The Book of Lamentations is divided into five chapters. Each chapter represents a separate poem. In the original Hebrew, the verses in each of the first four poems are acrostic, each verse starting with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is quite remarkable. Lamentations 5 is not an acrostic poem, though it does contain 22 verses, the same number as the distinct letters of the Hebrew alphabet. One writer says, “the use of the alphabet symbolizes that the completeness—‘the A to Z’—of grief is being expressed.” We explore the major themes of the five poems. We discuss the poet. Lamentations presents many key theological realities from an important era in Israel’s history. We discuss ten of these. We then explore a couple of questions from the book.
Scriptures referenced include Lamentations 5:19-22; Lamentations 2:1, 6; Psalm 132:7; Deuteronomy 28; and Lamentations 2:20.
The Ten Commandments progress structurally inward, moving from our relationship with God and external actions toward others to a final commandment that stands completely...
Some say that Isaiah is like a mini-Bible. The first 39 chapters, like the 39 books of the Old Testament, are filled with judgment...
Leah describes a "holy silence" that followed the birth, a quietness so profound it felt as though the entire world was holding its breath....
