Jeremiah: Faithful Under Fire Book of Lamentations “Jeremiah’s Grief ”

Announcements

Jeremiah – Lamentations Summer 2012 WeekTopicTeacher Jun 3Dark Prophecies: Jeremiah 1-6Herb Taylor Jun 10False Worship: Jeremiah 7-10Joe Russell Jun 17Broken Promises, Shattered Pride: Jeremiah 11-15Keith Klemmer Jun 24Sin Carved on the Heart: Jeremiah 16-17Bill Grant Jul 1The Potter, Pot, and Fire: Jeremiah 18-20Herb Taylor Jul 8A Scattered Flock: Jeremiah 21-24Keith Klemmer Jul 15God’s Law on the Heart: Jeremiah 25-33Bill Grant Jul 22Broken Covenants: Jeremiah 34-35Herb Taylor Jul 29God’s Indestructible Word: Jeremiah 36-38Keith Klemmer Aug 5Judgment and Justice: Jeremiah 39-45Bill Grant Aug 12God’s Justice Among Nations: Jeremiah 46-52Herb Taylor Aug 19Jeremiah’s Lament: Lamentations 1-3Keith Klemmer Aug 26Prayer for Restoration: Lamentations 4-5Bill Grant

Today’s Objectives Provide an overview of Lamentations Study Jeremiah’s metaphors and word pictures describing the fall of Jerusalem Sense Jeremiah’s inner turmoil over his loss Understand life in the city of Jerusalem before and after the Babylonian invasion Appreciate the fact that God leaves Jeremiah with hope for the future

Date of Lamentations Conflicting opinions 605 B.C. –At the death of King Josiah B.C. –Earlier translations of the Hebrew text included a mention of Jeremiah as the author and the fall of Jerusalem as the setting –No reflection of hope from the release of Jehoiakim in 560 B.C. –Descriptions and writing style match that found in Jeremiah

Last Five Kings of Judah NameFatherReign ( B.C.) What happened? JosiahAmmon Killed at Megiddo JehoahazJosiah (4)608Pharaoh Necho II carried him into exile JehoiakimJosiah (2) Rebelled against Babylon and killed JehoiachinJehoiakim597Exiled to Babylon ZedekiahJosiah (3) Sons killed, blinded, then exiled to Babylon

Nebuchadnezzar's Attacks on Jerusalem DateExtentResult 605 B.C.Quick strikeSons of noble families deported for civil service (including Daniel) 597 B.C.Major AttackKing Jehoiachin deposed; leading families and skilled workers deported (Ezekiel included) B.C.Total DestructionCity and temple destroyed; King Zedekiah blinded; all but the poor deported

Key People Jeremiah –Served the last five kings of Judah –Confidant of King Josiah ( B.C. ), King Jehoiakim ( B.C. ), and King Zedekiah ( B.C. ) –Member of a priestly family and was from Anathoth –Fled to Egypt with Beruch upon destruction of Jerusalem King Jehoiakim –King of Judah, B.C., corrupt and wicked –Carried off in first Babylonian captivity (2 Ch 36:6) King Zedekiah –Gained the throne at age 21 –Last king of Judah, then Sent into exile –His sons were killed and then he was blinded

Key People Nebuchadnezzar –Became King of Babylon in 605 B.C. –Son and successor of Nabopolassar, who delivered Babylon from its dependence on Assyria and laid Nineveh in ruins –Greatest and most powerful of all the Babylonian kings –Defeated Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II at Carchemish –Died in 562 B.C. –Succeeded by his son Evil-Merodach ( B.C. )

Jerusalem’s Desolation (Ch 1) First Lament –Vivid picture of the extent of Jerusalem’s destruction –A once-rich city reduced to an impoverished existence Three contrasts between Jerusalem before and after the conquest –City had become a ghost town –Nation was reduced to the status of “Almanah” –Jerusalem’s reversed social position Jerusalem’s responds by weeping bitterly Nobody to console her

Babylonian Chronicles

Second Lament –Real cause of Jerusalem’s destruction –God’s judgment for Israel’s sin –God’s anger and wrath results in Israel’s collapse Impact of God’s anger –Physical City, homes, property destroyed –Personal Dishonor brought upon the people –Spiritual Temple destroyed, priests rejected, ceremonies suspended God’s Harsh Discipline (Ch 2)

Third Lament –Key chapter in the book –Series of metaphors –Expression of Jeremiah’s own suffering –Jeremiah identifies himself as a personal recipient of God’s wrath against Judah (vs. 1) Spiritual darkness –Jeremiah “forced” to with the disaster alone (vs. 2) –“Dark side of the cross” Physical and mental suffering of Jeremiah –Breaking of the bones (vss. 4) –Darkness of death (vss. 5-6) Jeremiah’s Suffering (Ch 3)

No escape from the suffering –Imprisoned, bound in chains (vss. 7-9) –Metaphor’s about God’s wrath upon Jeremeiah Bear or lion leaping from the brush (vss. 10-1) God as a hunter (vss ) Even the people are against Jeremiah –Subject of jokes and mocking (vs. 14) –Left feeling bitter, broken (vss ) –Only despair and hopelessness remained (vss ) Concludes with a complimentary portrait of God Jeremiah’s Suffering (Ch 3)

Fourth Lament –Emphasizes the magnitude of destruction –Vivid picture of Jerusalem before the siege and her condition after the fall –Prophet had gone from denial and anger to acceptance Severe punishment –Privileged left with nothing (vs. 5) –Punishment worse than Sodom (vs. 6, Gen 19) –Lucky had died at the hands of Babylon The Siege and Destruction (Ch 4)

Reasons for Jerusalem’s catastrophe –Sins of God’s own people –Greatest threat came from within (vs. 13) Corrupt leaders –Priests and elders wandered in disgrace (vss ) –Reliance upon earthly allies in place of God Contrast between daughters of Edom and Zion –God’s people would be restored, Edom’s punishment was yet to come (vss ) The Siege and Destruction (Ch 4)

Fifth Lament –National prayer –God was the only hope for restoration Parts of the prayer –Cry to God to remember His people’s plight and confession of sin (vss. 1-18) –Call for national restoration and a return to God’s favor Plea to God because: –People had lost their land and possessions (vs. 2) –Lost their power and rights (vs. 3) –Forced to pay exorbitant prices for necessities (vs. 4) –Hounded and persecuted continuously (vs. 5) Jerusalem’s Losses (Ch 5)

–Forced to beg for bread (vs. 6) –Punished for their parents actions (vs. 7) –Enslaved by low ranking Babylonian officials (vs. 8) –Exposed to attack from desert tribes (vs. 9) –Endured the constant ravages of hunger (vs. 10) Restoration and renewal –Plea for divine intervention to reverse the tragedy –Acknowledgement of God’s sovereign, eternal reign Jerusalem’s Losses (Ch 5)

Review Provide an overview of Lamentations Study Jeremiah’s metaphors and word pictures describing the fall of Jerusalem Sense Jeremiah’s inner turmoil over his loss Understand life in the city of Jerusalem before and after the Babylonian invasion Appreciate the fact that God leaves Jeremiah with hope for the future