Given to be Satisfied Lamentations 5:6

Jeremiah the prophet has continued his lament over the destruction of Jerusalem in chapter five by recounting to the Lord in prayer concerning the horrific conditions which the people endure. In chapter five and verse six we learn how the people were given over to the Egyptians and Assyrians just to have bread. We read:

We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

The verse begins, “We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians,” We might imagine that people who were left in Jerusalem after their defeat did not possess great amounts of money. Although we saw in the last verse that people purchased their water and wood, Jeremiah says they “have given the hand” which means allowed themselves to be slaves or as workers to both the Egyptians and Assyrians. No longer were they able to work for themselves, but they submitted themselves to the lordship of the people in the countries around them.

The verse goes on to say, “to be satisfied with bread.” The reason for their submission to this slavery was “to be satisfied with bread” which is simply to have something to eat. Where they once enjoyed the finest of foods in Jerusalem, they gave themselves over to bondage and servitude just to sustain their lives.

As we think about these words we may remember that the Israelites were once freed from Egypt. They knew what it was like to live without slavery in their lives. At this point they were submitted to the Egyptians once again, and they subjugated themselves to the Assyrians as well just to be able to live. When we think about this we may be inclined to think ourselves better than this and be without great compassion toward these fallen people, however, if we turn away from the Lord and His extended hand as they did, it is possible that we are only a short time away from their fate. May the Lord Jesus keep us in our relationship with Him, and may we never have to rely upon anyone but Him for our sustenance and satisfaction in life.

Next time we see how fathers sinned and their prodigy suffered for it, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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