea to the Lord for mercy. Here in verse 18 it says, Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night. Give thyself no rest. Let not the apple of thy eye cease. And so the people of Jerusalem, they cry out to the Lord and their tears are flowing without ceasing, pleading for mercy. In verse 18, it speaks to the desperation and prayer when we are at our lowest point, crying out to God for relief, that it encourages persistence in prayer, even in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. And so, in verse 19, arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that thankful hunger in the top of every street. You know, the people are urged to cry to God and to pour out their hearts. And we need to bring our deepest pain and needs to God in prayer, particularly when we see others, especially children suffering. It's a call for intercession in times of desperate need. But in verse 20 of the King James, he says, Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit and the children of a span long? Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord? So Jeremiah pleads with God to consider the extreme suffering of his people. and that it reaches unimaginable levels of cannibalism and the death of religious leaders. In verse 20, the extreme depths of human suffering that sin and judgment can bring, it reminds us of the importance of returning to God before calamity reaches such horrible levels. In verse 21, the young and the old lie on the ground in the streets. My virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword. Thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger. Thou hast killed and not pitied. Young and old alike have been slain, lying dead in the streets, victim of God's righteous anger. And verse 21 reflects the tragic loss of life that can occur when a nation or people face divine judgment. It's a sober reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God, of all the storms, even the ones recently that come. Even our 9-11 that rocked America and got the attention of the Twin Towers coming down. of the Pentagon, of our flight that was taken over by terrorists. It is a sober reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God. And so, in verse 22, lastly, in the King James, thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the Lord's anger none escape nor remain. Those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed. God's anger has become a solemn assembly that no one escaped it. And it's as we look at this final verse that this chapter 2 underscores verse 22, the totality of God's judgment where no one is spared. That reminds us that God's justice, though difficult to bear, is thorough and complete. And so a sorrowful picture of Jerusalem's devastation due to God's righteous angers that we look at, amen. And so the force of God's judgment, the abundance of his actions, that God's wrath is demonstrated through his repeated actions against Judah. And so the use of hath in Lamentations chapter two, is repeated 34 times in this chapter, emphasizing the fullness of its judgment when God's holiness is offended and there are consequences, the depth of God's anger. that extends to every corner of Jerusalem, the sovereignty of his hand, that even the enemy is merely an instrument in God's plan, the necessity of repentance, that it underscores the judgment, the need for all to turn back to God. And then not only do we see that there is the abundance of his actions, but the mystery of his judgment. that he said in verse 20, Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Even Jeremiah, a prophet, struggled to comprehend the severity of God's wrath on his own people, the perplexity that points to the truth that God's ways are higher than our ways in Isaiah 55, 9. Why judgment? Because the people of Judah could not understand why their favored status did not shield them from wrath. God's holiness demands justice, and the judgment was not arbitrary. It was a response to persistent rebellion, a call to examine our lives that God's judgment challenges us to reflect on our own lives in sin and the reality of that judgment. Because in verse 21, the young and old lie on the ground in the streets. My virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword. The destruction of life and the crumbling of a nation reveal the harsh reality of sin. God's holiness cannot coexist with unrepented sin. And so sin brings devastation. and sin's consequences are felt across all generations. God's judgment is just, God's anger is righteous, for he is a God of both love and justice, and repentance brings restoration. Even in judgment, there is an opportunity to return to God. The lesson is very clear. Even though for many people in the world defy the Lord, they curse His holy name, many defy the Father of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the only living and true God, and some profess to believe in the Lord, but they live hypocritically, and their worship of the Lord is irregular, and they seldom, if ever, truly study God's holy word or pray any length of time on a regular basis. Seeking the Lord is usually the furthest thing from most of them's mind. No doubt, from God's perspective, most people do not follow Him with sincere and genuine hearts that truly obey Him. And most people choose to live as they wish, disobeying His holy commandments. The wrath of God is coming to this earth because people deny Him. They defy Him. They curse His name. They disobey His commandments. No amount of attendance at worship services or participation in rituals or ceremonies can make a person acceptable to the Lord. Nor can it stop God's hand of judgment from falling upon those that disobey His commandments and live wickedly. Only those people who approach the Lord with a broken heart and sincerely trust and obey Him are acceptable to Him. And so, when we see and look at all the things, the force of God's judgment And we see the sorrow of sin's consequences as well. The expression