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Jeremiah – Words from the Heart (2 of 4)

Focus Text: Lamentations 3.48-51

Writing about Jeremiah without mentioning compassion would be like writing about our solar system without mentioning the sun; compassion is at the very center of Jeremiah’s writings, feelings, and personality. We will explore a couple of texts which illustrate this fact.

“My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter of my people. My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption, Till the LORD from heaven Looks down and sees. My eyes bring suffering to my soul Because of all the daughters of my city.” (Lamentations 3.48-51). There was no doubt in Jeremiah’s mind that Jerusalem and Judah were deserving of punishment; they had grievously sinned against Jehovah and against Jeremiah as a person. In spite of the personal wrongs and in spite of their rebellious attitudes, Jeremiah could never quite reconcile himself with the judgments that were to come upon “the daughter of my people."

“Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.” (Jeremiah 9.1-2). “Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness. But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the LORD’S flock has been taken captive.” (Jeremiah 9.16-17). No one could truthfully accuse Jeremiah of not caring for the people to whom he prophesied; he genuinely wanted his hearers to repent and avoid the judgments of which he warned.

Many other texts could be cited to demonstrate the great compassion that was typical of Jeremiah throughout his period of ministry. However, these will suffice to illustrate the point as well as serve as a springboard to some practical applications. Remember Jonah; remember how he was saddened by the fact that the inhabitants of Nineveh repented. Contrast that attitude with that of Jeremiah; nothing could have pleased him more than to see his hearers call a fast and engage in wholesale repentance. Compassion for the lost was the great difference between these two great prophets.

While some might see compassion as a weakness it does not appear that God did so (nor that He does now). Jehovah was able to use Jeremiah’s passion as a positive element in his passionate preaching! Compassion for the lost is not a negative; rather it is a godly characteristic in as much as it also typifies the person of God Himself. If compassion be wrong, then scores of biblical preachers, prophets, and teachers stand condemned on that account.

Someone has observed that no one has the right to condemn others without first shedding tears of genuine sadness over their lost condition. Quite frankly, how can one judge another harshly knowing that each and every one is saved by grace! Compassion is a product of that recognition!

Questions:

1. Why would we say that writing about Jeremiah without mentioning compassion is like writing about our solar system without mentioning the sun?

2. In the first text given, why did Jeremiah weep?

3. How do we know that Jeremiah genuinely cared for his hearers?

4. Why would we say that compassion is a product of grace? If one fails to be compassionate, what observation would you offer concerning that person and grace?

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

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