Opening Greetings to Philippi Part 2 Philippians 1:1

As we continue our study through the book of Philippians, let us imagine Paul the apostle imprisoned in Rome. It was from prison that he wrote to the church located in Philippi, and the occasion was an offering sent through their pastor Epahraditus who brought Paul greetings from the church. In chapter one and verse one Paul opens his letter with a declaration of who he and his protege' Timothy were, and to whom the letter is written. He wrote:

 

Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

 

The verse begins, “Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ,...” Paul considered himself and Timothy to be the  “servants" or “dulous” which means bond-servants of Jesus Christ. He and Timothy were willing servants of Jesus, and even though Paul was an apostle at this time in his life, he does not take on the authoritative title, but writes to the church of Philippi as a friend.

 

The verse goes on to say, “to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” Paul directed his words to “all the saints in Christ Jesus...”. It should be noted that he called them “saints”, and there was no special recognition from the hierarchy in the church that they were so. Those who were believers in Jesus Christ were the "saints" in the church of Philippi. Paul also included "with the bishops" who were the overseers, and the "deacons" who were as the "servants of a king or ones who by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, care for the poor and have charge of and distributes the money collected for their use". They are as a waiter or one who serves food and drink. In other words, Paul directed his words toward the entire church whether they held an office in the church or were attending "saints".

Once again we explore the idea of the "bond-servant" in Paul's opening greeting to the Philippian church. As we consider what it meant for Paul and Timothy to be "bond-servants" and in order for this book to have its full effect upon us, we should imagine ourselves as "saints" within the church of Philippi. Perhaps we hold positions of authority and are in charge of serving others. Maybe we have the position of being a believer in Jesus Christ, but we have not found where He would use us in His kingdom yet. Whichever the case, Paul was writing to the church of Philippi, and thereby he is in effect writing to us as well. As we agree to make this book personal and as written to us, we shall learn what the Lord would say to us through His word and through His servant Paul.

 

Next time we will see Paul use one of the most popular greetings in the New Testament, 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

The Saints in Philippi Philippians 1:1

In the sixteenth chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we see the beginning of the church which was formed in the city of Philippi. It was to this church that this small epistle of Paul the apostle was written as Epaphroditus, the church's pastor, had brought Paul a generous gift from the church while he was imprisoned in Rome. The book begins with a greeting and benediction from Paul where we read:

Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

The verse begins, “Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ,...” As we begin our study of this wonderful book it should be noted that the church at Philippi was formed in what is known as the second missionary journey of Paul the apostle. After traveling with Barnabas throughout Asia Minor and sharing the gospel with the gentiles, Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem where in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Acts there was what is known as the first church council. There decisions were made about ministering the gospel to the gentiles, and upon coming to certain conclusions concerning what laws the gentiles should and should not keep, the church made a decision to send Paul and Barnabas to the gentiles once again. However, Barnabas desired to take with them his nephew Mark who had abandoned them on their first missionary journey, but Paul resisted to the point that the contention was so great between Paul and Barnabas that Paul took Silas and Barnabas took Mark, and they separated from each other. It was on this second journey that Paul met “Timothy” in a city called “Lystra”, and Timothy became his protege' from that point forward.

Paul desired to go to Asia to share the gospel, however in a vision a man from Macedonia beckoned him to come and help them. Paul perceived this as direction from the Holy Spirit, and when they journeyed to Macedonia, Philippi was one of the first places they encountered. There by a riverside were a few women meeting for prayers, and Paul, Silas and Timothy shared the gospel with them and the church was formed. One small fact should be noted before we leave this description. Paul the apostle usually went to the synagogues first to share the gospel any time he entered a new city or village. At that time a synagogue was usually built if there were ten Jewish men in a city, however, there was no synagogue built in Philippi. Therefore, these women were the charter members of the church, and they were introduced to the gospel while in the midst of their prayers.

