C.
The Reprimand was promised by the LORD through Ezekiel.
1.
Ezekiel 4:15. Then He said to me, “See, I will give you cow's dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread.”
2.
Ezekiel 4:16-17.
a.
Ezekiel 4:16. “Moreover, He said to me, Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in astonishment” (horror).
b.
Ezekiel 4:17. “Because bread and water will be scarce; and they will be appalled with one another and waste away in their iniquity”.
D.
Over Crowding.
1.
The people crammed into Jerusalem’s alleys eating rationed food, drinking rationed water, cooking over their own excrement.
2.
Add to this the anxiety that increases each day.
a.
Beyond the walls, the attacking enemy has fresh food, fresh water, and time.
b.
Their only hope seemed to be that some other event would call the enemy away before their siege engines were finally built.
III.
At this point, it becomes easy to envision what Jeremiah meant when he told the people that famine, pestilence, and the sword were coming.
A.
Sin found the people out.
B.
The situation in the city became very desperate especially when the food finally ran out.
C.
Perhaps this great length to describe the dynamics of a besieged city and because the Book of Lamentations represents one person’s coming to terms with the terror and horror of being there, someone may be helped when this comes to the United States and be assured with our country under seize.
1.
Our country is trying to remove God from the country.