Lamentations – In Perspective
By Doug Schofield
Lamentations might be
described as a funeral dirge for the city of Jerusalem, written by Jeremiah in deep grief over the
devastation that had come upon this once magnificent city. The horrible scenes of destruction he
witnessed had been foretold, if Judah would not repent of her wickedness, (Jeremiah
26:4-6).
To get the historical
perspective we need to thoroughly appreciate this interesting book, we must
review some of the history of the city of Jerusalem. It is also
interesting to note that the connection between Jerusalem and our Lord Jesus Christ lies just beneath the
surface of its colorful history. It is
believed that the ancient city of Salem stood here, Melchizedek was its king, (Genesis 14:18). Abram to
whom God gave ‘the promise’ worshiped here.
It is interesting to note that Melchizedek is referred to as ‘the priest
of the most high God’; and that he pronounced a blessing on Abram, (verses 19
& 20), approximately 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. {The writer of Hebrews, in chapters 5, 6
& 7, states that Christ is a priest forever after the order of
Melchizedek. He could not have been a
priest under the Mosaic system on earth however, because He was not descended
from the priestly tribe of Levi.
Christ’s bloodline is traced through the tribe of Benjamin.}
There is some evidence that
the city may have been built on or near to the approximate site of Abraham’s
offering of Isaac – Mount Moriah, (Genesis 22:2).
When the land of Palestine was possessed by the Children of Israel, the territory which the
Jebusites inhabited (Jerusalem) was allotted to Benjamin, (Joshua 18:28). It was
bounded to the south by the territory of Judah,
(15:8). The topographical features of
the location make it the most outstanding region in the entire country of Palestine. The location
has served a significant focal point for much of God’s dealings with
mankind. David took possession of the
city in approximately 1005 B. C., (2 Samuel 5:7). He brought the Ark of the Covenant there,
(after a brief stop at the house of Obed-edom); and established his base there
and began making plans to build a temple.
It was David’s son, Solomon,
however, who built the temple and made Jerusalem the crown jewel city of all the earth. People from all over the world came to marvel
at the beauty, the greatness and wonder of the city. Yet, after Solomon’s death, and after the
division of the kingdom in 975 B.C., the great city was besieged frequently by
various enemies. The northern kingdom (Israel) was obliterated by the Assyrians in 721 B.C., (and
ceased to exist as a nation forever); leaving the southern kingdom (Judah), with its capital, Jerusalem.
In 886 B.C. Jerusalem was taken by the Philistines, because of the sins of
King Ahaz. Hezekiah restored the city,
refurbished the temple and restored worship around 716-710 B.C. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded the territory of Judah, with the intent to take Jerusalem about 700 B.C., but was not successful. After the death of Hezekiah, Manasseh became
king in Jerusalem, and committed such evil that God allowed him to be
taken captive to Babylon, (2 Chronicles 34:11). After he repented, God allowed Manasseh to
return to Jerusalem. He fortified
the walls, removed the idols from the temple and commanded Judah to serve the Lord, (verse 16). However, after his death, his son Amon became
king, and did more evil than his father before him had done, (verse 23). Josiah became king in about the year 640
B.C., when he was 8 years old. During
the 31 years that he was king, Josiah did that which was right is the sign of
God, (34:2). At age 16 he began many
reforms in an effort to return to the ways of the Lord. He destroyed much of the idolatry in the
land, repaired the temple, and restored the Passover. During the work in the temple the book of the
law of the Lord given by Moses was found.
Upon hearing the words of the Lord read from the book, Josiah knew that
the wrath of God would surely come upon Judah. He
demonstrated great emotion and commanded the priests to inquire of the Lord
“…concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the
Lord that is poured out upon us because our fathers have not kept the word of
the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book,” (34:21). Indeed the prophesy came back indicating the
Lord’s intent to bring evil “…upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof,
even all the curses that are written in the book…” (24). But God promised Josiah that because he
had humbled himself, “Behold, I will
gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace,
neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place and
upon the inhabitants the same…”, (28).
It was during the reign of Josiah that Jeremiah was called by God to be
His prophet, (Jeremiah 1:2). Jeremiah
has been born during a period of great upheaval in history, in which there were
continual conflicts between nations struggling to gain control of the
world. The powerful Assyrians were in a
squeeze between Babylon and Egypt; Babylon
conquered Nineveh, capital of Assyria, in 612 B.
C., giving it superpower status. For
more than a thousand years Egypt had been a major world power, but now was struggling
to resist incursions from Babylon. Judah was geographically located in the middle of this
conflict. Babylonian armies from the
region of the Tigris-Euphrates valley must travel through Judah to engage the armies of Egypt. Egyptian
armies from the Nile Valley had to go through Judah on their way to engage the Babylonians. They frequently met each other in the territory of Judah,
fighting many battles in an area known as the plains of Meddigo. King Josiah was killed here by the army of Egypt, (2 Kings 23:29
and 2 Chronicles 35:22-24). {by the way:
The phrase translated “Armageddon in Revelation 16:16 is a symbolic term which literally translated means
‘city or hill of Megiddo. There is to be
no such thing as a so-called ‘battle of Armageddon’ – a war to end all wars;
this symbolic language refers to the spiritual battle between good and evil; a
battle which, as John indicates, will ultimately be won by Christ.}
During this time of conflict
between Babylon, Egypt and Assyria, various kings of Judah were often prone to try to make alliances with one
side or the other, instead of relying on God for protection. Jeremiah and other prophets warned them
repeatedly to trust in God, but they would not listen.
Pharaoh Necho of Egypt attacked the Assyrians and Josiah went out against
him, even though Jeremiah warned him against doing so, and he was mortally
wounded. Jeremiah lamented his
death. Jehohaz became king, and Necho
took him and his brother captive to Egypt in 609 B.C.
