Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Pre-exilic Prophets 5 (7)
Pray Psalm 27.14.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!
Sing Psalm 27.14.
(St. Denio: Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise)
Wait, wait on the LORD; persevere in His grace.
Hold fast to His Word; seek His radiant face.
Be strong, set your heart to abide in His Word;
His grace He imparts; therefore, wait on the LORD.
Read Lamentations 3.19-33; meditate on verses 24-26.
Preparation
1. What was the LORD to Jeremiah’s soul?
2. What does one do who waits on the LORD?
Meditation
Lamentations is a lengthy and sad postscript to the book of Jeremiah. In it the prophet mourns for Judah and Jerusalem, which had fallen to Babylon. All was in utter ruins, just as Jeremiah had foretold. The Word of God and the threat of His judgment had proven true, but there was no sense of gloating on Jeremiah’s part. He wept and lamented the fall and captivity of his people.
We recall that Jesus lamented over Jerusalem in anticipation of the wrath of God that was coming because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah (Matt. 23.37-39).
In our text, coming in the middle of Lamentations, the prophet recalls the faithfulness of God and holds out the hope of salvation to all who would continue to believe in and wait on and seek the LORD. Despite the complete destruction of the city, God was preserving a remnant of His people who would again know His mercies, compassion, and faithfulness (vv. 22, 23). But, like the prophet, such people must cling to the LORD as their “portion” and hope only in Him (v. 24).
We may have to bear a difficult yoke at times, as we wait for the full salvation of the LORD. But it is good for us to do so (v. 27), for thus we grow in hope and know the mercies of the LORD (vv. 27-33).
Jesus knew the judgment of the LORD, but not without hope. The LORD is His portion, and He must be ours as well. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves the hope of salvation for all who believe. Now we must endure hardship and live by faith as we pass through a time when the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Rom. 1.18ff). We must take up Jesus’ yoke, plow the hard soil of this world, and sow good Kingdom seed as we are going in every place, waiting for the Lord Jesus to bring His salvation to fruition as He pleases.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ overcoming death—the necessary sacrifice for the sins of the world.
He was not found in the tomb: He had risen, just as He said He would! (Matt. 28.6)
But before His arising, many were in deep sorrow—in a funereal mindset—not expecting or experiencing hope. Jeremiah’s lamentation, according to the NKJV book summary, described the funeral of a city. But through keeping his hope centered on God, he was able to cry out, “Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3.23). And because he believed God’s Word that always happened just as He said, Jeremiah knew great comfort and hope.
In the face of the utter devastation of Jerusalem he was able to write:
“For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
yet He will show compassion
according to the multitude of His mercies.
For He does not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men” (Lam. 3.31-33).
God told Ezekiel to write a similar truth:
“If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us,
and we pine away in them,
how can we then live?”
‘As I live,’ says the LORD GOD,
‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Turn, turn from your evil ways!
For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezek. 33.10, 11).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned;
but he who does not believe is condemned already,
because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God” (Jn. 3.16-18).
To the people of Jeremiah’s day and the people of today, the question is the same:
What will you do with Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer?
Will you believe in Him? Will you believe strongly enough that all your hopes and dreams will change?
Will you believe in Him enough to trust Him when all else fails?
Can you say with Jeremiah, “‘The LORD is my portion’, says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him’” (Lam. 3.24)?
Yes. So, we forge ahead, hoping, doing, trusting, obeying, living, sharing, and waiting for the LORD;
and Rejoicing in the absolute victory and joy of Easter—overcomers with the LORD JESUS!
(Jn. 16.33; 1 Jn. 5.4, 5; Rev. 2.7, 21.7)
“LORD, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments” (Ps. 119.166).
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
(Isaac Watts, 1707)
Reflection
1. What is hope? How does Christian hope differ from other forms of hope?
2. How can Christians encourage one another in hope? Why should we?
3. How does hope help or strengthen faith? How does faith nurture hope?
God’s compassions fail not; of this we have fresh instances every morning. Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is a portion for ever. It is our duty, and will be our comfort and satisfaction, to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Lamentations 3.19-33
Pray Psalm 27.1-13.
Meditate on the Lord Jesus, exalted in glory. Call on Him to show you His face, teach you His ways, and strengthen you against the enemies of your soul.
Sing Psalm 27.1-13.
(St. Denio: Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise)
LORD, You are our Light and our Savior most dear!
You guard us with might; therefore, whom shall we fear?
Though evil surround us, our enemies fall;
no harm shall confound us when on You we call.
One thing we request but to dwell with You, LORD.
Your beauty to test and to think on Your Word.
In trouble You hide us secure in Your grace;
no foe may o’erride us: We sing of Your praise.
Hear, LORD, when we cry and be gracious, we pray!
LORD, do not deny us Your favor this day!
Our help, our salvation, though others may fall,
preserve our good station when on You we call.
LORD, teach us; LORD, lead us because of our foes!
Hear, LORD, when we plead for release from their woes.
Had we not believed all Your goodness to see,
our heart sorely grieved and in turmoil would be.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Read Moore (from the book, Revived!); from Crosfigell, “He Knows What He’s Doing”, on the work of the Holy Spirit; and “Grow in Jesus” from our ReVision series, “Pray for Your Church.” And new in our bookstore, Let God Be True and Enjoying God, both free to download and share.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
