Shabbat Shalom everyone. Today we are going to begin the study of a new book, the book of Lamentations. In Hebrew is Eicha, and the Lord lay on my heart, somehow, as I was praying about the decision of which book to study together. Somehow, the Lord laid on my heart the importance of the study of the book of Lamentations, and the reason for that, of course, is because the book of Lamentations, or the book of Eicha, the book of Eicha, presents before us the heart of the man by the name of Yirmiyahu, Jeremiah, who had such a burden for the condition that existed among our people of old, the people of Israel, were the days where the days where God, in judgment, allowed the city of Jerusalem to be destroyed, allowed the temple of Jerusalem to be burnt, allowed the Jewish people to be taken captive, and to be taken to Babylon, and have allowed them to experience their consequence of their disobedience to the God of Israel.

And I would like always, as you know in our Bible teaching, to make by way of application, how does that apply to us today, who are believers, both Jewish and non-Jewish. We are part of the assembly, the ecclesia. We belong to the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. We have been saved by grace. God has brought us into this wonderful truth to be part of the body of Messiah. We have a hope to be with him one day in heaven. But also the condition of the church over the last 2,000 years of church history do not prove to be much better than the history of our people Israel over the years where they had such a privilege to be a chosen nation, a nation that God have blessed to be part and parcel of a relationship with him.

So today, I would like just simply to give us an introduction to the book of Eicha, Lamentations. And the first thing I want to do, of course, is to read one verse. So please turn with me to the book of Lamentations, to the book of Eicha. And I would like to read the first verse for this ministry meeting today as an introduction. So the book of Lamentations began like that. Jeremiah, Yirmiyahu says, "How does the city sit solitary that was full of people? How will she become as a widow, she that was great among the nations and princess among the provinces? How is she become tributary or a slave?" In Hebrew it is read, "Eicha yashva badad." "Ha'ir rabati am, rabati bagoyim, sarati bamdinot, ha'ita lemas." Jeremiah began this interesting book of Lamentations or interesting writing about his Lamentations, his concern for the people of Israel that have experienced destruction, desolation, and obviously a departure from the land that was promised to their forefathers.

Now again, if you just read the book of Lamentations and think about it from our present day age in which we live in, nearly 2,000 years since the Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah came from heaven, died on the Roman cross, was buried and was raised and went to heaven, send the Holy Spirit of God, build the body of Christ, the body of Mashiach, the body of Messiah. 2,000 years have passed by till we live today. And look at the condition of the body of Messiah, the body of Christ, these last days in which we live in today. So let me begin by way of introduction, reading another verse that is found in the New Testament in Romans chapter 15.

And to remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, that the New Testament writers also were teaching the early believers in various towns and cities, whether it is Rome, or whether it is Corinth, or whether it is Galatian, the area of Galatia and Asia Minor, or whether it is in Philippi, or Colossae, or Thessalonica, they were charging the believers in their local assemblies never to forget the history of Israel and to remember that the history of Israel is simply become for us believers today as a lesson, as an example in the life of all the people of God. And in Romans chapter 15, Shaul, Paul, wrote to the early believers.

Now remember, this is 2,000 years ago. This is not today, because the Brit HaChadasha, the New Covenant, was written 2,000 years ago by the early apostles. And Paul already then and there said to the believers at Rome, in Romans 15:4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope." Paul wrote to the brethren in the local assembly at Rome, and he said to them, "Whatever happened to Israel, our people in their history, is serving to be a lesson, a learning for us today, that we will learn from Israel's experience, and see where do we fit, or how do we conduct ourselves?

How does that apply to you and I, believers, who are part of the body of Messiah?" So let's think for a moment with me, beloved brothers and sisters, of the background of Israel. You know, we read in the Hebrew scripture that the Jewish people, our own nation was called the chosen people. Remember how God had chosen Abraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. And he brought Abraham all the way from Mesopotamia, and brought him to the promised land of Canaan. Abraham, of course, had a son by the name of Yitzchak. Yitzchak had a son by the name of Yaakov. Yaakov had 12 sons, the 12 tribes of the people of Israel.

And how wonderful God had blessed them, and promised them a blessing. He will make from Abraham a nation that will be a testimony to the world in which we live in today. And so our own nation, our own people of Israel, Jacob and his sons ended up going down to Mitzrayim, to Egypt. And there they were for many, many years in the land of Egypt. And after years that they were away from the promised land of Canaan, God had allowed our own nation, Israel, the Jewish people, the Hebrews, to come out of Egypt. And how did they come out of Egypt? He taught them a lesson.

You will take a lamb, you will kill the lamb, you will put the blood on the doorpost and the lintel. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. And behold, hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands, in fact it says 600,000 only male came out of the land of Egypt. Nearly 2 million Hebrews have left Mitzrayim, that is Egypt, and began their journey to the promised land. 40 years our own nation was in the wilderness, and in the wilderness God has taught them many, many lessons. And during the time when Israel, our own people were in the desert, they rebelled many times against the Lord.

The one who brought them out of Egypt. The one who loved them so much and was willing to bear with his own people whom he had chosen. And finally after about 40 years he brought them and he stood them before the promised land. And you remember how Israel was supposed to get into the promised land. In fact, all the older generation died. In fact, all the older generation died physically in the wilderness. They were under the blood, they came out of Egypt, but they died physically doing their journey because of their rebellion. But God allowed the new generation headed up by Yehoshua Binun and Kalev Ben-Yephune, he allowed them to enter into the promised land and to begin to conquer the promised land that God had promised to the people of Israel.

Well, you know, during the time of Yehoshua Binun, Joshua, the people of Israel, every tribe was supposed to take his possession and it didn't take too long when they were tired and maybe rebellious and disobedient and many of them did not possess all the land which God had intended to give to the people of Israel. They will possess it in the future day in the Messiah, the kingdom. But during those days they did not possess all the land. And because disobedience, they couldn't enjoy the promises that God had for them in the land like you and I, who God had promised us spiritual blessings in the heavenlies if we will submit to his authority.

