[:en]Our Daily Verse (9/15/21)[:]

[:en]SCRIPTURE:  LAMENTATION 1

“The enemy laid hands on all her treasures; she saw pagan nations enter her sanctuary – those you had forbidden to enter your assembly.  All her people groan as they search for bread; they barter their treasures for food to keep themselves alive.  “Look, O Lard, and consider, for I am despised.”  (Lamentation 1:10-11)

“My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together.  They have come upon my neck and the Lord has sapped my strength.  He has handed me over to those I cannot withstand” (Lamentation 1:14)

“This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears.  No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit.  My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed” (Lamentation 1:16)

“See. O Lord, how distressed I am!  I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious.  Outside, the sword bereaves; inside,, there is only death” (Lamentation 1:20)

“People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me.  All my enemies have heard of my distress; they rejoice at what you have done.  May you bring the day you have announced so they may become like me’ (Lamentation 1:21)

Lamentation was a funeral song written by Jeremiah after the destruction of Jerusalem in 588 BC.  Jeremiah was broken hearted and grieving for the suffering of the people.  He appealed to God in prayer for His mercy.

As this was originally written in Hebrew, Chapter 1, 2, 4 and 5 followed the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Chapter 3 has 66 verses and the author used a new letter of the Hebrew to start in every third verse.

What had happened to Israel?

  1.  She was great among nations before but is now like a widow.  She was queen among the provinces but has now become a slave (v. 1)
  2. No lovers can comfort her.  All her friends have betrayed her and became her enemies (v. 2)
  3. She has gone into exile with no resting place (v. 3)
  4. She is in bitter anguish without anyone to attend her feasts (v. 4)
  5. Her foes have become her master and her children gone into exile (v. 5)
  6. All her splendor has departed (v. 6)
  7. Her people had fallen into enemy’s hands (v. 7)
  8. She has become unclean and being despised (v. 8)
  9. No one was able to comfort her (v. 9)
  10. All her treasures were taken by the enemy and pagan nations enter her sanctuary (v. 10)
  11. Her prophets were hungry searching for bread (v. 11)
  12. Her sins have been bound into a yoke and she has no strength to withstand (v. 14)
  13. Her young men have been crushed by an army (v. 15)
  14. She is weeping without comfort and her children are destitute (v. 16)
  15. Her neighbors have become her foes (v. 17)
  16. Allies betrayed her.  Priest and elders perished in the city (v. 19)
  17. All her enemies rejoice on her distress (v. 21)

Sin is the root cause of Israel’s destruction.  Sin promises to enrich us but in the end, it robs us of the good things God has provided for us.  Sin is costly.  We have to reap what we sow.  As God is holy and righteous, He will never allow sin.  He must punish and judge the sins we committed.  While we are facing the consequences of sin, there is no one to comfort us.  Sometimes friends even become our enemies to despise us.  But in His mercy, God will restore us if we repent and turn to Him.[:]