LAMENTATIONS

Lamentations are songs where the author is full of sorrow and despair. The songs are traditionally supposed to be written by the prophet Jeremiah in 587 BC – that’s about 1 year after the fall of Jerusalem.

It was in appalling circumstances Jeremiah wrote Lamentations down. The great capital of Jerusalem was now destroyed and left in ruins. Enemies had destroyed and looted the city. Jeremiah poured out his despair before God as the absolute bottom was reached. People were on the wrong track - they broke the law and ran with lots suspect, seedy and evil deeds:

“The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.  I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss”. (3:19-20)

It goes better with the people at the end, and the song ends with the hope of better times. They realize that they have suffered the pain of being away from God, and returned again to God’s open and forgiving arms.

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

3:22 – faithful love:
3:22/23 – mercies:
3:23 – faithfulness:
3:25 – good:
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him”.

What does this book show about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?

I think the book shows how God leads His people back to Him along the path of sorrow, repentance, hope and faith:
"Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had!” (5:21). of passion during my DBS is the Shan-people in Thailand: