Lamentations 5:8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none that does deliver us out of their hand. Bitterness was added to the misery of the Jews when Chaldean slaves - advanced to eminence and power on account of their ability - were placed in authority over them. But there was no choice; resistance was impossible and deliverer there was none, In this respect the condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may represent that of sinful, helpless men. I. A CRUEL BONDAGE. Sinners have yielded themselves up to obey the enemy of their souls, the foe of God. This is (1) a usurper, who has no right to rule over men; (2) a tyrant, who with unjust and unreasonable exercise of authority oppresses those beneath his power; (3) a cruel master, whose service is slavery, whose stripes are many, whose wages are death and destruction. II. A SEEMINGLY INEVITABLE FATE. The conquered Judaeans had looked hither and thither, in the crisis of their fate, for some friend and helper, but they had looked in vain. Similarly the captive of sin can find no earthly deliverer; his fellow men are his fellow sinners and fellow captives; there is no eye to pity and no hand to save. III. A SOLITARY BUT SUFFICIENT CONSOLATION AND REFUGE. The restless waves answer their purpose when they toss the imperilled mariner towards the haven of refuge. Affliction and adversity, chains and dungeons, oppressors and torturers, may make the one only Deliverer welcome. The Lord God has revealed himself to us as the Saviour of all men. There is no prison from which he cannot set the captive free; there are no gyves and fetters he cannot strike off; there are no foes from whose hands he cannot rescue and deliver. - T. Parallel Verses KJV: Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.WEB: Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand. |
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