Jehoiakim became king in Jerusalem, and did that which was evil in the sight of the
Lord, (36:5); and Nebuchadnezzar took him captive to Babylon, in 607 B.C. and carried off the vessels of the
temple. This was the occasion when
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, were taken captive to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar
placed a puppet king in charge in Jerusalem, and Judah mounted an unsuccessful rebellion against Babylon in 596 B.C. As a result, many of its remaining
citizens, including Ezekiel, were taken as captives to Babylon. The Jews turned first to the Babylonians then to the
Egyptians in their search for defense against Assyria – but they did not turn to God.
Finally, in 587 B.C. the army of Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem, including Solomon’s temple. As the once great city lay in ruins before
him Jeremiah, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote Lamentations. Jeremiah had been preaching and prophesying
for more than 40 years, urging the people to turn to God, but to no avail.
There is more than enough
evidence to support the belief that this book of sorrows was authored by
Jeremiah, sometimes called ‘the weeping prophet’. He was a deeply devoted servant of God, from
his roots in a priestly family, growing up in the hill country about 3 miles
north of Jerusalem. He could no
doubt see the heights of the temple as he played in the countryside as a
child. The influence of his father,
Hilkiah, was a priest, probably of the lineage of Ithamar, not of Zadok,
therefore not the same individual as a high priest by the same name who served
in Jerusalem. Nonetheless,
his religious home life very likely helped prepare him for his career of more
than forty years as a preacher calling the wayward inhabitants of Jerusalem back to the ways of the Lord. He began preaching during the reign of King
Josiah, about 626 B.C., and concluded his earthly walk in about 560 B.C., while
King Jehoiachin was captive in Babylon. Jeremiah’s
life was devoted wholly to serving God, he did not marry, and his own kinsmen
turned against him and even tried to murder him, yet he remained faithful go
Jehovah. The book of Lamentations is
actually a sequel to the book named Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was without question
inspired of God in the messages he delivered to His people; more than 150 times
in the text we find the words, “and the word of Jehovah came unto…” him. The destruction and terror of which Jeremiah
warned was prophesied by Moses a thousand years earlier, (Deuteronomy 28:52).
The spiritual condition of
the Jews continued to sink lower and lower, as one wicked king after another
came to the throne. In spite of the good
efforts of Hezekiah, the repentance of Manasseh, and the goodness of Josiah, it
was too little too late. God’s wrath was
sure to come on this rebellious people.
Yet, there was a remnant who remained faithful. Recall Elijah’s desperation, (1 Kings
18:9-10, 18), and the Lord’s assurance that there were those who would remain
faithful. This had happened about 230
years earlier.
Yet, Jeremiah’s discouraging
trials, rejection and persecution, even by members of his own family, seem to
eclipse those which Elijah endured. At
God’s direction, Jeremiah did not marry nor have a family of his own, (Jeremiah
16:1-4). Perhaps this was an act of
God’s mercy because God didn’t want him to have to see his own children
experience the suffering that He knew would soon come to pass. Jesus indicated that it would be hard on
mothers with small children when the desolation came upon Jerusalem in its final demise as a place of God’s people,
(Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17
and Luke 21:23); and Paul makes a similar reference in 1 Corinthians
7:26.
The extended desolation and
suffering of the people of Jerusalem
might be contrasted with that which befell Sodom. Sodom was destroyed quickly as fire and brimstone rained
down from Heaven. Her wickedness was
punished by swift and certain destruction.
But the extended suffering of Jerusalem, the horrible descriptions of
once wealthy people sifting through garbage heaps, of families separated –
seeing their young men taken for slaves and their young women rapped, and
mothers boiling their own babies for food, shows the great wrath of God because
of the rebellion of the people of Judah against Him.
Chapter 2, verses 12 and 13
of Lamentations sets forth the principle reasons for their calamity; they had
forsaken God, “the fountain of living waters.” And, they had hewn out for
themselves “cisterns - broken cisterns - that cannot hold water.” God is of
course the fountain of living waters; and those nations on whom the people of
Jerusalem relied for protection were like a broken cisterns – not a continual
source of water, nor capable of holding that which it received. The Jews had come to trust in the false gods
of foreign nations, gods with no power, no ability to deliver them, no source
of living water. Chapter 3, verse 40 is the turning point, “Let us search and
try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.”
A large part of Jeremiah’s
sadness must have come from the fact that it seemed to him that despite all of
his best efforts none would hear him.
His own kinsmen turned their backs on him, the kings who followed Josiah
rejected his counsel, the priests and other prophets rejected him, many of them
giving false prophesy. Jeremiah urged
them to return to God and to “walk in the old paths” of God’s law, (Jeremiah 16:16). What a
blessing it must be for him now to know that 2,500 years later his words are
meaningful and effective as we study them that we may learn to do God’s will in
our lives.
The sins of Judah (and of Israel) were the reason for the suffering, desolation and
destruction that God brought upon them and upon Jerusalem. Some have
very correctly made the application that any nation who turns its back on God
will suffer divine consequences.
However, the most direct comparison to be made here is that of the
nation of Israel and Judah and Jerusalem to the Lord’s church – spiritual Israel, (Galatians 6:16). With ever increasing disregard for the word
of God, members of the church of Christ are going after the false gods of worldliness, false
teachers and men-pleasers. Surely we
must endeavor to preserve the purity of the Lord’s church or risk seeing it in
desolation as was Jerusalem in the time of Jeremiah.
