Jeremiah's Mournful Swan Song, Part 1

No doubt the year 2020 will go down in history as one of the most grueling time periods on record the convergence of tragic events is commanded our complete attention. Most of them fall completely out of our control today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll begins his final message in our study and Lamentations once again see the obvious correlation between Jeremiah's sadness in our own. He was entirely defeated by the violent Babylonian invasion that destroyed the city of Jerusalem, titled his last message in the series. Jeremiah's mournful one staring at her devastation.

Following terrible calamity is a dreadful experience. If you ever lost your home to a fire or tornado or hurricane and then come back in a few days to see what remains. You understand devastation government through the flood that swept the community and maybe even taken buildings as well as residential areas, and then returned after you were allowed to come back to what was once your residential area you look over the devastation of what was what your home in your neighborhood you you understand what a dreadful experience. It is and I certainly could mention 911 2001 for the Ritz of Manhattan in New York or the Pentagon on the west side or that idyllic area of just simple little meadow in Western Pennsylvania. For those four planes were were sent on missions of destruction designed to take the live and injure thousands of people deliberately and we've all visited by way of television. The scenes in the business center of the of the twin towers or that enormous tear in the side of the Pentagon are that dreadful hole in the ground from the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.

We all are familiar with devastation without words as a matter of fact, some time you're choking back tears. There really aren't words to say is you are looking at something you never dreamed would occur. That is exactly exactly the emotion of Jeremiah all the way through this five chapter book of Lamentations. That's why the book bears the name.

These are the Lamentations of a man acquainted with grief. To make things even more painful. He had spent for decades of his life declaring to the people of Jerusalem to turn back to God to leave the error of their ways to push aside the idols they had begun to worship to realize how far removed they were from the one who had set before them.

His commandments, his way of life's promise of blessing and fulfillment. As a result of living righteously, but because of their refusal to hear and heed his warnings. He wrote his journal over wolves of quality. Jeremiah's Journal of wolves just splash words on pages in a journal he very meticulously wrote poetry floor of the five chapters or elaborate pulling put together in a unique acrostic manner. In the Hebrew language for each verse begins with eight successive letter in the alphabet attitude. You go from the first letter to the last, which explains why the first and second and fourth chapters have 22 verses. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet is designed for the younger generation to memorize it, and this would be a memory aid so that they would never forget what he saw and wrote about even the third chapter is an elaborate acrostic polling with reverses each beginning with those successive letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Now when we get to the fifth chapter of Lamentations. It is a poetry any longer. It isn't that acrostic, but it certainly isn't a randomly thrown together conclusion to his journal.

This is a prayer.

This is a very intense prayer.

I have about know that if you got your Bible opened Lamentations 5. You will observe right away.

Mention of the Lord in verse one we read that you know that he is addressing the Lord. It's a prayer in written form. Turn ahead to verse 19 again. But Lord, you remain the same forever. Still praying. Verse 21 restore us oh Lord, and bring us back to you again. It's a prayer start to finish. Offered to God to the Lord God as he pours out his heart, completing all the things he's been dealing with.

He's been walking through the remains of Jerusalem after it is been invaded by the Babylonians. They taken over the homes they they ruin the economy of the city. They moved in like a mob as they had taken out of the city. The best the healthiest, those that had the most promise for the future. Maybe because Jeremiah was getting up in years. He was left he certainly was among the great ones in the city of Jerusalem were grateful he was left he could write this book as a reminder to all of us. By the way, while I'm noting that I want you to notice how the prayer was divided into two parts look at your Bible, the first 18 verses would be what I will call the us and we and our section in these verses Jeremiah is writing about what we have experienced what is happened to us in our city. So it's a horizontal dimension as he rehearses before the Lord. The things he was seeing that broke his heart.

When you get to verse 19. You'll notice it changes the pronoun from us and we in our throughput. You but Lord, you remain forever. Your throne continues from generate. So the end of the prayer is a is a vertical is directed to the Lord now.

