Lamentations 4
Dear RTB’ers,
Again, labels for each of the five chapters of Lamentations:
- Jerusalem’s Misery and Desolation
- The Lord’s Anger against His People
- Judah’s Complaint – and Basis for Consolation
- The Contrast between Zion’s Past and Present
- Judah’s Appeal for God’s Forgiveness
Today, the contrast between Zion’s past and present. John’s link from yesterday asked us to put ourselves into Jerusalem after the fall, to see, smell, feel the horrors of what had happened. That’s a good suggestion for today’s reading, especially the first half of the chapter. The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. (v. 10) Horrors upon horrors! It’s a very difficult read, if we truly visualize it.
Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. (v. 9) Possibly therein a message for us today, as millions of people around the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition? Again, let’s put ourselves into their stories.
A very difficult read today…
Blessings.
See also: August 6 (2023) / Lamentations 3:34-5:22.