Do to Them as You Have Done to Me Lamentations 1:22

As Jeremiah concludes this first chapter of Lamentations, he has noted the plea of the people of Jerusalem for God to look upon them and take note that they have no comfort or help from others who look upon them. Even worse, their enemies are jovial over their plight. In verse twenty-two Jeremiah records their desire for God to take vengeance upon them in the same manner in which they have received judgment for their wrongs. We read:

Let all their wickedness come before you; and do unto them, as you have done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

The verse begins, “Let all their wickedness come before you;” Jeremiah employs the word “let” which means “allow, permit, authorize or grant” that “all their wickedness” or “evil, bad, malignant, and disagreeable” behavior enter in before you. Their prayer is that God would look down upon all the evil that Jerusalem is enduring because of these wicked enemies.

The verse goes on to say, “and do unto them, as you have done unto me for all my transgressions:” The people of Jerusalem next call upon God to take vengeance upon these evildoers in the same manner in which He has afflicted them. Notice that Jeremiah uses the pronoun “me” to include himself in the judgment, and also consider that he uses the word “transgressions” which means “a deliberate, willful, and intentional” act of rebellion against the commandment of God.

Finally the verse says, “for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.” To give support for the reason God should judge the slanderous enemies of Jerusalem, Jeremiah encourages God to look at “my sighs” which are “groaning and moaning” behaviors, and to consider “my heart” or “inner part, conscience, seat of appetites, emotions and passions”. From the depth of their beings they are sick within because of the ridicule of their enemies.

So many times when others have enjoyed our disciplined state we desire to call out for vengeance against them. Many may resort to retribution themselves, and those who do usually end in a worse state than when they began. As we think about Jeremiah's words, perhaps there are some people we would cry out to God against, and we might wonder if they are crying out against us. The amazing part of Jesus Christ is that He died for “everyone's” sin and transgressions. Without Him, none could be saved. The case may be that we would align ourselves best with God if we seek His heart toward those who ridicule us and see that what He has in mind may be different than what Jerusalem desired for their enemies.

Next time we will begin a new chapter and see how the Lord responded to Jerusalem's rebellion, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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