Lamentations 3:37 says, Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? This is another way of asking who would say that God is wrong in what He says. Many people in Jeremiah's day, even the religious leaders, were saying just that, and many people in the world do so today. Verse thirty-eight adds, Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? Jeremiah said that evil, or punishment, and good could both come from God. Some people today say that they don't believe in hell because a loving God would not send people to such a place, and He doesn't, but He allows them to go there if they refuse His gracious salvation. Verse thirty-nine continues, Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Jeremiah asked why we should complain about the punishment of our sins. God has warned that all sin will be punished, so why should we complain when it is. God also made it possible to avoid that punishment through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah Who was to come then and the Messiah Who has come now. There is no one with a reason to complain about God's judgment. Verse forty declares, Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Jeremiah tells us that instead of complaining about God's judgment that we should search, or examine, our ways and turn to God again if we find that we are no longer living by His guidance. Verse forty-one adds, Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. Jeremiah also said that instead of complaining that we should lift up our hearts and hands to God in praise. When things are not going well, do we still praise God, or do we start to question Him and feel sorry for ourselves. Verse forty-two continues, We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. Jeremiah said that the people of Judah and Jerusalem had rebelled, and God had not pardoned them. This was because they had not repented and returned to God. The sad news is that God has already pardoned everyone if they will only come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, and yet the majority never will. Verse forty-three says, Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Jeremiah said that God had persecuted them with anger, but it was their sin that led Him to this action. Verse forty-four adds,Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. Jeremiah said that God had hidden Himself from them, but they really had hidden themselves from His will. If we truly seek God, then He will be found. Verse forty-five continues, Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. Jeremiah said that the rest of the world now saw the people of Judah and Jerusalem as trash. They had lost the protection of God because of their rebellion. If we who call ourselves followers of Christ do not obey God's commandments, the people of the world may see God allowing us to be defeated as He chastises us. Verse forty-six states, All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. Jeremiah said that every enemy was crying out against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The people of the world today are likewise crying out against Christians, but we must remain faithful to God and make sure that it isn't our disobedience to God that is causing this to happen. Verse forty-seven adds, Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. They were living in fear of the world and what the people of the world were doing to them instead of living in fear of the judgment of God which led them to this condition. We as followers of Christ should never live in fear of the world. Verse forty-eight continues, Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Jeremiah was crying about the destruction the people of Judah and Jerusalem, just as we should be crying for the lost of the world today who are facing everlasting punishment. Verse forty-nine says, Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, Jeremiah said he was continuously crying, not for himself, but for the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Verse fifty adds, Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven. Verse fifty-one continues, Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. Jeremiah said that what he saw happening to those who were called God's people affected his heart and he was waiting for God to look down in mercy. Verse fifty-two states, Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. Jeremiah said that his enemies chased him without cause, and even though Jeremiah was faithful to God, his enemies were being successful because of the sins of God's chosen people. Verse fifty-three adds, They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. Verse fifty-four concludes, Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. Jeremiah may have felt cut off from God, but he really wasn't. Sometimes today if the world seems to close in on us, we may feel cut off from God, but if we are true followers of Christ we never will be.
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