Summary of the Book of Lamentations

Author:
The Book of Lamentations does not explicitly identify its author. The tradition is that the Prophet Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. This view is highly likely considering the author was a witness of the Babylonians destroying Jerusalem. Jeremiah fits this qualification (2 Chronicles 35:25; 2 Chronicles 36:21-22). Who wrote the book of Lamentations? Who was the author of Lamentations?

Date of Writing:
The Book of Lamentations was likely written between 586 and 575 B.C., during or soon after Jerusalem’s fall.

Purpose of Writing:
Due to Judah’s persistent and unrepentant idolatry, God permitted the Babylonians to besiege, plunder, burn, and destroy the city of Jerusalem. Solomon’s Temple, which had stood for approximately 400 years, was burned to the ground. The Prophet Jeremiah, an eyewitness to these events, wrote the Book of Lamentations as a lament for what occurred to Judah and Jerusalem.

Key Verses:
Lamentations 2:17, “The LORD has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity, he has let the enemy gloat over you, he has exalted the horn of your foes.”
Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 5:19-22, “You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”

Brief Summary:
The Book of Lamentations is dividedInto five chapters. Each chapter represents a separate poem. In the original Hebrew, the verses are acrostic, with each verse starting with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Book of Lamentations, the Prophet Jeremiah understands that the Babylonians were God’s tool for bringing judgment on Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:12-15;2:1-8;4:11). Lamentations makes it clear that sin and rebellion were the causes of God’s wrath being poured out (1:8-9;4:13;5:16). Lamenting is appropriate in a time of distress, but it should quickly give way to contrition and repentance (Lamentations 3:40-42;5:21-22).

Foreshadowings:
Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” for his deep and abiding passion for his people and their city (Lamentations 3:48-49). This same sorrow over the sins of the people and their rejection of God was expressed by Jesus as He approached Jerusalem and looked ahead to her destruction at the hands of the Romans (Luke 19:41-44). Because of the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah, God used the Roman siege to punish His people. But God takes no joy in having to punish His children, and His offer of Jesus Christ as a provision for sin shows His great compassion for His people. One day, because of Christ, God will wipe away all tears «For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.», (Revelation 7:17).

Practical Application:
Even in terrible judgment

, God is a God of hope (Lamentations 3:24-25). No matter how far we have gone from Him, we have the hope that we can return to Him and find Him compassionate and forgiving «If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. », (1 John 1:9). Our God is a loving God « It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, Because his compassions fail not. », (Lamentations 3:22), and because of His great love and compassion, He sent His Son so that we would not perish in our sins, but can live eternally with Him «For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. », (John 3:16). God’s faithfulness « They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness. », (Lamentations 3:23) and deliverance « It is good that a man should both hope and quietly Wait for the salvation of the LORD. », (Lamentations 3:26) are attributes that give us great hope and comfort. He is not a disinterested, capricious God, but a God who will deliver all those who turn to Him, admit they can do nothing to earn His favor, and call upon the Lord’s mercy so that we will not be consumed « It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, Because his compassions fail not. », (Lamentations 3:22).