Destruction’s Dirge
October 29 Lamentations 1:1-2:22
DESTRUCTION’S DIRGE
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone.” (Ella Wheeler Wilcox)
A DIRGE is a somber song or lament expressing mourning or grief, such as would be appropriate for a funeral. It often takes the form of a brief hymn filled with heartache.
The book of Lamentations has no named author but it is obvious to all scholars that it is a continuation of the book of Jeremiah written by “The Weeping Prophet”.
In this very short book, we see FIVE LAMENTS written by the man who was there before, during, and after the devastation. Lamentations is “the wailing wall” of the Bible.
What is not obvious to us is the way Lamentations was written in keeping with the style of poems that have symbolism attached to it. Chapters 1,2,4 of “Dirges” or “Laments” each has “an alphabetic acrostic”. This means that it is broken into twenty-two verses or stanzas that begin with the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in alphabetical order. Chapter 3 has sixty-six verses because, and chapter 5 also has twenty-two verses, but his emotion changed the poetry in that chapter.
This has meaning to those that know the Hebrew language.
Jeremiah was truly “weeping all alone” for many reasons…
It was said that Dwight L. Moody was the only man who really seemed to have the right to preach about hell because when he preached it there were tears in his voice.” (Dr. Birmingham)
Jeremiah could have had a haughty attitude and said, “Finally, they are getting what they deserve!” or “I told you so!” But, that was far from the situation that he found himself in…
Jeremiah was a young man called by God to complete an unthinkable, undoable, unsuccessful task.
In other words, he was "in over his head” before he ever “jumped in the water to swim against the current”.
For Forty long years, he preached of upcoming judgment and the need for repentance, and everyone including kings and religious leaders stood against him. They called him a traitor and a heretic. But, he wasn’t! He was a man preaching the full truth of the gospel. There is no peace without repentance.
False prophets preached this message back then just as they do on TV, radio, internet, and in pulpits today. Grace, Grace, just GRACE… This chapter blows that false teaching right out of the water…
Paul writes, “Be not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he reaps.” (Galatians 6:7)
Luke 6:46 says, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord Lord’ but not do what I say?”
This lack of true covenant obedience is a big problem now as it was back in Jeremiah’s day.
Jeremiah was a young man at the same time that King Josiah was a young king and it appears that they were friends. King Josiah did everything in his power to bring back all of the celebrations, temple teachings, and practices and to restore godliness to the people.
How sad it must have been for young Jeremiah to watch the downward descent of a nation that went further and further away from God while it came closer and closer to abominable practices in connection with idols.
They had been warned through every object lesson imaginable and Jeremiah had been the brunt of many of those object lessons. But now in Lament #1 in Lamentations 1:1 Jeremiah begins with the words, “Jerusalem, once so full of people, is now deserted.”
It is late 586 or early 585 and Jeremiah has literally witnessed the terror of the siege of Jerusalem. The Temple was plundered and people were starving to death. The streets ran red with blood and babies and children died in the arms of their parents. Around him was the stench of death, decay, and destruction.
They WOULD NOT LISTEN, and they’re not listening now… The streets are empty except for some of the poor that were left behind and the dead.
Lament or Dirge #1 tells of the PROVOCATION AGAINST GOD. The people had provoked a HOLY RIGHTEOUS God over and over again… They had Forty years under Jeremiah’s preaching to repent and be restored. But, they would not LISTEN.
Lament or Dirge #2 tells of the PUNISHMENT FROM GOD. Jeremiah doesn’t like any part of this at all. He knows that the people should have repented and how wrong they have been and still he questions God, “O LORD, think about this! Should you treat your own people this way?” (2:20)
Jeremiah’s own people were carried away into captivity, but Jeremiah remains in their ruin to weep until he can weep no more…Why would a Righteous God take his “hand of protection” away from HIS own people and allow this carnage?
“The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow; my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.” (1:18)
Even in the midst of Destruction’s Dirge, Jeremiah proclaims, “The LORD is RIGHTEOUS.”
“Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord.” (Lamentations 2:19)
