LAMENTATIONS MEANS A Song of Sorrow---Five Poems of Grief: Cards 83-85 A Song of Sorrow---Five Poems of Grief: Lamentations is poetry, one poem per chapter. Its main purpose is not to describe events, nor to teach lessons, though it does both. Its intent is to express grief, to pour out before God the horror and bitterness of what had happened to Jerusalem. These five poems can help you to deal appropriately with grief, your own or others’. Read them expressively, preferably out loud, so that you catch the deep emotion. Note that the author does not rush to express his hope in God, but fully grieves for the tragedy he was involved in. Lamentations offers five poems written from a state of dazed grief. A whole city had been destroyed. Brothers, sister, children, friends are all gone. Men the town admired, wander the body-littered streets, their skins shriveled and their faces barely recognizable. Starvation has even compelled women to cook their own children (4:10). And so the author morns. He carefully review everything he has seen and felt, his plain darkening every line. He writes the first four poems in an acrostic style, following the Hebrew alphabet, one letter for each stanza. Perhaps this system helps him to pursue the subject thoroughly, and not to break down in spasms of emotion. When he thinks of the starving children, he nearly does (2:11)

LAMENTATIONS MEANS A. Lament a song B. A Song of Sorrow C. Cry with loud voice Lamentations is poetry? True or False Its intent is to express grief? True or False These five poems can help you to deal appropriately with g_________? Jeremiah, perhaps the author of Lamentations had seen a whole city destroyed? True or False The women were so hungry what awful thing did they do? Does Jeremiah grieve so much it is hard for him to not break down with emotion?

WROTE LAMENTATIONS JEREMIAH The author of Lamentations-Jeremiah evidently had seen the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C, when the Babylonian army burned and destroyed all the principal building and carried most of the surviving inhabitants into exile. Lamentations conducts a kind of po9st mortem on the death of Jerusalem, examining the body in clinical detail. Like a doctor, Lamentations author seeks to know the cause of death. He has no final doubt; though the Babylonians did the work, ultimately God was responsible. But could God willingly create such misery? The author seems stunned that God has actually destroyed His own people, though he admits they richly deserved the punishment. “The Lord is like an enemy,” he cries in astonishment (2:5). “Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer” (3:8). “He fragged me form the path and mangled me and left me with out help” (3:11). “He had broken my teeth with gravel” (3:16).

WROTE LAMENTATIONS A. Moses B. David C. Jeremiah The author had seen the siege and destruction of Jerusalem? True or False The Babylonian army burned and destroyed all the principal building and carried most of the surviving people to prison? True or False Like a doctor, Lamentations author seeks to know the cause of death? True or False Was the author stunned that God had actually destroyed His own people?

JEREMIAH WEEPS (LAMENTS) ABOUT Though astonished and grief-stricken, the author never doubts God’s justice. Jerusalem’s destruction came as a result of sin(1:5). This fact prompts quiet hope, based on the character of God. “Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men” (3:32-33). When sin is eliminated the Lord acts quickly to forgive and heal. are angry with us beyond measure” (5:22). Behind that “unless” lies confidence, God can never be angry without limits. The author of Lamentations doesn’t soften his words to God, for fear of offending Him. He expresses the full and dreadful horror of what he has seen, and he gives God full responsibility. But, remembering that the Lord is a loving God, he Though the grief of Lamentations is as deep and heavy as any ever written, hope lies at the bottom. The author does not say “Cheer up!” to himself or anyone else. He mourns passionately and fully. But in mourning he looks to recovery. Lamentations ends with a prayer to God, asking Him to restore His people, “Unless you have utterly rejected us and counts on God to heal Israel’s wounds. This time of mourning will be followed by another time, a time of rejoicing.

JEREMIAH WEEPS (LAMENTS) ABOUT A. It raining B. The fall of Jerusalem C. The sorrow of his family Does Jeremiah ever doubt God’s justice? Jerusalem’s destruction came as a result of sin? True or False When sin is eliminated does the Lord act quickly to forgive and heal? Does Jeremiah ever say “Cheer up”? Lamentations ends with a prayer to God, asking Him to restore His people? True or False Does Jeremiah soften his words to God? Does he give God full responsibility for the full and dreadful horror of what he had seen? Remembering that the Lord is a loving God, Jeremiah counts on God to heal Israel’s wounds? True or False