BIBLE SURVEY - LAMENTATIONS

"Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?" Lamentations 1:12
 
Lamentations for Jerusalem
Lamentations is structured as an acrostic poem for the first four chapters, each verse beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Jeremiah describes what he witnessed of the judgement of God upon immoral and idolatrous Jerusalem. Deserted, destroyed, in distress, desolate, devastated, dishonoured, despised, and destitute. Because she broke God's Law and refused to obey Him as Lord, she had lost her land. No Law. No Lord. No Land.
 
When any friend, or family member, suffers a tragedy, or dies, it is right and necessary to grieve. The Book of Lamentations was written by the Prophet Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem in 586BC to the Babylonians. It records the stunned, dazed, heart-breaking sorrow and shock that he felt at the defeat of his nation.
 
Immorality, Idolatry, Injustice and Interfaith
"Her adversaries have become the master, her enemies prosper; for the Lord has afflicted her because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy… all her splendour has departed…" Lamentations 1:5-6. Pagans and parasites plunder her prosperity (1:10).
 
Jeremiah had given his life to warning the people of Judah of the disastrous consequences of their idolatry and immorality, sin and rebellion. He had done his very best to save Jerusalem. The book of Lamentations speaks to all those who have suffered the trauma of seeing their nation occupied by enemy forces.

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