Lamentations - Introduction

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NEXT I. The Devastation and Lament of Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:1-22)

Introduction

Author

THOUGH THE AUTHOR’S NAME IS nowhere listed in the book, ancient Jewish tradition holds that the prophet Jeremiah wrote Lamentations.

Historical Background

As the title of the book suggests, it is about pain and suffering—but not without hope in God. Jeremiah wrote in light of the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587–586 BC. He includes references to the siege of Jerusalem (2:20-22; 3:5, 7), the devastation of the city (2:3-5; 4:11; 5:18), and the exile of the people (1:1, 4-5, 18; 2:9, 14; 3:2, 19; 4:22; 5:2). These events were cause for great sorrow, so Jeremiah has often been called “the weeping prophet.”

The five chapters in the book are five poems of lament. Each one, except chapter 5, is an “alphabetic acrostic”—that means it is broken into twenty-two verses or stanzas that begin with the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in alphabetical order.

Message and Purpose

This is a sad book written by “the weeping prophet” Jeremiah during a sad time. The Babylonians had attacked Jerusalem and brought an end to the southern kingdom of Judah. Many of the people had been taken into captivity, while others had fled.

Lamentations is a poetic expression of the pain of sin’s consequences. What we hear and read in it reflects the tears of the prophet who saw destruction all around him. Yet in the middle of all the pain and sorrow, Jeremiah highlights the faithfulness of God. First, there was God’s faithfulness to his warning that if his people departed from him, he would bring judgment on them. But Lamentations is also about hope (3:21-23), because God’s mercies are seen even in the midst of judgment. If his people will return to him in repentance, God will return to them and limit, or even reverse, the consequences of their disobedience.

Lamentations is a reminder of God’s kingdom, covenantal sanctions—namely, that sin brings pain and tears, but God is always ready to show mercy when we repent and return to him.

VIDEO INTRO

Outline

  1. The Devastation and Lament of Jerusalem (1:1-22)
  2. God’s Judgment on Jerusalem (2:1-22)
  3. Words of Anguish, Words of Hope (3:1-66)
  4. The Devastated People of Jerusalem (4:1-22)
  5. The Prayer of Judah’s People (5:1-22)
NEXT I. The Devastation and Lament of Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:1-22)