The Lonely Widow Laments

Rev. Shawn Linnell, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 1:1-11.

The book of Lamentations finds its context in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem. Traditionally, the prophet Jeremiah has been considered the author of the book, which clearly comes from eyewitness experiences. The book contains five poems, arranged not chronologically but theologically. The third poem is the center, in which the mercy of God is recognized even in the midst of the destruction of Jerusalem and the wrath of God. In the first poem, the loneliness and sadness are overwhelming. This is not only the mourning of the people over their own destruction, but the LORD’s mourning for His beloved people. They have received His wrath and punishment over their sins, yet thankfully, their repentance has begun.

“Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they acknowledge God’s just wrath against them, confess their iniquity, and plead for His deliverance. In this way, the book of Lamentations teaches us to pray in repentance and faith so that we would see Christ as the One who has taken the wrath of God on Himself in our place to deliver us by His death and resurrection.