Lamentations - The Sermon Depository

when too late we shall at length begin to acknowledge how desirable had
been our previous condition. Then, in a word, Jeremiah here reproves the
stupidity of the people, who did not know how desirable was their state,
until they were deprived and plundered of all their blessings. He also says,
from the days of old. By these words he probably intimates that the course
of God’s kindness had been perpetual; for God had not for a short time
been bountiful to that people, but had shewed them favors successively
and continually.
When her people fell, etc. It was a heavier misery, because they had so long
flourished. It is added, Seen, her have enemies, they laughed at her
Sabbath, or at her cessation, which I do not dislike. But they who render it
“leisure,” or idleness, either pervert or too much obscure the meaning of
the Prophet. In the word “cessation,” there is an irony, for the enemies did
not simply laugh at cessation, but did so in mockery, as they took this
opportunity to taunt them for their religion. We know that the Sabbaths of
the Jews were always hated by the heathens; and they were thereby
subjected to many reproaches; for by way of reproach they called the
Jews Sabbatharians. And when they wished ignominiously to traduce the
whole service of God, as under the law, they named it “Sabbaths.” There
is, then, no doubt but that the heathens reproachfully taunted the Jews
because they observed the Sabbath; “See, now is the time to worship
God.” And we also see that God upbraided the Jews in a similar way by
saying,
“Until the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths.” (Leviticus 26:43.)
For when the Jews had the opportunity and leisure (when no enemies
molested them)to observe the worship of God, they contemptuously
profaned the Sabbaths. As, then, God’s worship had been so disgracefully
neglected by them, God said, “The land itself shall in your stead keep the
Sabbath;” how? it shall not be ploughed, it shall not bring forth fruit.
(Leviticus 26:34, 35.) That cessation was called by God Sabbath,
but not without a taunt; for he cuttingly reproved the Jews for having
violated the Sabbaths, as was also done by Jeremiah, (Jeremiah
17:22, 27.) F7
It then appears to me probable that taunts were cast by enemies against
the Jews, that they might now have a long and a continual Sabbath, while
the city was deserted and no one dwelt there. For it would have been cold
and unmeaning to say that the enemies laughed at the cessation of it. The
Prophet would have no doubt used a different word, if his purpose had
been to point out the blasphemy of enemies as to God’s worship. The
enemies then saw and laughed at her cessation; but this cessation they
called by way of reproach Sabbatharian. It follows, —
Lamentations 1:8
8. Jerusalem hath
grievously sinned;
therefore she is removed;
all that honored her
despise her, because they
have seen her nakedness;
yea, she sigheth, and
turneth backward.
8. Peccatum peccavit Jerusalem (hoc est,
scelerate egit;) proterea in migrationem (vel,
commotionem) facta est (hoc est, Reddita
fuit instabilis;) omnes qui honore eam
persequebantur, spreverunt eam, quia
viderunt turpitudinem (vel, foeditatem) ejus;
etiam ipsa gemens, et conversa est retrorsum.
Here the Prophet expresses more clearly and strongly what he had briefly
referred to, even that all the evil which the Jews suffered proceeded from
God’s vengeance, and that they were worthy of such a punishment,
because they had not lightly offended, but had heaped up for themselves a
dreadful judgment, since they had in all manner of ways abandoned