How does Lamentations 2:17 demonstrate God's faithfulness to His word and promises? The Text in View “The LORD has done what He purposed; He has accomplished His word, which He commanded long ago. He has thrown down without sparing; He has let the enemy rejoice over you; He has exalted the horn of your foes.” (Lamentations 2:17) What the Verse Declares • God had “purposed” a specific course of action. • He “accomplished His word” exactly as spoken “long ago.” • The fall of Jerusalem, though heartbreaking, was not random—it was the precise fulfillment of divine warning. Promises Kept—Even the Hard Ones • Deuteronomy 28:15, 25, 49–52 foretold siege, defeat, and exile if Israel forsook the covenant. • Leviticus 26:14–33 outlined identical judgments—sword, famine, scattering. • Joshua 23:14–16 reminded Israel that just as every blessing came to pass, so would every curse if they rebelled. • Lamentations 2:17 shows those earlier words reaching their literal completion. God’s faithfulness covers both mercy and judgment. Faithfulness in Judgment Confirms Faithfulness in Grace • If God kept His word about punishment, He can be trusted to keep His word about restoration (Jeremiah 29:10; Jeremiah 32:42). • Numbers 23:19—“God is not a man, that He should lie … Has He said, and will He not do it?” • 2 Timothy 2:13—“If we are faithless, He remains faithful.” • Because His character never changes (Malachi 3:6), every promise of salvation, forgiveness, and future glory is just as certain. Why This Matters Today • Scripture’s inerrancy is underscored: prophecy—however severe—unfolds precisely. • God’s faithfulness is comprehensive; He will not overlook sin, yet He will never retract a covenant (Hebrews 10:23). • Assurance flows from this consistency: if He kept His word to ancient Judah, He will keep His word to all who trust in Christ (John 10:28). • Our call: respond in reverent obedience, taking both warnings and comforts at full value. Key Takeaways • Lamentations 2:17 is a historical marker of fulfilled prophecy. • Divine faithfulness is proven not only by blessings received but by judgments executed. • The same immutable God who fulfilled words of judgment will unfailingly fulfill words of redemption. |
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