LamentationsLamentations

Lessons from Suffering

Part 3

Lam 3:31-66

Review• Chapter 1 addressed how the nation of Judah

felt about its suffering because of its sin• Chapter 2 addressed how God felt about

Judah’s sin and the necessity of suffering– It also briefly addressed the need for repentance

• Chapter 3 looked at suffering from the individual’s viewpoint– How we can either blame God or others, or we

can be honest and accept the blame– How we can have hope because God is loving

and merciful– How we need to surrender our priorities to the

will of God if we are going to have hope

Understanding God• Lam 3:31-33

– God wants to be forgiving (Ex 34:5-7)• But justice demands the guilty be punished• Not that God has pleasure in bestowing such

punishment (Ezk 33:11)

• Lam 3:34-36– God must be fair and righteous

• It would not be fair to completely destroy those who have no real power (like prisoners)

• It would not be right to refuse to give someone what they deserve (good or bad)

• It would not be right to take away man’s responsibility for his actions

Understanding God• Lam 3:37-39

– Considering God’s mercy, justice, love, fairness, and righteousness . . .• And adding to that His Power

– Then who are we to complain when He allows us to suffer because of our sins?

• Lam 3:40-41– Rather than complain, we should examine

ourselves for sin (2 Cor 13:5; 1 Thes 5:21-22)– And if we find sin, then we must repent and pray

to God for forgiveness

Praying for pardon• Lam 3:42-47

– A prayer asking God’s forgiveness• Confession of sin

• Admission of God’s righteousness in not forgiving those sins and punishing those sins

• Understanding that God had not listened to prayers not accompanied by true repentance

– Isa 59:1-2, 9-13– Same point made in Lam 2:7-17, followed by the call for true

repentance (Lam 2:18-19), not just remorse or sorrow» So it shouldn’t surprise us that God requires individuals

to repent as well

– So prayer alone, unaccompanied by action, will not grant pardon

• Prayer is necessary, but alone is not enough

Remorse• Lam 3:48-51

– Some want God to forgive as soon as we feel sorrow for our sins

– But sorrow alone brings no change from God• 2 Cor 7:8-11

• Sorrow may cause us additional pain and suffering for our sins

– Remorse, like prayer, is necessary, but it’s not enough• Even remorse with prayer is not enough

A broken spirit• Lam 3:52-56

– Before we can have true repentance, we need to come to realize that we can’t save ourselves• We must come to rely solely upon God

– Ps 32:3-5

– Prayer, remorse (sorrow), combined with a broken spirit and complete surrender to the will of God is true repentance• Ps 6:1-10

Forgiveness and Redemption• Lam 3:57-58

– Once we truly repent, God says, “Do not fear”• His forgiveness is immediate and complete

– 1 Jn 1:9

– Once we have truly repented, then God goes from being against us to being for us• He was our opponent (Lam 2:1-6; Jas 4:4)

• He becomes our Advocate (1 Jn 2:1-2)

• And our Redeemer (Col 1:19-23; Rom 5:6-11)

Judgment• Lam 3:59

– Not as in NKJV “You have seen how I am wronged”• Because the entire book points to the fact his

suffering was right and just

– But rather as KJV “Thou hast seen my wrong”• Like Lk 18:13-14

• An admission of guilt and surrender to God’s judgment (after true repentance)

• But what about for those who refuse to repent?

Judgment• Lam 3:60-66

– Those who refuse to heed the call to repentance• Who mock and ridicule those who do repent

– God will repay them for their evil• Why? Because that is justice

– They refused to accept God’s mercy so they have no right to expect mercy

» Heb 10:26-31

Conclusion• God wants to be merciful

– We have sinned and separated ourselves from Him

– He gave His Son to die for our sins

• We must truly repent of our sins– Sorrow, prayer, a broken spirit, and a complete

surrender to God’s will – all combined• Includes the necessity of baptism (Mk 16:15-16)

• But whether we choose to accept His mercy or not, all will be judged by Him (Heb 9:27-28; 2Cor 5:10)