Throughout this second
chapter of Lamentations, Jeremiah has told of the conditions
surrounding the city of Jerusalem. He told of the anger and fury of
the Lord who was as an enemy or an adversary as He destroyed the
palaces, strongholds, tabernacles, places of assembly, their feasts
and sabbaths, the altar, the sanctuaries, the walls, gates and bars,
and allowed even the priests and kings to be affected by His wrath.
In chapter two and verse ten he adds “the elders” and “the
virgins” to his list. We read:
The elders of the
daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they
have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with
sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the
ground.
The
verse begins, “The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the
ground, and keep silence:” Jeremiah speaks
first of “the elders” who were the “older or
authoritative” ones who lived among the people in Jerusalem. Where
they once were active in the decision making and vocal in doing so,
they were now sitting “in silence” “upon the ground”.
The implication is that they were so stunned that they could say
nothing because of the horror that was all around them.
The
verse continues, “they have cast up dust upon their heads; they
have girded themselves with sackcloth:” As a sign of intense
sorrow and grief, people used to “cast up dust” or throw dust in
the air until it landed all over their heads and clothe themselves
with “sackcloth” which was a mesh sack that was used
mostly for grain. The idea was to demonstrate outwardly the humility
and mourning which occurred within them.
The
verse goes on to say, “the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their
heads to the ground.” Jeremiah next speaks of “the
virgins” who should have been as those who were hopeful for
marriage, with a great outlook toward life, and excited about their
futures, but were rather hanging “down their heads to the
ground”. Rather than being excited about the possibilities for
the upcoming days, they were not hopeful at all and their outward
expressions demonstrated it.
As we go
through this book of Lamentations, the tendency may be for us to tire
of or resist such great sorrow day after day. However, we should let
these repetitive mentions of Jeremiah keep us in mind of the
thoroughness of God to complete what He has desired to do. In other
words, the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem were only because they
were defiant, disobedient and unwilling to change their behavior and
attitudes toward the Lord. Because we live on this side of the cross,
the full price for our rebellion has been paid, and now rather than
suffer the consequences of our actions, Jesus paid for them in
advance. Oh let us rejoice in that which does not have to be because
it has already been if only we will believe in Jesus as our Lord and
Savior, and may we evermore believe.
Next
time we will how the site of all this affected Jeremiah, so read
ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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