Lamentations 1

Jeremiah describes the post-exile situation within its proper context. Without this description, it would have been mere clinical history with no post-crisis recovery message. It would be unfair since it would only describe Satan’s take on events which are the results of evil and evil doing and evil involvement. The city of Jerusalem was empty of people (v. 1a). She became like a widow without a husband (v. 1c). There was a time when Jerusalem was great among the nations (v. d), for example Israel, secular and spiritual leaving Egypt in 1450 BCE as the Habiru with Moses. The Napoleon of Egypt, Thutmosis III  died pursuing the Habiru despite his own glorious campaigns in the past, all recorded on the temple walls at Karnak. Then also during the days of David and Solomon the borders and fame of Israel was across many countries. The Wisdom literature of Amenemope, dating in extant text to 650 BCE and which shows strong resemblance with Solomon’s book Proverbs, is an indication of the influence of Hebrew literature in Egypt in Solomon’s time, 970 BCE. His wisdom was well known. Jerusalem itself was propped up as the princess of all the provinces (v. 1e) but has become a forced laborer (v. 1f). During the night spiritual Israel or the remnant weeps bitterly (v. 2). God is not interested in cities and temples on earth. His focus is the people. The remnant is God’s focus. She has after the exile tears (v. 2b). There is none to comfort her among her lovers and those who deceived her (v. 2c) and her friends have dealt treacherously with her (v. 2e). Jeremiah mentions that Judah has also gone into exile (v. 3a). In Jeremiah 29:22 he described vividly the Babylonian take-over of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Landgrab or the theft of property and in v. 3a it has already taken place. Now under “harsh servitude she dwells among the nations” (v. 3b-c). There is no rest and all her pursuers have overtaken her (v. 3e). The remnant seed had to suffer because of the large number of the remnant weed. We also are not just living in clinical history and data evidencing Satan’s causes and effects. Just like Jeremiah, our history is from above as well. The roads to Jerusalem are all mourning (v. 4a). The reason is that no-one comes to the appointed feasts (v. 4b) and they were selling their market goods on the roads. No customers, or travelers, no income. The gates are desolate with no people there and the priests are groaning since the temple economy suffers severely (v. 4c-d). These priests contributed to the evil of Judah and its downfall. The virgins are afflicted since the young men were all taken to Babylon (v. 4e). The remnant herself is bitter (v. 4f). With a landgrab the adversaries became masters and enemies prosper (v. 5a-b). The reason this crime came over the remnant is actually their transgressions (v. 5d). It is the Lord Who has caused this grief (v. 5c). The little ones were also taken away captive (v. 5e-f). The majesty of the remnant is gone and the princes became like deer without a pasture to feed (v. 6). Many fled before the pursuer of Babylon (v. 6e-f). Now that she lost her houses and is homeless she remembers her precious things (v. 7a-b). When Babylon came there was no-one to help her (v. 7e). The enemies mocked the remnant weed at her ruin (v. 7f). Of course the remnant seed also suffered. The problem is then spelled out by Jeremiah “sinned greatly therefore” and here is the problem, because of great sins “she has become an unclean thing” (v. 8a-b). Those friends who honored here in the past is now despising her because they have seen her nakedness and she also groans (v. 8c-e). The uncleanliness of the remnant is then analyzed. It is in the skirt (v. 9a). The other problem is that she was presentistically hedonistic. “Let me eat and drink and enjoy myself because tomorrow I will die” (v. 9b) “she did not consider her future”. She has fallen astonishly and has no comforter (v. 9c-d). Babylon has stolen all the remnant’s precious things (v. 10a-b). She has seen the nations enter her sanctuary on earth (v. 10c). The bad nations were commanded not to enter into “Your congregation” (v. 10e). All the remnant people, seed and weed are hungry and seeking food and they have given precious things to buy the food (v. 11a-c). They are saying “see us Lord”; “do no-one passing by care for us?”; “is there any pain like my pain?” which the Lord inflicted on the Day of His anger (v. 12a-d). God sent a fire “in my bones” (v. 13a). It prevailed and a net was spread for the feet and He has turned him back and made him desolate so that the remnant faint all day long (v. 13c-f). The joke of the remnant’s transgressions is bound and by His hand they are knit together and come on the remnant’s neck (v. 14a-c). The Lord has made the remnant’s strength fail and has given them into the hands of Babylon (v. 14d-e). The Lord rejected all the strong men in the remnant’s midst and “He has called an appointed time against me” (that is at the appointed time, 586 BCE) the Lord send them as punishment for their sins into captivity by treading a wine press of His wrath (15e). It is not just a clinical action due to a set of socio-economic and political and military factors. It is because of these events that Jeremiah is weeping (v. 16a-b). There is no comforter for Jeremiah and one who can restore his soul (v. 16c). The children of the remnant are desolate (v. 16e). Zion [the remnant people] stretched out their hands and there is no one to comfort her (v. 17a-b). The Lord commanded “that the ones round about him [remnant] should be his adversaries” (v. 17c-d). For this reason Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them (v. 17e). Now Jeremiah describes the character of God. “The Lord is righteous” (v. 18a). It is not the Lord that is the problem, it is the remnant “for I have rebelled against His command” (v. 18b). Jeremiah then addresses and Investigative Judgment jury “Hear now, all peoples and behold my pain” (v. 18c-d). He announced the departure of virgins and young men (v. 18e) in captivity (v. 18f). The remnant weed called to their [deceptive] lovers, they deceived me (v. 19a). The priests and elders perished in the city (v. 19b). They do not have food and are running around seeking for food (v. 19c). Then Jeremiah, who was putting problems of the remnant on himself, pray to the Lord “see O Lord for I am in distress” (v. 20). Jeremiah’s spirit is troubled, his heart overturned, he was very rebellious [actually the remnant], the sword slayed in the street, and in the house it is like death (v. 20b-f). The enemy heard that Jeremiah was groaning, no one to comfort, about his calamity, “they are glad that You have done it” (v. 21a-d). Then Jeremiah prayed for the Eschaton “Oh, that you would bring the day which You have proclaimed” (v. 21e). It is the day of the Second Coming of Christ, the Day also after the 1000 years of the Lord when the Hell event will eradicate all evil “that they may become like me” (v. 21f). Jeremiah prays that all evil will appear before God for the executive judgment so that the Lord can deal with them also as God has dealt with His remnant for all her transgressions (v. 22b-c). His groans are many and his heart faint (v. 22d).

Dear God

You punish the faithful remnant in this life for their transgressions since You store up the final Executive Judgment for the eradication of evil. May we be corrected by Your mini punishments for our transgressions and escape the macro punishment of all Evil as history stops finally and eternity starts rolling. Amen

Koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Department of Liberal Arts Education

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia