Jesus in the book of Lamentations – OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS ✝️

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling. Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’ – Yeshua Jesus, from Luke 13:34-35

How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave. Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. – Lamentations 1:1-2

The Prophet Jeremiah, believed to have written Lamentations, was a type of Jesus Christ. When you read the first chapter of Lamentations, you can feel the anguished Heart of our precious Lord in the words. Yeshua Jesus had a deep, deep love for His culture, His people, Israel. Although He was fully God, Jesus was also fully man. Although as God, He knew his people deserved judgement, He wept for them as a man.

Isn’t that just like our Lord? He knows we deserve judgment. The Bible says in Romans 3:10 that “As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’”. Paul is quoting Psalm 143:2 which says “…no one alive is righteous before You.” And in Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Paul is quoting from Ecclesiastes 7:20, “Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”

None righteous. Not Abraham. Not Paul. Not me. We are all guilty of Sin: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Romans 6:23

So how can we be justified before Yahweh God? In an act of PURE LOVE, Jesus took our place, our punishment, our death, on the Cross. He is our justification before the judge, before God. Justification means that God sovereignly declares the repentant, believing sinner righteous in His sight. You are declared to be righteous in your standing before God. You stand acquitted of your sins.

Friend, have you been acquitted? Are you ashamed and repentant for the sins you have committed before your Holy, Perfect Creator? Jesus loves you. He weeps for you. His Holy Spirit pleads for your very soul. He was fully God, yet fully man. He knows your struggles. He cares deeply for you. Sinner, come home. ❤️