5 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
Look, and see our reproach!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
Our houses to aliens.
3 We have become orphans without a father,
Our mothers are like widows.
4 [a]We have to pay for our drinking water,
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5 [b]Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, there is no rest for us.
6 We have [c]submitted to Egypt and Assyria [d]to get enough bread.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is we who have borne their iniquities.
8 Slaves rule over us;
There is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread [e]at the risk of our lives
[f]Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become as hot as an oven,
Because of [g]the burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
In the last chapter of Lamentations, we see more results of the sins of Israel. The theme seems obvious, more hardship and desolation, but a related thread runs through these verses also. In v. 2 Jeremiah speaks of their inheritance being lost, normally passed from father to son. In v. 3 then, they are like orphans without a father, so of course they have no inheritance. Finally, in v. 7, their fathers sinned and have passed away.
None of this is to say they didn’t actually have fathers. No doubt, with repeated attacks from Egypt, Assyria, and then Babylon, there were indeed real orphans with no fathers. But in that day, the fathers were either absent spiritually, or just flat-out negative influences as they indulged themselves in whatever seemed pleasant at the time.
The results of this were real and felt by all. The people were ruled by “slaves”, things had been turned on their heads, water and bread were nearly impossible to attain as famine ravaged the land–and others ravished their women. It is all a stark reminder of that our actions influence others. For good or evil, our words and deeds leave a legacy.
For those in Judah, that was almost only negative, but not completely. For of course there is Jeremiah who remained faithful, and it seems there was always a remnant. Daniel and some of his friends were taken into captivity and still remained true to God, even refusing the king’s meats because they had been presented to idols and false gods.
We too may feel the effects of the sins of our fathers, or instead the love and faithfulness they have shown in following God. In either case, we still have a choice, just as all of Judah did. Just as their father’s forsook God’s ways, they could have forsaken their fathers’ ways and turned back to God. We will leave a legacy, one way or another, our actions trickle down on our children just as they did in that day.
It is vitally important in this sin-sick world that we lead by example, serving Christ faithfully. Don’t look to someone else to take the lead, or you may be waiting a long time. Step up to the plate and accept responsibility for your actions and the influence they will create. With God’s strength, make it a good one, encouraging your children and those around you. Hold on to Him, for He will never let go.