After All Is Said And Done

The Book of Lamentations records the prophet Jeremiah's anguish during and after the siege of Jerusalem. During the siege it becomes apparent that Israel's former glory was only a memory and that the sins of the people led to a bitter and painful end. Impoverished to the point of cannibalism the people are now a laughingstock of the surrounding nations.

The consequences for rebellion and self-centeredness can be quite dire. God loves His people, but hates sin, and those who reject the way He provides will meet a bitter end. But God is still sovreign, and has mercy on those He chooses to have mercy. Though Jerusalem is destroyed, God plans to bring His people back.

The Watchman

Ezekiel 1-3 describes the commission of Ezekiel, a priest who was carried away captive to Babylon with the second wave of captives along with Jehoiachin. God calls Ezekiel in a glorious vision to communicate a message that is very humbling for Ezekiel. He is sent to warn his countrymen of what will happen to Jerusalem when they have no real desire to listen to him or God, thus requiring a very creative approach to communicating God's charges against His people and their sentence.

Ezekiel is given the duties of a watchman, to warn his people of the coming danger regardless of whether or not they prepare for it. We who read this should remember two things: 1. We have been warned. 2. We need to warn others before it is too late.