Day 237 – Lamentations 1-2

Talking Points

• The name Lamentations is from a Greek word that means “to cry aloud.” While the author is not named, it is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah. After God’s repeated warnings to the Jews have been rejected, the city of Jerusalem and the temple are destroyed by Babylon. This book is the prophet’s lament over what he has witnessed, and a recording of the individual and national sadness and overwhelming sense of loss.
• All of the nations that Judah had trusted have betrayed her. Such a stark contrast with the God, actually worthy of her trust, who never did.
• As a result of their sin, Jerusalem now cries out to God, the leaders have been removed, the palaces and the temple have been destroyed, the feast days and Sabbaths have been forgotten, the kings and priests have been despised, the walls have been broken down, the law cannot be kept, the prophets have gone silent, and everyone mourns.
• Jeremiah laments not only the people who would not listen, but also the prophets who had not spoken. Instead of exposing sin, these false shepherds had learned to profit by placating people in their sins. It does us no good to ignore our sin or pretend to not have convictions. The more we know our God and His character, the more grateful we will be when our sin is brought to our attention. Conviction is a clear sign of the God’s Holy Spirit inside us and is God’s gentle way of calling us back to Him.

Thoughts

The Hebrew title for the book of Lamentations is actually the word “‘ekah.” It literally means “how.” It is the first word of three of the five poems of this lament over the effects of sin. You can almost feel the title. “How did we ever get here? How did we ever get so far from God? How could we be so foolish? How will we ever recover?”

Despite is alluring appearance, sin always brings consequences. It always ushers in pain. For countless generations, mankind has sat in the regret of sin and woefully wondered, “How?”

As we draw near to the Lord, as we learn more of His character while reading through His Word, may we realize the mournfulness of sin and flee from it.