Jehovah had warned His people
early and often about the dangers of becoming disobedient if they involved
themselves with the nations around them; and He warned often about the
consequences. Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy
28:64-65; Joshua 26:15-16. To see just
how scattered they were, look at Acts chapter 2, verse 5, then 9-11. A sermon of only 8 words, (as least that’s
all that is recorded for us), by Jonah was all that was necessary to cause the
city of Ninevah to repent in sackcloth and ashes. Yet numerous times, over and over again God
sent prophets to warn the Jews, and time and again they rejected the message
and killed the messengers. What love,
what longsuffering, what a comforting example of God’s grace in that He allows
us such great opportunity to repent!
But, ultimately time for repentance runs out – as it did for Jerusalem, so it will for mankind. Finally, after so many warnings, God’s
retribution was carried out on Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 26:1-8…
Verse 1- “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim
the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,” Josiah was an influence for good, however his
sons did not follow in his footsteps.
Jehoiakim ignored the influence of his father, as well as the message
from God. God wants all men to be saved,
(John 12:32; Acts 17:30;
Romans 5:18; Ephesians 3:9; Titus 2:11).
Verse 2- “Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of
the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship
in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them;
diminish not a word:” The court of the
Lord’s house was the place where every God-fearing person would have an
opportunity to here the words spoken by the prophet. God desires that man hear His words, (Ezekiel
3:10).
Verse 3- “If so be they will
hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the
evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their
doings.” (see 36:3); again, God’s desire
is that men give heed to His words; (Isaiah 1:16-20).
Verse 4- “And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the
LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before
you,” Here is the significance of the
word “if” in the vocabulary of our Father: (Leviticus 26:14-42; similar warning
in Deuteronomy 28:15ff). Contrast the
glorious beauty of the city with the descriptions of devastation and
destruction described in the Lamentations.
Verse 5- “To hearken to the words of my servants the
prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;” (Jeremiah 7:13; 25-26; and others), recall
Jesus’ lament recorded in Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34.
Verse 6- “Then will I make this house like Shiloh,
and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.” (see 7:12). Our Heavenly Father always speaks to us in
terms that we can understand; these people knew their history, and they knew
about Shiloh. This was the
place were Moses tabernacle was first set up after the Children of Israel had
taken possession of the land of Palestine. This was the place
where Samuel worshiped, and from which the Ark was taken into battle against the Philistines. These passages are the only mention the Bible
makes of the destruction of Shiloh, but it must have been of such great catastrophe that
the inhabitants of Jerusalem would have known about it. Archeologists have discovered evidence that Shiloh
was indeed destroyed by the Philistines in 1050 B.C. The curse upon the city of Jerusalem remains, even until today.
Verse 7- “So the priests and the prophets and all the
people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.” (5:31);
no one could say that they didn’t have an opportunity to escape the wrath of
God.
Verse 8 – “Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made
an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him
to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the
people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.” The false teachers had gained control of the
people, just as is happening in many congregations of the Lord’s church right
now. Recall how the religious leaders of
the day treated our Lord; think of all the times that Peter and Paul and others
who preached the gospel were threatened, beaten, put into prison and killed because
the people didn’t want to hear what they had to say. When we try to reason with Christians who
have gone into error their attitude is arrogant, haughty and condescending –
and one can at times detect a glint of violence in their attitude. Such people do not want to know the truth;
they want only to know what pleases them…just like the people of Judah in the days of Jeremiah.
God warned His people time
and time again; Jeremiah continually gave God’s warning, (29:18-19). The process of decimation and destruction
took place over a period of about 20 years, until the final devastation. It began in 607 B.C., and escalated to its
culmination in 587 B.C. with a siege lasting about a year and a half, and
ending with the burning of the temple and destruction of the city.
In 975 BC Jeroboam I led the
revolt against Rehoboam, resulting in the divided kingdom. The 2 remaining tribes in the south were
called Judah, the 10 rebellious northern tribes became known as Israel, with its capital in Shechem, an area also known as Samaria. Despite
warnings from the prophets of God,
Israel continued in idolatry until God brought about its
destruction at the hand of the Assyrians in 721 BC. Israel has never existed as a nation since that time. (The modern political entity by the same name
is not the Israel of the Bible).
Following the conquest of Israel in 721, the nation of Judah, with its
capitol of Jerusalem, remains for another 135 years before being completely
overtaken by the Babylonians. (Note: It
was only after the separation that the citizens of Judah came to be called ‘Judes’ – translate: ‘Jews’).
Here’s a brief timeline
from Bible-History.com:
612 Babylonians and Medes
conquer Assyria
605 Babylonians battle
Egyptians at Carchemish
605 Nebuchadnezzar
becomes king of Babylon
605 The Babylonians
invade Judah
605 First wave of
deportation of Jews to Babylon
605 Daniel is taken
captive and begins to prophesy
601 Babylonians battle Egypt, both sides suffer losses
601 Judah decides to realign itself with Egypt, Jeremiah warns
597 Jehoachin becomes king
of Judah
597 Babylonians capture Jerusalem
597 Second wave of
deportation to Babylon from Judah.
597 Ezekiel is taken
captive to Babylon
597 Zedekiah becomes king
of Judah
593 Ezekiel begins to
prophesy
586 The Babylonians
destroy Jerusalem and the Temple (9th of Av)
586 Jerusalem’s walls and gates are burned with fire
586 Third wave of Jews
deported to Babylon
586 Babylonian Exile
(Galut Bavel) begins
586 End of Biblical (First Temple) Period
586 The end of the
monarchy in Judah
539 The Fall of Babylon
539 Beginning of the
Persian Period to 332
539 The Decree of Cyrus
II allowing Jews to return
516 The Jews rebuild
their Temple (70 years)
The Destruction
2 Kings 24:13-14; 25:1-21…
THE LAMENTATIONS
The Book consists of five
chapters – five funeral dirges – each of them lamenting the destruction which
had befallen Jerusalem, but at the same time acknowledging that God is
faithful. Read Deuteronomy 28:
47-48. In Lamentations, we are brought
face to face with the reality of God’s judgment, and reminded that He is a God
who keeps his promises.