of that grief that he said in verse 11, my eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth. Grief filled the streets. We see the silent mourning. We see the visible symbols of repentance, of sackcloth that was a sign of humility before God, the weight of shame that sin leads to guilt and shame which drives us to our knees in repentance, and the desperation that was there. The consequences of sin are often felt by the innocent. Judas' children suffered as a result of the nation's disobedience, illustrating that sin's repercussions go beyond the individual. The destruction that's around us when we stray from God, the fallout can be far-reaching, the cry of the helpless that we must consider the impact of our actions have on future generations, and the need for God's mercy. Only God can heal the wounded caused by sin. And so, Jeremiah had a deep compassion and empathy for the suffering people. And when we see people suffer, we're to have compassion upon them. And think of all the orphans and the widows and the widowers and the prisoners and the brokenhearted, the empty, the lonely, the diseased, the backslidden, the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the shut-ins, the hospitalized, the dying. Think of all who are suffering under the weight of this sinful dying world. And so, What did the scripture tell us? He said in Matthew chapter 25, for I was hungry and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. Naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungered and fed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in? Or naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them, listen, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And so when we look and we see that out of all of this, we see the force of God's judgment that's taking place. And we see also that through all of this that is happening, we look And we begin to see also that through this devastation that has transpired, that has happened to each and every one of these, we look and we see that God is doing a great work because even as we go and look and we see that through The the devastation of the force of God's judgment and the sorrow of sins consequence We see the danger of false comfort that's there the deception of false prophets the empty promises that are being made the false security the call to true repentance and not only the deception of false prophets, but the role of true leadership, true leaders that lead people back to God by proclaiming the truth, that boldly speak truth, amen. They lead people to repentance. They fear God, not man. God promises to have mercy upon us if we will call upon him. And we must turn away from our sins and turn to the Lord and plead with him to forgive our sins and pour out his mercy upon us. If we sincerely repent and turn to the Lord, He'll have mercy. And so, Lamentations chapter 2, the weight of wrath and the call to repentance shows us the full weight of God's wrath and the consequences of sin. But within this sorrow, there's hope. God's judgment is a call to repentance and His mercy is available to all who turn to Him. I wonder what areas in your life need repentance. How can we better guard ourselves against sin and false teachings? How can we reflect God's holiness in our life? We must examine our hearts daily. We must confess any errors of sin to God and seek his forgiveness and turn back to his ways. By daily putting on the armor of God, studying his word, seeking truth from faithful teachers of the word of God. We reflect God's holiness by living according to his commandments, being a light to those around us, demonstrating the love and the justice of God. And so I'm glad each and every one of us, as we look and realize the weight of wrath and the call to repentance, amen. I'm glad each and every one of us, as we go through life, we can better understand what the Lord is doing in our lives today. Because when we look and realize of what God wants to do in each and every one of our lives, amen, here today, God wants to make a difference. God wants to change every last one of us, amen, before it's too late. And so, when we look and realize of what God is doing in all of our lives, amen, we realize that call to repentance, Ape Man, to be able to look and realize what God is doing on a daily basis of all of our lives, Ape Man. Because here we can look back and remember that the weight of God's wrath as a response to the sins of the people, that it serves as a powerful warning against complacency and disobedience. And that it points to the possibility of repentance and restoration, as Jeremiah urges the people to cry out to God, demonstrating that while judgment is severe, God's mercy is still available to those who truly repent. And I hope and pray that we take this message to heart, remembering that no matter how far we fall, we can always return to God in humility and in faith. Father, Thank you for your word that reveals both your love and your holiness. And we ask that you forgive us where we failed you. Cleanse us from our sins, renew us by your spirit, and equip us daily with your armor of God so that we can stand in the battles that we face. We pray for those who are lost, that they would turn to you and find salvation through Jesus Christ. And for those of us who know you, help us to live lives of true repentance, reflecting on your righteousness and all that we do. Father, I say a prayer for the lost that they would, Lord, step out on faith and take you at your word. Understanding that I'm a sinner, but believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross to free me from the punishment of sin, I now receive him as my Lord and Savior. And from this day forward, I desire to live to please Christ and in placing my trust in him for the gift of eternal life. Would you make that decision right now? Would you step out on faith and ask him to be the keeper of your soul? We ask all of this in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. you