Faithful Lamentations
By Anthony Casperson
9-16-23
About a week and a half ago, I was reading through 2 Chronicles 35 for my daily devotions and I ran across mention of the prophet Jeremiah. And then, in the following chapter, there was discussion of Jeremiah’s role among those final few kings of Judah before the exile. This included his prophecy of when the exiled people of Judah would return to the Promised Land. The 70 years that we can see recorded in the book bearing the prophet’s own name.
These details, in and of themselves, aren’t strange to read. After all, the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles cover historical events during that period of Israelite history. However, since one of the themes of that two-part book is about the glory of God shown through the temple—the very thing that those returning exiles were going to rebuild—the long awaited fulfillment of God’s promise for returning to the land was something that the exiles held dear.
We can see this cherishment of the prophet’s words even more if we turn the page from 2 Chronicles to the book of Ezra, where we once again see Jeremiah’s 70 year prophecy again take a headlining role in the narrative. Yes, the Lord’s part in delivering on the promise is ever-present in the discussion, but the repetition of Jeremiah’s connection to the prophecy still stands out.
These thoughts reminded me of Daniel 9 where the high-ranking official in foreign politics and prophet of the Lord who gives that book his name prays to God while in deep study of Jeremiah’s words. Again Jeremiah being mentioned by name. Daniel has been counting years and knows the time is near. And that scroll of Jeremiah’s words remains close at hand when Daniel considers the place of the people of Judah in this exile.
Over and over again, we see Jeremiah mentioned. Long after his death as well.
Some might be asking, “Why make a big deal about this? Aren’t there plenty of biblical characters who’re mentioned long after their deaths? What’s the point here that couldn’t be made about Moses or Abraham or David?”
While I was considering these mentions of Jeremiah, I remembered the consistency with which the prophet himself felt alone, unheard, unwanted, and flat out rejected. I mean, his own hometown plotted to assassinate him. Kings refused to listen to him. One even threw him in a makeshift jail cell that was nothing more than a mud pit.
Jeremiah was even told to represent the way that the exiles would live while outside of Israel’s borders. No weddings—including the possibility of ever having his own—no funerals, no celebrative gatherings at all. And the only real close human friend that the prophet had was his scribe Baruch.
Lonely, depressed, and filled with words of lament for a people who refused to hear anything other than whatever would make them feel good about themselves, Jeremiah found his role as social pariah. At best, they made fun of the “downer.” At worst, they did everything they could to try and shut him up.
Even he tried to quit God during his time of ministry. He figured it would be easier to keep silent than continue on this lonely road whose only inhabitants were antagonists set against him. But God proved to Jeremiah that it wasn’t going to be that easy. The words of God were like a fire in his bones that refused to be contained. And so, the prophet continued telling the message.
No one seemed to want to listen to Jeremiah. None held his words dear. None would speak his name with hope or a smile.
Until those very people were humbled by the prophesied exile.
After Jeremiah’s death, leaders of the exiled Israelites cherished the words that God gave him to speak. They studied his prophecies with hope. Held the promise given through his words close to their hearts.
Rejection, depression, and lament were what Jeremiah felt for his whole life. But God used the words which he gave that man to breathe hope into the lives of people who would need them. Even after the prophet died. Jeremiah’s words not only lived beyond his own life, but helped others thrive in difficult circumstances.
Some of us might feel like Jeremiah in his life. There seems to be no good. No reason to feel like anyone will ever do anything other than reject and condemn us. Nothing but rejection, depression, and lament.
But I want to remind us that God is able to use our faithfulness in ways far beyond what we could ever hope and dream. I’m not promising that everyone will cherish our legacy in a couple generations. Some might only be remembered by close family members and friends. But that doesn’t negate the fact that our words and actions live beyond us. And God can use them to bring hope to those just as hopeless as we feel.
It’s not fame that’s important in this work of God, but rather faithfulness.
So, as we come to struggle after struggle and difficulty after difficulty, let’s remember that even in our faithful lamentations God can bring about hope and growth for many. Stay faithful to God’s course for your life. Stoke the fire he’s lit in your bones. And remember, your actions and words might just be the one thing that God uses to give hope to others.
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