Lamentations. Quality: Very good

[0:00] Looking once more to the Lord for all needed help, I would call your attention to a word you will find in the chapter we read, the third chapter of Lamentations, verses 22 to 24.

[0:16] Verses 22 to 24 of the third chapter of Lamentations. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

[0:32] They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him.

[0:53] Jeremiah's day was a terrible day. A day of great wickedness and of rebellion and falling away in Zion. And the dear man of God was called to that office to prophesy regarding the captivity of the Lord's ancient people. And although he was indeed the Lord's servant, yet he knew much of trial and of travail as he journeyed here below.

[2:03] And we find as he penned these Lamentations, there we have the man of God bemoaning his lot and pouring out his heart before his God. Here was the result of sin. The sin of the nation had brought the nation into ruin. And although they were indeed the Lord's chosen people, the sin of the Lord's chosen people, and yet among them there were indeed a remnant. Yet they went into captivity, and they suffered much for their iniquity. And the great grief of Jeremiah was regarding the worship of the Lord. Oh, that was a great grief to him, to see the destruction of the temple, to see those things which were near to his heart, carried away. And so it is a grief to the Lord's people even in our day, to see that falling away in Zion. Oh, he says, the ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts. All her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. And so we have this lament that is brought before us in the first chapter.

[4:11] And that confession, that confession, as the dear man of God, he says, her filthiness is in her skirts. And the Lord hath dealt with her. The Lord hath cast her down to the ground.

[4:36] How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger.

[4:51] And so we read through these chapters of that which is very terrible. You know, the destruction of the Lord's people must have been a terrible thing, terrible thing.

[5:09] And we read through this chapter, this good man of God, bemoaning himself. And that terrible destruction that came upon that place. And we find here, in this third chapter, that he says, I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his rod.

[5:48] Oh yes, he heard the rod, and oh, had appointed it. And so he complains bitterly before the Lord. He hath filled me with bitterness. He hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones. He hath covered me with ashes. And so we have that tone set before us in these words, and he hath made me drunken with ashes. And so we have that tone set before us. And so we find this man saying within his heart, my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Oh, what a place to get.

[6:35] You know, it's a place the Lord's people do get. Oh yes. The Lord's people may not be brought into the bitterness that the Lord's people knew in this day. And yet they are brought to that place. My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord's people. And so we are reminded of the word by Isaiah. I think it's in the in the 49th chapter, but Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Oh, don't you ever get there? Poor, tempter, tried, child of God. We live in a day when the Lord's judgments indeed are upon us in Zion. And as we look around the denomination, particularly how we sometimes come in with that, out of the city, sit solitary that was full of people. And as Satan tempts us to believe that the

[7:48] Lord hath forsaken us in our day. But you know, this isn't something that is singular in your heart, a poor, tempted, tried child of God. Oh no. But Zion said. And it was Zion who said it. It was Zion who said it.

[8:08] It wasn't the world. Oh no, it was Zion that is set before us in this 49th chapter of Isaiah. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. But you know, she hangs on, she hangs on, she says, My Lord, my Lord, my Lord. Oh, she cannot let go that little hope, although it appears by the language that her hope has gone. Ah, but my Lord, my Lord.

[8:41] Oh, you cannot, you cannot, if you are a child of God, be brought to the place of despair. The world come to despair. There are many institutions in the land, and many people in them that are in that terrible place of despair. Yet the Lord's people, they don't come there, they don't come there. They may come nigh to it. Cast down, cast down, says the apostle, but not in despair, not in despair.

[9:18] Oh, the Lord hath not said anything of forsaking his people. He said, Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing. O mountains, for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. Upon his afflicted. Oh, the Lord knows all the afflictions of his people.

[9:43] Yes, he knows every affliction, every trial. Oh, and poor Jeremiah, you know, was in the hands of the Lord at this time, in all his sorrow. And you know, as he began to think of the Lord, as his thoughts turned towards the Lord, although he says, my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Yet the Lord's name was had at that time in remembrance, in remembrance. And it seems as though the tune of this chapter changes, as he considers the Lord.

