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Devotional thoughts (Monday through Thursday mornings) from the pastor of Exeter Presbyterian Church in Exeter, NH // Sunday Worship 10:30am // 73 Winter Street

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Lamentations 4

What is gold compared to one human life, and what are the rocks that formed the foundation of the temple? The large stones of the temple were impressive to the disciples of Jesus, but not one would be left on top of another. More precious than gold, of far more worth than the stones of any physical temple on Mount Zion, God has made His people living stones in a new temple, where Christ is the cornerstone. This temple will never be demolished.

In the days of the exile of Judah, the old temple was destroyed. This was a cause of horrible grief for the Lord’s people. The sons of Zion were treated as worse than nothing. The normal tenderness of family relationships, even of mother and child, was removed from the people of God. There was no food. There was no living hope, only pain and grief.

It had not been very long ago when the people of wealth had what they wanted. They had the opportunities that riches afford to develop refined tastes for good things. Now a crust of bread would have been a treasure. The gold was very dim now.

It might have been better to have been like Sodom and Gomorrah. Those cities were destroyed so quickly. Judah faced a lengthy siege, the slow consumption of any stored foods until virtually everything was gone, the sounds of the Babylonians beyond the gates; the inevitable destruction was so near to them. There was too much time to think. There was the debilitating anxiety which attended the anticipation of a coming horror.

Now it had all happened. What a sight to see strong young men and women in such bad condition as they drew near to death. The sword was better than this. All civility and order seemed to be gone, as unmentionable acts of desperation took place among God’s own people.

What could it all mean? It was the Lord. This was the hardest thing to face. It was for the sins of the prophets, the priests, the elders, and the people. Now the people of the covenant were treated like some unclean thing that no one would want to be near. It was the Lord who scattered them. It was the Lord.

They had longed for some rescue even up to the last moment. They placed their hopes in foreign armies who would force the Babylonians to go away. Their hope was in vain. When the enemies breached the wall, and the rulers and warriors attempted to escape, their pursuers were swift in capturing them. Even the king, the Lord’s anointed, was captured. He would not be able to help his own sons or his highest officials. He would certainly be of no help to the weak.

Despite all of this pain and trouble, the day would come when God’s discipline of His people would be accomplished. Then the remnant of Jacob would be brought back into the Land. Even as the temple was being torn apart, and as young men and women were dying in the streets, as the king of Judah was captured and humiliated, God still loved Jacob. Esau was another story. Their day would come. They would face their own time of reckoning. The cup of God’s wrath would be passed to them, and their sins would be uncovered.

In such a situation it is best not to rejoice in the defeat of God’s children. This world of trouble is filled with unknown providences. Today’s peace and security can be gone in a moment. The greatest king can be quickly defeated. The richest nobles can soon be begging for bread. The strongest young men can be wasting away and afraid. You do not know the secrets of the Lord. You only know what He has revealed.

This is what He has spoken. There will be a descendant of David who will reign forever and ever. His kingdom shall never fail. There will come a New Covenant, not like the old one which Israel and Judah broke, though God was a husband to them. The day would come when He would write His Law upon their hearts. This would be not only for the Jews, for the Lord had promised that through Abraham, all the families of the earth would be blessed. There would come a seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent.

God spoke to the fathers through the prophets little by little and in various ways. When Lamentations was written, they were not yet finished with the Old Testament story. Their remained still Daniel, and he would add some new insights, as would Ezekiel and some of the other prophets. There was still some history of the faithfulness of God to be recorded. All of that would finish out the Old Covenant book. Then, after four hundred years of silence, God would speak to us through a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. In His death and resurrection a cornerstone would be laid in Zion, and no man would ever be able to tear down the temple of living stones that would be built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets. The King of Glory has come, and the Jerusalem of God has finally been rescued from all her foes. No one will ever take that victory away. Wait for the Lord. Trust Him. He will accomplish all His purposes.

posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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