Introduction to Lamentations Tears for Jerusalem May 24, 2015 Through the Bible in One Year Xavier Reyna, Director Ben Compere, Editor “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b “Lamentations is eminently suited to treat one of the most perplexing and devastating problems of all human existence: suffering and communal pain on the stage of national grief.” W.C. Kaiser, “A Biblical Approach to Personal Suffering”

An Introduction to a Book of the Bible Provides Three Things: 1.Information: general information about the book 2.Insights: to enhance a more detailed study of the book 3.Incentive: whets your appetite to pursue further study of the book Introduction “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

We Will Examine These Topics Summary Message Tips Canon History Analysis Exposition Application Test Agenda “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

Summary of the Book of Lamentations Summary In five separate poems, the poet pours out his grief over the fall of the once mighty and proud Jerusalem and the suffering and exile of the Jewish people. This affliction of the Lord was brought about by the sins of her people, prophets and priests. Yet, because of God’s faithfulness there is hope that the punishment will end and the Lord will return to his people. Lamentations grips our emotions, not just our intellect. “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b “The poets learn in sorrow what they teach in song.”. J.S. Baxter, “Explore the Book”

Lamentation’s Message: Justice and Goodness Message Lamentations affirms faith in the justice and goodness of the Lord in view of the national suffering caused by the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b “Lamentations served as an expression of sorrow at the destruction of Jerusalem and as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to His word and to His people.”. N.L. Geisler, “A Popular Survey of the Old Testament”

Tips for Understanding Lamentations Literary features –Five independent poems written around the Hebrew alphabet Historical background –The defeat of Judah, the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple and the exile of the people Theological perspective –The people are being judged by the Lord for their sins but there is hope for the remnant Tips “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

Lamentations Is Grouped With the Major Prophets in the Christian Bible Canon “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

How Lamentations Got Its Name The Hebrew name is taken from the first word in the book: אֵיכָה, “ekah” translated “How” – a word that expresses dismay The Septuagint name in Greek is “Threnoi” which is translated lament The title in the Latin Vulgate was a transliteration for the title “lament” (Threni) and was subtitled Id est Lamentationes Jeremiae Prophatae which became the basis for our English title “Lamentations.” “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Canon

Lamentations and Jeremiah View the Destruction of Jerusalem from Different Perspectives “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Defeat and Desolation of Jerusalem Jeremiah: (Warning) Looking Ahead Lamentations (Mourning) Looking Back “What Jeremiah prophesied, Lamentations experienced…” LaSor, Hubbard and Bush, “Old Testament Survey” Canon

Lamentations Concerns the Destruction of Jerusalem Lam OT History “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

Near Eastern History of Lamentation’s Time History “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Lamentations

Major Historical Events Show the Turbulent Times of Jeremiah History “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b DateEvent 627Jeremiah called to be a prophet. Ashurbanipal, the last great Assyrian king, dies. 612Nineveh, capital of Assyria falls to Babylon 609Egypt marches north to aid Assyria against Babylon. Judah. intercepts Egypt. Josiah killed in battle of Megiddo. Judah becomes Egyptian vassal. Pharaoh deposes Josiah's successor, Jehoahaz; replaces him with Jehoiakim. 605Egyptian army routed at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. 604Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon subdues, Syria, Judah and Philistia. Judah becomes Babylonian vassal. 598After not paying tribute for 3 years, Judah allies with Egypt against Babylon. Babylon attacks Judah. 597Jehoiakim dies. Judah falls to Babylon. Jehoiachin, the successor king is deported to Babylon and Zedekiah is chosen to rule. 588Zedekiah breaks with Babylon under pressure from pro-Egyptian Jews. Jerusalem under siege for 18 months 587Babylon breaks into Jerusalem: city plundered and burned; temple destroyed; people deported; Governor Gedaliah assassinated; Jeremiah taken to Egypt.

Events Resulting in National Grief Defeat and capture of Judean cities A siege of Jerusalem for 18 months Destruction of the city and its buildings Destruction of the temple –The dwelling place of the Lord The exile of its people History “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b “It is impossible to overestimate the intensity or depth of suffering that resulted from the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.” W.C. Kaiser, “A Biblical Approach to Personal Suffering” The fall of Jerusalem is mentioned four times in scripture: 2Kgs 25; Jer. 39:1-11; Jer. 52 and 2 Chron 36:11-21

What Is an Acrostic? “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b An acrostic is a poem in which each line begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet Looking at the first letter of each line spells out the entire Hebrew alphabet (all 22 letters) Special acrostics –Multiple lines begin with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet (Lamentations 3) –The first line of a multiple line sentence begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet (Lamentations 1,2,4) Analysis

