The LORD said, “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. I will destroy the towns of Judah so that no one will be able to live in them.” Jeremiah 9:11
Psalms 137:1-4
1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.
2 On the willows there we hung up our harps.
3 For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
4 How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?
“The most bitter of all sorrows are the sorrows that we bring on ourselves. Truly, we reap what we sow. We are left chapfallen. Laughter and joy have turned to tears. As these sad Hebrews hung up their harps on the willows and could sing no more, we too ‘Hang it up.’”
“This is the bitterest of all, to know that suffering need not have been that it resulted from indiscretion and inconsistency; that it is the harvest of one’s own sowing; that the vulture which feeds on the vitals is a nestling of one’s own rearing. Ah me! This is pain!”
“There is an inevitable nemesis in life. The laws of the heart and home, of the soul and human life, cannot be violated with impunity. Sin may be forgiven; the fire of penalty may be changed into the fire of trial: the love of God may seem nearer and dearer than ever, and yet there is the awful pressure of pain, the trembling heart, the failing of eyes and pining of soul; the harp on the willows; the refusal of the lip to sing the Lord’s song” (F. B. Meyer).
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Hosea 8:7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.
For almost 800 years, the Jewish people lived in the land of Israel. They were divided into two groups: the northern ten tribes were called Israel, and the two southern tribes were called Judah. The Scriptures made it clear that they had special privileges.
Deuteronomy 7:6 states, “For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.”
Regrettably, the people acquired a sense of invincibility and entitlement. No matter how bad and rebellious they lived, they figured they were always just a little bit better than everybody else. The Father would always protect them. Jerusalem was the city of David, a man after God’s heart. It was the holy city.
On top of that, the Jewish temple was there. The glory of God resided in the temple in the holy of holies. They smugly thought to themselves; indeed, they were safe no matter what.
Yes, they were chosen and held a special place, bound by a unique covenant with the living God. It was akin to signing a contract with the Father Himself. However, this covenant came with clear terms and conditions. The agreement was explicit, and the rules and guidelines were in bold print: if they adhered to the Father’s laws, they would experience blessings. Conversely, disobedience would result in dire consequences. They would be cursed. They accepted the terms and “signed the contract.”
Deuteronomy 26:18-19
18 The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.
19 And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then, you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a holy nation to the LORD your God, just as he promised.
For 800 years, the Jewish people experienced periods of prosperity and hardship. Their history was marked by the reign of both righteous and corrupt kings. The people often defied the Father and did not keep His commandments.
Time and again, prophets were sent to deliver warnings. Their messages are recorded in the books of the Old Testament under names like Isaiah, Micah, Joel, Amos, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Occasionally, the people would repent, albeit briefly. However, most of the time, the people of Israel played the fool and refused to keep their part of the contract.
Finally, in 722 B.C., the ten northern tribes succumbed to the Assyrians and were taken into captivity.
Between 605 and 586 B.C., the Babylonians attacked Judah on three occasions, capturing Jerusalem and exiling thousands of Jews to Babylon. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. This marked the fulfillment of the consequences stipulated in their covenant. The Father executed His part when the people failed to live up to their part of the contract they had agreed to. Tragically, the stipulated curses were carried out.
REFLECT & PRAY
A false sense of entitlement often does not work out too well for those who maintain one.
Father, in challenging times, help me look beyond the darkness and despair. Your love never ends, and Your compassion never fails. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.
INSIGHT
Jeremiah was there when Jerusalem was destroyed, and his heart was filled with immense sorrow and anguish. He felt utterly dejected and deeply depressed. In our own moments of tragedy and seemingly insurmountable challenges, we can relate to Jeremiah’s despair (Lamentations 3:1-20). His world had gone dark. His way was blocked at every turn. He was filled with bitterness, and his prayers seemed to bounce off the ceiling.
“The problem is that many bitter people don’t know they are bitter. Since they are convinced that they are right, they can’t see their own wrong in the mirror. And the longer the root of bitterness grows, the more difficult it is to remove” (Craig Groeschel).
What could possibly be worse? What could be more devastating? Everything Jeremiah held dear was gone, just as his and Ezekiel’s prophecies had foretold. But no one listened.
By faith, in the darkest of times, he had a 180° turnaround.
He remembered that sowing and reaping are a two-way street. His hope was in the Father. He remembered the Father’s loyal love. A new day would dawn. Restoration would come. The sorrow and suffering would last for 70 years, as he himself prophesied (Jeremiah 25:11-12). But then, it would come to an end. A new day would eventually emerge, bringing restoration. His grief transformed into renewed faith and hope.
Lamentations 3:21-25 reflects this transformation.
21 This I recall to my mind; therefore, I have hope.
22 The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.
Jeremiah found his faith and hope rekindled by recalling what the Father was like. Because of the Father’s promises and loyal love, restoration was assured, things would be made right, and joy would return to the people. They would sing again.
And so can we! Lift your spirits and let the Lord’s song fill your heart once more.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯2-17-2
© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 