Affliction Lamentations 3:1

After all that Jeremiah has written about the travesties that occurred throughout Judah and Jerusalem, we might tend to think there couldn't be more, however there was. These things affected Jeremiah personally, and as we begin chapter three we see some of his individual afflictions. Also, let us be reminded that this book was written in acrostic form where each verse in the first, second, and fourth chapters begins with each succeeding letter of the twenty-two character Hebrew alphabet. Chapter three has three verses with each corresponding letter. In verse one we read:

I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

The verse begins, “I am the man that has seen affliction...” Jeremiah states that it was he who has seen “affliction” which means “poverty or misery”. Jeremiah saw these horrific terrors with his own eyes. As he sat in what is known as “Jeremiah's Grotto” he overlooked the city, took in each aspect, wept, and remembered that everything he saw could have been prevented if Jerusalem would have listened. If only they would have heard his pleas for them to turn back to God, but they did not.

The verse goes on to say, “...by the rod of his wrath.” Jeremiah next notes by whom these afflictions came. They came by “the rod” or “staff, branch, offshoot, club, or scepter” and were done in “his wrath” or “outpouring, overflow, excess, fury, wrath, or arrogance”. God's rod of correction had come upon the people of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah took it personally.

Depression, despair and hopelessness begin to describe the way Jeremiah felt as he overlooked the city of Jerusalem. He knew from where their correction came, and he saw the effects of it himself. Affliction came upon Jeremiah as it also may come upon us. When we see people we love afflicted because of their disobedience, we join in their afflictions and may become depressed, in despair and hopeless ourselves. Our only resource is to put our trust in Jesus Christ when these times of affliction come, and come they shall upon us and others. May the Lord continually lead us to His side when these times enter our lives, and may He help us remember, this is why we are in need of a Savior.

One last note, this chapter becomes a wonderful type our our Savior Jesus and the affliction He suffered that we might have a relationship with Him.

Next time we see God led them out of light and into darkness, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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