2 Samuel 1:17-27 - Lament for Saul and Jonathan

2 Samuel 1:17-27

Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How have the mighty fallen! (verse 19)

Message: Lament for Saul and Jonathan

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: I've been thinking more about these Laments and our need to continue to go to the Lord with our problems and our struggles and especially when those struggles over a period of time are not working out the way we would like. I think of my dad's salvation, my youngest son's. I think of people in Africa and 3rd world countries that are continually struggling to have their basic needs met, working hard, and getting by on feeble means while so many other parts of the world live in comfort with heat, running water, and indoor plumbing. I think of our country and world that seems to be replacing God with personal choice - exchanging the truth for a lie. The division that is in our country at large. 

In 2 Samuel 1, after David learns of the death of Saul and his sons, specifically Jonathan he brings forth a lament or funeral dirge or elegy that will be publicly spoken at events. David and his men have already mourned, wept, and fasted (1 Samuel 1:12). David mentions here that a song of lament will be added to the Book of Jashar. This book is also mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and though never discovered seems to be a collection of a series of songs related to the men of Israel. 

verse 19 - Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How have the mighty fallen! - Saul and Jonathan are the beauty of Israel, the mighty that have fallen on the high Mount of Gilboa. 

verse 20 - Tell not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistine rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. - Gath and Ashkelon were chief cities of the Philistines and the expression of the daughters is it is customary for women to celebrate national deliverances and victories. The uncircumcised refers to the Philistines and their triumph over Israel. 

verse 21 - O mountains of Gilboa, let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. Joseph Benson comments that the expression of the height of the mountain is the height of our mourning and no dew and nor rain and no fertile fields is "a passionate expression of the sorrow and horror which he felt at this public disgrace and loss, which were such as if he thought every person or thing which contributed to it ought to bear tokens of the divine displeasure, such as the earth does when it is deprived of the influence of dew and rain." The shield was to be the protection of Saul and it was defiled and cast away. These are stark words because Saul was to David both his enemy and his prince. 

verse 22 - From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty. Saul and Jonathan had both been on the battle field -- victorious warriors who returned from battle often with the blood of the slain on them. This verse speaks of the greatness of Saul and David upon their foes. 

verse 23 - Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life, and in their death they were not parted; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Saul, but most notably Jonathan were pleasant (loved) in their life. As is done in any funeral service we commend the dead for the noble achievements and good works in their lives, for everyone does some amount of good. Father and son also share in a strong union. Like an eagle, they were swift, expeditious and nimble in pursuing their enemies and like a lion, strong. Again, we are meant at funeral to speak well of the dead. 

verse 24 - O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. - Clothed in scarlet means the victories that Saul experienced in his battles and time, though he goes out defeated. The daughters which celebrated his triumphs, shared the spoil of his victories, now lament his loss. Men fight and women are the first to reap the benefit. They show up and adorn themselves in bright colors and golden ornaments of jewelry. They present themselves in all of their beauty. 

verse 25 - How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places. - This lament began with the mighty and ends now with words of the battle, with David expression this in his friend Jonathan. In this lament, David does not for a moment speak of the grief he experienced continually from Saul who often wanted him dead. He passes over all of that, not only for himself, but also on the account of Jonathan. Whether Jonathan wanted to be there with his father Saul, he was there. He was present with him. He supported his father even if it was hard. The mighty have fallen is the epic of odes offered. 

verse 26 - I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan, you have been very pleasant to me, your love to me was more wonderful than the love of women. - There is a love between these two friends that transcends the love of women. Before everyone, David expresses his personal sorrow. In the Pulpit commentary, it states, "Never was there a purer friendship than that of Jonathan for David. It began just after the combat with Goliath, when the young prince, instead of seeing in David a rival, who had equaled his own feat of valor, took him to his heart, put upon him his own robe and armor, and thus presented him to the army as his friend and brother. Nor did his father's hatred of David, nor the knowledge that David was to inherit the kingdom, interfere with his love. He remained a dutiful son to his father, and accepted his inferior position with magnanimity, without once seeing in David cause for blame; and it surpassed the love of women, because, to requite their devotion, they look for protection and homage, the more delightful because it is paid by the strong to the weak. But here the lives of the two friends could not combine in one happy fusion of mutual union. Their hearts were bound together, but a hard fate, of which they were fully aware, made the ruin of the one the certain result of the happiness of the other. Nevertheless, Jonathan, with everything to lose, and David with everything to gain, remained true and loyal friends."

verse 27 - How have the mighty fallen, and the weapon of war perished. This thrice-repeated refrain sounds the keynote of the elegy. Saul had experienced great victories for the people of Israel and that is now contrasted with the terrible defeat of life. 