Notice too that Paul, the writer of the book of Philippi, says he and Timothy are “the servants of Jesus Christ”. The word “servants” is “dulous” in the Greek language, and it means “a slave, bondman, or a man of servile condition”. The idea behind a “dulous” is a willing and voluntary servant. Jewish law stated that a man could only be a servant for six years, and then he was to be set free. However, should a servant desire to stay with his master after the sixth year and continue to serve him, he was known as a “bond-servant” or a “willing and voluntary servant”. At this point an awl would be used to put a hole in the servant's ear, he would be given and earring, and he would be known as a “bond-servant” for life. Paul the apostle believed himself and Timothy to be “bond-servants” of Jesus Christ, and their title is an appropriate one for anyone who is willing to serve the Lord Jesus with all their heart.

Next time we will continue the introduction to the book of Philippians, 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

Rejection with Wrath Lamentations 5:22

We have come to the final words written by Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations. We have seen his anguish over the conditions in the nation of Judah and in particular the city of Jerusalem after the Babylonians overtook and desolated them because of their rebellion against the Lord. In chapter five and verse twenty-two, Jeremiah makes a final conclusion concerning the judgment that has fallen upon them. He wrote:

But you have utterly rejected us; you are very wroth against us.

The verse begins, “But you have utterly rejected us;” Once again we note the “But” at the beginning of a scripture, and we have learned that the word “but” is a disassociation conjunction which means that whatever is stated after the word “but” usually has greater significance than what was said before it. In this case Jeremiah was praying for the Lord to “turn” unto them, and his promise was that the people would “turn” unto Him. However, Jeremiah concluded, “you have utterly rejected us” which in the Hebrew is “ma'ac ma'ac” and means “to reject, despise, refuse”. In other words the rejection of the people of Judah and Jerusalem according to Jeremiah's assessment was worth repeating the word twice which is like “rejected, rejected”.

The verse goes on to say, “you are very wroth against us.” In addition to being “rejected, rejected”, Jeremiah adds that the Lord is “very wroth” or “to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, to be full of wrath, to be furious, provoked to wrath or anger, put oneself in a rage or anger oneself”. Notice that Jeremiah gives the direction of the Lord's wrath, “against us”. It is one thing for God to be angry, but when His anger is poured out upon a people, there is no hope for them at all.

As though the book of Lamentations hasn't been hard enough, Jeremiah ended it with a very uncomfortable statement. We may wonder what it is like to face the “utter rejection” and “great wrath” of God? We, hopefully, will never know God's rejection and wrath because we have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. In the gospel of John in chapter three and verse thirty-six John recorded these words of Jesus:

He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.

What Jesus declared was that God's wrath “abides” upon the person who does not believe in Him, and although Jesus took the wrath of God upon Himself when He died upon the cross for our sins, the person who “rejects” God's Savior Jesus will indeed be rejected and the wrath of God “abides on him”. The most appealing part of the book of Lamentations has been to see the repeated pleading of God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem to turn unto Him, but they would not. Finally, judgment fell, and they endured the effects of it. The Bible declares, “Today is the day of Salvation”, and before we wear the label of those who were rejected by God and His wrath poured upon them, let us turn to the Lord Jesus, ask Him to forgive us of our sins, and receive Him into our lives as our substituted sacrifice for our rebellion against God. May God's grace lead us to receive Him before it is too late.

Next time we will leave lamenting and talk about joy as we begin a new book named “Philippians”, 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

Turn and Renew Lamentations 5:21

As Jeremiah winds down his thoughts and words in the book of Lamentations, he pointed them toward the Lord in prayer. He declared the eternal characteristic of the Lord, and because of His generational to generational nature, Jeremiah asked why God forgot and forsook the people of Jerusalem and Judah. In chapter five and verse twenty-one Jeremiah pleads for the Lord to “turn” and “renew” the relationship they once knew with Him where we read:

Turn us unto you, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

The verse begins, “Turn us unto you, O LORD, and we shall be turned;” If we use our imaginations we can picture the idea that Jeremiah has in mind. It is as though Jeremiah sees the Lord turned against them in a manner like His back is turned away from them. Jeremiah's desire is the Lord would “turn” back to them, and when He does Jeremiah promises “we shall be turned” which means “to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, or give in payment”. In other words Jeremiah beckons the Lord to turn unto them and they will return unto Him.

