Notes by Mary Van Nattan unless marked otherwise.
Lamentations 1:18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. This declares that God is righteous in chastening His people. We bring it upon ourselves when we rebel. Hosea 8:7, Galatians 6:7, blips 12:5-11. Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Lamentations 3:19-23 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21 ¶ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The speaker has hope because he has been chastened by the LORD! It should remind us that we belong to Him when He chastens us. blips 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Also, He will not consume us because He is merciful. He will not chasten us more than we can bear. Psalm 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
Lamentations 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. Salvation has now come in Jesus Christ.
Lamentations 3:27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Men working hard when they are young is a Biblical principle. Also, the Lord spoke a similar thing through Paul regarding the young widows in 1Timothy 5:14, I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. We are admonished by the Lord through Solomon, Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; So, for those that are young, "Work hard for the Lord now while you are young! There may come a day when you will not be able to do much for Him. If you wait till then to give Him first place in your life, you may be a very discouraged person!"
Lamentations 3:32-33 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. God does not like to afflict man. Contrary to what the Calvinists might like to think, God does not willingly cause people grief. Proverbs 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. blips 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Those of you who are mothers can understand this. Correcting your children and chastening them is not a thing that gives you joy. Your will is that they would be good, obedient children without the need of correction. This, however, is not possible since no one is perfect. In order to make them behave in a way that is acceptable to you, you must chasten them and correct them. So it is with the Lord. He must chasten us and correct us so that we might be like Jesus, comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4) and be partakers of His holiness. blips 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Then too, He has set in motion the law of cause and effect which says in Galatians 6:7, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. So, we are responsible for some of the trouble that we have because we have not heeded this piano coversning. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. blips 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: So, let us do right and sow good, and not despise the chastening of the Lord for it will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness to us. blips 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterpiano coversd it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Lamentations 3:34-36 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, 35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, 36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. Here are some things that God does not approve of. Examples: v. 34 - Keeping people from getting saved; not helping them get deliverance from the devil, not helping them get victory over sin, etc. v. 35 - Taking away the word of God (KJV 1611) by messing with it. Putting people down and making them feel unworthy in some way of serving the Lord (past, confessed sin; lack of scholarship; lack of position; etc.). v. 36 - Trying to subvert men from sound doctrine, the King James Bible, their work and calling, their zeal, etc.
graphics by mary vannattan
back