Part 6

Fall of the old covenant

This lesson will start with Lam. 3.

This is a long and deep chapter. It has a two-fold meaning. It is speaking in the first person as the OT and also as Jesus.

Now, Jesus came to this earth under the law of the OT. He was made a curse for us, to redeem us from the curse of the law- Gal 3:13

So, in this sense Jesus, in the flesh, same as Moses, represents the law.

Now, verse one: I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. Old Testament speaking; Jesus speaking.

Read Isaiah 53 you will see that Jesus was smitten of God; afflicted for us. V4-Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Lam.3:2-He hath led me, and brought me into darkness but not into light. Here Jesus is saying he was led into the Dark Age of the Law; but not into the light of Grace. Also those under that covenant say this.

V3-shows God is against them. This is also showing that God forsook Jesus at Calvary. This chapter is very much prophecy about the crucifixion of Jesus.

V4-{this is great} My flash and my skin hath he made old. He hath broken my bones.

In Heb. we are told that the law waxed old and vanished away. Not a bone of Jesus was broken on the cross; so this is saying all his OT bones [those in that tree of law] were all broken. Remember in Isaiah it said they were broken, taken and snared. That is this prophecy fulfilled.

V5-He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. This is the water made bitter in Rev. The law was the gall; or the bitterness, which made them dead. The travail is their going through the wrath of God upon them. Also their travail to bring Jesus forth.

But the deeper meaning is this is Jesus speaking of his sufferings at the time of his death. This is the travail of Jesus there at Calvary.

Is. 53:11. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

See this verse shows that this is the travail of Jesus’ soul. Many Scriptures reveal glorious things about Jesus, which goes unnoticed by most people. This is truly a shame that so few see the real beauty of the Word of God.V6-He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

This is the law saying God put them into darkness, which is the same as death. See, the ‘of old’ refers to those before the flood; they too, had turned away from God to law. And of course this is still speaking of Jesus at his death.

V7-He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out; he hath made my chain heavy.

This is showing Jesus as he was bound by this human flesh and the agony he had to go through when the sins of the whole world were placed upon him.

This also shows he completely did away with that old law; they could not find a way out of it. The law was a heavy chain upon their necks.

Remember the apostles said not to put that yoke back on the Christians, which their fathers could not endure for it was so heavy.

I just had a revelation I never saw before: this is linked with that ‘chain’ which bound Satan up for the thousand years. I am beginning to believe that Satan and the law are synonymous.

V8-Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

This shows that by the law, no prayers will be answered. He does not hear from that old covenant now. But it also pertains to the time when God forsook Jesus on that cross. You see, what most people do not seem to realize, and what the ‘ministers’ of the land have failed to see and show to the sheep, is that Jesus actually [through having taken our place, and the sins of the world being placed upon him], that he became ‘the worst sinner’ who ever lived. Now I know this statement may be met with much animosity and disbelief or indignation, but when you really see it, Jesus took upon himself, or on his record all the sins which were ever committed. Thus He truly paid the price for the sins of everyone who ever lived. If you go to hell, you must reject His atonement for your sins.For many years as I read Psalms, I would see that it spoke of Jesus. But then I would read where he spoke of his many and mighty sins and it would throw me off. I prayed for understanding of this. Then one day as I went through this same thing, God spoke to my understanding and showed me that it truly was Jesus (all of Psalms is Jesus’ words, as of course is the rest of the Word). God showed me that it means that Jesus actually became the worst sinner in the world; because he took upon himself all our sins and they are counted as being his. It is completely true- he took our sins upon himself as if He did them all. That is how profound his substitution for us is.

V9-He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

Now John the Baptist came to make straight paths for the Lord; in other words John bridged the gap between the OT and the NT. He set things straight. He taught Grace. He was the one who brought forth the head stone crying ‘Grace, Grace’ to it. Those left in the OT have crooked paths.

See, also that their way in enclosed with stone; this shows the stony heart which still has the OT law in it. They were a fountain shut up as in Song of Solomon.

No living water could come forth from this closed up fountain. It is enclosed with stone. This is that 10 commandment law, written and engraven on stone. So it shows that the way of law is the crooked path. Jesus came here under that crooked path. These stones of law hewed his ways.

10. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

Now God showed me that the seven headed beast in Daniel is Satan’s kingdom on earth headed up by seven main division of mankind from the beginning of man on earth until the close of the OT.

That first head of the lion with the eagle’s wings was Adam. He was the first head over mankind. The eagle’s wings shows they still had immortality at that time.

The next head was a bear. This was Noah. It says he raised himself up on one side. This is speaking of the other side of the flood. See he came up on the other side of the flood and then started life over on this side of the flood. The three ribs in his mouth were his three sons and their wives.

So this verse is showing that God destroyed both societies because they partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is that law. So this is the law saying God was unto her as this bear and this lion. See as he cast them out of that Garden, this destroyed that society of immortal beings. Then he again destroyed them at the flood. I know this is getting to be a long message, but just think of the hidden food, which is here!

So I am warning everyone who partakes again of law, you are headed for destruction. If God did this to those people because of this evil, do you think He will spare you who left Jesus’ Grace He bought for us with his death, and went back to law? Of how much sorer punishment do you think they are worthy who have trampled the blood of Jesus and did despite to the Spirit of Grace?

V11-shows he made them DESOLATE. We know Jesus told Jerusalem, ‘your house is left unto you desolate’. So this is about that. This speaks to the law, you are made desolate.

12. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

This speaks of that bow and arrow given to the rider on that horse under the first seal. This was that first Church as it went forth conquering that OT and bringing it into the New. He set his bow against them and destroyed them- that 7th head of law. But it also speaks of Jesus being smitten of God. [Is. 53]

13. He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

If you wish to see some beauty in the Word, read Job 30. I dare say very few people have ever seen that the Book of Job is really prophecy about Jesus, therefore they miss the real and true meaning. Job 30 is speaking of the crucifixion of Jesus. I would love to take the whole chapter and lay it out here verse by verse, but that would be a whole message on its own. So I will just give you this much to prove here that this is Jesus being spoken of.

Job 30:9. And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

10. They abhor me; they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

This was fulfilled to Jesus at Calvary.

15. He hath filled me with bitterness; he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

16. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes.

17. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

All these verses speak of Jesus and the law as they were put to death by God’s own decree. They both died there on that cross.

The next verses all are saying how God destroyed them as a people [the law].

V18-And I said, My strength and my hope are perished from the LORD;

V19-Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

V20-My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

V21-This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

Now, here she humbles herself and sees HOPE. Why? She sees the NT Grace and knows if she gets there, God will again give her the blessings she has been stripped of.

Jesus at the cross, looked ahead and for the glory set BEFORE him, endured the cross, despising the shame. He saw the glory of the resurrection when He would wake in the image and likeness of God; when he would again have the glory he had with the Father before the world was.

Psm. 17: 15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

You will miss the glory if you think this is David saying this- it is Jesus. When He came out of that grave this was when he came forth in glory- in the likeness and glory of the eternal God.

This was their hope; this is our great hope; this is how we humble ourselves and endure whatever comes against us here for the hope He has given us of eternal life. It is worth it all, dear people.

I will pick up with v22 next time.

By: Jo Smith