The style of the book is
masterful, (as is the entire Bible); but especially so here because by its very
nature it reinforces God’s supremacy.
Four of the five chapters each have 22 verses, and three of them begin
each verse with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in sequential order. (Perhaps to help succeeding generations learn
and remember them. Isaiah 28:10,13). Chapter 1 tells of the disaster that had
befallen Jerusalem. Chapter two
demonstrates in greater detail God’s anger with the sinful conduct of Judea. In chapter 3 we see both anguish and hope;
Chapter 3 continues this acrostic pattern, but with triple alliteration,
perhaps for greater emphasis, giving it 66 verses. In any case, the structure of the book speaks
of the totality and completeness of God’s will in the affairs of mankind. The climax of the book occurs in 3:23 when it assures us of the faithfulness of God. In
chapter four the degradation is acknowledged as deserved, and in chapter five
there is a prayer for restoration.
Read the verse from scripture, and then consider the
comments for each below:
1:1 - “How” - taken from the beginning of the
Hebrew alphabet; (we might say ‘alas’,
or sadly, or sadly, or tragically).
This great city that once was the crown jewel of all the cities of
earth, bustling with the population of its own people, as well as many people
from other places who came there for commerce; it is now like a ghost town,
forlorn and broken; her population killed, scattered or taken captive. Alas, alas, how could this have
happened? How could these, of all people
on earth, have turned away from their God?
How can we do the same?
1:2 – Weeping and wailing –
expressing the anguish of deepest heartbreak and despair. She had put her trust in the attractive power
and might of Egypt and Babylon, instead of in the God of Heaven. Those nations of the world, those pagan
people and their idol gods in whom she trusted have all proven untrue – indeed
have become her enemies. Do we sometimes
place our trust in worldly friends when it should be in our Heavenly
Father? Jeremiah 9:1; 13:17
1:3 – As a result of her sins
she is now consumed by that which had attracted her. It is interesting to note however, that after
the 70 years of Babylonian captivity the Jews did not return to idolatry
again. Yes, they became arrogant and
self-absorbed, and rejected the Messiah – murdered Him; but this experience had
cured them forever of idolatry, (as least to the extent they had done so in the
past). 2 Kings 24:14-15; 25:11; 2
Chronicles 36:20; Leviticus 26:36-39
NOTE: It is no
small matter to ignore God’s authority, to reject the authority of His
word. Consider the numerous details we
have of the punishment that fell upon Israel – understand that these things stand for us today, as
warnings to spiritual Israel, the church. Rom 15:4 “For
whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,…” Why?
For our learning!
1:4 – “Empty” – Even the empty and abandoned roads mourn
because no one comes to the great feasts – (there were three each year – Feast
of Weeks or Ingathering; Feast of Tabernacles; Feast of Unleavened Bread). Exodus 12:17;
23:16; Deuteronomy 16:13; Acts
2:5. The bitterness of her lost glory is
great. Isaiah 24:4-5;
1:5 - Enemies now rule - Those who took away her
beauty and her riches now rule her.
Jeremiah 12:7; Nehemiah 9:33-34;
1:6 – “Robbed” – The beauty
of the city has been taken away, her regal leaders cast down, and they are
foundering as deer searching for sustenance.
Zedekiah had been captured while attempting to flee the city, but was
run down and captured on the plain of Jericho, (Jeremiah 39:4-5).
1:7 – All joy is gone, only memories remain of
former glory. (See Psalm 137:1-6). Judah had mocked her own Sabbaths by failing to keep them,
now her enemies mock them in derision. Luke 15:7;
1:8 – “Why” – she brought it
upon herself. Even though she may turn
her back on the truth, the fact remains that she has completely prostituted
herself to gain the favor of her enemies, but has only received their
distain. 1 Kings 8:46-47
1:9 – “Disgrace” – Jerusalem has become a ‘fallen woman’ through her participation
in the worship rituals of the idol Baal; consequently, she suffers shame and
humiliation. While she was engaging in
this spiritual adultery, she gave not thought to the consequences. Now realizing that the enemy is gloating over
her circumstance, she cries to the Lord for mercy. 1 Peter 4:17; 2 Kings 14:26;
1:10 – The Babylonians had
entered into the temple, into the holy of holies, where only the high priest
was permitted to enter, and then only once a year and only after having been
ceremonially cleansed. Barbarian
soldiers had burst in and ravaged the temple, taking away the holy vessels,
tools and appointments. No more
degrading act could possibly have been performed against the God of Heaven,
(except the killing on His only begotten Son).
Isaiah 5:13-14; Ezekiel 44:7
1:11 – In this verse, the narration shifts from that of a third
person observer, (Jeremiah), to the first person, as the city speaks for
herself. Hunger and deprivation prevail;
all of the riches and resources of the inhabitants have been exhausted; they
have given their ‘precious things’ for food.
That same phrase in Hosea 9:16 and in Ezekiel 24:16 means
‘children’. Then the city says, “…I am
become vile”. That is an interesting
choice of words, meaning Loathsome; disgusting; Contemptibly low; Miserably
poor and degrading; wretched. “And he hath confirmed his words, which he
spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a
great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done
upon Jerusalem,” (Daniel 9:12).
Deuteronomy 28:52-57
1:12 – Do others not think the same fate cannot befall
them? It did, upon Babylon, Egypt, Rome and
every other great nation that has existed.
