Lamentations

The book of Lamentations contains five lamentations, which all refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Kingdom of Judah by the Chaldeans. Each song bewails the unutterable misery that has befallen the covenant people in this catastrophe, and the disgrace which the fallen daughter of Zion has thereby suffered. 

The first song of Lamentations introduces Jerusalem’s affliction and the sin that was the source of the problem. We find Jerusalem as a widow, alone and reeling from the recent invasion of the Babylonians. The second song (chapter 2) builds on these themes. Particular emphasis is placed upon the role that God himself played in the destruction of Jerusalem. Whereas chapter 1 recognises that Yahweh is righteous, chapter 2 acknowledges God’s justification in personally being involved in Jerusalem’s downfall. While the Babylonians may have been the instrument, God was the true architect. The fall of Jerusalem in AD70 is expressed in similar terms when we read of Christ coming at the head of the Roman army in the seventy weeks prophecy (Dan 9:26-27). Throughout the New Testament, AD70 is described as the “coming of the Son of Man” (eg: Matt 24:37) when our Lord used the Romans as the tools of God’s justice. Once again, the book of Lamentations would repeat itself through history.

In the previous two chapters, the problem and consequences of sin are laid out with the recognition that Yahweh is righteous in all his judgments. In this third song, the same picture of suffering is presented, but this time through the lens of the “man that hath seen affliction” (Lam 3:1). Out of the blackness of the first two chapters, this man emerges, to take us on a journey from ‘how could this happen?’ to ‘why did this happen?’

Introduction to Lamentations 4

After the glimmer of hope in chapter 3, the fourth song dives back down to the depths of Jerusalem’s suffering. A suggested break-down is as follows:

4:1-12 – The precious sons of Zion are smashed

4:13-16 – They have polluted themselves with blood

4…

Concluding the book, this song is a powerful plea to Yahweh to look down from His dwelling place, see their suffering and bring about national renewal and forgiveness. Chapter 3 described the “man that hath seen affliction” and his perspective on the suffering of the nation. In verses 40-41, “the man” encourages the nation to lift their hearts to God and join him in prayer. It seems as if chapter 5 is the outworking of this, as the chorus at the end of the book, perhaps led by the man himself.