1 Original Power Point By Chris Reeves Additions to the original By Jack Wheeler Clovis Ca.

2 Book of Lamentations Prepared by Chris Reeves * Winter Quarter 2004

3 Lamentations Introduction Title “Lamentations” in the English Bible is taken from the Latin Vulgate Lamentations 2:5 The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

4 Lamentations Introduction Title Greek term meaning: “To cry aloud”

5 Lamentations Introduction Authorship Ancient tradition going back to the Septuagint attributes the book to Jeremiah The author weeps, and Jeremiah was a weeping prophet The author was an eyewitness to the fall of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah was an eyewitness There are several similarities between Lamentations and Jeremiah

6 Lamentations Introduction Date The Babylonian siege of Jerusalem lasted from January 588 B.C., to July 586 B.C. The temple was burned in August 586 B.C. The book was written soon after Jerusalem’s fall in 586 B.C. Clock – 11:00 O’clock

7 Lamentations Introduction Audience and Purpose The Jews in Babylon who heard about, or who witnessed the capture of their land, the fall of Jerusalem, and the burning of their temple The book serves to remind God’s people of (1) the seriousness of man’s sin (2) the magnitude of God’s wrath, justice, faithfulness and mercy

8 Lamentations Introduction Theme First, the mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction Second, the confession of Judah’s sins which led to the destruction, and the confession of God’s holiness and justice behind the destruction Third, the mercy and faithfulness of the Lord, and the future hope of a restoration Note: Jeremiah weeps over Jerusalem with a tender heart of compassion. He did not have an “I-told-you-so” attitude

9 Lamentations Introduction Literary Style The entire book of Lamentations contains Hebrew poetry. It is a sad book, a five-poem funeral poem. Jeremiah writes his lament in acrostic (alphabetical) style. Each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from “A” (aleph) to “T” (tau). The Hebrew alphabet changes every three verses in chapter 3, and there is no acrostic pattern in chapter 5. Jeremiah weeps over Jerusalem “from A to Z”

10 Lamentations Outline “The Funeral of A City” The Pain of Zion’s Fall (1) (like a mourning widow) The Plight of Zion’s Fall (2) (like a weeping daughter) The Purpose of Zion’s Fall (3) (like an afflicted man) The Pondering of Zion’s Fall (4) (like a tarnished gold) The Plea on Behalf of Zion’s Fall (5) (like a fatherless child)

11 Lamentations 1 Outlined Description of the present condition (1:1-4) Cause of the present condition (1:5-11) Sorrows in the present condition (1:12-19) Enemies of the present condition (1:20-22)

12 Lamentations 1 Outlined Description of the present condition (1:1-4) Lamentations 1:2 She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

13 Lamentations 1 Outlined Cause of the present condition (1:5-11) Lamentations 1:8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sighs, and turneth backward.

14 Lamentations 1 Outlined Sorrows in the present condition (1:12-19) Lamentations 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

15 Lamentations 1 Outlined Enemies of the present condition (1:20-22) Lamentations 1:21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

16 Lamentations 2 Outlined What God has done to Judah (2:1-10) What the afflicted has done to them(2:11-14) What the enemy has done to Judah (2:15-17) What they have done to themselves (2:18-22)

17 Lamentations 2 Outlined What God has done to Judah (2:1-10) Lamentations 2:2 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.

18 Lamentations 2 Outlined What the afflicted has done to them (2:11-14) Lamentations 2:11 Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.

19 Lamentations 2 Outlined What the enemy has done to Judah (2:15-17) Lamentations 2:16 All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

20 Lamentations 2 Outlined What they have done to themselves (2:18-22) Lamentations 2:21 The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.

21 Lamentations 3 Outlined The faithful lament their calamities (1-20) Hope in God’s mercies (21-36) Turning to God in pray (37-41) Relief comes from the Lord (42-54) Fear Not, God is your redeemer (55-66)

22 Lamentations 3 Outlined The faithful lament their calamities (1-20) Lamentations 3:1-3 1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. 3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

23 Lamentations 3 Outlined Hope in God’s mercies (21-36) Lamentations 3: This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 Lamentations 3 Outlined Turning to God in pray (37-41) Lamentations 3: Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. 41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

25 Lamentations 3 Outlined Relief comes from the Lord (42-54) Lamentations 3:50 Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.

26 Lamentations 3 Outlined Fear Not, God is your redeemer (55-66) Lamentations 3: Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. 57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

27 Lamentations 4 Outlined The deplorable state of the nation is contrasted with its ancient prosperity (1-2) Results of the sins of prophets & Priest (13-20) God’s will accomplished (21-22)

28 Lamentations 4 Outlined The deplorable state of the nation is contrasted with its ancient prosperity (1-2) Lamentations 4:1-2 1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

29 Lamentations 4 Outlined Results of the sins of prophets & Priest (13-20) Lamentations 4: For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, 14 They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

30 Lamentations 4 Outlined God’s will accomplished (21-22) Lamentations 4: Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.

31 Lamentations 5 Outlined The Jewish nation supplicating the divine favour (1-16) The people lament for the temple (17-22)

32 Lamentations 5 Outlined The Jewish nation supplicating the divine favour (1-16) Lamentations 5:16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!

33 Lamentations 5 Outlined The people lament for the temple (17-22) Lamentations 5: Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it. 19 Thou, O Lord, remain for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

34 Lamentations for Today We must weep over sin (1:1; Lk. 19:41) Lamentations 1:1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

35 Lamentations for Today Unrepentant sin brings judgment (1:5; Heb. 10:26-27) Lamentations 1:5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

36 Lamentations for Today Unrepentant sin brings judgment (1:5; Heb. 10:26-27) Hebrews 10: For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

37 Lamentations for Today Some are indifferent toward sin and punishment (1:12; Rev. 3:16-17) Lamentations 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

38 Lamentations for Today Some are indifferent toward sin and punishment (1:12; Rev. 3:16-17) Revelation 3: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

39 Lamentations for Today God is love, but God is also righteous (1:18; Rom. 2:5-8) Lamentations 1:18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

40 Lamentations for Today God is love, but God is also righteous (1:18; Rom. 2:5-8) Romans 2:5-8 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

41 Lamentations for Today The Lord can get angry toward his own people (2:1; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6) Lamentations 2:1 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!

42 Lamentations for Today The Lord can get angry toward his own people (2:1; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6) Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Colossians 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

43 Lamentations for Today The Lord is behind all judgment (2:1; Rev. 17:17) Lamentations 2:1 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!

44 Lamentations for Today The Lord is behind all judgment (2:1; Rev. 17:17) Revelation 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

45 Lamentations for Today The purpose of preaching is to uncover iniquity (2:14; 2 Tim. 4:2) Lamentations 2:14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

46 Lamentations for Today The purpose of preaching is to uncover iniquity (2:14; 2 Tim. 4:2) 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

47 Lamentations for Today God keeps his word (2:17; Tit. 1:2) Lamentations 2:17 The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

48 Lamentations for Today God keeps his word (2:17; Tit. 1:2) Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

49 Lamentations for Today The day of the Lord is coming (2:22; 1 Thess. 5:1-3) Lamentations 2:22 Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the Lord’s anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.

50 Lamentations for Today The day of the Lord is coming (2:22; 2 Thess. 1:8) 2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

51 END OF LAMENTATIONS