The Book of Lamentations: God’s Justice up Close and Personal August 15th, 2012 Text: Lamentations 1:1-5; Jeremiah 29:10-14 Background/ Purpose: The book of Lamentations was probably written by Jeremiah during or soon after Jerusalem’s fall in 586 B.C. The Southern Kingdom of Judah, Jerusalem, Edom, and all who observed the destruction of Jerusalem were its recipients. Lamentations means “to cry aloud.” This book looks back at one of the first Holocausts expressing the sorrow in the heart of the prophet over the destruction of Jerusalem. This destruction was brought about because of the prolonged, unrepentant sin and rebellion of God’s covenant people. Lamentations more than likely was written as prayers to be prayed or 5 songs to be sung in worship services devoted to asking God for forgiveness and seeking restoration of covenant relationship. As time passed Lamentations was publicly read on the 9th day of AB on the Jewish calendar (July/ August) to remember Jerusalem’s destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. Today this book is read by Jews on the aforementioned date to remember both the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon and the destruction of Herod’s temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. This book was written to help people cope with suffering and loss. Outline: 1-The affliction and miseries of Jerusalem (Ch. 1); 2-The destruction of Zion- a judgment from the Lord (Ch 2); 3-The suffering of the prophet (Ch. 3); 4-The present desolation contrasted with the past splendor (Ch 4); 5-An appeal to God for mercy (Ch-5). Mark Dever—Suffering is a significant time in any person's life, as you can probably testify in one way or another. Suffering acts as a check on our hopes; it refines them; maybe it changes them. Suffering will either harden us or make us more pliable in God's hands. How do you carry on through suffering? 1. CONFESS YOUR SINS—Suffering will inevitably happen in the life of every Christian (John 16:33). Yet when suffering comes to our lives it is a good time to examine our hearts in light of God’s promises. When the calamities of Jeremiah's prophecies finally came about, God led Israel to look inside and confess their sins. *One major theme in Lamentations is God’s judgment in response to Judah’s sin. Judah is personified as a female figure suffering for her sins (See 1:5, 8, 18, 20, 22). Proverbs 14:34 Isaiah 53:6; 1 John 1:8-9; James 4:6 2. RECOGNIZE YOUR DIVINE JUDGE—Through their suffering God was not only directing the Israelites to confess and forsake their sin, but He was also calling them to recognize Him as their Divine Judge. Even in the midst of receiving God’s justice for years of rebellion, Jerusalem still displayed God’s name and His righteousness. See Lamentations 2:1-8, 17. *Whenever we struggle with the idea of God ruling over judgment & suffering remember the cross (Acts 2:22-24). *No sin goes ultimately unpunished. Our sins will either be punished in Christ and His cross if we are trusting in Him alone for salvation or directly in hell if we are unrepentant sinners (2 Thessalonians 1: 6-10). Hebrews 12:3-5 3. GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO GOD'S LEADERS—Through the tremendous suffering experienced by Judah, God also wanted the people to pay special attention to the sins of their leaders. The sins of Judah’s leaders played a major role in contributing to the justice received from God. See Lamentations 4:1-2, 9-11, and 13-15 James 3:1; 2 Timothy 4:1-5 4. PRAY FOR THE FUTURE—Chapter five is essentially a prayer to God for restoration and renewal. Prayer to God was the fourth thing God was calling His people to in the midst of their intense suffering. This is one of the best things we can do as we wait upon God for the power of His Spirit to sustain and encourage us in our suffering. See Lamentations 5:1; 21-22 Psalm 34:4-6; Hebrews 4:16; Philippians 4:6-7 5. HOPE IN GOD—What was the basis for Israel’s confidence that God would hear their prayers since He was sovereign over the punishment of their sins? The confidence Israel had during their intense suffering in captivity was ultimately in the unfailing character of God. God led His people to hope in Him! See Lamentation 3:21-42. Psalm 30:5; Psalm 73:25-26; Rom. 8:38-39; Psalm 42:5 Warren Wiersbe—Unbelief causes us to look at God through our circumstances and this creates hopelessness; but faith enables us to look at our circumstances through the reality of God, and this gives hope. *Jeremiah trusted in God's faithfulness and unchanging character. We can also be encouraged by trusting in the following truths about God’s eternal nature: 1-The Lord doesn't cast off His people and forget them (Lam. 3:31); 2-In the midst of pain, we know God loves us (Lam. 3:32); 3-God doesn't enjoy chastening His own and He feels our pain (Lam. 3:33); 4-God sees the way people treat us (Lam. 3:34-36); 5-God is on the throne and in control of all events (Lam. 3:37- 38); and 6-if God chastens us for our sins, we shouldn't complain, for even His chastening is evidence of His love (Lam. 3:39). Conclusion--Suffering in the Christian life is inevitable. Our response to suffering can make us bitter in our circumstances, or better by God's grace as we humbly trust Him to use them for His glory and our good. Lamentations teaches us to face suffering by: confessing our sins, recognizing our Divine Judge, giving special attention to God's leaders, praying for the future, and placing our hope in God. Look to Christ. Hope in God! .