It will, upon every impennant sinner; upon all who are unfaithful to
God. Daniel 9:12
1:13 – The fact
that divine punishment is thorough and inescapable is borne out in this
verse. The desired effect is achieved,
indicated by the statement, “…he hath turned me back…”. The rich man was ‘turned back’ when he lifted
up his eyes in torment, (Luke 16:23-24). Such punishment is not merely a thing of the
past; it is promised to the unfaithful, 2 Thessalonians 1:8
1:14 – Just as the rich man’s plight was inescapable,
(Luke 16), so was that of the grand city.
“Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send
against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy
neck, until he have destroyed thee,” (Deuteronomy 28:48). “His own iniquities shall take the wicked
himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins,” (Proverbs 5:22). People
frequently desire what they perceive as freedom – freedom to do as they please
without anything to restrict them; what they fail to realize is that while they
are free to sin at will, sin will bind, captivate and enslave them – and
ultimately destroy them forever. Ezekiel
17:20
NOTE: Joshua 23:16-16
The scattering of the Jews in the Assyrian and Babylonian assaults
served a Divine purpose. In addition to
punishment for unfaithfulness to God, by His divine providence it served as yet
another step in preparing the world for the gospel of Christ. Those devout Jews who came to Jerusalem to observe Pentecost in the 2nd chapter of
Acts came from every nation under heaven.
“Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia
and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in
Egypt and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene and strangers of Rome, Jews and
proselytes, Cretes and Arabians…” (Acts 2:9-11) How did it happen that they lived in those
remote places? By the Providence of God
many of them may have been descendants of some of those who were carried away
into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians; some may have been sold into
slavery to other nations, others may have managed to escape to distant
regions. However it was that they came
to be there, God’s hand of Providence
is evident.
1:15 – This defeat was not a result of inferior military
strength, nor of conspiracy or intrigue.
It was the hand of God. How many
times in the past had God enabled His people to prevail against overwhelming
odds? Pharaoh’s army, David and Goliath; Gideon’s army; and many other
occasions. But they had given their
strength up to the idol gods of the heathen nations, and God was no longer with
them. Hebrews 10:29; Isaiah 63:3;
Revelation 14:19-20; 19:15. Now the Chaldean army, of the 11th
dynasty of Babylon, had prevailed against everything they were able to
do in their own defense, because God was not with them. God used the enemies of Judah to execute His divine retribution.
1:16 – This verse is filled with emotion, the sobbing of a
bereaved widow with none to comfort her.
And to make matters worse, her loss is at the hand of her enemy. Luke 19:41-44.
1:17 – “Emptiness” – Look at the warning prophesy in
Jeremiah 4:31, “For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the
anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the
daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe
is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.” Certainly the former temple and its environs
were now ceremonially unclean. The Jews
were taught to strictly observe laws of hygiene, both physical and spiritual. They had ignored spiritual purity, just as is
being done in spiritual Israel (the Lord’s church) today on such a widespread
scale. {Praise teams, drama, women in
leadership roles, using unscriptural language, (i.e. “spirit-led programs”),
hand clapping, arm waving, embracing the unbelieving in fellowship, etc.). We’d better heed the warning. Ezekiel 36:17
1:18 – We must acknowledge the righteousness of God, and
confess our own sinfulness; sometimes it takes a wake-up call to cause us to
take this first step toward redemption.
Jerusalem is now looking the consequences of her sin in the face – her
hope for the future is gone, no young men or virgins to repopulate her streets,
all are either killed or taken away captive.
1 Samuel 12:14-15; Nehemiah 1:6-8; Daniel 9:9-16;
1:19 – Her lovers were those nations whom she had courted,
from whom she sought favor, instead of from God. People today can get so caught up in pursuit
of material and worldly things that they might possess us, robbing God of our
attention, energy and focus. The worship
had been so neglected that there was not even food for the priests and elders;
notwithstanding that they too had rejected the prophesies and warnings of
Jeremiah. Job 19:13-19; Jeremiah
27:13-15
1:20 – Where do men ultimately turn when all else fails
them? “Behold O Lord; for I am in
distress:…” The physical symptoms of
grief and sorrow are certainly felt in the inner organs of the human body. Jerusalem’s sorrow is made worse in the awareness that it is a
result of her own rebellion. Outside the
city, people are killed by the enemies’ sword, and inside they succumb to
starvation. The warning of nearly a thousand years earlier echoes through the
corridors of time, “The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both
the young man and the virgin, the suckling also
with the man of gray hairs,” (Deuteronomy 32:25). Isaiah 38:14; Habakkuk 3:16; Luke
15:18-19. Might we see this realization
of one’s circumstance in the parable of the prodigal son?
1:21 – Satan always rejoices when Christians fall into his
traps, and he delights in our calamity.
However, the justice of God will ultimately prevail. Revelation 18:6; Obadiah 1:12-13; Even though
God used the heathen nations to punish His wayward people, those people too
will face a day of reckoning, because sinful acts cannot go unpunished,
(Ezekiel 18:20).
1:22 – God’s justice cannot allow the conquering enemies
to go unpunished, and their ultimate fate was multiplied times worse than that
which befell Jerusalem. In Nehemiah
4:4-5 we read his prayer for God’s retribution on enemies; and the secular
history of the fate of the Babylonian empire is a matter of record. Just 47 years later the Persians conquered
Babylon, ushering in the Medo-Persian Empire; - (the 2nd dynasty
foretold by Nebuchadneazar’s dream; to be followed of course by that of
Alexander the Great, and finally before the Roman Empire, during which the
Kingdom of God [the church of Christ (Matthew 16:18)] would be
established).
Chapter 2
In the wake of Divine
retribution the sufferers are encouraged to pray for mercy and forgiveness.
