LAMENTATIONS

 Lamentations – Suffering of Jerusalem

 

 

Theme; Jerusalem under the feet of the Gentiles.

 

Survey:  The suffering in Jerusalem and the author’s grief over the whole situation.  The first lament talks about Jerusalem in general.  The next four are written in a sense that the author feels every pain as if it was inflicted on him. 

 

Lamentations Emphasizes

 

1.  The city was destroyed by divine judgment.

2.  Lessons were learned by exile and destruction of Jerusalem that the Lord will be

     Gracious unto the city again.  They were taught how they were purified in affliction.

3.  The afflicted believer is comforted because God will be gracious again to His people.

 

Author:  It was written by Jeremiah right after the destruction of Jerusalem about 616 B.C.   He had warned them so long and it is written from an attitude of,  ”I wish I had not told you so.”

He pleads for the city and hopes that the Lord will not forget them.

 

Outline

 

Sorrows of Zion.                                                                                 Ch 1

God’s anger over Israel.                                                                     Ch 2

Jeremiah shares Israel’s affliction.                                                     Ch 3

Siege described.                                                                                 Ch 4

A prayer for mercy.                                                                            Ch 5

 

Statistics:  25^th book of the bible, 5 chapters. 154 verses, 3415 words, 2 verses of fulfilled prophecy, 13 questions, 3 commands, 2 predictions and 3