Judgment is coming to those who do not repent, and it will start in the House of the Lord as scripture writes. My heart is grieved and sorrowful! Many are celebrating when you should be repenting for not listening to the Lord.

“Her filthiness was in and on her skirts; she did not [seriously and earnestly] consider her final end. Therefore she has come down [from throne to slavery] singularly and astonishingly; she has no comforter. O Lord [cries Jerusalem], look at my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself [in triumph]! The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her precious and desirable things; for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary [of the temple]–when You commanded that they should not even enter Your congregation [in the outer courts]. [Deut. 23:3; Jer. 51:51; Ezek. 44:7, 9.]” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Being a Bride for Christ without spot or wrinkle means you seriously consider the commands of the Lord. Considering your final end means you fear the Lord in your choices and fear their consequences. You don’t allow defilement in the temple let alone the outer courts. A stained skirt means you adulterated yourself by sin, or the allowance of it and you failed to uphold covenant.

“Your prophets have predicted for you falsehood and delusion and foolish things; and they have not exposed your iniquity and guilt to avert your captivity [by causing you to repent]. But they have divined and declared to you false and deceptive prophecies, worthless and misleading.” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

“The Lord has fulfilled His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger and has kindled a fire in Zion that has consumed her foundations. The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the earth, that the oppressor and enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. [But this happened] because of the sins of her [false] prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the just and righteous in the midst of her. [The false prophets and priests] wandered [staggering] in the streets as if blind; they had so polluted themselves with blood it was not [lawful] for men to touch their garments. [People] cried to them, Go away! Unclean! Depart! Depart! Touch not! When they fled away, then they wandered [as fugitives]; men said among the nations, They shall not stay here any longer. The anger of the Lord has scattered [and divided them among the nations]; He will no longer look after them. They did not respect the persons of the priests; they did not favor the elders.” Lamentations‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Blood on the priests and false prophets hands is symbolic of leading the Body astray; through betraying the innocent, ignoring voices of truth, accusing the just and righteous, staining the garments of the pure ~ from within the very place consecrated as holy comes desecration on the peoples!

“Ceased is the joy of our hearts; our dancing has turned into mourning. The crown has fallen from our head [our honor is brought to the dust]! Woe to us, for we have sinned! Because of this our hearts are faint and sick; because of these things our eyes are dim and see darkly. Lamentations‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

“Turn us to Yourself, O Lord, and we shall be turned and restored! Renew our days as of old!–” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Turning to the Lord in repentance is the only hope and escape from utter destruction. In this book of Lamentations that the prophet Jeremiah authored, there was death, famine, starvation, destruction and complete ruin of Jerusalem; yet he had warned them of the consequences of their sin if they did not turn as written of in the book of Jeremiah.

This is a time to return and listen to the Lord! And the Lord is expressly asking this of His Church!

“Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation].” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬ ‭AMP‬‬