2:1 “How”, again the cry of
desperation; ‘alas, how could such calamity have befallen us?’ Daughter of Zion refers to the nation of God’s people. God had protected their ancestors with a
cloud as He brought them out of Egypt; had covered them with a cloud as they
crossed the Red Sea; but now the Jews saw the dark side of that cloud, the side
of it formerly seen by their enemies the army of Pharaoh. Heaven is
God’s Throne; the earth is His footstool, (Acts 7:49); but the Ark of the Covenant is called His footstool
as well, (1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalms 99:5), thus the temple itself comes under
this general reference too. God has
allowed the temple to be destroyed because the people violated its
sanctity. What might we expect to be the
consequence if we violate the sanctity of the scriptures? We have the sacred word – we must treat it
with reverence and respect.
2:2 As incredible as it
seems, God has allowed the destruction of the dwelling place of His own chosen
people, (“the habitations of Jacob”)! We
hear a lot about “God’s chosen people” today; as many sincere but ignorant
souls try to force current events in the mid-East into the mold of Daniel’s
prophesy concerning Jerusalem. They fail to
understand that EVERY prophesy contained in the scriptures has been fulfilled,
down to the smallest detail, except one – the second coming. The descendants of Abraham were a chosen
people – chosen for the purpose of bringing the Savior into the world. After that purpose was finally accomplished,
those people were the first to be offered access into the Kingdom of God,
but most of them rejected the opportunity.
2 Chronicles 36:17; James
3:17. Can a Child of God fall from
grace? The example we have before us
teaches that very fact. Ezekiel
7:4-9. Mark 13:5; Romans 11:21; 1
Corinthians 10:12
2:3 ‘Horn’ is frequently used to represent
strength, honor and power. I remember
one day when Dad and I were going quail hunting my uncle Dewey told us not to
worry about a mean old bull he had in the pasture, because he had just dehorned
him. We didn’t have to fear that bull
anymore, because he was now powerless.
The power of mankind will not endure, but God’s strength will endure
forever.
2:4 The arm, the right hand, are frequently used
as metaphors for the strength and power of God.
Frequently, the people of God benefited from God’s strong right arm,
(Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34). Now that mighty arm has been turned against
them by their own doing. Nahum1:6;
2:5 Contrast this verse with the delight that God
had shown in His people in the past.
Numbers 14:8; Deuteronomy 10:15; Proverbs 11:20; Jeremiah 9:24
2:6 What happens to a garden when it is no longer
productive? That spot into which you may
have put so much hard work, clearing, plowing planting, nurturing and dressing
– erecting arbors, mulching, maybe even planting blooming flowers around the
edges to draw away insects…yet, when it no longer favors you with its produce
it is ploughed under as though it had never been there. Isaiah 5:5;
2:7 “…cast off His altar…abhorred His
sanctuary…”, Understand that “God is a Spirit…”, (John 4:24); the magnificent structure built by Solomon was
never in keeping with God’s will in the first place. Look at Stephen’s sermon in Acts
7:44-51. The Ark of the Covenant was
housed in the tabernacle, for which God gave Moses specific instructions. When Solomon carried out David’s plans to
build the temple in Jerusalem the Ark (referred to as God’s footstool), was relocated there – God accommodated this
in the same manner as He had accommodated their desire to have a king, (1
Samuel 8:7). 1 Corinthians 6:19 identifies the true temple of God. The ‘noise’
mentioned in this verse is not the sound of worship, but of desecration by
those who have no regard for God nor for His divine authority. Ezekiel
7:20-22. The noise mentioned could be
the shouts and yells of heathen soldiers as they tore through the temple and
all of its rooms, looting and burning and desecrating it. Could it be that God might regard the sounds
coming from some church buildings today as ‘noise’?
2:8 2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 34:11. These were not random acts of violence and
mayhem; the Lord Himself specified the scope of Jerusalem’s destruction and of her punishment, as a surveyor
would mark out the dimensions of a new house.
Her destruction was planned, purposeful and by design. The rampart, (base of the wall), and the
wall, all of the defenses of the city were made of no effect; showing the
futility of putting trust in the strength of man or in man’s devices.
2:9 The gates provided no defense, they lay
useless, no doubt cast aside in the mire of the wayside by ravaging
enemies. That which held the city
together both spiritually and materially was now gone – no political
leadership, no spiritual leadership, only desecration and ruin. To say that the Law had ceased to exist is
not accurate, certainly the Law of Moses continued in effect until Christ
fulfilled it and nailed it to His cross, (Matthew 5:18). This verse simply states that there is no one
left to execute the law – to carry out its ordinances and keep its commands.
2:10 Isaiah 15:3, Ezekiel 7:18; 27:31; Joel 1:8 . Contrast
with Isaiah 3:16. Sitting on the ground
was a customary sign of mourning and utter humility, (Job 2:13). Sackcloth
was woven from coarse black boats hair, used to make sacks but also worn as a
sign of mourning. (Black armbands, even
the piece of black tape over the badge of police and firefighters today stems
from this ancient custom). Tossing ashes
on one’s head was a means of emphasizing the grief one felt. These were outward signs of deepest personal
sorrow, remorse and mourning. This
picture is especially striking in contrast to the way the religious leaders
were accustomed to adorning themselves to be seen and praised of men.
2:11 & 12 Sadness and despair can take such a physical
toll on the human body that even the internal organs are wrenched with
pain. Talk about a scene of utter
bitterness, children dying in the streets from hunger, babies starving to death
at their mothers’ breasts. Contrast
Proverbs 17:22 (A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…)
2:13 No matter what we endure, sometimes it seems
almost as if we can find some comfort in the knowledge that surely there are
others elsewhere who are suffering like we are, indeed some who most likely are
even worse off than are we. There was no
such comfort to be had for the weeping prophet.
