Lamentations

1. Lamentations St. Mina Church Hamilton, On

2. Authorship • Jeremiah authorship according to the Jewish tradition, and the KJV bible • Jeremiah authorship based on similarities between some parts of Jeremiah and Lamentations • II Chronicles 35:25 could also be a proof of Jeremiah authorship

3. Canonical Placement • The Hebrew Scriptures were probably originally canonized into a two-fold division: the Law (Torah) and the Prophets, but a later division adds the sacred writings • The Hebrew canon places Lamentations just after Ruth in the rolls • The Old Testament is divided according to subject matter and is the basis of the modern four-fold classification of the: five books of Law, twelve books of History, five books of Poetry, and seventeen books of Prophecy. • This translation places Lamentations after the prophecy of Jeremiah

4. Historical Background. • Shalmeneser V(727-722 BC) invaded the Northern Kingdom in 725 B.C-II Kings 17. The Israelites are deported to Assyria sometime between 722 and 709 B.C. • Judah itself fell years later and Jerusalem was destroyed on 587 B.C • This time should be identified with Jer 39:1-18. Other historical accounts are in 2Kings 24-25 and 2Chron 36

5. Theological Content • Possible reasons for writing the book. • Obvious themes found in Lamentations. • Interesting parallelism between Lamentations and Deuteronomy.

6. A. Possible Reasons for Writing the Book • To show that sin has consequences. • To bring the readers to repentance. • To ask for mercy in the midst of judgment. • To offer hope of forgiveness and restoration to the readers. • To offer a portrait of Jesus’ suffering (chap 3 is similar to Ps 22).

7. B. Obvious Themes • Fulfillment of indictment.- 2:17 • Retribution-1:8,9 • Grace-3:22, 55-58 • Judgment. • Reprobation and Equal Ultimacy.- 2:6; 5:21 • Misery of judgment.-2: 15,3:1-20 • Hope of restoration.-3:25,26; 31-33; 5:21

8. C. Interesting Parallelism… • Interestingly the book of Lamentations points to Deuteronomy 28. • Here God warns the Israelites about the impending retribution for disobedience. • Here God also anticipates their imminent apostasy.

9. Practical Content • It becomes necessary to avoid those things that led to God’s judgment on Judah. • Lessons are learned in the chastisement that God brings on His children. • Jeremiah sets an example of love for Judah by warning them, and then offering up intercessory prayer on their behalf after the fall.

10. Practical Content • Great use to the pious in their sufferings. • Supplies the pious with spiritual language to express their natural grief by, helping to preserve the lively remembrance of Zion among them. • To the children that never saw it, when they were in Babylon, directing their tears into the right channel (for they are here taught to mourn for sin and mourn to God). • Encouraging the hope that God would return and have mercy upon them. • To us, affecting us with godly sorrow for the calamities of the church of God, as becomes those that are living members of it are resolved to take our lot with it

11. Q&A