But we fail many times in our life and no wonder many professing Christians or people who claim to belong to the Lord don't enjoy the things of God. And we also because we are not always submissive to the authority of the word of God. And yet God bore with them and graciously allowed them to be there in the land. And he raised among our own people of Israel the Shoftim, that is the judges. And when the judges were raised like a Samson or like Yiftach or like Dvorah that he had raised among the people of Israel, for a while they followed the leaders, the godly leaders.

But it didn't take too long when they rebelled and they turned away and God have allowed the Midianites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and all the nations around to cause our people to become servants for years to their enemies. And yet God never forsook the Jewish people. He always had in mind for them to be a blessing to the world. So once the judges ended, God raised the kings. And you know very well the first king was Shaul, Shaul HaMelech, Saul the king. But Saul the king didn't want to follow the Lord. The people's choice, head and shoulder above everyone. But yet he did not follow the Lord.

And God said to Shmuel, I will raise a man which is after mine own heart. And he raised a man by the name of David, Melech Israel. David, the king of Israel. Who was that beloved one that God had raised him. And he was the one that God wanted to lead the nation of Israel. And indeed, as long as David was right with God, he was a blessing to our own people, to the nation of Israel. But even David became what is known to be a bloody man. And God did not allow him to build a house for God. The temple in Jerusalem. And he did not allow him to build that house.

And he says, you are not going to build it but your very own son. Who is going to come out of your bowels. He will build a house unto my name. And so when David died. And he allowed his son Shlomo, Solomon to become the king of Israel. Shlomo, the king of Israel. When he was young. He was the one that was used by the God of our fathers to build the temple in the city of Jerusalem. Magnificent temple. There was no sight like this temple in the whole world. Nations after nations. Leaders came from the whole corners of the universe. To worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The God of Israel in the temple in the city of Jerusalem. The temple was the house of God. Where he dwelt in between the cherubim. The kruvim. Where God received the praises of Israel. As David says. Thou that inhabitants the praises of Israel. In the 22nd Psalm. And the nations of the world came there to worship the Lord. But you see. Even King Shlomo HaMelech. The King Solomon. Did not remain as he ought to have been. Faithful to the God of Israel. It didn't took too long time. Where he was attracted to the gods of the nations. He ended up getting married with 700 wives. And with 300 concubines.

And they took away his heart from the will of God. And King Solomon departed from the ways of the Lord. Later on we know as we read the book of Ecclesiastes. That he gave counsel to our own nation Israel. And he says. Remember thy creator in the day of thy youth. And sure enough beloved brothers and sisters. God said to Solomon. That he eventually will rend the kingdom from him. But it will not be in his days. It will be in the days of his son. And his son became the king of Israel. And when he became the king of Israel. In pride and in arrogance.

He thought that he will treat the people in the wrong way. And God rend the kingdom from him. And that's how we began the division. Of the kingdom of Israel into two kingdoms. The kingdom of Israel in the north. And the kingdom of Judah in the south. Two separate nations. Fighting against each other. Instead of enjoying themselves. Because of the God of Israel. They have ended up to fight with each other. And again beloved brothers and sisters. By way of application. The condition that exists today. Among the professing church of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. The friction. The lack of love and care and concern for the people of God.

The divided condition of the body of Christ in this day of age. In which we live in. The same even worse. Because we live in the days of grace today. While our people of old Israel were living during the days. The days that God had separated them from all the nations of the world. They didn't have what we have today. They didn't have the full canon of scripture. They didn't have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling every believer. They didn't have the Messiah's death, burial and resurrection. And all was in anticipation. Yet you see God had bore with them. And as that kingdom had been divided.

Then the two kingdoms did not continue in God's way. They went further and further and further from the ways of the Lord. Up to the time where God says that's it. And God, by the time we come to 2 Kings chapter 25. God came in judgment upon the people of Judah. As he came in judgment earlier about the people of Israel. And he scattered them. And he sent them into the diaspora. The dispersion as we understand it. Chapter 25 of 2 Kings. And it came to pass verse 1. In the ninth year of his reign. And in the tenth month. And in the tenth day of the month. That Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came.

He and all his hosts against Jerusalem. And he pitched against it. And they built forts against it round about. And the city was besieged. Unto the eleventh year of King Tzedakah. Now you notice it says here. That Nebuchadnezzar besieged. He made walls against Jerusalem. By armies and so on. We call it in Hebrew. Matzor. Did not allow anything to come in. Or come out. Until you might say. Almost choked the city of Jerusalem. Choked the Jewish people. Brought them to their wits end. And by the time you read. A little bit further down. In 2 Kings chapter 25. In verse 8. And in the fifth month. On the seventh day of the month.

Which is the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Came Nebuchadnezzar captain of the guard. A servant of the king of Babylon unto Jerusalem. And listen to this beloved brothers and sisters. And he burned the house of the Lord. And the king's house. And all the houses of Jerusalem. And every great man's house burned he with fire. Verse 10 and 11. And all the army of the Caladees. That were with the captain of the guard. Break down the walls of Jerusalem. Round about. And notice verse 11. And the rest of the people that were left in the city. And the fugitives. That fell away to the king of Babylon.

With the remnant of the multitude. Did Nebuchadnezzar done. The captain of the guard. Carried away. And here now. By the time that we arrive here. To 2nd king. Chapter 25. And verse 11. The city of Jerusalem was besieged. Later on. The wall was broken. The temple was burnt with fire. And the Jewish people are carried to the land. To the land of Babylon. And of course we can quote. As I have been quoting many times. Psalm 137. By the rivers of Babylon. There we sat down and we wept. As we remembered Zion. There in Babylon. They that took us captive. Said unto us. Sing unto us one of Zion's songs.

And the Jewish people. And the Jewish people. Who were there. By the rivers of Babylon. Says. How shall we sing the Lord's song. In a strange land. Sad. Condition. That happened to our own people. At about 586 BC. As we go back. And we look at this picture. Of the lamentations. We notice. Immediately. That in Hebrew. The name of the book. Is actually not lamentation. In Hebrew. We call it. Eicha. Eicha. Eicha. Simply means. How. In fact. The name of the book. Is how. How. Is it possible. That the chosen people. Of God. Find themselves. In such. A condition. A people. And a city. That was.