How did I come up with that I like at times to pause and and and and help you know how to draw truth from the Scripture on your own well let me say without hesitation. You do not need a seminary education to make observations in your Bible, all you need to do is be able to read and you all are literate. You are all able to read it's in our language. So by repeatedly reading the Scriptures which I've done and you can do you begin to see things and how they fit together. You observe them. Notice the Lord, the Lord, so it's a prayer you realize that and when you see the change in pronouns. You know, this has to do with us and we in our. The other residue of the Lord you make note of that is you are reading through it. The first part of the prayer is a prayer were approved of remembrance, and he saying, Lord, remember now every second 11 for the time and they will get into it.

Obviously, the Lord remembers but this is a prayer, so I suggest that we not fall into the trap of super analyzing prayer when you're praying in a group you don't do that you don't listen for the right parts of speech you don't listen to make sure the subject fits the predicate in the sentence that's being uttered course not. That ruin your time in prayer you enter into the prayer with the individual.

I think it is easy to verbally eviscerate prayers in the Bible we mean well because we want to analyze what the verses are saying but you need to leave room for the fact that it's a prayer which gives them the freedom to sleep.

Lord, remember. In other words, let's not ever forget this is what you would say if you were walking through the ruins of what was once your home, you would say, oh Lord, may we never forget this experience made us remind us over and over to hold everything loosely bring that to our attention, and by the way, when I read my Bible and I suggest this for you when you read yours.

Put yourself in the place of a writer has one of the most helpful insights you will ever hear. Identify with Jeremiah now in his case to his city was Jerusalem, but that's not our case were not in Jerusalem where in the city. So when I read my Bible and not thinking about the application of the city. I'm thinking about my sin of the city of the nation, of which I'm a part. I think of Seattle I think of Baltimore I think of a Boise, Idaho.

I think of Oklahoma City in Los Angeles. I think of Miami and Charlotte are not.

I go up the coast think of Washington DC I think of Boston I think of New York, of course largest of our cities and when I say that of course I immediately have rehearsed a number of cities that have been in the news, and we've all seen the devastation in some of heartbreaking.

So that's how the Scriptures come alive for us. God has given us his word not just to satisfy idle curiosity. He's given us his word to give us insight into our lives.

In fact, to transform us to be more like him to see life as he sees someone Jeremiah names these things. Think about the things were going through was a nation and let these things speak to you about that. The first part of the prayer will name a number of things that will sound familiar look with me Lord Randall.

What is happened to us see how we have been disgraced that sound familiar.

Is there some application that, of course, there is our inheritance been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners and now he gets down to two details of what is going through were orphaned in fatherless. Our mothers are or or widowed. We have to pay for water to drink and and and what that keeps us warm after buyout firewood is to have it free because we we were the ones who control this area, but now that the enemy is, were no longer able to do that is pouring out his heart as he names these things that are heartbreaking to him.

Those who pursue us are at our heels in the exhaust us universe. Nine. We we hunt for food. At the risk of our lives. Violence rules the countryside. The famine is blocking our skin as the bait in an oven. Our enemies raped the women Jerusalem the young girls in the towns of Judah as well. Princes were hanged by other foams of our elders are treated with contempt. What you may not know is that in those days, those who led the city said at the gate of the city and they were the elders, they brought wise administration. They brought wisdom to the city and people in the city would get the Council of the elders who gave leadership and guidance to the city that's gone now that the Babylonians moved in and taken over. We don't have the blessing of elders, Lord, remember us as we are in need of wisdom and protection are walls and down our gates are broken and the enemy is invaded and it's a dreadful setting now to make matters very painful.

Look at verse 16 or 15 along with it.

Joy has left our hearts are dancing is turn the morning. The garlands have fallen from our heads weep for us because we have sinned in the last three words, at least in this version we have sinned one of the great marks of maturity is taking responsibility for one's own situation a great day happens in our growing up years. When we stop blaming others for wrongs in our lives is called becoming mature, becoming responsible. Jeremiah says to the Lord, weep with us again.

It's a prayer give him the freedom to express it is in the prayer Lord as we weep with us feel this that were going through because we are the ones that were subtitles. We are the ones who lift your commandments we are the ones who went our own way and ignore the words of the prophets and the priests when they were telling us the truth is a dreadful empty existence. One is gone.

