King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Monday, August 25, 2025
Chapters: Lamentations 1-2
Message: Lamentations: Jeremiah Mourns Judah
Hello My Friend,
As we begin the reading of Lamentations we learn that every saved, born again Christian who is faithful in their walk with Christ comes to understand that even at their best they fail God, but they have an advocate on their side, [1 John 2:1-4 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.]
We need to be careful with this passage as it can be easy to misunderstand what John is saying, many believe this to say that if someone is living in sin that they are not really saved. As with all Scripture that seems obscure we need to look at the bigger picture, which the next two verses explain, [1 John 2:5-6 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.]
In other words, one cannot expect things to change in their lives if that have received Christ as their Saviour and have done nothing to show for it. We cannot prosper as a Christian just by getting saved and just winging it, we need the Word of God to guide us in the way that He would take. Jesus, did not just come here in the flesh to die for us, He came here to show us how we can live and the longer you walk with Christ the more you realize just how vile your flesh is and need Him to guide you. Jesus, said this, [John 13:15-17 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.]
The Book of Lamentations contains five chapters, and the timeline is approximately 588 BC. It was written by Jeremiah to the Jews who were captive in Babylon, the purpose of the book was to get the Jews to repent and restore their relationship with God. What we are to learn from the book is that God is faithful in both judgment and mercy, [Lamentations 3:23-24 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.]
Jeremiah, was no different than us faithful Christians today, he was not perfect nor sinless, but he did live his life the best he could through his faith in God. Yes, he suffered being cast into a horrendous dungeon for simply doing what God told him to do, but lived to tell about it. If he had his way, he would have been content to live among the captives who were sent to Babylon, he was even content to stay in Jerusalem, but a group of rebels changed all that when they took him hostage and went to Egypt. As things start to settle down, Jeremiah, has this overwhelming grief come over him about the state of his nation.
[Lamentations 1:1-3,5 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! 2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. 3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. 5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.]
We can apply this to our own cities, towns, and even entire states as many of have sold themselves out to the heathens and are now suffering greatly and yet no one seems to care as long as they get to prance around like fools. As Jeremiah continues, he wonders if he really is the only one to feel sorrow for what has happened.
[Lamentations 1:8-10 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. 9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself. 10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.]
As a nation, do we feel any grief and pain for what is going on today? Are we at all ashamed of the abominations that we see? As for the Church, are we condoning or ignoring the sin within the churches? Are we concerned for lost souls, the millions of people who have no clue that they are headed for hell or even worse, seek hell? God, has His faithful in the midst of these God forsaken towns for one reason only, and that is to guide lost souls to the only one who can comfort them, Jesus Christ, [John 17:14-17 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.]
Wow! In other words, Jesus is praying to God, our Father to sanctify us through the truth of His Word, which is our faith in His death, burial, and resurrection. Think about it, the reason the world is so lost is not because they do not want to hear the truth, it is because they are ignorant to the truth. Think about it, if a person is confused about what gender they are, whether or not it is okay to drink, smoke, do drugs, mutilate their bodies, or kill babies, then you know that these people are seriously lost. There is a great saying that goes something like this, “If we do not teach them about Christ, someone else will teach them about everything everything He isn’t” If people are left to figure it our for themselves then they will fall right into the hands of those all too willing to teach them their ways. Jeremiah, goes on to describe the state that these lost and confused people are in yet they do not seem to care.
[Lamentations 1:11-14 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile. 12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. 13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day. 14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.]
Do you see? A lost soul is a serious matter because until it has found Christ it will wander into all kinds of danger and if it has not found Christ it will end up in hell. The world has this false assumption that the soul is not eternal, and sadly, many do not even believe that they have a soul but will learn the hard way that they indeed do have one, [John 3:17-19 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.]
At this point, Jeremiah actually feels like he has failed God in being able to convince them to repent and He is not even speaking to him. As Jeremiah continues lamenting over the state of his nation, he searches for some comfort, but finds none, not even from God.
[Lamentations 1:18-21 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. 19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls. 20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death. 21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.]
Sometimes it does feel like Jesus is far from us, but He is always with us. In fact, that is why He sent us the Comforter, while He cannot be here in the flesh right now as He is preparing the place that we will spend eternity on the Holy Spirit is right there to give us all the comfort we need, [John 14:26-27 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.]
Do you think that the world is not laughing at us? Mocking us? And how about Satan? He is basking in all this right now. I have even seen Christians laugh at the fall of other Christians, spread hate, lies, and accusations, and even seen them rejoice at their suffering. Jeremiah, does understand the judgment God’s people were facing was due to their refusal to repent. What he did not understand was why God made a covenant with Israel in the first place if He was not going to keep it Himself, and if He even remembers them at all.
[Lamentations 2:1-3,5 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger! 2 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. 3 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. 5 The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.]
No matter how faithful we are, or how strong our faith in God, times like we are having right now, we start to wonder if God will ever withdraw His anger. If I did not know any better, this does not sound like Jeremiah talking, it sounds more like Jesus. Oh, how much all of this must grieve Him to see so many lost souls wandering around in the dark, seeking comfort from everything, but Him. On top of that, His very own people are walking around in the dark as though they never knew Him. Churches are closing down in record numbers and I believe it has to do with the fact that they are not really one of Christ’s and He will close them down.
[Lamentations 2:7-9,13 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. 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 destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together. 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. 13 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?]
What good is a church with the name of Christ without Christ? Do you think Jesus enjoys seeing His Church crumble to ruins? He will take down those walls of safety, and expose them for who they really are. Nevertheless, God has not forgotten the covenant He made with His people, He will never leave nor forsake anyone who receives His Son as their Saviour, but if they are lying then that church is history, [John 15:2-4 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.]
When we first receive Christ as our Saviour we have such a great zeal for God, even fearing Him something fierce. Somewhere down the line, life and all the trials that go with it, smothers our zeal, and our fear as well. While we may not be living a sinful life, we may not be living the life He wants us to live either. No matter how faithful we are to God, we are going to suffer sometimes for things we do not understand and here Jeremiah is trying to figure out why. Jeremiah, through his own affliction, felt such grief that he pleads with Israel to return to God, but also has some questions for God.
[Lamentations 2:15-18 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? 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 looked for; we have found, we have seen it. 17 The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries. 18 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 thine eye cease.]
Every faithful Christian is sighing right now at the state of our nation, and it is not just America, every nation is suffering, and will continue to suffer unless the Church itself repents. That is the only way, God will start blessing our nations again, but we cannot let our sorrow dim our eyes to Christ because He will always work everything together for good for His people, [Romans 8:27-28 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]
Today’s Prayer: God, I do not know anyone who loves to feel pain and sorrow, and it simply does nothing for our morale either, but whatever You allow us to go through You have a reason for it. Even You are grieving at the state of Your people. Lord, we need You, great things always come to those who endure their sorrows with You as they draw closer to You and learn to trust You. Give us your power, wisdom, grace, and strength to increase our faith, zeal, and teach us to fear You at all times. Let us see You do great things in our lives through our faith and faithfulness to You. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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