05/07/21 The Lord’s Anger With His People #3 — Lamentations 2:1-22 (ESV)

NOTE: I have surgery on Thu. May 6; so I’m posting this early!

v.6 He has LAID WASTE his booth like a garden, LAID IN RUINS his meeting place; the LORD has MADE ZION FORGET festival and Sabbath, and in his FIERCE INDIGNATION has spurned king and priest.

Laid waste… booth: stripped bare the temple; NO MORE Festival and Sabbath: Religious ritual and practice; King and priest: Government and Religious leadership; indignation: intense anger, rage

v.7 The Lord has SCORNED His altar, DISOWNED His sanctuary; He has DELIVERED INTO THE HAND OF THE ENEMY the walls of her palaces; they raised a clamor in the house of the LORD as on the day of festival.

Scorned: hated; disowned: emptied; Their Enemies Celebrated Loudly & Joyfully in the Temple?!—like a Jewish festival!

v.8 The LORD DETERMINED to LAY IN RUINS the wall of the daughter of Zion; He stretched out the measuring line; He DID NOT RESTRAIN HIS HAND FROM DESTROYING; He CAUSED rampart and wall TO LAMENT; they languished together.

Measuring line: God wanted to make sure He destroyed EVERYTHING!

v.9 Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has RUINED AND BROKEN her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the LAW IS NO MORE, and her PROPHETS FIND NO VISION FROM THE LORD.

They had NO way to know God’s will, from the Law (the OT) or Prophets! Reminds me of Amos 8:11 (ESV) “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.” STAY TUNED…