Day 221 Reading schedule: Lamentations 3-5

Lamentations 3: Hope in Frustration

[Content Overview]

This chapter records that the prophet is making petitions and confessions as an individual. The intention is to maximize Israel's situation by identifying itself with the people of Israel. These chapters include a part that describes the author's own suffering (verses 1-18), a part that shows hope and consolation for grace (verses 19-39), a part that recommends repentance (verses 40-51), and God's salvation. It consists of a part that describes his experience of grace (verses 52-57) and a part where he wants revenge on those who opposed him (verses 58-66).

Lamentations 4: The Destruction of Jerusalem

[Content Overview]

This chapter supplements the previous contents and goes one step further to organize the situation in Jerusalem theologically. Therefore, in this chapter, the prophet's own lament and the personification of Jerusalem appear simultaneously. This chapter describes the current suffering of the Israelites more vividly, and in particular, the author highlights the severe famine phenomenon among the various sufferings. And it points out that responsibility for the disaster lies with political and religious leaders. This fact represents a harsh rebuke of the disbelief of the leaders who tried to overcome the impasse through diplomatic efforts, even though the salvation and safety of Jerusalem depended only on God. The first half of this chapter (verses 1-10) comparatively describes Jerusalem's past and present, the middle part (verses 11-16) points out the sins of religious leaders, and describes Jerusalem's vain hopes and its shameful situation. It consists of the latter part (verses 17-22).

Lamentations of Jeremiah Chapter 5: A petition for the restoration of Israel

[Content Overview]

The author mournfully described his sorrow over God's judgment. However, it does not simply become absorbed in emotional sadness and forgets the essence, and deals with fundamental problems by revealing the sins of the Israelites in the meantime. Now, in this chapter, the last part of the book, Jeremiah earnestly prays for restoration and salvation for the hopeless Israelites. The idea that stands out in this chapter is total trust in God's faithfulness. This fact can also be seen through the frequent occurrences of references reminding us of the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. These include expressions such as ‘company’, ‘ancestors’, and ‘old times’. This chapter consists of the first half (verses 1-18) reiterating Israel's current state, and the second half (verses 19-22) describing God's eternal power. In this way, this chapter focuses on the covenant that formed the relationship between God and the Israelites, and prays for God's mercy and forgiveness.​