Question 1

Who is the “man that hath seen affliction” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The “man that hath seen affliction” is Jeremiah speaking in a very personal way. He is not just talking about pain in general, but about what he himself has gone through as God’s servant during the ruin of his people. He has warned them, been opposed and mocked, and then lived through the disaster he preached about. At the same time, he also speaks as a representative of the people, giving voice to how God’s people feel under his heavy hand of discipline and anger against their sin.

Question 2

What does it mean to suffer “by the rod of his wrath”?

Accepted Answer

The “rod of his wrath” is a picture of God using a rod like a parent uses a stick to correct a child, not a sword to destroy an enemy. Jeremiah knows that what he suffers is not random but comes from God’s hand in response to sin. Armies, hunger, shame, and inner anguish are all tools God uses to wake up his people and turn them from their ways. The pain is real and severe, but its purpose is correction and mercy, not final rejection.

Question 3

Why does Jeremiah say God led him into darkness and not into light?

Accepted Answer

When Jeremiah says God brought him into darkness and not into light, he is describing a season where he feels no comfort, no clear guidance, and no sign of relief. Darkness here is a picture of deep trouble, confusion, and sorrow. He still knows God is in control, because he says God led him there, but he cannot see what God is doing or how this will end. This shows that even God’s own people can go through times when they feel lost and surrounded by trouble.

Question 4

What does it mean that God “shutteth out my prayer”?

Accepted Answer

When Jeremiah says God shuts out his prayer, he is speaking from the feeling that his cries are going nowhere. He prays, even cries and shouts, but nothing seems to change and no answer comes. This is a heavy trial for anyone who trusts God. It does not mean God truly stops hearing, but that, for a time, God does not give the relief asked for. This can stir deeper, more earnest prayer and teach patience, even when the heart feels alone and heaven seems silent.

Question 5

Why does Jeremiah speak of God as a bear and a lion against him?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah uses the images of a bear lying in wait and a lion in hiding to show how helpless and attacked he feels. It seems to him that God is not defending him, but has become like a dangerous animal that tears him apart and leaves him desolate. This is how severe the judgment feels. He is not saying God is cruel, but honestly pouring out how God’s actions appear in the middle of his pain. The language shows the shock and fear that can come with God’s discipline.

Question 6

What is meant by being filled with bitterness and drunken with wormwood?

Accepted Answer

Bitterness and wormwood describe how deep and overwhelming Jeremiah’s sorrow is. Wormwood is a bitter plant, so to be “drunken with wormwood” means his whole inner life feels soaked with bitterness and grief, like someone overcome by a strong drink. He cannot shake it off. This shows that suffering is not just on the outside, like chains or hunger, but also inside the heart and mind. It affects how life tastes to him, making former joys feel far away and almost forgotten.

Question 7

Why does Jeremiah say his soul is far from peace and he forgot prosperity?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah says his soul is far from peace because he can no longer feel any calm, safety, or sense of God’s favor. The troubles have gone on so long and so deeply that he cannot even remember what well-being felt like. When he says he forgot prosperity, he means good days and blessings seem like a distant memory, not part of his present life. This shows how ongoing suffering can wear a person down until they can barely recall that things were ever different.

Question 8

What does “My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord” express?

Accepted Answer

When Jeremiah says, “My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord,” he reaches the low point of his lament. He feels that both his inner strength and any expectation of help from God are gone. From where he stands, there is no way out, no change ahead, and no sign that God will restore him. The wider passage later shows that this is not the end of the story, but at this moment he is honest about feeling completely drained and abandoned, which many suffering believers can relate to.

Question 9

How does this passage help someone who feels forgotten by God?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that even a faithful servant like Jeremiah can feel trapped, unheard, and without hope. It tells us we are not alone or strange if we feel that way. It also reminds us that such feelings can be part of God’s dealing with his people, not proof that he has truly forsaken them. The words invite us to pour out our pain honestly to God, to let suffering humble us, and to wait for the mercy that is spoken of later, even when at present we can only see darkness.

Lamentations 3:1

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

The Prophet’s Afflictions

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Lamentations 3:1

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

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The Prophet’s Afflictions

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