A Shepherd's Concern for the Future of the Flock

What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down? (Jonathan Edwards)

In the 5ᵗʰ-century before Christ, great tragedy struck the country of Judea when it was invaded and destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The beautiful Temple--built by King Solomon to honor the Jewish God--was pulled down and turned into dust. Some were shocked that God would allow such utter destruction of His people, His land, and His Temple. Others--the prophets and those who listened to them--mourned the destruction, as well as the idolatry, moral corruption, social injustice, and spiritual deception which had led to God abandoning His people. They mourned a people who would not listen to the God-sent prophets and their cries for repentance. It is from this mourning for a people too stubborn to hear the truth that the book of Lamentations is written. In a series of 5 dirges, the author laments Judah's great destruction, the people's great sin, and the need for God’s great judgement.

Sinners in the hands of an angry God

As a Christian who believes in a New Covenant, how does an Old Testament book like Lamentations concern 21st-century Christians? Specifically, how does it tie into American Christianity? The United States of America is not a theocracy; however, the Christian Church is considered to be a part of God's people. In Lamentations, I am reminded that God judges His people when they go astray (Leviticus 26), often at the hands of the ungodly. In His mercy, He does so in stages, always giving His people the opportunity to turn back to Him.

Frankly, it is my fear that the Christian Church in America is headed down this path towards judgement. I see within her ranks a lust for physical and political power. The very words of God are twisted to legitimize social injustice (one pastor likes to quote economist Adam Smith by saying that "mercy for the guilty is cruelty to the innocent"). A warrior Jesus is worshipped, not He who taught us to turn the other cheek (labeled by some as "too naïve and ineffective"). There is idolatry, moral corruption, & spiritual deception WITHIN THE CHURCH. Haughty pride has become the trademark of the Church, not godly humility. And the people of God assuage their itching ears with the sweet words of false teachers who instigate hatred, fear, and faith in the power of human beings. We are likely to become, to quote Jonathan Edwards, sinners in the hands of an angry God.

The challenge 

It is this belief that we are, or are soon to be, under God's judgement that has driven me to pray though the Book of Lamentations. I invite you to join me. Let us humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face together, and turn from our evil ways, and perhaps He will hear our repentance, forgive our sins, and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Final note--most quotations are from the NET version.

Lamentations 1

• These dirges are acrostics, in that every verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet;

• Traditionally, authorship is ascribed to Jeremiah, but the book itself is anonymous;

• Chapter 1 is divided into four sections--

  • 1:1-11b--the poet's description of Jerusalem's destruction;

    • Once fully inhabited, but now desolate and empty,

    • Friends have betrayed her and become enemies,

    • She was afflicted because of her "many acts of rebellion" (v. 5),

    • She is mocked , poor, homeless,

    • She committed "terrible sin" (v. 8),

    • Her people are starving.

As the Church continues to ally herself with other parties and to depend on them to help her, she will find herself abandoned and desolate, as they become her enemies. If she continues to rebel and sin, she will find her people to be starving and afflicted. God does not tolerate His people making a mockery of His Name.

• 1:11c-16--a personified Jerusalem pleas for God Himself to see what she has become;

  • Worthless,

  • Afflicted,

  • Desolate,

  • Faint,

  • Sinful,

  • Shattered,

  • Defeated.

In so many ways, the American Church has convinced herself that she is righteous, that she is godly, that she is RIGHT, just as Judah did. The Church has convinced herself that power and wealth equal God's blessings and that God Himself is proud of what she has become. These verses remind us that GOD brought judgement upon Judah and the Temple. Power and wealth mean nothing to Him.

"Mankind, He has told each of you what is good and what the Lord requires of you:

To act justly,

To love faithfulness,

And to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

Pulling the levers of government, basking in wealth and power, being the top dog--none of those are included in God's definition of faithfulness.

• 1:17--the poet's lament;

  • God's land is without comfort,

  • His holy city is "filthy garbage."

Again, it is noteworthy that God Himself has brought this judgement upon His people. Certain they were under God's favor, they were too proud and boastful to heed His warnings or to believe that He would judge them. So often, I hear that the American Church is engaged in spiritual warfare; let one city ordinance be against building a church building or one Christian pastor be censured or any one self-labeled Christian not get his or her way, and Persecution! is shouted load and clear. Our first response ought to be, Have I been faithful to God in what I am seeking or is God using the mouth of an ass to warn me of the path I am on?

• 1:18-22--Jerusalem's confession.

  • I rebelled,

  • I am suffering as a consequence,

  • I was deceived by my "friends",

  • I was terribly rebellious,

  • My enemies are "glad that you have brought [this] about",

  • "My groans are many and my heart is sick with sorrow."

Simply put, when God's people rebel against Him, there are consequences.

Pray with me

My God, Your people are also terribly rebellious. They do not consider the consequences of their sin; in fact, so many rejoice at sinfulness! They consider the end result to be so valuable that any means are allowed. They find themselves allied with the ungodly, with the extreme, with the hateful, manipulative, and deceitful, and they exult to have such "friends." Your people rejoice to be paired with the mighty, forgetting how great their fall will be.

My Lord, spare us of the full cup of Your wrath. Bring Your people to repentance before they end up, like Jerusalem, exiled, starving, dying, and sick with sorrow. Let us come back to our first love and act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You.

In the Name of Jesus the Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit I pray, Amen.