[10:30] Reminds us of David, when the people were ready to stone him. There was David, the Lord's anointed. It seemed as though all must come to ruin. And we read, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

[10:50] Wonderful place. You know, I know something of it. I remember just to put in a little personal experience. I remember once being very cast down. And I got to go and preach at Milton under Witchwood on the Lord's Day. And on the Friday, I was in the very depths of rebellion. And I said to my wife, I said, I'm not going. I shall cancel it. And she said, oh, you've got to go. And I said, oh, it's all right for you. But how can I preach in such a place? And yet on the Saturday, you know, that word came, it dropped in. And David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Oh, what a change. What a change.

[11:37] That was my text. Oh, and what a mercy. What a mercy to have such a God to go to. And such was the case here with the dear prophet. And he says, remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall, my soul hath them still in remembrance and is humble in me. Oh, it had humbled him. You know, afflictions with the world bring forth rebellion against God. Rebellion against God. And there's no softening of it. No softening of it. Ah, but as dear Jeremiah remembered the wormwood and the gall, his soul was humbled in him. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. He saw it was the Lord's work. He saw that all these things were laid upon him justly, justly by his God. Justly by his God. Oh, he could not reply. Oh, no. And if my soul were sent to hell, thy righteous law approves it well, says the hymn writer. Oh, now, as we consider ourselves and look within ourselves, cannot we have hope?

[13:11] cannot we have hope? Can you remember, look over the years, the way the Lord has led you? Oh, you may have had travail. You may have had affliction. You may have been brought into great depths of suffering, both mentally and physically. And yet, you have to justify God. You have to justify God.

[13:35] God. Oh, how the dear man of God, he says, wherefore doth a living man complain? A man for the punishment of his sins?

[13:50] What a question. Wherefore doth a living man? A man for the punishment of his sins? Oh, as he looks upon his own sin, his own evil heart, his own evil way, his own backsliding. He says, let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord.

[14:34] Oh, he comes to this conclusion. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

[14:46] It is of the love of the punishment of his sins. It is of the love of his sins. It is a good place to be where we are found in confession of our sin before the Lord. You know, it is a good spirit to be humble before God, as the dear man of God was here. We have a number of places in the word of God where we find the servants of the Lord in that humble place. My mind just goes to the dear man of God, Micah. We find Micah where he is in a low place. He is in a low place.

[15:35] And he says, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy. When I fall, I shall arise. When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.

[15:46] I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause and execute judgment for me.

[15:57] And then his faith, you know, it reaches out and he says, he will bring me forth into the light. And there is the hope of God's elect, that anchor of the soul in its operation, in the spiritual experience.

[16:13] He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

[16:28] Can you say it? Can you own it before the Lord this day? It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. David was found in a place, you know, where, having sinned regarding Bathsheba, the Lord brought to bear terrible punishments, you know, upon his family and in his family.

[16:52] And as he fled, you may remember from Absalom, when he rebelled against his father, we find David, as he weeps along the way, one shimmy eye of the house of Saul, casts stones and dust at him.

[17:12] And we find David in this humble place. Oh, he says, let him curse. For the Lord hath bid him, I deserve it, I deserve his cursings.

[17:24] All my sin is such that I deserve to be cut off. And I see mercy in this, I see mercy in this. Maybe the Lord will look upon mine affliction, he says, and requite me for this evil this day.

[17:40] It was evil, you know, for Shimei to do such a thing, and he suffered for it. But, you know, this dear man of God, David, he put his mouth in the dust.

[17:51] If so be there, might be hope. Oh, yes. Let him curse. For God hath bidden him. Oh, maybe he will look upon mine affliction, and requite me for this evil this day.

[18:09] And so here, how opposite is this to a self-righteous pride? Self-righteous pride. It's a terrible scourge, is that, in our day and generation.

[18:22] Self-righteousness. It was in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Pharisees. Well, they built themselves up in their pride for what they had done.