The scriptures offer similar consolation to Christians who face difficulties:
Hebrews 12:1ff; 1 Peter 2:21;
5:9; John 16:33. This verse is
saying that there is nothing as bad as the consequences – everything else
mankind may encounter has been conquered.
2:14 Note, the reference is to “thy” prophets, not
prophets of God. Here is a warning
against false teachers – any who would twist, abbreviate or embellish God’s
divine word. 2 Peter 2:1-3. Those who follow false teachers in the Lord’s
church today will face a similar fate to that of Jerusalem in eternity – worse.
Sadly, many will be lost because of false teaching – not because they
instigated it, but because they failed to study on their own sufficiently to be
able to resist the apostasy introduced by false teachers. What is the one thing that these false
prophets did not preach? Is that not
characteristic of false teachers today?
2:15 & 16 “Nanny
nanny boo boo”, the children sometimes sing in derision to one who has
gotten what’s coming to him. This is how
Jerusalem was treated by those lovers whom she courted in the
past, the Egyptians, Assyrians, and perhaps others in whom the Jews had put
their trust, instead in the God of Heaven.
Matthew 27:39 and Mark 15:29 seem to be a replay of this action, this
time directed toward our Lord.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
2:17 How often had
God warned His people against those things that they just couldn’t leave
alone? He had promised them consequences
for sin, but they would not pay heed.
This verse acknowledges that it is not the Chaldeans or Babylonians that
have done this, it is the work of God.
This important realization may be somewhat similar to that awakening
experienced by the prodigal son, (Luke 15:17,
“And when he came to himself…”).
2:18 The wall is here used to represent the whole of the
city, as born out by the term “apple of thine eye”; The Jews felt that Jerusalem was, or at least had once been, the “apple of God’s
eye”, receiving favor from Him. Indeed
it had enjoyed His favor until sin and rebellion against His oracles had
separated them from His favor, (Isaiah 59:2) “But your iniquities have
separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, …”
2:19 Calling for prayer at all times, (1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”); and postures of humility
and helplessness. At this time, the Jews
divided the night into three watches, sunset until 10, 10 until 2 and 2 until sunrise; (later, under the Romans the
watch system would be revised to four watches).
Isaiah 51:20; Nahum 3:10. The
idea here may to appeal for compassion on behalf of the children.
2:20 This statement almost seems to be spoken with
incredulity, almost as if to say, ‘but wait, aren’t these people those
descendants whom you promised to Abraham?”
The point is made in Isaiah 64:8, acknowledging the relationship between
the potter and the Clay. Prophesy is
fulfilled: Deuteronomy 28:53.
Deuteronomy 9:26. The execution
of God’s retribution was to begin at the temple, Ezekiel 9:6; (1 Peter 4:17, For the time is
come that judgment must begin at the
house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of
God?).
2:21 Conditions
were so bad that they no longer even bothered to bury the dead. 2 Chronicles 36:17
2:22 Unfortunately, innocent children often suffer as the
result of the sin of others; none can escape the consequences of sin. Deuteronomy 5:9.
The Jews had polluted the kingdom in many ways; had
put their trust in the heathen nations around them, instead of in the God who
had manifested Himself to them on so many occasions. It was these strange lovers who proved to be
the very enemies who were the implements of their own destruction.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 has 66 verses, or 22 sets of triplets which
bemoan the calamity yet acknowledge the justice of it all.
3:1-3 Although he was righteous, Jeremiah was not
immune to the ravages of divine retribution.
He had been rejected, misunderstood, imprisoned, and threatened with
death. The darkness was that which he
himself had foretold, Jeremiah 13:16; the darkness of gloom and calamity. Might this be a shadow of the things Christ
would suffer because of the sins of the world?
3:4-6 Jeremiah no doubt bore
the spiritual pain for the failure of God’s people, and this was so great that
it had a direct effect upon his physical body.
Jesus underwent such suffering of spirit, suffering so great that it was
manifested in His physical body, (Luke 22:44).
3:7-9 As Jeremiah wandered
aimlessly through the rubble of the once proud city it was probably difficult
to negotiate a path. He felt trapped,
hedged in, by the destruction – by the consequences of sin, knowing that prayer
on behalf of Jerusalem was no longer an option, Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14. There comes a
time when repentance is past, when the time to submit to God’s will is over,
when the door is shut. Matthew 25:10.
3:10-12 Most people fear lions and bears in the wild;
because we know that they are capable of literally tearing us apart, limb from
limb. Fear itself is a deadly
adversary…( about 250 years earlier we read of fear winning a battle, 2 Kings
chapter 7). Recall Winston Churchill’s
famous quote from WWII, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Arrows were common weapons of warfare; here
God is personified as an enemy archer – and He never misses the mark.
3:13-15 ASV says ‘caused the
shafts of his quiver…”; Could possibly
indicate more than just a superficial wound, but a deep, piercing wound, like a
spear in the side. The word reins
comes from a Hebrew word that is more accurately translated kidneys, used as a
metaphor in ancient Hebrew to indicate the seat of the emotions. Each of the subsequent afflictions may be
viewed as another arrow. Wormwood,
translated hemlock, refers to a poison.
As a preacher, Jeremiah had suffered what must have seemed to him to be
more than his share of the slings and arrows of enemies. Compare Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 4:9-13.
3:16-18 ‘Broken my teeth with
gravel’ could refer to the fact that when they could get grain it had to be
ground with whatever stone could be found, likely softer stones that left grit
in the meal, thus wearing down the teeth of those who ate it. They may have had to dig holes in the ground
in which to bake whatever bread they could manage, again a source of grit and
stones to grind down the teeth. Jeremiah
was the son of a priest, and was once a prosperous individual, he even had a
servant and secretary. The joy of that
lost prosperity is now long gone; he had even reached the point that he almost
didn’t expect God to bless him further.
