The book of Lamentations includes 5 laments, or “passionate expressions of grief or sorrow” as an online dictionary reveals. Five chapters, five laments, each following an acrostic pattern of the Hebrew alphabet (22 letters). Chapter 3 has 66 verses…3×22. This is interesting primarily because it indicates the great care that was taken to construct the poems…well, interesting to me anyway!
Jerusalem is deserted, once great, now a slave. “Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her future. Her fall was astounding; there was none to comfort her” (Lamentations 1:9). The sadness continues throughout this book as we hear words of great grief because of the great sin. It’s sad, yet comforting to know that God would include this book in the Bible. Here we read the heart of those who recognize their sin and see the results played out before them. Not some distant future, but very real, very harshly portrayed as they are carried off to exile. God help us to learn the very real effects of sin in our lives and turn us away from evil ways.
The book of Lamentations includes 5 laments, or “passionate expressions of grief or sorrow” as an online dictionary reveals. Five chapters, five laments, each following an acrostic pattern of the Hebrew alphabet (22 letters). Chapter 3 has 66 verses…3×22. This is interesting primarily because it indicates the great care that was taken to construct the poems…well, interesting to me anyway!
Jerusalem is deserted, once great, now a slave. “Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her future. Her fall was astounding; there was none to comfort her” (Lamentations 1:9). The sadness continues throughout this book as we hear words of great grief because of the great sin. It’s sad, yet comforting to know that God would include this book in the Bible. Here we read the heart of those who recognize their sin and see the results played out before them. Not some distant future, but very real, very harshly portrayed as they are carried off to exile. God help us to learn the very real effects of sin in our lives and turn us away from evil ways.