We believe Jeremiah was around 17 when the Lord called him to be a prophet to Judah. Around this time Israel was split between the northern and southern kingdom (Tribes of Judah and Benjamin). For 40 years Jeremiah prophesied to the southern kingdom after the northern kingdom had been taken captive to Babylon. Even after years of Jeremiah appealing to the southern kingdom, they continued to reject the Lord and were taken into captivity as well.
Jeremiah records Lamentations during this time. He records what he sees, “How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave!” (Lamentations 1:1). He continues, “Jerusalem has sinned gravely, Therefore she has become vile...” Lamentations 1:8
The people weren’t willing to turn to the Lord. Jeremiah wept for years over them and now describes the city left empty. Even Solomon’s temple which had stood for 400 years was destroyed. All because a nation built by the Lord would not follow His ways.
Sound familiar to anything we’re dealing with today? It seems our nation has forgotten God; most deny He is real or at least don’t live like He is and have become a nation of idolatry and convenience. This isn’t doom and gloom just a moment of lament. We have strayed far from the Lord and His ways.
May we humble ourselves before the Lord and recognize sin. May we put our faith in the Lord who can forgive and redeem us. May our nation turn to the Lord and walk in His ways. May all nations do the same.
Whether our nation does or not remember the words of the Lord, “Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace, you will have peace.” Jeremiah 29:5-7
Be peacemakers in a not so peaceful world! Let’s lament for our sins and the sins of the nations. Let’s turn to the Lord and follow His ways.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.