Ezekiel 37:11. Job 8:13; Psalms 33:18; Ephesians 2:12; Galatians 5:5. Without hope man is most miserable, but as
long as we can muster a glimmer of it, we can press on, no matter how difficult
the path.
3:19-21 The things Jeremiah had experienced were not
soon to be forgotten. He enumerates
them, for each held for him no doubt specific memories of deepest
suffering. Yet, he is still alive,
Jehovah has spared him and permitted him the ability to reflect on his
experiences, thus he has hope. “Therefore
I have hope”, Therefore – whatfore? Because God is God and He is in
control. We can’t see the rainbow of
hope as long as we are looking down in despair, as long as we are looking at
the circumstances around us, instead of looking to the one who controls
all. Isaiah 40:26; 51:6.
3:22-24 This passage is the center of the chapter and
of the book; and its message is central to all of the hope of Christians. Here is seen the beauty of hope, as the
result of faith in God. Even in view of
the drastic punishment executed upon the people of Jerusalem, it is clear that God’s mercy is grater than His
judgement. Micah 7:18-20, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth
iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he
retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion
upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into
the depths of the sea. Thou wilt
perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn
unto our fathers from the days of old.” Hebrews
6:18-20, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God
to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered,
even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
While we contemplate that which
troubles us, let us not forget to also consider the source of our
deliverance. Because His compassions
fail not…The Lord is my portion…Therefore will I hope in Him…what a glorious
and comforting thought! Here is some of
the most reassuring language in all of Holy Writ, assuring us of the
faithfulness, the compassion and mercy of our Heavenly Father – and look where
it is found – in the midst of Lamentations!
3:25-27 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Hebrews 3:14; 1 Peter
1:13; Matthew 11:29-30; Hebrews 12:11.
We know that God is good – therefore if we will but wait, trusting in
Him, He will deliver us from peril. The
term translated ‘wait quietly’ might be translated ‘quit complaining’. The lessons of patient endurance, if learned
in youth, will be valuable throughout life.
3:28-30 Accept the will of
God with great humility – when bowed prostrate, face to the ground to the point
that there is dust in one’s mouth, then perhaps we may begin to approach the
attitude appropriate for prayer. 2 Corinthians
4:8-11; Matthew 5:39 (cheek turning).
3:31-33 Hebrews
12:6-10; Genesis 6:6 – man’s sin grieved Jehovah. Hebrews 3:7-9. Hope is within the heart of repentance. The seed of hope is what motivates man to
repent; and repentance gives life to the hope; and hope gives birth to faith.
3:34-36 It is not God’s purpose to abuse mankind nor
to punish him maliciously – but to chasten him sufficiently to bring man into
covenant relationship with Him. Habakkuk
1:13. Proverbs 3:12.
3:37-39 [Let each man sigh
because of, his sins. Instead of
complaining because God sends him sorrow, let him rather mourn over the sins
which have made punishment necessary.] Job 12:10; As long as we
are alive we know that God has not forsaken us, while there is breath within us,
we receive His mercies, we have hope.
3:40-42 Here is the turning point of the
Lamentations, in verse 40. Self
examination is needful, 1 Corinthians 11:28. Turning (repentance) is needful, Luke 13:3,
5.
3:43-45 The recipient of
punishment is always ready for it to be over before it is. The face of God is hidden from them…Isaiah
59:2. 1 Corinthians 4:13.
3:46-48
Derisions, fear and desolation.
There are always those who are ready join in with enemies, and to add
their insults to one who is down.
Sometimes it is those whom were supposedly allies who suddenly are seen
standing with the adversaries. Psalms
22:6-8, “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the
people. All they that see me laugh me to
scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver
him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.”
Psalms 79:4 “We are become
a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to them that are round about
us.”
3:49-51 The
combined visual and emotional impact of the conditions are almost beyond human
description. The literary images of
these conditions may accurately be compared to the effect of sin in the lives
of men. Now, remember, God had
instructed Jeremiah not to attempt to pray for Jerusalem at this time, Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14. Daniel had
received no such instruction, see his prayer in Daniel 9:16-19 –“O Lord,
according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy
fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our
sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are
become a reproach to all that are about us.
Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his
supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate,
for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline
thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city
which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before
thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord,
hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy
people are called by thy name.” The
people themselves were urged by Jeremiah to pray, Lamentations 2:19. Jesus reflects on even greater devastation
that is to come upon Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-44.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
3:52-54 Beginning here, the language takes on a first
person case; the emotions and experiences described are more personal than
general. In John 15:25 Jesus alludes to this, “But this cometh to pass,
that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me
without a cause.” Stone doors were
widely used in Biblical times…Joshua 10:18
(Joshua used stones to seal the 5 kings of the Amorites in a cave); Daniel 6:17 (a stone closed Daniel in the lions den); And, of course, the stone that sealed our Master’s
tomb), Matthew 27:60.
3:55-57 This descriptive term is replicated in Psalms
88:6; and in Acts 16:24
(Paul and Silas cast into the inner prison) – however, it is metaphorical here,
indicating the depths of emotional despair.
Yet, even when we are in such grief and despair, Christians have a
source of help to express their needs to God, Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.” There are almost a hundred
admonitions in the scriptures to not be afraid.
Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, and Solomon begin the long
list of those who were told by God to fear not.
3:58-60 It is evident that Jeremiah trusts in the
Lord. Because the Lord has blessed in the past it is
reasonable to expect that He will do so in the future.