[18:37] We have the example of the Pharisee in the temple. How he said he had not done this, and he had not done that. And he had been, he wasn't like that publican.

[18:50] Oh, he wasn't like that publican. But there, this poor man, he beats upon his breast. He could not lift up his eyes so much to heaven.

[19:01] Oh, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. And here is dear Jeremiah in these lamentations. That's the place he's in at this particular time.

[19:15] It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Because his compassions fail not. Have you such a God?

[19:27] Have you such a God? What a mercy that we have such a God that he does not deal with us according to our iniquities.

[19:43] No, no. According to our sins. Nor reward us according to our iniquities. But in his mercy and in his compassion, he deals with his people.

[19:56] And he looks upon the humble. He looks upon the humble. Oh, yes. He looks upon his work. His work in the hearts of his people.

[20:10] He sees them when they are bowed down in the dust of self-humiliation because of their sins. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

[20:24] Because his compassions fail not. Oh, they fail not. The compassions of the Lord towards his people. You know, we haven't a God that changes his mind regarding his people.

[20:44] And his people, however low they might be brought, yet the Lord has compassion upon them.

[20:54] He deals with them as a father. As a father pitcheth his children, so the Lord pitcheth them that fear him. He knoweth our frame.

[21:07] He remembereth that we are dust. I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

[21:21] What a mercy to have such a God to go to. And this was the God of Jeremiah. And here was the comfort which he had in his heart at this time.

[21:39] In the middle of his bitterness. That wasn't changed. That wasn't changed. He was still in sorrow. The daughter of Zion still sat solitary.

[21:54] The temple was destroyed. The wise of the Lord did mourn at that time. And yet, amidst it all, we find this good man of God looking out of his misery.

[22:10] And looking to the Lord his garden. Encouraging himself in his garden. What he was. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

[22:24] Because his compassions pale not. They are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness. You know, the Lord gave him such wisdom. That as we look at that 31st verse.

[22:38] He says, For the Lord will not cast off forever. But thou he cause grief. Yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

[22:50] For he doth not afflict willingly. Nor grieve the children of men. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth. Oh no.

[23:02] The Lord ever looks upon his people. He knoweth the way that they take. He knoweth the way that they take.

[23:14] He gives them grace to bear it. Oh yes. He says, As thy day, so shall thy strength be. Oh no. Not one of his children shall ever fall from grace.

[23:29] Shall never fall from grace. Oh no. That is their security. What God is. It's not what they are. Oh if he dealt with them according to their iniquities.

[23:41] Then he would cut them off. And all of us in the Lord's house this day. We would not be here were it not for the mercy of God. The mercy of God.

[23:52] Some of you old ones who have been long in the way. I've no doubt as you look back over your life. You bear your head with shame.

[24:03] Some of the backslidings. The rebellions. Oh those times when with hand lifted eye you have said, We will not have this man to reign over us.

[24:17] And yet he cast you not away. Oh it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Because his compassions fail not. Thou are new every morning.

[24:30] Great is thy faithfulness. Oh we may be unfaithful. We are sinners. But God is faithful. God is faithful.

[24:42] Oh he viewed. He viewed his people in affliction. Affliction he says is. Ephraim. And my dear son.

[24:54] Is he a pleasant child. For since I spake against him. I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my vows are trouble for him. I will surely have mercy upon him.

[25:08] Sath the Lord. Oh this is our God. God of mercy. Oh is a God like unto thee says my care. Oh pardoneth iniquity.

[25:19] Who pardoneth iniquity. And makes it known. Even the sweets of pardon in the souls of his people. Oh as they come to repentance.

[25:32] As they come in humility. Before the Lord their God. Then he freely forgives. He freely forgives. And has mercy upon them. And makes known those sweets of pardon.

[25:46] In their souls experience. Is Ephraim my dear son. Is he a pleasant child. For since I spake against him.

[25:59] I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my bowels are trouble for him. My bowels are trouble for him.

[26:10] I will have. I will surely have mercy upon him. Sath the Lord. It is of the Lord's mercies.