The verse goes on to say, “renew our days as of old.” In addition to having the Lord turn unto them, Jeremiah desires the Almighty to “renew our days” which conveys the idea of “repairing or making anew” their days. Jeremiah reflects upon the way things used to be when the Lord was watching over them, helping them, providing for and protecting them, and his desire is for the Lord to restore them to that time once again. In other words Jeremiah desires a “do-over”, and he wants the Lord to be the one to renew them once again.

When we have times where we know we have turned from the Lord and our relationship seems distant from Him, we may desire a “do-over” like Jeremiah. We may think, “If only the Lord would turn unto us again, then we would turn unto him”. Because we feel abandoned by our current state we may long for the Almighty to restore us to the times when He was over us, providing for and protecting us. When these times come we should remember that it is always the Lord who stands ready to turn and renew, and it is usually us who in some way prevents this from happening. Being yielded to Him comes through humility, and when pride is vanquished and pleading becomes our mantra, He is always there to renew, restore and turn toward us. May we learn from the state of mind from which Jeremiah makes these pleas.

Next time we will end the book of Lamentations and see one last declaration of 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

Forgotten and Forsaken Lamentations 5:20

As Jeremiah concluded his words concerning the desolated nation of Judah and the city of Jerusalem, he directed them toward the Lord whom he declared remains forever and from generation to generation. In chapter five and verse twenty of Lamentations, Jeremiah asks why God has forgotten and forsaken them where he wrote:

Wherefore do you forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?

The verse begins, “Wherefore do you forget us for ever,...” The word “wherefore” employed by Jeremiah is like our word “therefore” and generally is used when a writer is making a conclusion. In other words, whenever we see a “wherefore” in the Bible, we should look at the verse just before it to see what the “wherefore” is “there for”. In this case, Jeremiah has stated that the Lord remains forever, and he questioned that since that is the case, “wherefore” or “why” “do you forget us”. We can almost envision Jeremiah's perplexity as he tries to make sense of the fact that God always has been, always will be, and currently exists, and since this is so, how is it possible that He could “forget” them? Let us note that this is Jeremiah's assessment and not actually the true stance of the Lord. Nonetheless, Jeremiah feels they have been forgotten.

The verse goes on to say, “... and forsake us so long time?” In addition to being “forgotten”, Jeremiah adds “and forsake” which means “to leave, loose, to depart from, leave behind, let alone, neglect, apostatize, let go or free”. Jeremiah felt that God had abandoned them and left them alone without Him at their side. Let us note too that Jeremiah put a time on God's forsaking, “so long time” which implies that there was once a time when God was with them and they knew it, but Jeremiah's words let us know they felt desolate, disowned and isolated in their present conditions. Regardless of how close to the Lord the people of the nation of Judah and the city of Jerusalem felt at one time, they felt forgotten and forsaken after their destruction.

Have we ever wondered if the Lord has “forgotten” and “forsaken” us? Perhaps we feel that way presently, and although we remember a time when the presence of the Lord was so real in our lives it was as though we could reach out and touch Him, He seems so distant now. Sometimes life has played its tune in our lives, and situations, people, conditions and troubles have altered our closeness to the Lord, and we feel abandoned, desolate, isolated and alone. In times such as these we should draw our attention toward the holy scriptures and remember Jesus' words in the gospel of Matthew in chapter twenty-eight and verse twenty where we read:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

And we should remember the Hebrew writer's words in the book of Hebrews in chapter thirteen and verse five:

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.

May we always remember that God always knows us and will never forget or forsake us as we continue in our relationship with Him.

Next time we see how Jeremiah desires for the Lord to turn to them, 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

The LORD Remains Lamentations 5:19

After Jeremiah listed all the people who were affected by the desolation within the nation of Judah and particularly the city of Jerusalem, in chapter five and verse nineteen in Lamentations he directs his attention toward the Lord once again where we read:

You, O LORD, remain for ever; your throne from generation to generation.