As I read this, I think of how it is interesting that we have changed our funeral services and termed them times of celebration or celebration of life and yet we often don't shout out the mourning and the grief that we are experiencing. The person's life yes was great, but me without them is now not great and we are at a loss. 

Sorrow is needed at times, but even in these words of sorrow are words of extreme thankfulness and the union that was present when these lives were on the earth. Let us continue to celebrate life. David was the rightful successor to Saul, but David was not out to get Saul. Despite Saul being threatened by him, David still had a love and respect for Saul. And he has in these verses heart-wrenching words of sadness for Saul's demise. But more so for his son Jonathan. We look forward to death no more. We are fine to want to escape it, though we cannot. We are fine to mourn it when it occurs in another, though again every person's outcome is certain. As Matthew Henry comments, “the more we love the more we grieve.”

Summary: David now brings a lament of sorrow, grief, but also celebration of Saul and even more notably his honored friend Jonathan. David has loved well. 

Promise: We are to support one another in every difficulty. There is a powerful bond of friendship we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for these words. I took time to go through them and understand them and think about them, for they were heartfelt words spoken by David and recorded in this book of Jashar, thankfully, so that I can read them today. You are good God, so good to remind us of the joy we have of being with others and the special bonds we have with other people. I thank you for the good friends you have given me. I have such a joy and thankfulness for the people that I walk through life with and am honored continually for their special friendship. There is a union with them that is different from the union with my wife and I am extremely grateful. Help me at those times to celebrate people, lament their loss, and not ever focus on their shortcomings. They are there in my life for a reason and help me God to always celebrate this. Be praised always. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Mark 5:35-40a - The Laugh of Unbelief

Mark 5:35-40a
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him.

Message: The Laugh of Unbelief

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Jesus is on his way to Jairus to see his daughter. He has been stopped by a woman suffering from a hemorrhage for 12 years. She touches him, she communicates to Jesus what she did and why, confessing to him and she is healed from the disease. While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” Thus, while Jesus is still speaking, someone comes forward to say that the daughter Jesus is going to see is dead, so they think there is no reason to trouble Jesus (the Teacher) further.

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” It is unknown who this person was, but Jesus turns to Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue to offer words of comfort. His response to Jairus is "Do not fear, only believe." Thus, in Jesus' response is the idea that Jesus has authority over life and death. Jesus can do anything. let Jesus decide what he will do. Along the way, we do not need to fear the outcome.

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. The crowd was present around Jesus when the woman with the hemorrhage was healed, but for this situation, only Peter, James and John would be allowed to come. There could have been many reasons, but Jesus trusted that witnesses were important and needed and they would share with others then what Jesus did. It wasn't important and necessary for everyone to see what Jesus would do. Plus, the girl was dead (supposedly) and perhaps it was a private matter now.

They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. Evidently, there was a custom in those times for people to wail loudly and weep over a death. There were even specific people, perhaps hired to mourn over the dead. There was a great commotion going on, perhaps another reason why Jesus only asked 3 of his disciples to come with him.

And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. In a phrase, Jesus removes the sting of death and instead introduces the idea of an awakening that will occur of the girl.

The responses of Jesus are normal, given the circumstances. They seem funny and odd to us, but we know more now than those at this time, in these settings. These verses remark that the daughter is dead, Jesus should not waste his time, people were already wailing and weeping, and Jesus' remark that she was just sleeping produced laughter. Jesus, however, has a specific purpose in mind and these people are really just distractions.

Promise: Jesus remarks that they only need to believe in Him and not look at the situation from man's point of view. Our confidence needs to be in what only God can do in situations. There is no need to be bothered or worry. We only need to believe.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for having a mission on this earth and for working in a way that is amazing to us. I struggle at times to make sense of things because I look at life too much by natural means. Help me to trust You for the outcomes of life and to continue to worship You and praise Your name.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 - Mirth and Mourning

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4

² It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
³ Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
⁴ The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

 
Message: Mirth and Mourning

Time: Ecclesiastes: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

I became aware of these verses for the first time upon hearing the Choir's Chase the Kangaroo release in 1988. I was 21 at the time or close to it and in college and that CD quickly become one of my favorite music releases of all time. At the time, I was a sophomore/junior in college and I believe I was getting over a relationship with a gal I shouldn't have been dating to begin with. She tore down my self-esteem and although a Christian, the relationship was not good for me. I broke it off with her and she went berserk upon me doing this in the early part of 1988. It was a good decision, but a hard one at the time. Shortly thereafter I got involved with Campus Crusade and really sort of got my life back together, spending time with a new friend, Scott, who really helped me right the ship and get me grounded again in the Word of God. This was the year that Chase the Kangaroo came out. I had always been a Christian music nut, but my early years at Baylor did get me into mainstream music again.

