JEREMIAH’S LAMENTATION - A WARNING TO THE NATION

A short study for our time

 1:1-11 A picture of a politically corrupt and fallen nation. Food shortages 1:11, riches gone 1:7, possessions sold off for things to eat 1:11.

 1:13-14 Difficult times - sin weighing the nation down. 1:16-17 The prophet weeps at the sorry condition of the nation. There is no comfort 1:17.

 1:20-21 The nation’s enemies are glad to see this suffering. The prophet calls for the people to repent, admit their rebellious ways, and return to God.

 2:11-12 Weeping, hunger, desolation. The children are hungry. They want to eat. The nation is in the throe’s of poverty. There is also hunger for the true word of God--but no one speaks. Only false words of soothing from the government which lies to them--lulling them into a false sense of security 2:14-16.

 2:17-19 The nation cries out to the Lord for more of Him. They weep and mourn for their sinful condition.

 3:1-17 The Lord is chastening His people. There is no escape from hardship--only sorrow. There is, however, hope in God 3:18. God still loves his people and desires they return to Him. He will be faithful if they return and come back to His ways 3:21-44.

 3:44-45 The Lord takes no joy in their turning away from Him. He covers Himself in a dark cloud covering His eyes like a man who cannot bear what he is seeing.

 3:55-66 The Lord is their defender and redeemer. He will deliver them when they call out to Him and forsake their sinful ways. They must repent. The Lord demands justice.

 4:1-18 A once proud nation now begins to realize how far they have fallen from their past moral days. They now experience poverty where once they had riches 4:4-10. God is a consuming fire--sin must be forsaken 4:11. Sin separates us from God and His justice and righteousness 4:13-18.

 5:1-17 Living in sin is self-destructive and is a hard yoke to bear. His burden is light and yoke easy--if we live by His commandments. Our sin has made us sick 5:17. If we turn towards God we will be renewed! 5:20-21

 We see in Deut 28 and Lev 26 how God blesses or curses a nation. The laws are irrefutable and are eternal. If we obey we are blessed. If we rebel and sin we bring the curses upon ourselves. God’s commandments are designed to bring blessing or cursing based upon our decision to follow or rebel. God is righteous and demands we also live righteously. The wages of sin is death.

 These principles apply to the nation and to us as individuals. God only asks that we live righteously and love one another as He loves us!