Does God Bring About Suffering? Lamentations 3:37-58

SundayTeacher.com Lesson Password: Perseverance Illustrated Bible Life Password: Fleece

SandraGreat Britain DavidMexico Saurabh Bangladesh, Angola, Namibia RuthIndia, Israel, Australia, New Zealand Keith & Ruth Switzerland SarahSwaziland WayneAfrica Love Alabaster: Bulgaria church overcomes challenges to reach community In Montana, the birthplace of Communism in Bulgaria, in the home of the city’s first Communist mayor, meets a church of the Nazarene. The home, which was purchased with Alabaster funds in 1998, is now the gathering place for more than 100 people for worship.

Praying for the US & Canada Alexanders: CA, OK, GA, QC Vanderpool: NM (SE ABQ) Jellisons: UT, TX, AK Shultzs: CA, DC, MA, BC Moores: AZ, NM, DC, CA, YT, QC Abby Nielson: MA, OH, VT, QC Aliece Nielson: NM, VT, PEI L. Kilgore: VA, MI T. & P. Brown: IL, HW, PA, DC Nielsons: OH, PEI, VT, MA, RI Griffins: VT, OH, (Northeast) C. Yazzie: NM, AZ, & Navajo Nation Adams: NM, CA, MA B. Brown: GA, OR, ON B. Vito: NY,ID Former atheist starts Michigan church If you talked with Robert Bastien, he would tell you he asked this very question about his wife, JoAnn. When she began praying, reading Scripture, and attending church on a regular basis, he wasn't sure about the changes. You see, JoAnn grew up in the Catholic Church, but eventually stopped attending services. Not only that, she stopped believing God existed and began to live as an atheist.

Lamentation 3 (NIV) 37 Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? 39 Why should the living complain when punished for their sins? 5

CALAMITIES When did the author of Lamentations live? What historic event did he live through? How did his experience affect his view of God? How do these scriptures help us understand the struggles of people who have experienced “calamities” in life? 6

Lamentation 3 (NIV) Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the L ORD. 41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: 42 “We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven. 43 “You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity. 44 You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through. 45 You have made us scum and refuse among the nations. 46 “All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us. 47 We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction.” 48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed. 49 My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief, 50 until the L ORD looks down from heaven and sees. 51 What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of my city. 7

The Call to Repent What are three things the author of Lamentations calls for in verse 40? Why are these important? Why does the author describe God as covering himself with a cloud? Does the author think that God is having trouble seeing what is going on? 8

Lamentation 3 (NIV) Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird. 53 They tried to end my life in a pit and threw stones at me; 54 the waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to perish. 55 I called on your name, L ORD, from the depths of the pit. 56 You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” 57 You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” 58 You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life. 9

Responding to Suffering What is the difference between God’s response to this passage as compared to the previous passage? How did God answer the author’s prayer in this case? How do these passages help us deal with the suffering in today’s world? 10

Next Week Unit 1: Hard Sayings from the Old Testament Lesson 4: Is It Right to Test God? Deuteronomy 6:16 & Judges 6: