How Dark the Gold Has Become: Lessons from Lamentations 4 Chapter 4 1 How is the gold become dim! `how' is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. 5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her. 7 Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire. 8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. 9 They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof. 12 The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem. 13 `It is' because of the sins of her prophets, `and' the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. 14 They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments. 15 Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn `here'. 16 The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders. 17 Our eyes do yet fail `in looking' for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. 18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations. 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins. | Pastor Patrick Hines Sermon Clip ▶️LINK TO FULL SERMON: The Reformation | Romans 10:1-4 Chapter 10 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. : Lamentations 4 Chapter 4 1 How is the gold become dim! `how' is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. 5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her. 7 Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire. 8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. 9 They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof. 12 The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem. 13 `It is' because of the sins of her prophets, `and' the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. 14 They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments. 15 Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn `here'. 16 The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders. 17 Our eyes do yet fail `in looking' for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. 18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations. 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins. :1-2 | Pastor Patrick Hines Reformed Christian Sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiGyQwiQjyI&list=PLzOwqed_gET2vqbY_shSW0MfXtYGSoCnT&index=9&t=2221s [ Romans 10:1-4 Chapter 10 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. NASB95] – 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for [their] salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. [ Lamentations 4 Chapter 4 1 How is the gold become dim! `how' is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. 5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her. 7 Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire. 8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. 9 They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof. 12 The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem. 13 `It is' because of the sins of her prophets, `and' the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. 14 They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments. 15 Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn `here'. 16 The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders. 17 Our eyes do yet fail `in looking' for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. 18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations. 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins. :1-2 NASB95] – 1 How dark the gold has become, [How] the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands! ▶️Bridwell Heights Presbyterian Church http://www.bridwellheightschurch.org/ ▶️Reformed Presbyterian Pulpit Supplemental (Pastor Hines’ YouTube Channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClW5Qzh27Zx7HO2fKkCcR5g ▶️Pastor Patrick Hines (PLAYLIST): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzOwqed_gET2vqbY_shSW0MfXtYGSoCnT These books by Pastor Hines are available on Amazon. All proceeds go directly to Pastor Hines: ▶️Am I Right With God? The Gospel, Justification, Saving Faith, Repentance, Assurance, & The New Birth https://www.amazon.com/Right-God-Justification-Repentance-Assurance-ebook/dp/B0BR1L48YN ▶️Redrawing the Battle Lines: 23 Sermons on Critical Issues Facing the Church https://www.amazon.com/Redrawing-Battle-Lines-Sermons-Critical-ebook/dp/B0BPDT1VJXEarth’s ▶️Foundational History – Part 1: Genesis Chapters 1 Through 5 https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Patrick+W.+O.+Hines From the church website: We subscribe to the Westminster Standards as our doctrinal statement. The Westminster Confession of Faith The Westminster Larger Catechism The Westminster Shorter Catechism We believe Christian worship is to be regulated by God’s Word. Scripture reading and the preaching of the Word are at the center of worship, along with Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. ▶️SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/stack45ny After subscribing, click the NOTIFICATION BELL to be notified of new uploads. ▶️X: https://x.com/ChristIsLord ▶️My WordPress blog: https://sermonsandsongsdotorg.com/ ▶️Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-278901