Lamentations 4:1 says, How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. The gold of the temple had become tarnished, and the fine gold of the ornaments thrown into the streets. Verse two adds, The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! The house of God, the temple, and the people of God, Judah and Israel, had been held in high esteem like fine gold, but now they were seen as mere earthen vessels made by a potter. Since their rebellion against God had lost them their protection from God, they were a weak and powerless people. Without God's protection today, we as followers of Christ would be a weak and powerless people too often, which is why we must live in obedience to Him. Verse three continues, Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. The little children were suffering from lack of nourishment. Verse four states, The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. Jeremiah continued to speak of the suffering of the children, who were reliant on their parents for their food and drink. As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to meet not only our children's physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well. We cannot afford to leave them spiritually hungry and thirsty. Verse five adds, They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. Not only the children, but all the people of Judah and Israel were left hungry, even though they had been blessed with plenty when following God. Verse six continues, For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. Jeremiah said that the punishment of Judah and Israel was greater than the punishment of Sodom. Sometimes falling immediately is better than suffering for a long time. The people of Sodom never had to endure long time suffering like the people in Jeremiah's day were. Verse seven says, Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: Verse eight adds, Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. The Nazarites, some of the most devout and healthy of God's chosen people, had also been brought down. Our devotion to earthly standards will never keep us safe if we are not following God's will for our life. Verse nine continues, They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. Jeremiah said that those who had been killed by the sword were better off than those who were dying of hunger. If we are killed for our belief in God today, it may not be the worst outcome. Of course, those who were supposed to be God's people then were suffering because of their lack of belief in and faithfulness to God. Verse ten states, The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mothers were killing their children because of their lack of food and the ability to provide for them. Today, women kill their children before they are born simply because they would be an inconvenience. Verse eleven adds, The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. Jeremiah said that it was God Who had brought about the destruction of His rebellious people. No matter what happens in this life, it is God's judgment that will be the final one. Verse twelve continues, The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. Jeremiah said that the people of the world had not believed that Jerusalem could or would be defeated. This only happened because of their rebellion against God. If we as Christians remain faithful to God, then the world will never defeat us.
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