False Hope

The Old Testament Book of Lamentations was written by the Prophet Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The book is a lament, an outpouring of grief and suffering about the fall of the nation of Judah. The siege lasted for approximately 18 months as Babylon surrounded the city of Jerusalem and cut off its food supply. The starvation led those inside the city walls to eat their own children to survive. Lamentations chapter 2 reveals the horror of the siege and the cause as well. 

Lamentations 2:20 (NLT) 

“O LORD, think about this! Should you treat your own people this way? Should mothers eat their own children, those they once bounced on their knees? Should priests and prophets be killed within the Lord’s Temple? 

My mind cannot comprehend how horrible things would have to get to eat your own children. God had abandoned his own people. God had abandoned the city that bears his name, Jerusalem. Mothers are eating their own children, and the holy priests and prophets are being executed inside the Temple of the Lord. I can’t imagine anything being more horrible than being abandoned by God. 

Why? What happened to God’s people? What did they do or not do that caused their abandonment and subsequent desolation? I suppose there are many reasons, but the Bible clearly defines two things that led to the fall of Judah and the abandonment of God. 

Idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood! They abandoned their God, and that led to God abandoning them as his people. They sacrificed their children to pagan gods, and God’s subsequent abandonment caused them to eat their own children. How incredibly horrible is this scene from the Book of Lamentation? I can see why this book is a lament before God. 

But there is one verse in chapter two that reveals part of the reason for the fall of Judah. One verse that Western culture should pay close attention to today. 

Lamentations 2:14 (NLT) 

Your prophets have said so many foolish things, false to the core. They did not save you from exile by pointing out your sins. Instead, they painted false pictures, filling you with false hope. 

And what is this false hope? It’s called “Universalism”. Universalism is the idea that God’s grace is greater than man’s sin and thus, everyone will be saved. Everyone will go to heaven. It sounds good, but it’s not true. It is a lie from Satan, the great deceiver. 

The prophets and priests of ancient Judah were supposed to reveal the sin of the people and call them to repentance, but instead, they gave them false hope. They believed Jerusalem could never fall because the Temple of God was there. This false hope was revealed by the same Prophet Jeremiah. I suggest that you read carefully the Word of the Lord regarding false hope through the Prophet Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah 7:3-11 (NLT) 

3 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. 

4 But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the LORD’s Temple is here. They chant, “The LORD’s Temple is here! The LORD’s Temple is here!” 

5 But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; 

6 only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. 

7 Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. 

8 “‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! 

9 Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, 

10 and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? 

11 Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the LORD, have spoken! 

False hope! The Temple was there when Babylon came to surround the city. But the Temple of the Lord was empty. The Lord had departed from the Jerusalem Temple. He had abandoned them to their false hope. 

What is the lesson for us today? Jesus is near, and He must be in your Temple for you to survive! Repentance opens the door of your heart to receive Jesus into your temple/heart. This next verse is the first recorded sermon of Jesus in the Bible. 

Matthew 4:17 (NLT) 

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 

Preachers must once again preach about the necessity of repentance. Jerusalem had no hope without repentance. And we have no hope today without repentance, a repentance that opens our hearts to the Holy Spirit.   

Luke 13:5 (NLT) 

No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” 

Universalism is a lie. Yes, God’s grace is greater than our sins. However, the grace of God requires us to repent of our sins and turn to God, and He will forgive our sins and give us the Holy Spirit to set us apart from the world. This is our only hope. Jesus is our only hope. 

Acts 2:38-40 (NLT) 

38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 

40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 

Maranatha, Hosanna, Hallelujah and Amen, 

Terry Cooper 

Lead Minister