The Acrostic Structure of Lamentations “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter line verses 66 3-line verses 22 3-line verses 22 verses A… ….. A… ….. A… ….. B… ….. B… ….. B… ….. C… ….. C… ….. C… ….. “Each of the poems in Lamentations is shaped in one way or another according to the Hebrew alphabet. All but the last are acrostics.” FW Dobbs-Allsop, “Lamentations” The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. Analysis

Five Poems and One Theme “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Lamentations consists of five separate poems Each poem is independent of the others All share a common theme: sorrow over the fall of Jerusalem Each poem has its own perspective on this theme Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Theme: Sorrow over the fall of Jerusalem Analysis

The Book of Lamentations Tears for Jerusalem I.No One to Comfort Her (Chapter 1) II.The Lord is an Enemy (Chapter 2) III.An Afflicted Man Hopes in the Lord (Chapter 3) IV.Punishment Greater than Sodom (Chapter 4) V.Remember Us and Restore Us (Chapter 5) Analysis “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

Is Any Suffering Like My Suffering? Exposition “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b No One To Comfort Her Chapter 1 This poem consists of a lamentation by the author (1:1-11) and the personified Jerusalem (1:12-22). The city has been left desolate like a widow with no one to comfort her because of her sins. Jerusalem pleads with God to regard her misery and repay her adversaries. “The words ‘no one’ or ‘none’ appear 8 times and the ‘sins’ of the nation are referenced four times in chapter 1.”

The Lord Has Done What He Decreed Long Ago Exposition “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b The Lord Is Like An Enemy Chapter 2 In this second poem the author reviews the terrible destruction of the city and the suffering of the people – all of which is attributed to the Lord’s action. The Lord is like an enemy (2:1-12). The sins of the people and the failure of the false prophets are the cause of God’s anger (2:13-19). He cries to the Lord in disbelief over the calamity that has befallen them (2:20-22).

Great is God’s Faithfulness Exposition “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Prayer for Mercy Chapter 3 The poet explains his suffering and affliction by the Lord (3:1-18). Amid this affliction he has hope for he remembers the compassion and faithfulness of the Lord (3:19-39). He pleads for the people’s repentance and return to Yahweh (3:40-54). Finally, he cries for vengeance against his enemies (3:55-66). “This poem functions as the literary and theological center of the composition.”. Hill and Walton, “A Survey of the Old Testament”

Before and after the Siege of Jerusalem Exposition “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Punishment Greater Than Sodom Chapter 4 This fourth lament contrasts the city’s former glory with the horrors of the siege: the cries of starving children and the shriveled bodies of the inhabitants (4:1-11). Have the sins of the people, the prophets and priests brought this calamity upon the city (4:12-16)? Edom, Jerusalem's’ brother, yet long- established enemy gloats over her defeat yet is ignorant of her own impending doom (4:21-22).

Remember Our Affliction Restore Our Glory Exposition “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b Remember Us And Restore Us Chapter 5 In this last poem (the only non-acrostic) the poet asks the Lord to remember the terrible things that He has brought upon the nation, the city and the people (5:1-18). Then he concludes with a prayer to restore them to their days of former glory – if it is not too late (5:19-22).

Application Lamentations Gives Us a Biblical Approach to Suffering We can't deal with suffering by –Ignoring it –Pretending it doesn't exist –Trying to get out of it – Minimizing its pain We have to go through suffering, remembering that God is with us in it “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b “Grief is like a heavy weight that never goes away. You will come to peace with it only when you learn how to carry it.” T.A. Norcom

Application Lamentations Gives Us a Biblical Approach and to National Judgment The sins of any people will eventually result in the disintegration of that nation We should never take God’s past blessings as assurance that they will continue when we continue in sin Our nation and our churches are subject to God’s judgment when they are no longer faithful “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

The theme of Lamentations is: A.Grief over the destruction of Jerusalem B.Purification of the temple C.Revenge against the Babylonians D.Corruption of the priesthood E.False prophets TEST “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

The book of Lamentations is literarily based on: A.Redundant narrative B.Dairy of an eye witness C.Hebrew alphabet D.Historical records from the temple E.Accounts from Babylon TEST “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

Lamentations was composed around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem: A.1406 BC B.722 BC C.605 BC D.597 BC E.586 BC TEST “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

Chapters 1-4 of Lamentations are acrostics. A.True B.False TEST “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b

In view of the national suffering caused by the destruction of Jerusalem, Lamentations’ message concerns the: A.Results of having ungodly leaders B.Danger of false prophets C.Failure to maintain a strong military D.Justice and goodness of the Lord E.Tragedy of the failure to keep the covenant TEST “… great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23b