In the previous book of Jeremiah we read how God instructed Jeremiah his faithful priest to warn Israel of all the things that would come upon them because of their evil behaviour. Jeremiah also wrote the book of Lamentations. As the name of the book implies, it is the cry of Jeremiah’s heart, as he reflects on the state of the nation, the destitution befalling Jerusalem and the people of Israel.
In chapter one Jeremiah is well aware of Israel’s evil lifestyle, yet because of their waywardness he knew they would loose their land together with its great and precious possessions, contained in the Temple, all to be taken back to Babylon.
In chapter two Jeremiah quotes God venting His anger, describing how He would allow all the furnishings of the Temple to be taken into Babylon. Jeremiah also gives an insight into the heart of the leaders and the people. He describes their sadness as the Babylonians infiltrate and take the people away.
Jeremiah then turns towards his own circumstances in the fourth chapter and how they are affecting him. He feels isolated, hemmed in, taking on the despair of the people. But then he realises the gracious hand of the Lord is on his life for in Lamentations 3:21 to 32 he says: Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22:Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23:They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24:I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." 25:The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26:it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. 27:It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. 28:Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. 29:Let him bury his face in the dust - there may yet be hope.30:Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. 31:For men are not cast off by the Lord for ever. 32:Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. 33:For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
In the fourth chapter Jeremiah highlight how the sparkle and grandeur of the Israelites wealth and lifestyle has faded. He describes again how God has rightfully vented His righteous anger on Israel. Even their neighbours will give them no support, and also reject them, making them even more desolate, and isolated as in Lamentations 4:11 Jeremiah says: The LORD has given full vent to his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations. 12:The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the world's people, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem. 13:But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous. 14:Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. They are so defiled with blood that no-one dares to touch their garments. 15:"Go away! You are unclean!" men cry to them. "Away! Away! Don't touch us!" When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, "They can stay here no longer." 16:The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honour, the elders no favour. 17:Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. 18:Men stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come. 19:Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
Finally, although Jeremiah was not totally isolated from the persecution, we see in the last chapter Lamentations 5:1 that Jeremiah is in a right place with his Lord, by sharing his needs to Him and saying: Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace. And then in Lamentations 5:21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old.
Many lessons can be learnt from Israel’s down fall. While Israel was feeling the destitution of the exile, not only were they isolated by God, but totally rejected and persecuted by all the foreign people around. But Jeremiah found his security in the Lord, by taking the situation to Him. Because he was loyal to his Lord, the Lord protected him and liberated him. We can only follow Jeremiah’s example when we see folk around us struggling, by staying close to our Lord, allowing Him to protect and guide us.
Further studies to this book will be given at a later date.