The verse begins, “You, O LORD, remain for ever;” Jeremiah begins his declarations of the Lord in prayer and states, “You, O LORD” which is the Hebrew word “Jehovah” and is “the proper name of the one true God”. His name means “the existing One”, and there is no one better to which Jeremiah may direct his attention. Jeremiah adds “You, O LORD remain for ever” which means he “dwells, inhabits, sits down or abides” for a “long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, as in an old, ancient world”. The Lord is “ancient, always, and eternal, with a continuous existence, and a perpetual, everlasting, indefinite or unending future, and He exists for all of eternity”.

The verse goes on to say, “your throne from generation to generation.” Jeremiah adds that the perpetuity of the Lord's “throne” or “seat (of honor), royal dignity, authority, and power” will continue “from generation to generation”. The idea is that the ruling power of God will last throughout the ages and from worlds without end. There has been and there never will be a time when the Lord does not ultimately rule. Judah and Jerusalem went through a horrific time of devastation and destruction, but the fact that the Lord continues to rule extended hope to them no matter how difficult their times might be.

When we allow ourselves to direct our attention toward the Lord rather than our circumstances and situations, we carry ourselves immediately toward the place of hope. Factoring without the Lord as the ultimate, everlasting and eternal One always leaves us in despair, however, as soon as we remember that there are no powers that be without the Lord allowing them, we have hope. God is eternal, all-powerful, and nothing is too difficult for Him. Jeremiah's final words in this book are directed toward the holy, eternal and everlasting God. Without Him being involved, there was no hope for Judah, Jerusalem or for us for that matter. May Jeremiah's words direct us to look to the Lord Jesus, remember His powerful position, and cling to Him in hope regardless of what we are facing in our lives for He indeed remains.

Next time we see Jeremiah wonder why the Lord has forgotten and forsaken Jerusalem and Judah, 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

The Desolate Mountain of Zion Lamentations 5:18

In Lamentations chapter five, Jeremiah listed the people who were affected by the overthrowing of the Babylonian army. Men, women, boys and girls, young people, priests, princes and elders were among the devastated group, and where there was once jubilant activities such as music and dancing, there was now sorrow and mourning as those who attend a funeral. In chapter five and verse eighteen of Lamentations Jeremiah tells how the surrounding mountain of Zion was altered because of the people's rebellion. We read:

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

The verse begins, “Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate,...” Let us use our imaginations for a moment and picture the “mountain of Zion” or the “mountain of Jerusalem” filled with activities. People were moving place to place. Commerce was among them, and perhaps markets were filled, but then, the place is abandoned. The mountain is “desolate” which means “to devastate, ravage, make desolated, to appall, show horror or be astounded”, and enterprise once abundant vanished. No one was around.

The verse continues, “...the foxes walk upon it.” The “mountain of Zion” which was vibrant and active at one time became so vacant that “foxes” were walking upon it. The “foxes” surrounding Jerusalem would normally stay away from people and their daily commerce, but since the people were gone, the “foxes” could run freely and without fear of being caught.

As we think through these words of Jeremiah our minds may rush to abandoned buildings or cities we have seen that once were filled with activities but now are empty, forsaken and deserted. There is something ominous about knowing that these edifices or cities used to have people who worked in them, but now they are nothing more than structures for spiders, bird nests, and rodent quarters. Some lives are like these. There was once a spark, and now there is emptiness. There was was activity, and now there is lethargy. If we can relate the desolate mountain of Zion where foxes roamed freely to our own lives, perhaps it is time once again to visit the Savior Jesus and allow Him to reproduce life in us, move away rodent foxes of apathy, and bring vibrant living back to us again. May God Almighty hear our prayers and execute that effect today.