Favored. By God. How. Is it even. Possible. That this thing. Would happen. To the people. Of God. So. While. In Hebrew. The word. Is. In English. The word. Is. Lamentations. And how. Did we get. The word. Lamentations. Because. There's 70. Rabbis. Who. Translated. The. Hebrew. Scriptures. Into. Greek. At about. 250 years. B.C. It's called. The. Eicha. In the. Greek. From. The Hebrew. Eicha. To where. We get. The name. Lamentations. And. Why. Did they name. It. This way. It's. Because. Of. The content. Of. The book. The book. Contained. Lamentations. Or. We might. Call it. In another. Word. Is. Contained. Weeping. And. Sorrowing. And. An. Fair. For. The city.

And. The people. That have. Been. Taken. Away. From. The city. Of. Jerusalem. In fact. In the. Greek. It's called. Threinoi. The. T. H. R. E. I. N. O. I. Which. Simply. Mean. Lamentations. In plural. And. Lamentations. Simply. Mean. The cry. The lamentation. The whipping. Over. A situation. That happened. In the life. Of one person. Or a nation. And. That's how. In the English. We get the name. Lamentations. And. As we look. Now. In this picture. Here. You notice. Now. That in the Hebrew. Scripture. The Tanakh. In the order. Of the Hebrew. Scripture. The. Book of Lamentations. Is part. Of the writings. If you would open.

A Hebrew Bible. Today. In the Hebrew text. The order. The Torah. Genesis. Exodus. Leviticus. Numbers. Deuteronomy. The prophets. Beginning. From Joshua. All the way. To Malachi. But. When it comes. To the writings. Psalm. Proverbs. Job. Song of Solomon. Lamentations. Ecclesiastes. Esther. Daniel. Ezra. Nehemiah. And. Second Chronicles. In the. Old Testament. The Hebrew. Scripture. The book. The book. The writings. But in the English. Which you and I. Hold. Ourself. Today. The book. Of Lamentations. Is placed. Immediately. After the book. Of Jeremiah. After that. You have. Lamentation. And often. Time. When you open. Your Bible. You notice. It says. The Lamentations. Of Jeremiah. The English. Put it.

In the order. Is placed. When the. Hebrew. Was translated. Into the Greek. By the 70 rabbis. Who translated. Into Greek. For the benefit. Of the world. And therefore. This is placed. In the. Order. Of events. Rather. Than. The order. In which. It was originally. Placed. In the. Hebrew. Text. Now. Just. Bear with me. By way of introduction. Because it is very important. To. Introduce. The book. Before we even. Get. To the actual. Text. Itself. Now. There were. Three. Deportations. That happened. In the history. Of our people. Israel. In 605. B.C. Daniel. And his friends. Were carried. To Babylon. And some. Of the articles. That were taken.

By the Babylonian. Later on. In 597. B.C. Yehezkel. Ezekiel. Was carried away. Out of. The land. Of Israel. And finally. At 586. B.C. We read. Or we understand. That now. The whole city. Of Jerusalem. Was destroyed. The walls. Were broken down. The temple. Was burnt. With fire. And at that time. Jeremiah. Jeremiah. That is. Yirmiyahu. Was still. In the land. Of Israel. And he. Himself. Was one. Of the only ones. You might say. From the prophets. Of Israel. That was. Literally. There. To experience. The destruction. Of Israel. And if you look. At the first. Slide. That we have. Here. You can just. Imagine. There. The walls.

Are broken. Down. The people. Of Israel. Are being. Taken away. The temple. Is destroyed. And he. Is lamenting. The people. Are lamenting. And weeping. And if you look. At this. He's crying. To God. As he sees. The condition. That existing. There. In the city. Of Jerusalem. 586. B.C. It had been. Said. 20th. Of July. On the. Ninth. Of Av. The city. Of Jerusalem. Was burnt. With fire. I want you. To notice. Here. That in. The writings. There are. Five. Known. To be. In Hebrew. Megilot. Scrolls. It begins. With the song. Of Solomon. Ruth. Lamentation. Ecclesiastes. And Esther. These five. Scrolls. Each. One. Of these. Five.

Scrolls. Are. Read. Doing. A different. Season. In. Jewish. Worship. In the. Senagogues. Today. For example. The. First. One. The. Why. Because. The song. Of Solomon. Speak. About. The relationship. Between. Two. King. Solomon. And. Shulamit. Speaks. Of. Love. And. God. In. Love. And. Brought. The people. Of. Of. The land. Of. Egypt. And. Redeemed. Them. After. And. The book. Of. Ruth. Is. Usually. Being. Read. In. The. Senegogues. During. The feast. Of. Weeks. Pentecost. Why. Because. Pentecost. The feast. Of. Weeks. The gleaning. Was. There. And. They. Were. Bring. Everyone. Was. Gleaning. The. Moabitish. Woman. She. Gleaned. In. The. Doing. The feast. Of. Shavuot. The people. Of. Israel. Were.

Doing. All. That. Which. They. Have. Doing. The. Early. Days. Of. Pentecost. We. Jump. For. A moment. Over. Lamentation. And. The book. Of. Ecclesiastes. The book. Of. Ecclesiastes. Is. Usually. Read. The feast. Of. And. Why. Because. Ecclesiastes. Remind us. That. There. Will. Be. An. End. Remember. Your. Creator. In. The day. Of. You. You. Have. To. Make. Sure. That. You. Have. A. Relationship. With. God. And. The feast. Of. The. Seven. Feast. Of. The. Celebration. And. It. Speaks. About. The. We. Also. Notice. That. We. Have. The. Fifth. Megillah. Is. The book. Of. Esther. And. When. This. Esther. Is. Being. Usually. Read. During. The feast. Of. Esther. The whole.

