Bible Study

Title: Faithful Through All
Date: May 4, 2006
Topic(s): Faith/Trust
Scripture: Lamentations 1-3

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Jeremiah, one of the authors of the Bible, is often referred to as "the weeping prophet." It's easy to see why when we look at the Book of Lamentations. The ruins of Jerusalem, through the veil of Jeremiah's tears may seem an odd place to start a lesson on God's faithfulness, but that's where we begin.

What Does God Say?

"All the beauty and majesty of Jerusalem are gone. Her princes are like starving deer searching for pasture, too weak to run from the pursuing enemy" (Lamentations 1:6, NLT).

It was no secret. Even though it was foreign armies which destroyed the city, it was God who allowed the city to be ruined. "The Lord has trampled his beloved city" (1:15). But God wasn't just having a bad day; there was a very specific reason Israel was captured. Israel had turned its back on God.

"But it is the LORD who did it just as he warned. He has fulfilled the promises of disaster he made long ago" (2:17). This is the first lesson of God's faithfulness: He keeps all His promises, not just the beneficial ones. God promised to bless Israel if they walked with Him. But He also promised to sell His people into slavery if they turned from Him. God wouldn't be faithful if He ignored some of His promises.

If this was the end of the story, God would look like an ordinary computer following a rigid set of logical rules. But out of the ruined city comes this amazing promise: "For the Lord does not abandon anyone forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love" (3:31-32).

God's promise to love us always stands behind every other promise He makes.

The third lesson of God's faithfulness is seen near the end of the book. "O Jerusalem, your punishment will end; you will soon return from exile. But Edom, your punishment is just beginning; soon your many sins will be revealed" (4:22).

Edom, a country hostile to God would not escape His wrath. The difference is that their punishment will be eternal. God shows His faithfulness by promising that one day all the evil forces of this world will be brought to justice.

My Thoughts

Read Lamentations 3:22-27 and Romans 8:35-39 and think about the following questions:

• What does it mean to "wait for him and seek him" (Lamentations 3:25)?
• Paul, the writer of Romans, lived about 650 years after Jeremiah, yet his message is essentially the same. What does this tell you about God?
• How can you tell the difference between God's temporary punishment and His eternal judgment?

My Part

If you have not decided to give your life to Jesus, you'll fall on the "negative" side of God's faithfulness. He will still and always love you, but remember He keeps all His promises. But God has also promised that while we live He will not reject anyone who honestly comes to Him. Do you know Jesus? If not, what is holding you back from Him?

Additional Scripture: Romans 8:35-39

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