Next time we see begin to make his final declarations about the Lord, 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

Faint Hearts and Dim Eyes Lamentations 5:17

When horrific troubles come into our lives, it affects more than our physical being. Extreme difficulties alter the very soul and hope within us, and such was the case with Jerusalem and the nation of Judah. The people rejected the Lord's repeated plea to alter their ways, and the Babylonians were carrying out the judgment of God for their rebellion. In Lamentations chapter five Jeremiah made a list of those who were affected by these judgments, and in verse seventeen we see a further response from those whom the Lord corrected. We read:

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

The verse begins, “For this our heart is faint;” The “heart” or “inner part, mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, or memory” of the people “is faint” which means “weak and unwell”. Where there used to be strength, courage and an indomitable spirit, the events before their eyes and the catastrophic happenings fashioned a feeble and sickly spirit within the people.

The verse goes on to say, “for these things our eyes are dim.” Not only was their “heart” altered by these judgments, but their “eyes are dim” which means “to be or become dark, grow dim, be darkened, be black, or be hidden”. It infers the idea of “hiding, concealing, obscuring or being confused”. In other words these events made their eyes as though they had cataracts upon them, and although they had eyes which saw clearly at one time, clouds and fog replaced their ability to see a bright future ahead of them.

No doubt such difficulties on the scale which the people of Jerusalem and Judah endured affected their spirit and foresight greatly. Perhaps we can relate to them in some measure. When hard times come, they can make our hearts grow faint and without hope to see anything brighter for our future. When we face difficulties that make our spirits faint and our eyes grow dim, we must factor the Lord Jesus into the situation. As long as we focus upon our circumstances, we will have hearts that grow faint and eyes that grow dim. However, when we simply add two words - “But God” to whatever we are facing our hearts are strengthened, and our eyes are brightened. Strength replaces weakness and hope supplants despair. The words to an old song come to mind as we think upon these things:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

May we evermore factor the Lord Jesus into every situation no matter how difficult it may be.

Next time we see what happened to the mountain of Zion, 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

No Crown and Woe Lamentations 5:16

The music and dancing within the city of Jerusalem were gone, and no one was in a mood of celebration. Where they once enjoyed their lives freely, the residents of the city were as those who were mourning at funerals. Sorrow replaced joy, and sadness was their emotional venue. Everyone who lived in the city was affected by the overthrow from the Babylonians, and in chapter five and verse sixteen of Lamentations Jeremiah describes more of the reasoning for their great fall where he wrote:

The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!

The verse begins, “The crown is fallen from our head:” The “crown” was a symbol of “glory and diadem”. Those who wore it were as royalty, exalted, and lifted up among the people. When Babylon and it's armies came into Jerusalem, a new reigning entity was put in place, and the people within Jerusalem's walls saw their “crown” “fallen” which means “cast down, caused to fail, fell, thrown down, knocked out, laid prostrate” to the ground. Glory was replaced by shame, and as Job wrote in the nineteenth chapter and ninth verse of the book after his name,

“He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.”

The verse goes on to say, “woe unto us, that we have sinned!” Jeremiah states the reason their glory or “crown” departed was “we have sinned” which means “to miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness”, and he emphasizes his grief by writing “woe unto us” which means “alas and oh” and denotes a “passionate cry of grief or despair”. Sin, and the results of sin, removed the people of Jerusalem's grandeur and honor and substituted contempt and humiliation.

As we consider the great fall from glory for the people of Jerusalem, we may be or know those who once enjoyed celebration and honor who now suffer with guilt and shame. Sin produces that effect, and great “woe” is upon those who have been influenced by it. When we ponder the condition of the people in Jerusalem we may wonder why they did not simply turn themselves toward the Lord before they suffered such great loss. If only they would have turned from their sinful ways, God would have protected them, guarded them, and kept them in their places of glory and crown. But alas, they did not, and sin netted them their shameful state. Perhaps we currently enjoy a “crown” of glory but are indulging in sinful and shameful ways that left unchanged will strip us of our exalted state. Let the people of Jerusalem serve as an example for us to examine our lives and turn to the Lord Jesus before our unheeded warnings bring us unbridled dishonor and great “woe”.