Book. Of. Esther. The whole. Scroll. Of. The book. Of. Esther. Is. Esther. Why? Because. It. Because. It. Reminds. How. Supernaturally. God. Have. Delivered. Our. People. From. Haman. That. Wicked. Man. Who. Wanted. To. All. The Jews. And. Now. The hands. Of. God. Even. Though. The name. Of. God. Is. Not. Mentioned. In. The book. Of. Esther. Yet. The hand. Of. Who. Raised. Someone. Like. Esther. The queen. Mordechai. The Jew. Who. Is. The one. That. Told. To. Esther. Perhaps. You. Came. To. Such. A time. As. This. But. As. I. Mentioned. There. Is. The fifth. Scroll. The Lamentation. And. That. Book. Of. Lamentation. Which. We. Are. The. We. Call it.

Tisha. Be. Av. The. Ninth. Of. Av. In. The. Hebrew. Calendar. The. Temple. In. Jerusalem. Was. Burnt. With. Fire. By. The. Babylonian. And. Not. Only. This. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. Because. On. The. Ninth. Month. Of. Av. Which. Is. The. Ninth. Of. Av. The. Second. Temple. Was. Destroyed. By. The. Romans. In. Fact. In. Jewish. History. The. Rabbis. Look. At. The. Ninth. Of. Av. And. They. Record. Many. Autracities. That. Happened. To. The. People. Of. Av. On. The. Ninth. Day. Of. The. Ninth. Of. Av. Is. Not. A. Biblical. Holiday. That. Is. Found. In. Leviticus. Twenty. Three. One. Of. The. Month. Of. Of. The. Year. That. Is. Very. Similar. To.

The. Day. Of. Atonement. The. The. The. The. The. Temple. Had. Been. Destroyed. And. Now. The. Second. Temple. In. 70. A.D. Was. Destroyed. And. I. Wanted. To. Remind. You. That. It. Was. Yeshua. Jesus. Our. Messiah. Who. Said. In. Luke. Chapter. Twenty. One. He. Said. In. Verse. Twenty. They. Shall. Fall. By. The. Edge. Of. The. Sword. And. They. Shall. Be. Led. Away. Captive. Into. All. Nations. And. Listen. To. Them. Jerusalem. Shall. Be. Trodden. Down. By. The. Gentiles. Until. The. Times. Of. The. Gentiles. Be. Fulfilled. Luke. Twenty. One. And. Verse. Twenty. Twenty. Four. So. The. Times. Of. The. Gentiles. Began. In. Five. Eighty. Six. B.C. On. The.

Month. Of. Av. Where. The. Temple. Was. Destroyed. And. The. Jewish. People. Have. Been. Carried. Away. Into. Bavell. What. A. Sad. Sad. Condition. That. Existed. In. Those. Days. That. Brought. About. This. Man. By. The. Name. Of. Jeremiah. To. Lament. And. To. Write. These. Five. Poems. Of. Five. Songs. Of. Sorrow. Over. His. Own. People. Israel. The. City. Of. Yerushalayim. And. The. Temple. Of. God. That. Was. Burnt. With. Fire. In. Fact. I. Would. Like. To. Suggest. This. That. Had. We. Had. The. Condition. The. Spiritual. Condition. That. Jeremiah. Had. We. Would. Also. Lament. Over. The. Condition. Of. The. People. Of. God. Today. Who. Are. Divided. Who. Are. Scattered. Who.

Are. Broken. To. Pieces. Whom. The. Lord. Is. Outside. Knocking. On. The. Door. As. We. Read. In. Revelation. Chapter 3. In. The. Day. Of. The. Laodicean. Behold. I. Stand. At. The. Door. And. Knock. If. Any. Man. Hear. My. Voice. And. Will. Let. Me. Come. In. I. Will. Come. In. And. Sup. With. Him. And. He. With. Me. Because. The. Lord. Is. Outside. Knocking. On. The. Door. Desiring. To. Come. In. And. No. Wonder. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. We. Don't. Have. To. Blame. Anybody. We. Have. To. Look. At. Our. Very. Own. Heart. I. Remember. Days. Ago. When. I. Was. Younger. Believer. I. Remember. When. We. Used. To. Go. To. Meeting.

And. Had. Prayer. Meetings. Now. I'm. Speaking. About. Forty. Years. Ago. Where. The. Brethren. Were. Praying. And. Crying. Praying. And. Crying. Of. Family. That. Are. Unsafe. Souls. That. Are. Lost. Broken. Condition. Division. Among. The. People. Of. God. I. Remember. In. Some. Small. Way. And. Think. About. It. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. Had. We. Had. The. Heart. Of. The. Apostle. Paul. Shaul. Paul. Who. Was. So. Burdened. With. The. Condition. Of. The. Assemblies. Who. Said. To. The. Ephesians. I. Know. That. After. My. Departure. Grievous. Wolves. Will. Come. Will. Not. Spare. The. Flock. And. He. Says. I. Remember. That. For. Two. Years. With. Tears. I. Share. This. With. You. The.

Apostle. Paul. Said. This. To. The. Elders. Of. The. People. Of. Ephesus. He. Was. Broken. Before. The. Lord. Like. Yirmiyahu. Who. Was. Broken. Before. The. Lord. Over. The. Condition. Of. The. People. Of. God. But. Of. Course. Sadly. We. Are. Not. In. Such. A. Spiritual. State. And. Therefore. We. Carry. On. Oh. Yes. We. Are. Believers. We. Go. To. Heaven. Our. Ticket. Had. Been. Paid. For. We. Are. Saved. But. Our. Hearts. Is. Not. Stirred. Within. Us. In. A. Way. That. God. Has. Expect. From. Us. To. Heaven. You. Notice. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. As. We. Can. Study. The. Book. Of. Lamentation. Jeremiah. Was. Not. Pointing. The. Finger. At. Everybody.

