WHEN LEADERSHIP FAILS
But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the
iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous.
4:1 [a]How the gold has lost its luster,
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at every street corner.
2 How the precious children of Zion,
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
like ostriches in the desert.
4 Because of thirst the infant’s tongue
sticks to the roof of its mouth;
the children beg for bread,
but no one gives it to them.
5 Those who once ate delicacies
are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple
now lie on ash heaps.
6 The punishment of my people
is greater than that of Sodom,
which was overthrown in a moment
without a hand turned to help her.
7 Their princes were brighter than snow
and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like lapis lazuli.
8 But now they are blacker than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become as dry as a stick.
9 Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of famine;
racked with hunger, they waste away
for lack of food from the field.
10 With their own hands compassionate women
have cooked their own children,
who became their food
when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;
he has poured out his fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed her foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her
the blood of the righteous.
14 Now they grope through the streets
as if they were blind.
They are so defiled with blood
that no one dares to touch their garments.
15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander about,
people among the nations say,
“They can stay here no longer.”
16 The Lord himself has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.
The priests are shown no honor,
the elders no favor.
17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
looking in vain for help;
from our towers we watched
for a nation that could not save us.
18 People stalked us at every step,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles in the sky;
they chased us over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.
20 The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath,
was caught in their traps.
We thought that under his shadow
we would live among the nations.
21 Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.
But to you also the cup will be passed;
you will be drunk and stripped naked.
22 Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;
he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
and expose your wickedness.
Footnotes
a. Lamentations 4:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
1. The
city of Jerusalem was once like pure gold. But because of their sin, they had grown dim. The people of
Zion, once worth their weight in gold, became like cheap pottery. Infants can
find no milk to drink. Children roam the streets begging for food that does not
exist. People who were once wealthy now were dying homeless in the streets. The
punishment that Jerusalem underwent seemed worse even than the destruction of
Sodom. The princes of the city, once ruddy, with the beauty of sapphire, were
now unrecognizable, their skin shriveled. Many must have felt they would have
been better off if they had perished in the invasion of the Babylonians. This
is the picture of the full vent of God’s wrath on sin.
2. What happened to Jerusalem was
unbelievable, even to Judah’s enemies. How could an army invade the great city
of Jerusalem? It was because the Babylonian invasion was God’s punishment for
the sin of Judah. Even her spiritual leaders, the prophets and priests, sinned.
They all had blood on their hands. Jerusalem was looking for other nations to
come and save her. But no one could. So, the Lord drove them into exile. But
their exile would be only for a time. People truly need spiritual leaders to
show them the way to God.
Prayer Father, without shepherds, we
cannot but sin grievously against you. Send us spiritual leaders to show the
way to you.
One Word Lord, raise up faithful spiritual leaders!
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