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I learned some things about the book of Lamentations today that made it easier for me to read and understand.   Maybe it will help you too.

 

There are 5 Chapters in Lamentations, each one is a separate lament.   Each lament has 22 verses, (one verse for every letter in the Hebrew alphabet) except for the third (Chapter 3) it’s three times as long, with 66 verses total.   That’s probably why our reading plan only takes us halfway through the chapter today.    Not every chapter has the same amount of words, however.  Sometimes the author (who we assume to be Jeremiah) uses two or three Hebrew lines per letter of the alphabet, sometimes (like chapter 5) he uses only one.

 

This demonstrates that the laments were carefully thought out, even though they reflect the raw suffering of the people.  I am reminded as I read these laments that prayers that are written out in advance can have just as much power and infilling of the Holy Spirit as prayers that are prayed 
“in the moment”.  In fact, you could argue that the pre-planned prayer says more…and could be considered more complete.

 

It also helps me to know that Jeremiah is the “suspected” author, although no one knows for sure.  Jeremiah remained in the city after the exile, (until the crew that murdered Gedaliah made him flee to Egypt with them) so he saw the devastation first hand.   I feel like I am more familiar with Jeremiah now that I have recently finished reading his prophecy, so thinking of him as the author of Lamentations helps me somehow.

 

Lament #1

Jerusalem is the focus of this lament which personifies the city as the representation of all Israel.  That seems only right, because Jerusalem is the heart and soul of Israel, and in these days the temple was the heart of Jerusalem.  In effect, the nation has had it’s heart torn from it’s chest.

As I was reading this morning the image of a deer being chased down and boxed in by wild dogs popped into my mind.   It’s probably something I saw on National Geographic years ago….there is a certain look of terror that comes over a trapped animal that is too weak to resist, and knows that it is about to be eaten alive.   The eyes seems to grow larger, the nostrils flare, the whole animal becomes shaky or wobbly.   I really don’t like to think about it, honestly.  The idea of pursuing something until it’s terrified no longer appeals to me.   I must be getting old.

Just as I was thinking that, I read verse 6, which mentions “starving deer”…wow, that was odd, in a neat sort of way.

If you were to take away all our clothing, most people would look the same.  If you were to strip away all the comforts that our money has provided us (hair styling and coloring, nail polish, nice clothes, frequent baths with scented soaps…) take that all away and you would have a hard time picking the queen or the president out of a line up of common people.    That’s because underneath the trappings we are all very similar.   It’s the clothing and social constructs that separate us.

 

The people of Judah are all the same now, the princes and the paupers walk together in slavery.  No one has authority or voice.  No one has resources.  All of them beg for a crust of bread.   The whole nation has been reduced to it’s lowest common denominator.   It also seems to me that the land has suffered the same fate.    Jerusalem is no longer attractive or special now.  It’s simply another pile of rubble that looks very similar to most other hilltops in the region.  Nothing about it sets it apart, the “skyline” is gone, the walls are gone, the people who made it a bustling city are all gone.  The land looks just like the people…stripped bare, starving and enslaved.

 

Lament #2

If you want to have nightmares, this lament should  do it.  Violent pictures of children starving to death, or laying dead in the streets having been slaughtered by the enemy.  Nothing bothers me more than seeing children suffering, I can take the injuries or hardships in stride if they are happening to adults, especially adults who should know better…but with kids it’s different.  By the way, say a prayer today for the nurses and doctors who work with children, they have a special gift from God to be able to do that.

Murdered children aren’t the worst thing happening here.   Mothers are eating their children.  Yes….ugh.  That’s too disturbing to think about.  This isn’t some cultural thing where it’s considered appropriate…these are moms just like some of you, wealthy and intelligent women with bright, happy children who had much potential…these same women have been reduced to eating their young.  

This pushes my understanding of God to the outer limits.   The children are surely innocent, they haven’t created idols or rejected God in any way.  Why should they be persecuted?   I understand the adults starving to death…they openly rejected God after repeated warnings, but, the children?  If I take one thing away from this, it’s that my actions will have consequences on the innocent.   Think about that the next time you are tempted to engage in some sinful activity, thinking that no one is harmed by it, except maybe yourself.    Our sinful behavior could very well spell disaster for innocent kids.    Somehow……sin just became a little less attractive to me.

One other thing here:  Jerusalem has fallen to its enemies, but Jeremiah gives credit to God for crushing it, not Babylon.   He correctly says that God has done all this.   That will undoubtedly challenge our beliefs and preconceived notions about who God  is.   We often misrepresent Him as a kindly old man who loves and dies for His people, but has no real anger or jealousy.   This lament underscores what Hebrews 10:31 says “it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God”.

 

Lament #3  (part one)

This is the center of the book, and the pinnacle of the theology as well.   In this lament the author acknowledges that God is good, and faithful and compassionate.  He looks squarely into the face of God and begins to praise Him, even though He is in the midst of great suffering.

These two songs could well find their inspiration in this very lament.   Isn’t it incredible how God can bring songs of praise out of desperation?   The only sad part is that none of this was necessary.   It all could have been prevented by simply acknowledging God and obeying His commands.   Jeremiah says it all in verses 25 to 27.    God is good to those who seek for Him, we should train our children to seek Him from the youngest possible age.

 

Having read down through verse 36, I will finish this lament tomorrow.   Now, if I can only go and rejoice and celebrate a beautiful day without being haunted by moms eating kids…

 

 

Faithfully,

 

PR