Else. But. He. Was. Confessing. His. Sins. The. Sins. Of. His. People. Like. Ezra. Like. Nehemia. Like. Daniel. Who. Never. Only. Blame. Everybody. Else. All. Are. Wrong. And. For. You. Not. They. But. They. Include. Themselves. These. Are. The. Kind. Of. Men. And. Women. Of. God. That. We. Can. Learn. From. For. Whatsoever. Things. Were. Written. A. For. Time. They. Were. Written. For. Our. Learning. That. We. Will. Learn. From. That. And. Apply. It. To. Our. Hearts. So. We. Will. Be. Men. And. Women. Brothers. And. Sisters. Boys. And. Girls. In. Some. Small. Measure. Like. This. Man. Called. Yirmiyahu. And. So. We. Just. By. Way. Of. Introduction. I. Like. You.

To. Bear. With. Me. As. I'm. Giving. You. Some. Additional. Information. Turn. To. The. Book. Of. Jeremiah. For. A moment. Itself. Just. Before. Lamentation. We read the first verse. In Lamentation. Chapter 1. How. Does. The city. Sit. Solitary. That. Was. Full. Of. People. How. Is. She. Become. As. A. Widow. She. That. Was. Great. Among. The. Nations. And. Princess. Among. The. Provinces. How. Is. She. Become. Tributary. To. Become. A. Slave. Then. Notice. What. We. Read. In. Jeremiah. Chapter 1. About. The. Men. Jeremiah. Himself. First. Of. All. The. Name. Jeremiah. Comes. From. The. Hebrew. Word. Yirmiyahu. The. Hebrew. Word. Yirmiyahu. Yarem. Yahu. May. Jehovah. Be. Exalted. Or. Some. Suggest. That.

Jehovah. Will. Exalt. Us. He. Is. The. One. That. Is. Able. To. Larim. Leharim. Le. Romem. Legadel. To. Raise. And. To. Lift. Us. Up. Out. Of. The. Dust. And. The. Condition. That. We. Find. Ourself. In. In. Jeremiah. Chapter 1. In. Verse 1. 2. And. 3. We. Read. Of. Him. It. Says. The. Words. Of. Jeremiah. Or. Yirmiyahu. The. Son. Of. Chilkiah. Of. The. Priests. That. Were. In. Anathot. In. The. Land. Of. Binyamin. To. Whom. The. Word. Of. The. Lord. Came. In. The. Day. Of. Josiah. The. Son. Of. Ammon. King. Of. Judah. In. The. Thirteenth. Year. Of. His. Reign. It. Came. Also. In. The. Days. Of. Jehoiakim. The. Son. Of. Josiah. King.

Of. Judah. And. To. The. End. Of. The. Eleven. Years. Of. Zedekiah. The. Son. Of. Josiah. King. Of. Judah. And. Notice. At. The. End. Of. Verse. Three. And. To. The. Carrying. Away. Of. Jerusalem. Captive. In. The. Fifth. Month. Jeremiah. Was. Called. By. The. Lord. To. Be. A. Servant. And. A. Prophet. Among. Our. People. Of. Israel. And. He. Was. The. One. That. Was. Called. By. God. In. The. Days. Of. Josiah. Josiah. Was. A. Godly. King. Who. Was. Awakened. To. The. Fact. That. Israel. Have. Violated. The. Word. Of. God. And. He. Restored. The. Worship. Of. The. Lord. Josiah. Became. A. King. At. 627. B.C. So. Jeremiah. Was. Preaching.

To. The. People. Of. Israel. From. About. 627. B.C. All. The. Way. To. About. 586. B.C. Until. The. Carrying. Away. Of. The. Jewish. People. To. Babylon. If. You. Notice. It's. Nearly. 40. Years. Preaching. And. Prophesying. To. The. People. Of. Israel. Warning. Our. People. And. Saying. To. Them. Beware. Judgment. Of. God. Will. Come. Listen. To. The. Word. Of. The. Lord. Return. O. Israel. Back. To. Your. God. But. Israel. Did. Not. Listen. To. The. Words. Of. Jeremiah. And. As. We. Mention. Here. By. 586. B.C. The. Jewish. People. Were. Carried. Away. By. The. Babylonian. To. The. Land. Of. Babel. It. Is. Also. Interesting. To. Note. Here. That. Jeremiah. Father. Was.

A. Priest. You. Notice. Verse. One. The. Words. Of. Jeremiah. The. Son. Of. Chilkiah. Of. The. Priests. His. Father. Chilkiah. Was. A. Levite. A. Priest. And. Therefore. Yirmiyahu. Himself. Was. A. Priest. Also. He. Was. A. Priest. And. A. Prophet. At. The. Same. Time. And. Where. Did. They. Live. According. To. Verse. One. The. Priest. That. Was. Anatot. In. The. Land. Of. Benjamin. Anatot. Is. About. Five. Miles. North. Of. Jerusalem. Today. And. It. Was. A. Little. Place. Or. A. City. That. Was. Allotted. By. The. People. Of. Binyamin. To. The. Levitical. Priesthood. Every. Tribe. Because. The. Levites. Did. Not. Have. Any. Possession. In. The. Land. Of. Israel. So. Every.

Tribe. Was. To. Give. A. Little. Place. Or. A. Location. Where. The. Levites. The. Leviim. Could. Live. They. Didn't. Have. An. Inheritance. Here. In. This. World. Or. Even. In. The. Land. Of. Israel. They. Were. The. One. That. Were. The. Priests. They. Were. The. One. That. Was. Leading. The. People. Of. Israel. In. Their. Worship. And. They. Were. The. One. Who. Lived. In. Various. Towns. Of. The. Portion. Of. The. Land. That. Belong. To. The. Various. Tribes. Of. The. People. Of. Israel. And. So. Jeremiah. Prophesied. For. About. Forty. Years. To. Our. Jewish. People. From. The. Time. Of. Josiah. Until. The. Time. When. The. Jewish. People. Were. Carried. Away. To.

