For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her. (Lam 4:6)
The fourth Lament may be the hardest one to read. Many of the ladies in our study shuddered involuntarily as the verses piled horror upon horror in their ears and minds. Even the pagans were astounded at the wrath of God. The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. (Lam 4:12)
Then we turned back to the original covenant. Read Deut 28:28-57 today for your daily reading, and then find the fulfillment of all these things in the fourth Lament, as well as scattered in the prophets. But here especially, verse after verse, reminds the people exactly why they are experiencing these horrible things.
"But we are the chosen people," they said again and again as they ignored prophet after prophet. …He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine (Jer 5:12). "God won't destroy us," which in their minds meant "God can't destroy us because of all His promises." They forgot one thing. Precisely because of the covenant, when they broke their end of it, God was forced to keep His end to remain righteous, and His part was administering justice. He could not remain holy and faithful and not punish them.
And so what is the lesson for us? We have a new covenant with God. He has told us several times what will happen with those who have "trodden underfoot" the blood of his Son, the blood of that new covenant. The religious world wants to assuage your fears with the same sort of talk as the false prophets of old, crying, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace" (Jer 6:14). A loving God would never punish or destroy; He would never send anyone to hell, they say in all their theological sophistication.
The writer of the fourth Lament would beg to differ. God did it once. He will most certainly do it again.
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Heb 12:25-29)
Dene Ward
The fourth Lament may be the hardest one to read. Many of the ladies in our study shuddered involuntarily as the verses piled horror upon horror in their ears and minds. Even the pagans were astounded at the wrath of God. The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. (Lam 4:12)
Then we turned back to the original covenant. Read Deut 28:28-57 today for your daily reading, and then find the fulfillment of all these things in the fourth Lament, as well as scattered in the prophets. But here especially, verse after verse, reminds the people exactly why they are experiencing these horrible things.
"But we are the chosen people," they said again and again as they ignored prophet after prophet. …He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine (Jer 5:12). "God won't destroy us," which in their minds meant "God can't destroy us because of all His promises." They forgot one thing. Precisely because of the covenant, when they broke their end of it, God was forced to keep His end to remain righteous, and His part was administering justice. He could not remain holy and faithful and not punish them.
And so what is the lesson for us? We have a new covenant with God. He has told us several times what will happen with those who have "trodden underfoot" the blood of his Son, the blood of that new covenant. The religious world wants to assuage your fears with the same sort of talk as the false prophets of old, crying, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace" (Jer 6:14). A loving God would never punish or destroy; He would never send anyone to hell, they say in all their theological sophistication.
The writer of the fourth Lament would beg to differ. God did it once. He will most certainly do it again.
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Heb 12:25-29)
Dene Ward
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