God’s Judgement Came to Jerusalem

Lamentations 2:1–10
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Charles Swindoll has appropriately titled this chapter “Words from the Woodshed.” The first 10 verses depict the anger of God as He systematically destroys the city in judgement. The destruction included the physical dwellings (v. 2), palaces (vv. 5,7) and strongholds (vv. 2,5), but it also included its leaders, her kingdom and its princes (v. 2). The leadership was devastated by Babylon; God removed all those to whom the people looked for guidance and leadership. Because of this destruction God seemed to Judah like a fire (vv. 3-4). Just as the walls around Jerusalem were destroyed (vv. 8-9a) her human wall of leadership was dismantles (vv. 9b-10). The king and her priests were exiled, the Davidic dynasty was removed from its throne.

Their suffering is excruciating, their agony is beyond description. Dark clouds of divine indignation have covered them. Their beauty has vanished (v. 1). Their strongholds have been pitilessly torn downs (v. 2). God has allowed their enemies to advance unmolested, for His anger against Judah burns like fire (v. 3). The Lord is Himself her fiery foe (v. 4). He leveled her palaces and strongholds and caused mourning (v. 5). He abhorred and ruined her temple, abolished her feasts and despised her rulers (vv. 6-7).

He demolished Jerusalem’s walls, dismantled her gates and broke down her bars (vv. 8-9). Because of His anger she had been taken into captivity, her laws had become meaningless, her prophets had proved futile (v. 9), her elders were in despair and her virgins were disgraced (v. 10). The humiliation of Judah, which had been a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:6), was how reduced to a position below all the other nations. As a consuming fire (Heb 12:29, Deut 4:24) the Lord had taken away every means of both offense and defense available to the kingdom (v. 3).

Application

God was not Judah’s enemy, but he couldn’t permit her wickedness to go unchecked. Neither will he allow my sins to go unchecked without my paying the consequences.