Babylon. And. Then. He. Himself. Eventually. Had. Been. Taken. According. To. Jeremiah. Chapter. Forty. Three. He. Was. Taken. To. The. Land. Of. Egypt. And. There. He. Stayed. For. A. While. When. The. Jewish. People. Were. Carried. Away. And. You. Can. Just. Imagine. As. He. Was. Carried. Away. He. Is. Looking. Back. And. He. See. The. Condition. Of. The. City. That. The. Temple. Is. Burned. The. Smoke. Is. Running. Above. The. Walls. Are. Broken. To. Pieces. And. The. Jewish. People. Are. Carried. Away. And. He. Began. To. Put. Down. In. Pen. These. Lamentations. One. Lamentation. After. Another. As. He. Lamenting. Over. The. Condition. Of. The. People. Of. Israel. Now. There. Are.

Some. Lessons. That. We. Have. To. Again. Look. Again. The. Name. Lamentation. In Hebrew. The word. Is. Eicha. Mean. How. How. Is. It. Possible. That. The. Condition. Are. Like. Dead. How. Is. It. Possible. That. The. City. That. Solitary. Now. That. Was. Full. Of. People. Look. What. Happened. To. This. City. Desolation. Carried. Away. The. Jewish. People. Away. He. Began. To. You. Might. Say. Sing. And. Lament. Over. The. People. Whom. He. Loved. So. Much. Now. There. Are. Certain. Lessons. That. We. Learn. As. We. Going. To. Study. This. Book. Together. And. I. Would. Like. To. Suggest. There. Are. Three. Lessons. That. We. Learn. From. The. Book. Of. Lamentation. The.

First. Lesson. That. I. Would. Like. To. Suggest. That. We. Learn. From. The. Book. Of. Eicha. Is. That. God. Will. Judge. Sin. God. Who. Is. Holy. He. Will. Punish. His. Own. People. And. We. Can. Be. Definitely. Assured. By. The. Word. Of. God. That. God. Will. Judge. His. Erring. People. Who. Rebel. against. Him. Never mind. The world. Outside. He. Will. Judge. The. Unbelieving. World. But. God. Will. Also. Discipline. His. Own. People. He. Loves. His. People. He. Chose. His. People. He. Brought. Them. Into. A. Relationship. With. Him. He. Brought. Them. Into. The. Land. That. He. Had. Promised. To. Abraham. Isaac. And. Jacob. Our. Forefathers. But. When. They. Will.

Rebel. Against. Him. He. Will. Definitely. Discipline. The. Very. People. Whom. He. Loves. So. Much. Let. Me. Remind. You. Of. A. Verse. That. Peter. Wrote. To. The. Assembly. To. Whom. He. Was. Sharing. The. Word. The. Early. Days. In. First. Peter. Chapter. Four. And. Verse. Seventeen. Simon. Peter. Said. To. The. Brothers. And. Sisters. In. Their. Locality. First. Peter. Chapter. Four. And. Verse. Seventeen. For. The. Time. Is. Come. The. Judgment. Must. Began. At. The. Of. God. And. If. First. It. Began. At. Us. What. Shall. Be. The. End. Of. Them. That. Obey. Not. The. Gospel. Of. God. God. Will. Discipline. His. People. And. You know. What. Brothers. And. Sisters.

It's. Very. Natural. You. And. I. Are. Parents. And. When. We. Have. Our. Own. Children. That. We. Love. Them. When. They. Are. At. Their. Age. Under. Responsibility. And. We. Are. Responsible. Over. Them. At. Time. We. Will. Discipline. Them. Does. That. Mean. That. We. Hate. Them. Not. At. All. Does. That. Mean. That. We. Want. Their. Evil. Or. Their. Bad. Not. At. All. Whom. The. Lord. Loves. He. Chasteness. And. He. Scourges. Every. Son. Whom. He. Receive. It. Was. Solomon. Who. Said. It. In. The. Book. Of. Proverbs. So. Disciplining. His. People. Is. Natural. For. God. He. Love. His. People. But. When. They. Turn. Away. From. Him. What. Do. You.

Think. He. Going. To. Do. He. Will. Have. To. Discipline. His. Own. People. Secondly. That. We. Learn. From. The. Book. Of. Lamentation. Is. That. There. Is. A. Consequence. To. Sin. The second. There. Is. A. Consequence. To. Sin. As. We. Find. It. For. Example. In. Galatians. Chapter. Six. And. I. Read. Now. Another. Verse. In. A. New. Testament. Galatians. Chapter. Six. And. Verse. Seven. We. Learn. God. Is. Not. Mocked. For. Whatsoever. Man. Sows. That. Shall. He. Also. Reap. There. Is. No. Doubt. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. That. We. Learn. From. Eicha. From. Lamentation. From. The. Songs. That. Jeremiah. Is. Singing. The. Mourning. The. Lament. The. Wailing. That. He. Wailed.

Here. That. Whatsoever. Man. Sows. He. Will. Eventually. Will. Have. To. Reap. That. Speaks. To. Our. Heart. Because. At. Times. We. Too. Neglect. To. Realize. The. Seriousness. Of. Being. In. Relationship. To. Yeshua. Jesus. The. Messiah. And. Therefore. We. Have. The. Responsibility. Like. Israel. So. The. Body. Of. Messiah. Have. The. Responsibility. To. Bear. Whatsoever. We. Saw. We. Will. Reap. Third. Reason. The. Third. Lesson. That. We. Learn. Here. Is. Very. Important. As. Well. Not. Only. That. God. Will. Judge. Sin. Not. Only. That. The. Consequence. Of. Sins. Will. Bring. Results. For. Ourselves. Like. It. Happened. To. Our. People. Israel. But. Also. What. Kind. Of. An. Attitude. We. Have. When.

God's. People. Are. Going. Through. Experiences. Of. Sufferings. And. So. How. Do. I. How. Do. You. How. Do. Jeremiah. Yirmiyahu. Behave. What. Did. Did. He. Think. When. He. Saw. The. Suffering. Of. His. Own. People. Did. He. Say. To. Them. I. Told. You. So. And. You. Are. So. Here. As. You. Deserve. And. You. Get. That. And. I. Am. So. Happy. That. You. Are. Going. Through. These. Problems. And. These. Trials. No. That. Was. Not. With. God's. Ways. But. No. Jeremiah. Was. So. Painful. When. He. Have. Seen. The. Condition. Of. The. People. Of. Israel. We. Read. In. Lamentation. Chapter. One. And. Verse. Fifteen. B. And. Verse. Sixteen. We. Read.

