Lamentations 2 reminds me of the reaction
and pain in marriage when one spouse is unfaithful. The
faithful one can no longer stand to see the place where they lived,
or the place of intimacy that was defiled. A man of wealth
might prefer to bulldoze the entire place rather than see it again
and be reminded about the details of infidelity. The
destruction is a result to the ruined relationship. The chapter
begins in the rubble as the sound of the Babylonian bulldozer is way
off in the distance. Jeremiah surveys the demolished city, “How
the Lord has covered
Daughter Zion with the cloud of His anger…
hurled down the splendor of
Israel… Without pity… in His
wrath He
has torn… down to the ground in dishonor“.
There is a clear expression of God’s very personal involvement.
“He has withdrawn His right
hand… He has poured
out His wrath like fire… He has
swallowed up all her palaces“.
And yet the pain remains, “multiplied
mourning and lamentation for Daughter Judah“.
The reminders are everywhere of her “no-shows” and her excuses.
Everything must go, even “the
wall around”
the compound. Jeremiah writes,
knowing what could have been, “I
am in torment within; my heart is poured out… because my people are
destroyed“. Are you
living in the rubble?
Ripping
apart relationships also tears at the people close to them.
Without God’s support, provision and protection, “They
say to their mothers, ‘Where is bread and wine?’… their lives
ebb away in their mothers’ arms“.
“Your wound is as deep as the
sea“. He asks everyone
affected, “Who can heal you?”
He identifies the origin of the problem, “your
prophets were false and worthless… and misleading“.
This is a plain warning about following ungodly advice in the
relationships that matter most. Healing must happen before
rebuilding can begin.
The
chapter closes with a tearful recollection about the broken hearted
lost opportunity at love. He hears those passing sarcastically
asking, “Is
this the city that was called the perfection of beauty?”
In God’s presence, Jerusalem was spectacular. Now, “All
your enemies scoff
and
say, ‘This is the day we have waited for’“.
God loved her and insisted on being her one and only. After
being rejected, “He
has fulfilled His word… without pity,
He
has let the enemy gloat over you“.
I believe God wanted to hear two simple things, “I’m
sorry; please forgive me“.
Yet the nation did not acknowledge her sin. Too late, she feels
the pain of remorse, “your
tears flow like a river day and night“.
The chapter closes with a picture of the beautiful bride, now a
pitiful beggar; “pour
out your heart like water
in
the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him“.
But this is the cool part, our God wants to heal and restore each of
us! We need only enough faith to ask. Luke 18:39 tells of
the blind beggar shouting as Jesus was near, “Son
of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus heard him and He healed him, saying, “Your
faith has healed you“.
Friend, you are God’s first love. He is faithful to forgive
and rebuild. Will you ask?