Overview Article
Most of us have not experienced the death of our nation, and we know little of the agony of utter despair; but others in our world have experienced total devastation as their cities or nations have been destroyed by wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, or hurricanes. Reading the book of Lamentations can give us a point of entry into their experiences. It can help us to face the darkest aspects of human existence.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 3
Places 8
Key Terms 41
Themes
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Famine 2 Famine happened early in the lives of the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac ( Genesis 12:10 ; 26:1 ). When the patriarch Jacob’s family experienced famine, God had already placed his son Joseph in Egypt to help God's peopl... Prayers for Vengeance 2 Vengeance is punishment inflicted in return for a wrong suffered. It is the act of causing harm to someone as a response to harm they have caused. The writers of the psalms (called psalmists) sometimes asked God to pu... Celebration 1 God welcomes happy expressions of joy and delight from those who worship and praise him ( Isaiah 30:29 ; Jeremiah 30:19 ; 31:13 ; Zephaniah 3:17 ; Ephesians 5:19 ; Colossians 3:16 ). King David tried two times to brin... Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility 1 The Bible shows that everything is under God's control. In other words, God is sovereign over everything. For example, rain falls on both good and bad people as part of God's plan ( Matthew 5:45 ). God is not responsi... God’s Anger 1 God is just and righteous in his judgment ( Psalm 7:11 ). He responds with righteous anger toward sin and injustice. God's anger is not like human anger. It is not an emotional outburst or loss of control. It is his p... God’s Faithfulness to His People 1 God made a special agreement (called a covenant) with the people of Israel. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28:1–68 ). Many years later, after King Solomon dedicated th... God’s Justice 1 God is just ( Psalm 9:7–8 ). He hates sin and fairly rewards people and nations based on what they do ( Psalm 67:4 ; Isaiah 1:27 ; Jeremiah 46:28 ; Joel 3:1–8 ; Acts 17:31 ). God has complete control over the natural... Retribution 1 God gave humans the task of having children and taking care of the world ( Genesis 1:28 ). Yet, as the population increased, so did spiritual evil, violence, and murder ( 4:8 , 23 ; 6:5 , 11–13 ). This led to a corrup... Zion 1 Zion is the Hebrew name for the mountain in Jerusalem where the temple was located ( 2 Samuel 5:7 ; see also 2 Chronicles 3:1 ). Over time, people began using the name Zion to refer to all of Jerusalem. Zion can refer...