Here. The. Lord. Has. Troden. Down. The. Virgin. The. Daughter. Of. Judah. As. A. Wine. Press. And. Then. Verse. Sixteen. For. These. Things. I. Weep. He. Says. Mine. Eyes. And. My. Eye. Runneth. Down. With. Water. That's. What. Jeremiah's. Attitude. Towards. The. Condition. Of. The. People. Of. Israel. He. Didn't. Point. At. The. Wrong. He. Didn't. Say. I. Told. You. So. And. You. Should. Have. That. And. You. Should. There. Jeremiah. Set. You. Might. Say. On. The. Ground. And. Wept. And. Pray. To. The. Lord. On. Behalf. Of. The. People. Of. Israel. This. Is. Something. That. We. Should. Emulate. That. We. Should. Seek. The. Lord. To. Help. Us. Not. To.

Be. Happy. When. Someone. Suffer. Not. To. Be. Satisfied. When. Even. Someone. Who. Wronged. Us. Experiencing. Some. Problems. In. His. Or. Her. Life. But. The. Opposite. We. Should. Have. An. Add. To. The. Jeremiah. Head. As. He. Said. My. Eye. Run. Is. Down. With. Water. I. Am. Weeping. For. The. People. Of. God. Because. I. Want. Them. To. Be. Blessed. And. I. Not. Happy. When. They. Are. Going. Through. These. Sad. Experiences. So. What. Lessons. To. Learn. I. Want. To. Notice. Now. In. The. Next. Slides. That. We. Have. Here. In. The. Division. Of. The. Book. Of. Lamentation. This. Is. Very. Interesting. And. I. Just. Want. To. Suggest. To. You.

Today. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. That. In. The. Book. Of. Lamentation. We. Really. Have. Five. Songs. Of. Sorrow. Five. Songs. Of. The. Experience. Of. The. Soul. In. Sorrowing. Over. The. People. Of. God. The. People. Of. Israel. And. The. City. Of. Jerusalem. In. Fact. If. We. Will. Look. At. The. Outline. And. Here. We. Can. See. This. This. Very. Interesting. Outline. In. Chapter. One. We. See. The. Lonely. Groaning. In. Chapter. Two. We. See. The. Angry. Exhorting. In. Chapter. Three. We. See. The. Broken. And. Weeping. In. Chapter. Four. We. Have. The. Desperate. Anguish. And. In. Chapter. Five. We. Have. The. Pleading. Wierly. Pleading. For. God. That. He. Will. Restore.

The. People. Of. Israel. Let me. Give. You. Another. Way. Of. Reading. Those. Five. Songs. Of. Sorrow. Chapter. One. Verses. One. To. Twenty. Two. There. Jeremiah. Sorrow. Over. The. Destruction. Of. Jerusalem. Chapter. Two. Verses. One. To. Twenty. Two. There. There. Is. Jeremiah. Sorrow. Over. The. Anger. Of. God. Against. The. City. Of. Jerusalem. Chapter. Three. Verses. One. To. Sixty. Six. We. See. Jeremiah. Sorrow. And. Prayer. For. Mercy. For. The. City. Of. Jerusalem. Chapter. Four. And. Verses. One. To. Twenty. Two. We. See. Jeremiah. Sorrow. Over. The. Siege. Of. The. City. Of. Jerusalem. And. Number. Five. Chapter. Five. Verses. One. To. Twenty. Two. We. See. Jeremiah. Prayer. For. The.

Restoration. Of. The. City. Of. Jerusalem. And. The. Jewish. People. His. Own. Brethren. This. Is. When. It. Comes. To. The. Divided. Or. To. The. Outline. Of. The. Book. Of. Lamentation. Now. We. Going. To. Go. To. Another. Chart. Now. And. This. Is. Also. Extremely. Interesting. The. Book. Lamentation. Is. Divided. Into. Five. Sections. Five. Chapters. And. In. Every. One. Of. These. Five. Chapters. You. Have. The. 22. Hebrew. Alphabet. That. We. Find. In. In. The. Hebrew. Scripture. Or. In. The. Hebrew. Language. Let me. Just. Give. It. To. You. Aleph. Bet. Gimel. Dalet. He. Vav. Zain. Chet. Tet. Yud. Kaf. Lamed. Mem. Nun. Samech. Ein. Pei. Tzadi. Kuf. Reish. Shin. Tav.

22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet and interesting enough is that those 22 letters have a numerical correspondence in other words every letter corresponds to a number and that's why many times you find out that those who learn the Hebrew and teach the Hebrew oftentimes use the numerical value of every letter. For example, Aleph, the first letter, is one. The value of that, the numerical value of Aleph is one. And of course, you have Bet, Stein, two, Gimel, three, Dalet, four, Hei, five, Vav, six, Zain, seven, Chet, eight, Tet, nine, and Yod. This is the smallest letter. You remember what the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, said, not one jot or not one tittle.

It's come from the Hebrew word Yod. In other words, nothing will be taken away from the word of God, even though the smallest letter, this is the Yod, the numerical value is 10. In other words, you can see that every letter has a number. The moment that you get to number 10, then you don't count 11 or 12 and 13. Then you go by 10, 20, Kaf is 20, Lamed is 30, Mem is 40, Nun is 50, Samech is 60, Ayn is 70, Pe is 80, Tzadi is 90, and Kuf is 100. So, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and then 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. And by the time that you get to the last letter, it goes by hundreds. Kuf, the last letter, it's 100. Resh is 200. Shin is 300. And Tav is 400.

The letters equivalent to a number in the Hebrew language. Now, what is interesting here, that every one of these Hebrew letters, you have included in those five songs of sorrow. But even more, that is very interesting, that most of these five sorrowful songs, the Hebrew alphabet is acrostic. In other words, in Jeremiah chapter 1, there are 22 verses. Every verse began with a different letter. Verse 1, with Aleph. Verse 2, with Bet. Verse 3, with Gimel. Verse 4, with Dalet, and so on, and so on. The divisions of the chapter. That's why, beloved brothers and sisters, you notice that there are five chapters. Chapter 1 has 22 verses. Chapter 2 has 22 verses. Chapter 3 have three times 22, 66 verses.