[26:20] That we are not consumed. Because his compassions. Fail not. They are new. Every morning. Great. Is thy faithfulness.

[26:32] Yes morning by morning. As we wake. What mercy. Is upon us. We sin.

[26:45] Day by day. We deserve his wrath. Day by day. Can you come to the end of the day. And say well I am clear this day.

[26:56] I have not sinned. All I have done this day. Has been pleasing. In the sight of God. Can you ever come to the end of a day like that.

[27:06] But is it not with confession. Confession before the Lord. Or we have sinned. And come short. Of the glory of God. You have to come in with that dear man of God.

[27:18] When he says. Oh wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me. From the body of this death. I thank my God. Through Jesus Christ.

[27:31] Oh they are new every morning. Great. Is. Thy faithfulness. All the mercies. Of God. Oh can we. Can we count our mercies.

[27:44] Can we count our mercies. How often Satan. Seems to put our. His hand upon our mercies. Hides them from our view.

[27:54] And we get up in the morning. I speak for myself. Get up in the morning. And all we can see is our miseries. Many things that seem to be.

[28:06] Against us. Ah but. Let the Lord. Come by his Holy Spirit. And shed his light. Upon just a few of his mercies.

[28:17] And then we melt. If you are like me. You melt into. Nothingness before the Lord. Thankfulness of. Spirit.

[28:28] Oh and we have to say. That they are new. Every morning. New every morning. He renews them. His mercies. Day by day.

[28:39] Unto his children. It is of the Lord's mercies. That we are not consumed. Because his compassions. Fail not. They are.

[28:50] New every morning. Great. Is. Thy faithfulness. The Lord is. My portion. Seth my soul. Therefore.

[29:02] Will I hope. In him. There is faith. In exercise. Here is a child of God.

[29:15] Under the influence. Of the. Holy Spirit. He is a child of God. Viewing. The mercies. Of his God.

[29:25] As they are. Toward his soul. And there he. Lies climb. He lies climb. His faith. Is in exercise. And he brings forth.

[29:39] This. Beautiful. Speech. The Lord. Is my portion. Can you lay claim. On such a portion. The Lord.

[29:50] Is my portion. Oh you note. The. The heights. To which. The. Dear. Prophet. Goes. He goes from. Strength to strength.

[30:01] As he considers. The. Mercy of. Guard. It through. Jesus Christ. To his soul. Realises. His. Eternal.

[30:11] Safety. Is in God. And their. Precious faith. The hand of faith. Goes out. And claims. This precious portion. The Lord.

[30:22] The Lord is. My portion. Seth. My soul. Therefore. Will I. Hope. In him. What a wonderful grace. What a wonderful grace.

[30:33] Is hope. When the Lord. Convinces us. Of our lost. And ruined. State. By nature. Of our deserts. According. To the holy.

[30:43] Law of God. And then. Leads us. To look upon. Our mercy. In Christ Jesus. And there. We see. All our sins. Our shortcomings.

[30:54] All washed away. In his. Most. Precious blood. There. We see. Our sins. Laid. Upon the. Lord Jesus Christ.

[31:06] And this is the hope. Of the. Our. Election. Of grace. That's their hope. Is it your hope.

[31:17] Oh if ever my. Poor soul. Be saved. Then. Christ must be the way. Christ must be the way. Oh in myself.

[31:29] Deserving hell. Deserving hell. Oh is there an who can tell. The precious hope. In exercise in your heart. The Lord. Is my portion.

[31:41] Oh is my saviour. Is my saviour. Oh yes. He's my saviour. I look to him. And to him alone. In all my misery. All my grief. Yet I have this.

[31:52] Precious. Mercy. That. I have a saviour. I have a saviour. The Lord Jesus Christ. One who. Is full.

[32:03] Of compassion. Compassion. Toward. My soul. One that. Lies. Lies nothing. Upon me. Which is. Not.

[32:14] Needful. Is it not. Was it not. Habakkuk. Who. Came in. Such a spirit. At the end. Of his. Prophecy.

