Lamentations 1, 2
The
literary character of this small book is most striking. It is an acrostic
alliteration—each chapter (except chapter 3) has 22
stanzas with each stanza starting with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew
alphabet. The third chapter has three stanzas starting with the same letter
(which is why there are 66 verses). The overall theme is the lamenting of the
destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. The book is written by Jeremiah who is
sometimes called the "weeping prophet." In the Septuagint, Lamentations is
introduced with the words, "It came to pass that after Israel had been carried
away captive, and Jerusalem made desolate, Jeremiah sat weeping, and lamented
this lament over Jerusalem and said . . . "
Lamentations 1
– Wretchedness of
Jerusalem. •Conditions of wretchedness: Jerusalem is empty
of people, demoted among the nations, sorrowful, betrayed by friends, has no
religious feasts, heathen are in the Temple, and is despised by others.
•Cause of wretchedness: "multitude of her transgressions" (v. 5);
"Jerusalem hath grievously sinned" (v. 8).
•Crying about the wretchedness: "mine eye runneth down with water" (v. 16).
•Confession of the wretched: "yoke of my transgression" (v. 14); "I
have rebelled" (v. 18).
Lamentations 2
– Wrath Against
Jerusalem. While chapter two repeats some of chapter 1, the emphasis
in chapter two is upon the wrath of God causing the wretchedness of Jerusalem;
"the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger" (v. 1); His
wrath motivates His judgment. •Work of Divine wrath: in the KJV the
word "hath" is found nearly 30 times in this chapter in connection with the
action of the Lord in bringing judgment upon Jerusalem. •Weeping from Divine
wrath: "mine eyes do fail with tears" (v. 11).
•Wrong about Divine wrath: the false prophets "have seen for thee false
burdens and causes of banishment" (v. 14);
apostate religion gives a wrong diagnosis of sins' troubles. •Wagging as a
result of Divine wrath: those that "pass by clap their hands at thee; they
hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem" (v. 15);
Jerusalem is scorned and mocked for her troubles. •Word and Divine
wrath: "the Lord hath done
that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded" (v. 17).
Lamentations 3–5
The
book of Lamentations is truly a book of lamenting. And it continues in these
three chapters in today's reading. Great was the lamentation over the fall of
Judah and Jerusalem.
Lamentations 3
– Dismay. The longest
chapter in the book of Lamentations expresses the personal dismay of the prophet
Jeremiah who in his lamentings identifies himself with his people who have
experienced the fall of Judah and Jerusalem. •Cause of the dismay (vv.
1-18): great affliction from the fall of Judah and Jerusalem, personal
health adversely affected, imprisonment, reproach (derision of enemy), and
sorrow have brought great dismay to the prophet and people. •Comfort in the
dismay: (vv.
19-36): hope is found in Jehovah for "great is thy faithfulness" (v. 23).
•Confession in the dismay (vv.
37-54): that their sin caused their fall. •Calling in the dismay:
(vv.
55-66): Jeremiah "called upon thy name, O Lord" (v. 55)—the
praise in the calling (for God's compassion in drawing near to him);
the petition in the calling (for vengeance upon those who brought
infliction upon Judah and Jerusalem).
Lamentations 4
– Desolation. Another
description of the judgment that came upon Judah, especially upon Jerusalem.
•Character of the desolation: the people were in desperate condition;
it was unbelievable (v. 12) what
had happened. •Cause of the desolation: the cause was twofold. First,
iniquities of the people (the sins of the priests and prophets are
especially mentioned here). Second, indignation of God (His wrath was
kindled by the iniquity of the people, and He brought judgment upon the land).
•Comfort in the desolation: the chapter ends with a couple verses
promising vengeance on Israel's enemies and no more captivity for Israel.
Lamentations 5
– Defeat. Lamenting
about the tragic defeat of the Jews by their enemies in the fall of Judah and
Jerusalem. •Particulars of the defeat: many made orphans, enslavement,
peril, women ravished, great sorrow. •Praise in spite of the defeat:
praise to God for His eternal enthronement. •Plea in the defeat: that
God would remember His people and "renew our days as of old" (v. 21),
that is, restoration. •Passion in the defeat: the anger of God, "thou
art very wroth against us" (v. 22). Sin
incites God's wrath.