100107: Suffering

Lamentations 3

1^aI am the man who has seen affliction

by the rod of his wrath.

2He has driven me away and made me walk

in darkness rather than light;

1* He is frustrated/bitter/pained, saying “Woe is me. Look at all that I’m suffering.”

18So I say, “My splendor is gone

and all that I had hoped from the LORD.”

19I remember my affliction and my wandering,

the bitterness and the gall.

20I well remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

21Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

2* He remembers God, his Lord, that he is not alone.

22Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

23They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him.”

3* He waits upon the Lord:

Isaiah 40:30

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

31For men are not cast off

by the Lord forever.

32Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,

so great is his unfailing love.

33For he does not willingly bring affliction

or grief to the children of men.

4* He remembers the Lord’s great love of him, even when he has sinned.

37Who can speak and have it happen

if the Lord has not decreed it?

38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that both calamities and good things come?

39Why should any living man complain

when punished for his sins?

5* He remembers the sovereignty of God.

40Let us examine our ways and test them,

and let us return to the LORD.

41Let us lift up our hearts and our hands

to God in heaven, and say:

42“We have sinned and rebelled

and you have not forgiven.

6* He repents.

43“You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us;

you have slain without pity.

44You have covered yourself with a cloud

so that no prayer can get through.

45You have made us scum and refuse

among the nations.

46“All our enemies have opened their mouths

wide against us.

47We have suffered terror and pitfalls,

ruin and destruction.”

48Streams of tears flow from my eyes

because my people are destroyed.

49My eyes will flow unceasingly,

without relief,

50until the LORD looks down

from heaven and sees.

7* He wonders when his punishment would be over after repentance.

61O LORD, you have heard their insults,

all their plots against me—

62what my enemies whisper and mutter

against me all day long.

63Look at them! Sitting or standing,

they mock me in their songs.

64Pay them back what they deserve, O LORD,

for what their hands have done.

8* He prays for God to punish the enemies.

Jonah 2

Jonah’s Prayer

1From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2He said:

“In my distress I called to the LORD,

and he answered me.

From the depths of the grave^a I called for help,

and you listened to my cry.

* He called for help while he was thrown overboard.

4I said, ‘I have been banished

from your sight;

* “Lord, why have you forsaken me?”

5The engulfing waters threatened me,^b

the deep surrounded me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.

6To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you brought my life up from the pit,

O LORD my God.

7“When my life was ebbing away,

I remembered you, LORD,

and my prayer rose to you,

to your holy temple.

* This prayer is thus a reflection. He’s remembering his prayer when he was drowning. Interestingly, he is not saved at this time. He doesn’t get saved until after 3 days, 3 nights. Why?

8“Those who cling to worthless idols

forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

9But I, with a song of thanksgiving,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

Salvation comes from the LORD.”

* This prayer finally saves him. The difference between the two prayers is the latter contains repentance, and the will that he will make right the wrong, which, most importantly, asks for God’s help, for God to deliver him.

* This is from the OT, i.e. before the arrival of Jesus Christ. Isn’t it interesting how God sent Jonah to a non-Israelite nation to prophesy and to tell them to change their ways? Salvation to the gentiles is shown in the OT, before Jesus’ time. (This was also shown in Soloman’s song, where he also prayed about foreigners.)

* There is a parallel between this story and the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus went down to Abraham’s bosom for 3 days, 3 night, preaching for repentance/salvation through Jesus Christ. (e.g. Belly of the Whale vs. Belly of the Earth; and 1 Peter 4:5-6)

* When Jesus died, he descended to Hell/Abraham’s Bosom first. This is where all God-fearing men went, and so it makes sense for Jesus to go there too. HOWEVER, instead of being stuck there like all other God-fearing men, Jesus was able to conquer death via preaching/praying, and he was able to be resurrected and allowed to set foot in Heaven, bringing all past and future God-fearing men to Heaven.

1Peter 4:1-19
Suffering for Being a Christian

13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”^a

19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

* “Suffering” here is not the same as those of previous scriptures. In the previous scriptures, the sufferings were brought upon by themselves (i.e. they steered away from God and thus had to deal with the consequences); suffering here refers to the suffering of just being a Christian, of being an outcast (e.g. Acts 16:22-34). That is, Christians who suffer simply because we are hated for being Christians.

* Here, Peter is encouraging us all to focus on ourselves and be joyful that we are trusting Jesus. Furthermore, he quotes Proverbs, and suggests 1) if it’s hard for us to be saved, it will only be harder for non-believers; 2) cut these mockers some slack, for they know not any better.

* Lastly, Peter shows that by the time of NT, the mentality has changed. In the OT, righteous people immediately asked God to punish those who are wrong. Here in the NT, Peter shows how Christians have matured over time and know how to show compassion, to focus on oneself rather than focusing on the punishment of the wrong. Instead of punishing the wrong, invite them to the Kingdom of God (sheparding people to God).