Now the glory and majesty are gone. Called the Garland verse 16 all that is now a distant memory. The joy of life is gone of the dignity of national pride has left the music of the dancing girl over by the way, and all her watching of the news how much laughter have you seen how much music have you heard not know it's gone. Desolation brings a grim failing to over the existence of people going through. That's what is going through and his heartbreaks and he weeps yet he takes responsibility for the people and saying were getting exactly what we deserve. A nation can continue in a wrong direction. Only so long before the garlands began to fall before the dignity of the people, departments before the music stops and the laughter in's I'm not pessimistic I'm simply being realistic. These are the words of a broken hearted profit pouring out his soul to God. I'm glad the preserve for us in the book of Lamentations.

No I love it when we get to verse 19 the direction changes from the horizontal vertical leases but Lord, you remain the same forever.

This is the ground of his appeal.

Theologians call this the immutability of God. The immutability he is the same forever this until a few words from a W toaster on that theological subject toes a right to say that God is immutable is to say that he never differs from himself. The concept of a growing or developing God is not found in the Scriptures, all the God use. He has always been, and all that he has been and is he will ever be.

The immutability of God appears in its most perfect beauty when we view it against the immutability of mankind. He goes on in God. No changes possible inhumanity changes impossible to escape. Neither the human is fixed nor is his world. But he and it arc in constant flux in this world where people forget us change their attitude toward us as their private interests dictate and revise their opinions of us for the slightest cause is another source of wonder, strength to know that the God with whom we have to do changes not Jeremiah is looking at a city that is totally different from the way I used to look when he looks up he looks into the face of a God never changes his grace is no less his mercy is fresh as the morning sunrise. He reminds us in the third chapter when he returns to the Lord in his prayer and says, but the Lord you Lord remain the same in your throne continues from generation to generation, is not fabulous. The same God that my mother and dad worshiped in their era is the same one I worship in the same ones are grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Worship is not changed, though the times along the way.

In our human circumstances are all but the Lord does not change. He remains the same, and at the end of the summer of this chapter that I love it that the prophet doesn't stutter or mutter. He says to the Lord in verse 21 restore us. Oh Lord, and bring us back to you again give us back the joy we want said he's missing the laughter the music the beauty, the dignity, the pride of Jerusalem bric-a-brac Lord. Then he ends on a sad note or have you utterly rejected us. Are you angry with us still Charles Riley in his study Bible has a footnote that adds this thought when the Jews read Lamentations they don't and the reading of it with verse 22. They go back and repeat verse 21, and that becomes the end of the reading when I do that for us started.

Verse 21. Restore also Lord and bring us back to you again give us back the joys we once had or have you utterly rejected us.

Are you angry with us still. Verse 21 restore us oh Lord, and bring us back to you again give us back the joys we once had make sense that they would go back to the 21st verse doesn't that's a great ending or these five chapters in the end of the of the journal that he is written, you're listening to Insight for living in the final message Chuck Swindoll study and Lamentations. I'll take this moment to strongly recommend that you join us again tomorrow because Jeremiah's demeanor finally turns the corner at the end of Lamentations 5 and chuckles your heart rending illustration that inspires all of us to trust God even when our world is in chaos. To learn more about this ministry.

Visit us online@insightworld.org site for living has been on the air since July 1979, and we've never missed a single day. Over the decades check is deposited thousands of sermons in the archives. Our current study and Lamentations. Unlike older messages was delivered only a few months ago and it's helpful to hear Chuck's insight on the current cultural battles taking place in our world and to see the sobering parallels between Jeremiah's anguish in our own we living in harsh times when kindness is rare when people are polarized by politics and emotions are spiraling out of control in times like these guys calling us to a higher place.

If you're ready to rise above the heaviness, let me recommend a classic book from Chuck called encourage me hearing words for heavy hearts.

This book targets those who need a lip is also a great book to give away as an act of kindness to others in the purchase a copy of encourage me right now by going to Insight.org/offer or by calling us your listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888. In closing, let me say a word of thanks to our monthly companions and all those who give generously. You're accomplishing far more than you'll ever know because your gift allows us to deliver the truth of God's word to millions around the world thinks, and to give a one time donation today. Call us your listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to Insight.org checks when talking with our study of Lamentations Jeremiah's Journal of tomorrow on Insight for living.

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