Next time we learn how these things affected their heart and eyes, 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

Joy and Dance Gone Lamentations 5:15

When we think back to the time when Jerusalem and Judah were conquered by the Babylonians, we can imagine how difficult it was for Jeremiah to see the different people who were affected by the onslaught. In chapter five of Lamentations Jeremiah spent time in prayer and listed one by one the different groups, and in verse fifteen he told of another way their defeat altered their paths. He wrote:

The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

The verse begins, “The joy of our heart is ceased;” The implication is that “joy” or “exultation or rejoicing” used to be in the people's hearts, but it no longer resides there. It, along with the elders who once sat at the gate and the young men who enjoyed their music, is now gone. Sorrow has replaced “joy” because the people of Jerusalem would not turn from their wicked ways.

The verse goes on to say, “our dance is turned into mourning.” One of the jubilant activities for the people of Jerusalem was to “dance” at parties and in the streets, however, when the music and joy stop, usually dancing follows directly behind. Instead of “our dance” the people experienced “mourning” as in those who grieve for the dead. It implies that the people of Jerusalem were as those who are in a period of mourning, dressed in mourning garb and going through the rites of mourning. Grief has replaced joy, and where there was once euphoric activities, the people were filled with agony and bereavement.

As we think about what it was like for the people of Jerusalem after their defeat, we may in some measure be able to relate to them. Perhaps there was a point of “joy” and “dance” in our lives, and now it seems there is nothing but sadness and gloom. Where we might have been inclined to be jubilant in the past, life's events and people have brought us great sorrow. As we travel through life there will be times where both joy and sadness come, and there certainly will be other times when dancing and joyful activities are replaced by gloom. When each of these times enter our lives we should remember that stability comes by being anchored to the greatest hope of all – Jesus Christ. Though the storms of life may alter our joy and troubles may affect our dance, Jesus Christ came to be Lord over all of them, and those who rely upon, trust in and cling to Him will be made stable no matter what events come their way.

Next time we learn what happened to the people's crown and holiness, 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

Elders and Young Men Altered Lamentations 5:14

One of the ways to really understand the Bible is to picture ourselves in the position of the characters. When we attempt this approach with Jeremiah as he overlooks the conquered city of Jerusalem, we cannot help but feel his sadness and despair at the sight of those who remained there. In Lamentations chapter five and verse fourteen we learn about two more groups of people who were affected by the conquest of the Babylonians– the elders and the young men where we read:

The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.

The verse begins, “The elders have ceased from the gate,” “The gate” mentioned by Jeremiah was like the court and business area of a city, and “the elders” or “the older ones or ones with authority” usually conducted affairs of the people there. Because the city of Jerusalem was overrun by the Babylonians, the business and court proceedings “have ceased” which means “caused to desist, put an end to, destroyed, exterminated, removed or caused to fail”, and “the elders” who supervised these operations were no longer there.

The verse goes on to say, “the young men from their music.” In addition to the elders and their normal course of activity being interrupted, “the young men” or the “youths or teenagers” “were removed “from their music”. Where it was normal for the young people to be playing, singing and dancing to music, the tones were all quiet now, and no youths were found enjoying their tunes. Rather than savoring joyful sounds, the young people were slaves for the enemy who conquered them.

As we ponder the events which occurred to these two groups, perhaps we might picture what it would be like if our courtrooms and legislative halls were empty. What if those who were proficient in business were conducting none, and what if those who were used to functioning in the world of music were suddenly stopped. What if there was to be no justice, no business and no music at all allowed in our nation? We might suppose that the people of the nation of Judah had no idea about the judgment that was to come upon them, and as Jeremiah tells us what happened to them, maybe we will think about why this result came – rebellion against God and His ways. May the Lord help us to use our imaginations to think of what life would be like for our elders and young people if the same judgment would fall upon us, and as we do, may our prayer be that we align with the Lord before it's too late.

Next time we learn what happened to the people's joy and dance, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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