Title: Jeremiah's Last Prayer/Lamentations 5
Jeremiah's Last Prayer
Lamentations 5
1. Restatement of Israel's Current Status (1-7)
① The Lost Status of the People of Israel (1-4) - Jeremiah's Intercession
Jeremiah is praying mournfully for Israel, which has lost all its wealth, honor, and glory. They are praying earnestly for God's mercy over Israel's pain.
God hears and answers these earnestly interceding prayers.
② The result of Israel's union with the Gentiles (5-7) - When we pray, we realize our sins.
Jeremiah was able to accurately grasp the situation of the people of Israel while praying to God. Prayer is the ritual of faith that most certainly allows us to experience the consciousness of God's presence, enabling spiritual awakening. Unlike the insensitive people, the prophet realizes the sins of the nation and takes the lead in repentance and suffering. When we have such close fellowship with God, we can feel the fear of sin seriously. Believers should examine themselves through prayer and come to God in a more complete form.
2. The Shameful Appearance of Israel (8-18)
① Israel’s slavery (8-14)
② The people of Israel's sorrow for their slavery (15-18)
The results of the Israelites' love for the world are shown in two main ways. First, peace disappeared in my heart. And fear, anxiety, and fear began to build up. The peace that God gives is different from the peace of the world, and that peace can only be obtained by loving God. Second, spiritual ignorance followed. When you love the world, you naturally lose consciousness of God and become numb, foolish and empty.
3. God's Eternal Promise (19-22)
① An appeal to recall Jehovah’s eternal promises (19-20)
② An earnest prayer to restore Israel (21-22)
In this passage, Jeremiah began to pray earnestly based on the idea of God's covenant. The Prophet recognized that the restoration of God's people was not inherent in the people themselves, but was derived from God's eternity. Because God is eternal, God's people are eternal. Even in a desperate situation, believers can keep a new hope based on the covenant.