The song ends with this chorus:

A sad face is good for the heart of a child
For the heart of a child
For the heart of a child
For the heart of a child
A sad face
A sad face
A sad face

In the liner notes, it referenced Ecclesiastes 7:3 and I appreciated that. The verse has always stuck with me. It has been a needed reminder in my life that "sorrow (can be) better than laughter for when a face is sad a heart may be happy." Maybe I have had a tendency in life to have a sad face.

One of the dangers about our current lives that I sense is the way we got from event to event, circumstance to circumstance. The instant gratification that has become the norm for us over the last 25 years has been eroding our time to simply reflect. Even this time that I take in the morning is tough. I have little time to ponder as I must get Derek ready for school shortly and get myself going. But, it isn't just having those responsibilities. These electronic devices in our lives mean that we just don't have to work anymore for much. It is a foreign concept at times to really take the time to think about life and our circumstances.

I remember this book my dad gave me about a Jewish lady that spent a year to mourn over the passing of her husband or daughter. I read that book at my dad's suggestion and it has always stayed in my life and thinking. It reminds me of the importance of taking the time to reflect and remember a person's life. We expect mourning to be quick now, mostly I think because the focus of life is so much comfort, enjoyment and satisfaction. Even today, I'm enamored by people that are always happy and always have a smile on their face. It's attractive I suppose. And yet I also wonder if that person is trying to fool themselves that enjoyment is all you need in life.

Yet Solomon in these words gives us the reminder that "a sad face is good for the heart."  Sometimes we need to take more time to ponder and think about life. It is contemplation and mourning that we often reflect on our state of mind and where we stand with God. In some ways that time period after I dated that girl in college turned into a time of mourning. It took me a little bit of time to get out of that funk. I needed to rediscover myself and who I was. And who I was in Christ. I never left being a Christian but I needed to restore my confidence. This verse expresses that the fool simply stays in the house of merriment or laughter all the time.

Promise: I must take time on a regular basis to meditate on Scripture and what it tells us about the Lord and His ways.

Psalm 22:1-15 - The Messiah Forsaken

Psalm 22:1-15
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. ² O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. ³ Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. ⁴ In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. ⁵ To You they cried out and were delivered; in You they trusted and were not disappointed. ⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people.⁷ All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, ⁸ “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.” ⁹ Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb; you made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts. ¹⁰ Upon You I was cast from birth; you have been my God from my mother’s womb.¹¹ Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.¹² Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. ¹³ They open wide their mouth at me, as a ravening and a roaring lion.¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; is melted within me. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death.

Message: The Messiah Forsaken

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Background and Initial Observations
I continue to forge through these readings from Psalm. It has been illuminating and I admit, I tend to approach each one sort of separate from the others. I was reading the first couple of chapters of CS Lewis book on Psalm and reminded that there is a lot of consistent ideas and thoughts and approaches that were a part of these poetic dissertations. So hopefully that can help me look at these differently.

The reading from Tabletalk associated with this entry mentions that the outcry of Christians and even the holy leaders of that day, namely David shared a sentiment that we often have regarding a desire for answers and for being rescued and often we feel the Lord is not heeding our cries. And yet in those dark times we do continue to pray, demonstrating that we believe that our Father has not forsaken us.

The first words of this Psalm were echoed by Jesus on the cross, My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? It was Jesus proclamation on the cross and speaks of his full humanity on the cross and the abandonment he felt from God. But, this is really just a feeling and not a fact. God never leaves us though it does feel like it often. There is comfort for us for Jesus to feel this. Even though the cross was a path he knew he would be on, the experience was still a hard one for him.

And I think it is interesting to read this Psalm, for it sits in our Bible before Psalm 23. Psalm 23 has been memorized and recited over and over, at so may different occasions.

1st Reading
The Psalmist is not only feeling hurt, but sort of abandoned by God. He mentions that God is faithful and he knows this because of those that have come before him assure him of this; he also knows this because he was born into love; but he still hurts and he still feels pain. And being a man of faith often brings him ridicule from others as they mock his faith and trust in God.