Chapter 4, back to 22, chapter 4, back to 22, and chapter 5, 22 letters. The first four chapters of the book of Lamentation, the verses go acrostically, in order. Chapter 1, verse 1, Aleph. Chapter 2, verse 2, Bet. And so on. And you notice that in the third chapter, where you have 66 verses, there you have every three verses, began with the same letter. Aleph, the first three letters, the three verses. Bet, the second three verses. Gimel, the third three verses. Very, very interesting as we study the book of Lamentation. Now, just to mention another thing, that only chapter 5, which has all the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, yet, in this chapter, the order is not acrostic.

It's not following one after the other in the very same order, for one reason or another, which only really the Lord knows, and those that pen for us the book of Lamentation, Jeremiah, and the Spirit of God who guided him. Now, this is not the only book of the Bible. For example, the book of the Hebrew Scripture that is acrostic and numerical in such a way. For example, the longest psalm, Tehillim, Mizmor, Ledavid. The longest psalm, this is Psalm 119, it's divided into 22 sections. And every eight verses began with a different letter. The first eight verses, all of them began with the Hebrew letter Aleph. The second eight verses, all of these second eight verses began with the Hebrew letter Bet.

Then you have Gimel and Dalet, all the way to the end. And you know what also is extremely interesting? That if you know in the book of Proverbs, the virtuous woman, those of you sisters that are here who love the Lord and want to be a blessing to her husband and to the people of God, you read the Proverbs chapter 31 from verse 10 on. You will notice that the virtuous woman, the 22 verses that I mentioned there, are acrostic. Aleph, Bet, Gimel, Dalet, Hei, Vav, Zain, and so on, all the way to the end, to Tav. All of them are going acrostically, 22 verses. So immediately, one might ask the question, why is it so that these verses or these passages give us an acrostic?

The whole 22 Hebrew letters of the Hebrew language, why is it all inclusive and why they are going in such an order? Just as a suggestion to think about is when God is working about among His people, He will do a thorough work from the beginning to the end. He will not stop. He will continue on to work in the life of His people. And when He come in the days of Yirmiyahu, Jeremiah, when He took our own people Israel to Bavell in discipline, He will look forward for a time of restoration. He will judge, He will punish, but He will ultimately restore in order that His own people will come to enjoy the presence of the Lord.

Same thing in our life, you know, we often time read Romans 8 and verse 28, For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. He knows why He allows you and I to go through trials and tribulations and difficulties in our life. Because He that began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. One day we are going to be with our blessed Lord and He is going eventually to show us that which He worked about in our life and will bring us eventually to a final time to be with Him.

Now the final word that I want to mention about this introduction, there is a theme, of course, to this book, to these five sorrowful songs that Jeremiah sang out of lamentation for His people. And the theme, really, in this book is found here in these verses of this chapter 1 and chapter 3. And I want to mention, the first thing that we learn here that the theme is the lamentation over the destruction of Jerusalem. He is lamenting over the destruction of Jerusalem. And that's why He says in verse 12, He says, Is it nothing to you, all that pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord has afflicted me in the days of His fierce anger.

This verse is extremely interesting. It is, of course, in the context, it speaks about Jerusalem, the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem that had been destroyed and the Jewish people had been carried away. But isn't it amazing when you think about how much Jerusalem is linked with the Lord Jesus the Messiah? You remember what the Lord Jesus the Messiah said in the Garden of Gethsemane? He said, I have a sorrow. There is no sorrow like unto my sorrows. The Lord Jesus the Messiah in the Garden of Gethsemane anticipated His sufferings on the tree. And He was sorrowful even unto death. And you remember when He cried to the Father's Father, If it's possible, take this cup away from me.

That cup was the cup of God's righteous indignation against our own sin. And God was going to lay upon Him, upon Yeshua, the Messiah, all the sin and sins of this world. And He was so sorrowful. And you remember His sweat was of the gray drops of blood falling down to the ground. And yet He had to go and take this cup. When He went to the cross, He says earlier, Father, not my will, but Thine be done. And He went indeed to the tree, to the cross, and He suffered for the sin of this world. But there is a link. There is a link between Jerusalem's suffering and sorrow, the people of God.

And a Messiah who is depicted here, who can say like Jeremiah and Jerusalem say, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord has afflicted me in the days of His fierce anger. Jerusalem was guilty and deserved to be afflicted. But Yeshua, the Messiah, was not guilty. The righteous anger of God fell upon Him, not for His own sins, but for yours and for mine. For the sin of the whole world. And He wants us to kind of look at Him by faith. And says, It is nothing to you, all ye that pass by.

Do you realize what I have experienced with God judged me for your sins, for our sins? Do you meditate upon that? Do you think that we can forget what the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, had to experience in His life when He died for us on the tree? And of course the answer, we need to meditate upon the sufferings of the Messiah that He had experienced on our behalf as Jeremiah was pointing here to the sufferings of the city of Yerushalayim, who suffered the judgment of God. But this is not the end because in Lamentation from chapter 3, and this is the last verse I'm reading today.

In Lamentation from chapter 3 in verse 22, we learn that the theme as well is the mercy of God. And the compassion of God and the faithfulness of God that is never changes. As we read here, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion faileth not. They are new every morning, Jeremiah is saying, and he says, great is thy faithfulness. Yermiah looked forward for the day of restoration of the Jewish people and the people of Israel back to the promised land in the Messianic kingdom. And he says, we are really sustained because of the mercies of the Lord and because of His compassion which faileth not.

And think of us, beloved brothers and sisters, who are part of the assembly. If it wouldn't be the Lord's compassion and mercy, we will be consumed as well. So we thank the Lord for His compassion. We thank the Lord for His restoration. He will work it out in our life as He will work it out in the life of the people of Israel.