Oct 30 Lamentations 3:40-66, Lamentations 4, Lamentations 5 Hebrews 1 Psalm 119:129-136

Lam 5:19-21

But you, O Lord, reign forever;

    your throne endures to all generations.

Why do you forget us forever,

    why do you forsake us for so many days?

Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!

    Renew our days as of old—

And that’s how the book of Lamentation ends. It’s a book full or sorrow a the state of the nation… when you read some of the descriptions in this chapter you really get a feel for how terrible the situation was. The people were in utter turmoil.

But it ends with a hope – Jeremiah knew God reigned over all. He knew that the throne of God was bigger than any generation… and it ends with a prayer.

Restore us to yourself – that they might be restored. He realised that when God became their pursuit again, when that relationship was repaired – then the nation itself would be able to heal.

First and foremost – things need to be made right with God. That’s the most important stage – if that hadn’t been put right then restoration means nothing.

Heb 1:1-2

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

We do not know who wrote the book of Hebrews, we just know the it was someone who knew (or was one of) the apostles and that it was written to the Jewish church as it a supposes a great knowledge of the first 5 books of the law.

And the book will spend a lot of time, showing how Jesus is greater than anything that has come before… and what an open this is to a book!

Right out of the gate, Jesus is lifted high.

God has spoken many times, through prophets… but now He is speaking through His son. Heir all all things! 

Right here in the early days of the faith – to Jewish readers, Jesus is proclaimed to be the son fo God. Forget what you’ve heard about the church adding this – the entire book of Hebrews has Jesus’s deity as it’s central theme – this book would never have been written to a Jewish audience if that one fact had not been widely and completely part of Christianity.

If it’s not all about Jesus, it’s not Christianity. And this book sets out it’s stall right at the start.

Jesus, the very son of God!

Ps 119:135-136

Make your face shine upon your servant,

    and teach me your statutes.

My eyes shed streams of tears,

    because people do not keep your law.

This really struck me as I read it… my eyes shed streams of tears, people people don’t keep God’s law. This is someone who loves the law of God so very much – not only do they want to heart aching from it, but seeing people disobeying break their heart.

That’s a real heart for the lost. Not angry because they are breaking God’s law, but deeply sad about their rebellion and it’s consequences.

We cannot reach people out of anger over their sin… but sorrow for their sin gives us a right heart towards them.

We need to be less angry with the world and more concerned about it’s fate out of love.