Lamentations

Lamentations

Historical Background & Purpose of Prophet:
Lamentations is an overwhelmingly sad poem written by Jeremiah after the siege of his people to Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem. This Hebraic poem transports you next to Jeremiah, seats you upon ashes of ruin, and fills your dry eyes with tears. “I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself: ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” (Lamentations 3:20-24) Theses words spoken by Jeremiah reveal the glimmer of hope that remained. This poem was probably written to the few Israelites that remained in the land. The year would have been shortly after 586 B.C., when the fall of Jerusalem took place. Through this poem we do a see a theme of renewal. Nelson’s uses a graph for expressing this theme of renewal (Pg. 217):

SinàSuffering (1:8)

         SorrowàRepentance (1:20)

                         PrayeràHope (3:19-24)

                                        FaithàRestoration (5:21)

Character & Nature of God:

This book reveals the steadfast love of God. It is a miracle that even in the most horrifying, tragic moments of Jeremiahs life He can still proclaim the hope of God. This is true testament that God is always with us and cares deeply for us! “But Lord, you remain the same forever!” (Jeremiah 5:19) God is the restorer of joy (5:21), God is faithful (3:22), God is merciful (3:23), God is full of goodness and salvation (3:25-26), God disciplines those He loves (2:27).

God's Redemptive Plan:

God’s hatred of sin and rebellion towards Him does not end in punishment, but ends in redemption! This book ends with two questions:

“…have you utterly rejected us? Are you angry with us still?” (Jeremiah 5:22)

We see through the scriptures that God does not stop here! God’s plan is always redemption! This book makes us long for the new covenant Jeremiah prophesied about before the siege. In prophesies to Jeremiah before the siege God already shared his magnificent plan with Jeremiah about his plan to redeem Israel. “Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to morning.” (Lamentations 5:15) But God’s plan has already been revealed in Jeremiah 31:3: “I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.” May we always remember this! Even before God disciplines us He has a plan to restore us! What an overwhelming great God! I’m so in love!!

Personal Application

Lamentations 3:18-25

“I cry out, ‘My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!’ The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin fresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’The Lord is good for those who depend on him, to those who search for him.”

This verse spoke so much of an enduring, constant faith in Jesus regardless of circumstances. I want to be unshaken in my faith and security I find in Jesus. I felt like the Lord gave me an idea to re-write this in my own words and ponder what it can mean to me personally in my life.

God I’m desperate,

My confidence and identity is gone.

All I expected from you hasn’t come to pass!

When I think about my loneliness and confusion I feel so hopeless.

I will always remember these feelings,

When my heart is full of despair.

Yet I’m shaken with one resounding truth when I remember:

The Faithful love of God is enough.

His mercies never run out and His faithfulness is greater than what I feel.

Every morning there is fresh grace.

Ill exclaim to myself:

“Jesus is everything my heart has! He is my inheritance and my hope is found in Him!”

The Lord is good to those who make Him there fortress and seek him.

Point of Passion 

“Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had!”

For a women coming out of oppression this verse would greatly encourage her heart. This cry of the heart is so powerful! God is the ultimate restorer and will complete the work he started in us. Not only will he bring us back to us, not only will he fully heal us, but he will completely restore our hope!