In today’s video we’re going to, survey and briefly summarize the Book of Lamentations.
Then afterwards, as always, I’ll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.
As for the Author: The Book of Lamentations does not explicitly identify its author. The
tradition is that the Prophet Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. This view is highly likely
considering the author was a witness of the Babylonians destroying Jerusalem.
Jeremiah fits this qualification (2 Chronicles 35:25).
As for the Date of Writing: The Book of Lamentations was likely written between
586 and 575 B.C., during or soon after Jerusalem’s fall.
Now, as for the Purpose of Writing: As a result of Judah’s continued and unrepentant idolatry,
God allowed the Babylonians to besiege, plunder, burn, and destroy the city
of Jerusalem. Solomon’s Temple, which had stood for approximately 400 years,
was burned to the ground. The Prophet Jeremiah, an eyewitness to these events,
wrote the Book of Lamentations as a lament for what occurred to Judah and Jerusalem.
Here are some Key Verses:
Lamentations 2:17, “The LORD has done what he planned;
he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity,
he has let the enemy gloat over you, he has exalted the horn of your foes.”
Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 5:19-22, “You, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us?
Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return;
renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”
As a Brief Summary: The Book of Lamentations is divided into five chapters. Each chapter
represents a separate poem. In the original Hebrew, the verses are acrostic, each verse
starting with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Book of Lamentations, the Prophet
Jeremiah understands that the Babylonians were God’s tool for bringing judgment on Jerusalem
(Lamentations 1:12-15). Lamentations makes it clear that sin and rebellion were the causes of
God’s wrath being poured out (Lamentations 4:13). Lamenting is appropriate in a time of distress,
but it should quickly give way to contrition and repentance (Lamentations 3:40-42).
As for Foreshadowings: Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” for his deep and abiding passion
for his people and their city (Lamentations 3:48-49). This same sorrow over the sins of the
people and their rejection of God was expressed by Jesus as He approached Jerusalem and looked ahead
to her destruction at the hands of the Romans (Luke 19:41-44). Because of the Jews’ rejection of
their Messiah, God used the Roman siege to punish His people. But God takes no joy in having to
punish His children and His offer of Jesus Christ as a provision for sin shows His great compassion
on His people. One day, because of Christ, God will wipe away all tears (Revelation 7:17).
Now some Practical Application: Even in terrible judgment, God is a God of hope (Lamentations
3:24-25). No matter how far we have gone from Him, we have the hope that we can return to Him
and find Him compassionate and forgiving (1 John 1:9). Our God is a loving God (Lamentations 3:22),
and because of His great love and compassion, He sent His Son so that we would not perish in
our sins, but can live eternally with Him (John 3:16). God’s faithfulness and deliverance are
attributes that give us great hope and comfort. He is not a disinterested, capricious god,
but a God who will deliver all those who turn to Him, admit they can do nothing to earn His favor,
and call upon the Lord’s mercy so that we will not be consumed (Lamentations 3:22).
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