SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/17/2014
10:40 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Lord’s
Discipline PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
Lamentation 4:1-2, 7-8; 3-5, 10
Message of the
verses: As we begin looking at the
forth chapter of Lamentations it would be helpful to see what Warren Wiersbe
wrote at the beginning of this chapter in order to set the tone for what will
be looked at: “In this chapter, Jeremiah
brought together a number of vivid images to describe what the people endured
in the siege and fall of
Jerusalem. These calamities hand been
announced in the terms of the covenant (Deut. 28-30), so the Jews shouldn’t
have been surprised when they occurred.”
Gold and Jewels (Lamentations 4:1-2, 7-8): “1 How dark the gold has become, How the pure
gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every
street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are
regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter’s hands!
“7 Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They were
whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was
like lapis lazuli. 8 Their appearance is blacker than soot, They are not
recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is
withered, it has become like wood.”
I believe that Jeremiah is referring to the breastplate
that the High Priest wore which had jewels in it that represented the different
tribes of people in Israel. These jewels
were set in gold and then placed upon the breastplate. We can read about this in Exodus 28:6-30;
39:1-21 and also look at Zechariah 9:16-17 and Malachi 3:6 for information on
the breastplate. Now after the enemies
of the Jews came into the city of Jerusalem the people looked anything but like
precious jewels, and the reason that they were able to come into Jerusalem was
because of the sin of the people. Dr.
Wiersbe writes “Nobody was ever made better, more attractive, or more valuable
because they sinned.”
Animals and Birds (Lamentations 4:3-5, 10): “3 Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse
their young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in
the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the infant cleaves To the roof of its mouth
because of thirst; The little ones ask for bread, But no one breaks it for
them. 5 Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in
purple Embrace ash pits.
“10 The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own
children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter
of my people.”
We can see the cruel tragedies of war in this section and
we have gone over verse ten before, so I won’t dwell on it that much but would
say that this was written in the covenant from the book of Deuteronomy chapters
28-30 so it happened because the Jews did not keep that covenant with the Lord. Dr. Wiersbe writes “God’s special people were
living like animals because they had turned their backs on their Maker and
their God (Romans 1:18ff).
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I want to focus
in on the statement that Warren Wiersbe made: “Nobody was ever made better,
more attractive, or more valuable because they sinned.” The problem with this is that we think we can
look better because of sin, but sin never makes us look better. Sin makes our old nature look better, but
that is the only way the old nature wants to act, and as a believer we have to
remember that the old nature is our enemy along with the world, so we have to
memorize Scripture in order for us not to follow it. That is why I am memorizing different
sections of Scripture, remembering Hebrews 4:12 which says: “For the word of God is living and active and
sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul
and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and
intentions of the heart.”
My Steps of Faith for Today: Follow the Scriptures that I am memorizing so
that I will keep away from sin.
Memory verses for the
week: Colossians 3:1-9.
1 Therefore if you have
been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set
your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden
with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who
is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in
glory. 5 Therefore consider the members
of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For
it is because of these things that the wrath of God has come upon the children
of disobedience; 7 and in them you once walked, when you were living in
them. 8 But now you also, put them all
aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander,
and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do
not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil
practices,
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Gopher wood” (Genesis 6:14).
Today’s Bible question: “Leaving the first principles of Christ, we
are to go onto what?”
Answer in our next SD.
9/17/2014 11:33 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment