Message Theme & Verses: Lamentations
Memory Verse: Lamentations 3:22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end.
In Hebrew, the book of Lamentations was called Ekah which means “How” because it is the first word of the book and is used throughout to express sadness over the suffering of Jerusalem. Though it was part of the “writings” in the Hebrew Bible, Christians have placed it after Jeremiah who is presumed to be the author. Jeremiah foretold the fall of Jerusalem in 586BC, in the book that bears his name and this is a fitting sequel, expressing the pain of the book itself as the people of God are carried off to exile in Babylon. The poems of this book were most likely sung or prayed in worship services devoted to ask for God’s forgiveness.
Laments such as these were typically at funerals, expressing individual and communal grief due to great loss. Each of the five chapters of Lamentations is poem with the characteristics of a Biblical lament or expression of deep sadness, grief, or sorrow. First there is a complaint about adversity which has been allowed or even caused by God. Next, the poet confesses his trust in the Lord. This leads to an appeal from the poet to the Lord for deliverance based on who God is and His covenant promises. Finally, the poet expresses a certainty that God has heard, an assurance that the wrath of God will come upon His enemies, and His people will be rescued.
In Lamentations, we see that God’s wrath has come upon His own people for their sinful ways. This book is like an eyewitness testimony to the devastation of conquest, death, and starvation. The people did not listen to the warnings of the prophets and continued to sin and worship false idols, so God sent the pagan nation of Babylon to be the instrument of His correction and discipline.. God is just, the prophets were true, and the people must repent of their sin. The poet still expresses confusion and anguish that God could be against His people and calls out to be restored by the One True God.
By faith, Jeremiah stated in his book that the exile would come to an end in 70 years. This faith stood on the covenant faithfulness of God who would keep His promises and not abandon His people even in their great sin. We can follow the movement of the book from the expression of terrible loss and pain to restored hope and prayer for renewal.
Read Lamentations 5:1-22
Jesus in Lamentations
Jesus also expressed lament over Jerusalem, just like Jeremiah. There are terrible consequences when a people reject the living God. At the same time, in His humanity, Jesus hung on the cross and cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” Jesus knows the extreme loss and abandonment people can feel. In the humiliation and restoration of Jerusalem we read about in Lamentations, we can see the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ. God was faithful to His sinful people and Jesus was ultimately faithful on the cross. All sinners who come to Jesus in repentance and faith can be restored, made new, and become a child of God.
Questions:
Can you tell us a story from a time of war or destruction in your city when the people were without hope?
What gives you hope in life?
What is it about God that can allow us to rely on Him and trust His promises?
Jeremiah has been called the crying or broken-hearted prophet. Why do you think he was so sad?
In Chapter 5, what are some of the things that have been happening in the city, showing God’s displeasure?
Do you think God was justified in destroying Jerusalem through the Babylonian army? (God did not break His covenant with the people. The people sinned against God and the curses of the covenant were invoked upon them. God kept a remnant of His faithful and purged His people of the wicked and idolatrous. The people of Israel had to go into exile to be restored.)
Why is Jeremiah confident that even though the people sinned, God will still hear them crying out and restore them? (Jeremiah prophesied that the Babylonian exile would last for 70 years and knew that God would restore His people. God had promised to send a Messiah through the Jews who would be the Savior of all nations. God is always faithful to His promises.)
What prayers of confession would you pray for yourself, your family, your community, and your nation?