The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground. Sermons
I. THEIR FORMER SPEECH. They are said to keep silence now; this, of course, suggests that silence had not been their former habit. Old men have a peculiar fight to speak, are often expected to speak, and can always plead that years have given them experience and many opportunities of observation, and with respect to these particular elders here it is not difficult to imagine what the topics and the manner of their former speech might be. For instance, imagine younger men going to them and asking what their opinion was as to the predictions of Jeremiah. They would not all have the same opinion, but many, it is to be feared, would make very light of what he said. Nor is it likely that they spoke of him in a very considerate way. The elders of Israel were, according to a national custom, largely the teachers of history. It was their business to tell their sons and their son's sons the great things that had been done in the days of old. And we know how easy it is to remember only success and forget disaster. Jeremiah coming in with his denunciations and threatenings would exasperate the elders not least. The chances are that again and again they had given advice at the foundation of which lay their unbelief in Jeremiah. Besides this, they would be advisers in general, and in particular matters would often be right enough. Thus when they cast discredit on a prophet of Jehovah others would take up their words as words of authority and soberness. II. THEIR PRESENT SILENCE. They neither speak of their own accord nor do they answer when addressed. They keep silence. It is the silence of grief, humiliation, wounded pride, and shame. The only thing they could say, if they did speak, would be to confess in the amplest manner their sins, their blunders, their egregious self-confidence. But in truth their very silence spoke as if with loudest voice. It was as if they said, "We abdicate any fight we have had to advise and lead. We admit to the full our responsibility in having done so much to bring disaster on the people." Old age is not necessary to bring wisdom and insight into the problems of life. Jeremiah, who had gone out to prophesy when little better than a lad, was right, and old men with an egotistical and absorbed confidence in their own opinions were wrong. If we would avoid being stricken with a shameful silence in our old age, it must be by listening obediently in earlier years to far other voices than those which come kern the promptings of the natural man. - Y.
The elders...keep silence. 1. The wisest of God's servants are at their wit's end, or fall into despair, if they be deprived of their hope, in the promise of God's assistance (Psalm 119:92).2. Bodily exercises do profit to further lamentations in the day of heaviness, but are no part of God's service in themselves. 3. The extremity of God's judgments do for the time overwhelm God's dearest children in the greatest measure of grief that can be in this life (Psalm 6:3; Psalm 22:1). 4. The most dainty ones are made to stoop when God's hand is heavy upon them for their sins. (J. Udall.) People Jacob, JeremiahPlaces Jerusalem, ZionTopics Bent, Bowed, Cast, Caused, Clothed, Daughter, Dust, Elders, Girded, Ground, Haircloth, Hang, Heads, Jerusalem, Maidens, Responsible, Sackcloth, Seated, Silence, Silent, Sit, Sprinkled, Themselves, Thrown, Virgins, Women, ZionOutline 1. Jeremiah laments the misery of Jerusalem20. He complains thereof to God Dictionary of Bible Themes Lamentations 2:10 4050 dust Library Watch-Night Service"Ye virgin souls, arise! With all the dead awake; Unto salvation wise; Oil in your vessels take: Upstarting at the MIDNIGHT CRY, Behold Your heavenly bridegroom nigh." Two brethren then offered prayer for the Church and the World, that the new year might be clothed with glory by the spread of the knowledge of Jesus.--Then followed the EXPOSITION Psalm 90:1-22 "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Yea Jehovah, WE, they children, can say that thou hast been our home, our safe … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856 Chel. The Court of the Women. Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied in Ancient Rabbinic Writings Departure from Ireland. Death and Burial at Clairvaux. That the Ruler Should be Discreet in Keeping Silence, Profitable in Speech. Lii. Concerning Hypocrisy, Worldly Anxiety, Watchfulness, and his Approaching Passion. Lamentations Links Lamentations 2:10 NIVLamentations 2:10 NLT Lamentations 2:10 ESV Lamentations 2:10 NASB Lamentations 2:10 KJV Lamentations 2:10 Bible Apps Lamentations 2:10 Parallel Lamentations 2:10 Biblia Paralela Lamentations 2:10 Chinese Bible Lamentations 2:10 French Bible Lamentations 2:10 German Bible Lamentations 2:10 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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