There is such an intense realness and authenticity in these words; in this prayer to God. He knows God is real and there, but he does not hear an answer to his cries. God is holy and God has been there for those in his family, in the past. Those individuals in the past cried out and he knows that God came to their rescue. He has heard the stories, the victories, the deliverance. But, he is not experiencing this and instead, he is experiencing the pain from those that just want to see him do poorly. But, God has chosen him and has pulled him into community with Himself, God. And so he continues to call upon the Lord as he hurts, as he has no strength, as he sinks down in despair.

I feel alone
Verse 1 - My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. This verse begins with David (I'm going to assume at this point that this prayer is a prayer of David) expressing not just to the God who is out there, put this God is his God. He says My God here. He is somewhat at the end of the ropes. I think it is normal to want to believe that rough circumstances we experience in life don't come from God, but instead something else. I think we want to believe this. We want to think that our God who loves us and cares for us is not the one that is abandoning us. We don't want to think that the one who knows us better than we know ourselves is now, not just involved, but at the foundation of the misery we are experiencing. And how is it possible that the God who saves, who has saved me from eternal damnation and rescued me from the wages of sin, is now allowing me to suffer. David feels forsaken or left alone. So much has been done for me so why am I feeling forsaken or removed from the presence of God? Far from my deliverance is to me the feeling that my rescuer isn't even nearby. This feeling of the trail ending is not even close by, but rather my deliverance is far away and the words of my groaning exclaim the degree of pain I am experiencing. It is completely normal to ask God why bad things are happening to me. There is the ever present question often asked in life, "Why do bad things happen to people" but I think we too quickly want to debate this question among peers. This is a question only for God. My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Where are you God in this pain I am experiencing?

Verse 2 - O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. My crying is not a momentary thing. The pain I am experiencing is not just for the moment. But, also, my cry to God is not just a one occasion happening. But I cry by day...and night. And God You do not answer and I have no rest. I imagine on the cross, Jesus experiencing a never ceasing pain and his cry was ever apparent. God is there. He has not abandoned us. But His answers are sometimes not quick. They are delayed. And in that delay it is normal to feel that he is not going to ever answer and rescue and my unrest is fine for now.

God is Holy
Verse 3 - Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. But our confidence remains in God. He may not be answering, but He is still the answer. There are contrasting feelings here. One, David feels forsaken or left alone, and yet his confidence in God remains. God must have a reason for the calamity he is experiencing. And in a moment he will talk about what God has done in the past. For some reason, I think at times, we think that since God is love that only good things are to come to His children; that there can only be things to happen that will make us happy and when something bad happens, exceedingly bad, though we have experienced exceedingly good things as well, we just question that God is there at all. Yes, David is hurting. Yes, he feels alone. He expresses those feelings. But, God is still his answer. God is still his God.  

God has delivered in the past
Verse 4 - In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. David remarks first that God is holy and then states that those that came before him, his ancestors, his heritage put their trust in God. He has heard the stories and he knows, despite his current circumstances that those before him trusted God and God delivered them. Obviously, not stated here is a tough circumstance or a forsaken feeling his ancestors experienced and yet God delivered them. David was reminded. We need to be reminded. Celebrations, such as the Passover, the Lord's Supper, the birth and resurrection of our Savior, the feast of tabernacles, etc. We need to be careful that our focus is not simply "what have you done for me lately" because as we experience trials we can stop and remember that God has been there in the past and he will be there in the future. Even a wedding day is a celebration day that we commemorate each year to remind ourselves of a joining together, of God removing the loneliness and replacing it with a union.

Verse 5 -  To You they cried out and were delivered; in You they trusted and were not disappointed. In verse 2 David cries out, but receives no answer. Here, he is reminded that his ancestors cried out and were delivered. In other words, wait for it. The answer may not be quick, but our confidence can remain to be delivered. And also their trust in God did not disappoint. [Lord, I so need to remember what you have done in my life. I'm too quick to be mired in feeling like life is just one new problem. Show me past victories.] 

I am a worm
Verse 6 -  But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people. Basically, woe is me. My ancestors got delivered, but I got nothing. This is the proclamation of a man in pain. Declaring himself to be a worm or the lowest form of an animal. Worms are primarily used as bait for catching other animals. This could also more clearly be referring to Messiah. He is publicly ridiculed and despised. 

Verse 7-8 - All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
The meaning here is to mock, to deride, to treat with scorn. There is no evidence that this occurred in David's life. He could have felt it or this could be more the focus of a prophecy towards Jesus, our Savior and Lord. He is receiving insults. And people express mocking and taunting words about his trusting in the Lord. Like, if your God is so great, he will deliver you and rescue you.

