Grace Institute: The Writings : Lamentations Part 2

Lamentations Survey of the Old Testament: The Writings Fall 2006

The Five Laments

The Cause of Jerusalem 's Destruction (Chapter 1)

Comparison to the Glory Days of Jerusalem (1:1-7)

The first poem of Lamentations is predominately a description of the state of Jerusalem after its fall. It begins with a contrast between the current state of Jerusalem in contrast to its glory days (1:1-, 6). Note the three primary contrasts in verse 1:

• •  Loneliness vs. a city full of people.
• •  A Widow vs. being great among the nations.
• •  A Princess vs. a forced laborer.

Destruction caused by Jerusalem 's Sin (1:8-19)

The poet understands the cause of Jerusalem 's fall from majesty is a result of her sin. She is compared to an impetuous youth who lives for the moment without regard to the long term ramifications of her sin (1:9). But the consequences have now caught up to her, and the fall is the “yoke of my transgressions” (1:14). Yahweh's righteousness requires that the rebellion of the city not go unpunished (1:18). As a result, the Lord has rejected and crushed Jerusalem (1:15).

Call for God to Punish the Agent of His Punishment (1:20-22)

However, the agent of the Lord's punishment causes great distress for the author. As Babylon entered the city to destroy her, the enemy also destroyed the temple of Y ah w e h . God himself had forbid foreigners from entering the holy temple (1:10), and yet now he was “allowing” them to not only enter but to destroy his holy place. While the poet acknowledges that Jerusalem deserved to be punished (1:20), the sin of those whom he used as the agent of that punishment was far greater and also needed to be punished (1:22). Therefore the poet calls on God to bring about the destruction of Babylon (1:21).

The All Consuming Wrath of Yahweh (Chapter 2)

The Wrath of Yahweh (2:1-10)

The poet attributes this great calamity solely upon the Lord. Babylon may be the agent, but God is the ultimate cause. It is his fierce anger and wrath that has consumed the city in a consuming fire (2:3). His wrath is thorough and he has not spared anyone from his anger (2:2). His anger has consumed the princes (2:2), the beautiful (2:4), and the priest (2:6). His wrath has even consumed His own tabernacle (2:6), His altar and His sanctuary (2:7). Jerusalem has been destroyed not because of the power of Babylon , but because the righteous anger of God. Yahweh has done what he wanted to do (2:17).

Destruction of the Prophets (2:9, 14)

The poet gives particular attention to the destruction of the prophets. Prior to the destruction of the city, the prophets were giving false hope to the people (2:14). They predicted that the exile which had begun prior to the siege of Jerusalem and soon all those previously carried off would return (2:14, Jeremiah 28). But now the prophets have been silenced (2:9b).

God's Anger Spares No One (2:11-22)

God's anger is very thorough, not sparing anyone. Yet this is what brings the greatest sorrow to the poet (2:11). Even the innocent have suffered through this great destruction. It is the young child who has starved to death (2:11b-12a, 19). Such misery is beyond compare (2:13). God's punishment has affected innocent children, righteous priests and prophets (2:20), young and old (2:21). No one was spared from the destruction (2:22). Jerusalem may have deserved it, but it is the suffering of the righteous and the innocent which causes the poet the most suffering.

Hope in the Midst of Grief (Chapter 3)

The Poet's Despair (3:1-18)

As the poet ponders the wholesale destruction and the suffering of even those who did not deserve it, he falls into great despair (3:1). He wastes away, becoming as a dead corpse (3:4). The poet has forgotten what happiness is like (3:17). All his strength is gone as is His hope in Yahweh (3:18).

The Poet's Hope (3:19-38)

And yet, the poet remembers and recalls, and so there remains a glimmer of hope (3:19-20). What is it that the poet remembers? The faithful love of God. His love endures forever, his compassion nev er fails, his faithfulness is great (3:22-23). Therefore as long as he sticks with God, there is hope (3:24). Yahweh is good to those who wait for Him, saving those who seek him (3:25-26). Yes, God has caused great sorrow to even the righteous (3:32), but it will not last forever (3:31). Salvation is on the way.

An Appeal to God's Justice (3:55-66)

The poet has called the Lord's attention to the injustice of the situation. In the midst of the pouring out of his wrath, the innocent have suffered and the wicked have seen a great victory. But God has heard the cry of the innocent and he will redeem them (3:58). Furthermore, God will bring vengeance upon those who have brought about this destruction (3:62, 64, 66).

Atrocities Recounted (Chapter 4)

Atrocities Caused by Hunger (4:1-10)

Towards the end of the siege of Jerusalem , hunger was rampant among the people. Even the rich and noble classes were reduced to nothing by hunger (4:5). At this point, gold and precious stones were worthless because you can not eat gold (4:1). Food was the only thing of value.

Such hunger causes people to do terrible things. Mothers became so hungry that they would deprive their own children of food so they could eat themselves (4:3-4). More terribly, such hunger led to cannibalism as mothers boiled their own children (4:11).

Such atrocities were so great that the poet considered this punishment from God worse than what was inflicted upon Sodom (4:6). Sodom was destroyed in a quick fla sh of fire and brimstone from heaven. But Jerusalem was destroyed after a slow painful death (4:9).

The Presence of the Lord Removed (4:11-16)

The conventional wis dom of the time believed that Jerusalem could nev er be overthrown (4:12). Jerusalem was home to the temple of Y ah w e h . The God of heaven dwelt in the temple, making his very presence known in Zion . However, the priest and prophets of Yahweh were so corrupt and wicked that they were considered unclean (4:13-15). As a result, the presence of the Lord could no longer remain with them (4:16). With the departure of the Lord's presence, Jerusalem was now able to be overthrown, and the temple of Z i o n , God's holy place, destroyed.

Destruction of Refugees and Punishment for Edom (4:17-22)

The poet describes one final atrocity. The final destruction created a stream of refugees from Judah looking for safety. As the refuges fled, the surrounding nations refused to help (4:17). In particular, Edom , the longtime vassal of Judah , not only refused to help, but pursued the refugees into the mountains where they ambushed them (4:19). The poet tells Edom to “laugh it up” now (4:21), for God eventually would bring punishment to them for this atrocity (4:22)

An Appeal to Yahweh (Chapter 5)

The Punishment Recounted (5:1-18)

The poet calls on Yahweh to remember the great punishment that He has inflicted upon them (5:1). They've lost the inheritance of the Promised Land (5:2). They've become widows and orphans (5:3). The basic necessities of life can no longer be afforded (5:4). The people have faced hunger (5:10), the women raped (5:11), the men tortured (5:12) and placed into forced slavery (5:13). There is no joy and no music left with the people (5:15). Yes, this was all result of the sin of the nation (5:16), but by now these were the sins of their fathers and grandfathers, not there sin. Yet they were the ones being punished (5:7).

The Request (5:19-21)

So the poet call on God to bring an end to the punishment (5:20). He begins by acknowledging the sovereignty of God (5:19). Then he asks if God plans to always forsake his people (5:20), and he requests that God would restore His people (5:21).

The Surprise Ending (5:22)

Then in a bi-polar fashion, the poet ponders that maybe God will not restore them. The hope of chapter 3 and the appeal of chapter 5 are rejected for a depressing possibility as the book ends. Maybe God is so exceedingly angry that God has rejected them forever. This seems to end the book on such a negative note. However, one must remember that the message of the book is found in chapter 3, not in chapter 5. God's anger is not forever. He has not utterly rejected them. His lovingkindness is forever. His compassion nev er fails. Great is His faithfulness.

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