445189

The Cloud of Unknowing:

Bible Gateway passage: Lamentations 3 - New Living Translation

Hope in the LORD’s Faithfulness - I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the LORD’s anger. He has led me into darkness, shutting out all light. He has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long. He has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. He has besieged and surrounded me with anguish and distress.

Bible Gateway

ii. “Jeremiah’s personal lament is a reminder that suffering is always personal. When nations go through times of tragedy and tribulation, the greatest suffering always takes place at the individual level.” (Ryken)¹

Enduring Word Bible Commentary Lamentations Chapter 3

David Guzik commentary on Lamentations 3, where Jeremiah begins to write as the voice of an individual sufferer, finding hope in God’s faithfulness.

Enduring Word

iii. “That which is most impressive in this song is the identification of the prophet with the people and with God. He recognized the necessity of the suffering, but suffered with the sufferers.” (Morgan)

iv. He has led me and made me walk in darkness: “This seems to be the hardest part of our lot, that God should lead us into darkness: ‘He hath led me, and brought me into darkness.’ Yet dear brethren, that is, on the other hand, the sweetest thing about our trial; because, if the darkness be in the place where God has led us, it is best for us to be in the dark.” (Spurgeon)

d. It is good that he should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD: Everything previous in Lamentations was deep in despair, and the misery was by no means over. Yet these flashes of light are welcome and necessary. Against all the despair, Jeremiah proclaimed to himself and all others the goodness of hope and patient seeking of God.

i. “Hoping and waiting differ but as the mother and daughter, hope being the mother of patience and waiting; or as the habit and act, hoping and waiting being much the same, flowing from a gracious power and habit given the soul to wait. Quietness is necessary to waiting, for all turbulency and impatience of spirit under sad providences is opposed to waiting.” (Poole)

4. (27-29) Hope for the silent soul.

^{Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)} For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Q. “Flesh and blood” is a

figurative way of talking about

people. If people are not the

enemy, how come so often we

perceive our battle is against

someone else rather than seeing

the true nature of the struggle?

Q. Yet again, we find repetition in Paul's words, stressing something important.

In verse 18, "all" appears four times, instructing the believers on prayer during

the war. What does each "all" say about the importance of prayer in our lives?

18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer

and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making

supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to

me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

Verse to Remember

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one

another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32