Yet, I am of value
Verse 9 - Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb; you made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts. There is almost this sort of tennis match or back and forth that David is expressing here. He starts with feeling alone and yet God is holy and His deliver. But, he feels like a worm. He is bouncing back between feelings and facts. There isn't guilt in this passage. There is not right now verses crying out mistakes that David has been made. These are simply words where David is knee deep in his feelings of feeling alone and even abandoned. David is proclaiming that God brought him into this world and since an early age, he has had a love for God; he has had a faith; so it doesn't make sense that now he would then be abandoned. Verse 10 - Upon You I was cast from birth; you have been my God from my mother’s womb. Once again his words are pleading verses. He is not a momentary believer of God. He is a lifer. He hopes that this will make a difference. 


Be not far from me
Verse 11 - Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Verse 12 - Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. Verse 13 - They open wide their mouth at me, as a ravening and a roaring lion. Trouble is near. I need you God to be close to me. I talk to a lot of people and they often exclaim, "How do I get close to God? I don't feel like he is close." I should encourage them to tell God to not be far away. 

Verse 14 - I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; is melted within me. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death. - There is reality here in these verses and what David is feeling. He feels like no one is there to help him. He is being surrounded by attackers. They are ready to pounce on him. He is weak. He has no strength. 

We come to God open and honestly. In this passage, I feel alone. God is Holy. God has delivered people in the past. I feel like a worm. But I know God sees value in me. God, be not far from me. 

Promise: Be honest with God. Share your feelings, but also be reminded that God is there. He is holy. He saves people.

Romans 9:1-3 - Paul's Love for his Kinsmen

Romans 9:1-3 1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

Message: Paul's Love for the Jews, his kinsmen

Time: Romulus founded ancient Rome about 753 BC. By 600 BC it had become a wealthy, flourishing city with a monarch. Around 500 BC, the monarch was overthrown. A republic resulted and after war, Rome became the only great power in the Mediterranean, succeeding the empire of Alexander the Great. Before and after the birth of Christ, Rome's dominion continued to expand to about two thirds the size of the continental US. At the time Paul wrote, Rome had a population of about 1,000,000. Most were slaves. It was a vast empire, but had many religions present. It is unknown how the church started in Rome, but Gentiles and Jews both were involved. Paul was writing to address a problem, but he wanted to be there and perhaps, make Rome his base for his missionary journey's

What the Lord is Saying:

Chapter 9, ball most definitely turns a corner and begins to express to the Jews, who he is primarily writing, God's righteousness. He wants to be clear and be honest. He even starts with a threefold expression of honesty in verse 1: I am telling the truth; I am not lying; my conscience testifies.  It is interesting that he ended chapter 8 with the relational part of sanctification, the encouragement that throughout all of life's struggles the love of God, because of our union in Christ, God is always there. He has given promises to these Christians that God will always be there and now in these verses he expresses the great sorrow and compassion that he has for them and what they are undoubtedly experiencing.

He has sorrow for the nation of Israel, God's chosen people. He understands them better than others, but he also sees that they are not embracing God as their Savior and Lord. 

In verse three he states a heartfelt burden for these people by expressing that he could wish that he was not in Christ...and they were instead. This is his great love for them. I remember chapter 1 when Paul stated that he was under obligation both to the wise and the foolish.

If there is one thing that Paul has is a burden or great desire to not only preach the gospel, but to see lives changed. Chapter 1 expresses this and starts the message that this is his number one goal in writing. He wants to see lives changed. And his love for people is so great, he'd rather see his life separated from God that to see them not know God.

Promise: July 7, 2014 Tabletalk, "Paul's love for the Jews models the love of Christ for us, in that He was willing to be rejected Himself so that His people could be saved. "

Lamentations 2

Message: A song of sorrow.

Time: Jerusalem, in mourning, after it's fall, in 586 BC at the hands of the Assyrians (Babylon).

What the Lord is Saying: In His anger, in His wrath, with no mercy, like an enemy. The Lord has done what He purposed. He has carried out His word.

If once strong, Jerusalem is now weak. Jerusalem is under a cloud. The kingdom and its rulers are now in dishonor. He has cut down their might. His fury has been poured out like fire. He has laid in ruins its defenses (borders) and destroyed the palaces. Mourning and lamentation have been multiplied by order from the Lord. The Lord has caused them to forget Sabbath and festival are forgotten. Prophets no longer receive visions from the Lord. They are no longer effective. Young/old women, infants, babies are all affected.

Promise:  The Lord keeps His promises, even when those promises mean suffering for His people. His scripture should always be taken seriously.