[32:26] He says. Although the fig tree. Shall not blossom. And neither. Shall fruit be in the vines. The labour of the olive. Shall fail. And the fields. Shall yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off.

[32:37] From the fold. And there shall be no herd. In the stalls. Yet. Have you such a yet. Yet a wonderful. Yet in his experience.

[32:48] Yet will I rejoice in the Lord. God. I will joy in the God. Of my salvation. For when he goes from strength to strength. The Lord God. Is my strength.

[32:59] And he will make my feet. Like hands feet. And he will make me to walk. Upon mine. High places. And there's hope. There's hope in God. Hope in God.

[33:10] Why art thou cast down. O my soul. And why art thou disquieted within me. Hope thou in God. I shall yet praise him. Who is the light of my countenance.

[33:23] And my God. You know. This is the hope of God's elect. The Lord is my portion. Can you like claim to such a portion?

[33:35] Do you know anything of the spirit. Which we have tried to set before you. The spirit of repentance. The spirit of confession. You know anything of the sweets of peace.

[33:47] With your eyes up to thee. Lord your God. All that comfort that is alone in Jesus Christ. Comfort ye. Comfort ye my people.

[33:59] Seth my God. Say unto Jerusalem. Warfare is accomplished. A sin is pardoned. A sin is pardoned. What a place.

[34:12] In the midst of affliction. To now sins pardoned. To now a conscience void of offence toward God and man. Is a blessed mercy.

[34:23] The Lord is my portion. Seth my soul. Therefore will I hope in him. His blessed hope.

[34:36] It's not in ourselves. It's not in ourselves. Oh no. We have it beautifully set forth. In the epistle to the Hebrews.

[34:50] In that beautiful sixth chapter. There the apostle speaks of this hope. And this hope was in the oath and the promise of God.

[35:09] In that the Lord had promised to save his children. Always promises to Abraham.

[35:20] He says surely blessing. I will bless thee. And multiplying. I will multiply thee. He doesn't say if you are free of sin I'll do it.

[35:31] But it's unconditional. Unconditional. This is grace. Free and sovereign grace. Surely blessing I will bless thee.

[35:43] And multiplying I will multiply thee. And he swore by his own name. He swore by his own name.

[35:54] Because he could swear by a non-greater. That he would do these things. For his people. And that he would pardon their sins. He says wherein God willing more abundantly.

[36:09] To show unto the hairs of promise. The immutability. That means the unchangeability. The unchangeability of his counsel. Confirmed it.

[36:20] By an oath. That by two immutable or unchangeable things. In which it was impossible for God to lie. We might have a strong consolation. He is that strong consolation.

[36:33] The Lord is my portion. Seth my soul. Therefore will I hope in him. Who hath fled for refuge. To lay hold upon the hope set before us.

[36:46] Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Both sure and steadfast. And which entereth into that. Within the veil. It's outside yourself.

[36:58] This blessed hope you know. This anchor it. Anchors in Christ. In the finished work. Whether the forerunner is for us entered. Even Jesus.

[37:09] Made an eye priest forever. After the order of Melchizedek. That anchor that keeps us in every storm. Every trial. As we journey here below.

[37:23] Jeremiah had such a hope. And precious faith. You know it lay hold. Of what he saw in his God. The Lord is my portion.

[37:36] Therefore will I hope in him. Cease oh believer. Cease to mourn. Return until thy rest.

[37:48] Return. No storm shall injure thee. Oh no. No storm shall injure thee. Jeremiah. Oh no. The Lord is my portion.

[38:00] Saith my soul. Therefore. Shall I. Do I hope. In him. Is this the language of your soul. In every trial.

[38:10] In every tribulation. In every misery. That you know. As you walk. Along this. Life's way.

[38:21] Yet to have. That eye unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hope in him. That precious hope. As an anchor of the soul. The Lord is my portion.

[38:33] As saith my soul. Therefore. Will I. Hope. In him. I leave it there. May the Lord. Add his blessing.

[38:44] � хват import. End of all. Absolutely. There, there, to be. You see. Take me akmen. Lohi.