1.     Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet as he was deeply compassionate for the rebellious people to whom God directed him to preach. He wrote not only the book named Jeremiah but also is believed to have authored the book following the book Jeremiah which is called _______________________.

2.     An example of the deep emotion Jeremiah felt for his contemporaries is given in Lamentations 2:11: Mine eyes do fail with __________, my bowels are _____________, my __________ is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people …

3.     Jeremiah (the weeping prophet) recorded the fact that he wept over the punishment God had to bring upon the Israelites: For these things I ___________; mine _________ runneth down with water … Lamentations 1:16

4.     Why did God bring destruction upon the people and the nation of Israel? … her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the _______________________ of her _____________________________: her children are gone into ____________ before the enemy. Lamentations 1:5 These crises are forewarned by Jeremiah in the preceding book, Jeremiah, especially in Chapters 7 and 9.

5.     Those who study both the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations can discern many connective themes between the two books. For example, Jeremiah 7:9-10 bespeaks of Israel’s blatant, open, and unashamed sins: Will ye __________, ______________, and commit ___________________, and ____________  ____________, and burn incense unto ________, and walk after other _________ whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my ____________, and say, We are delivered to do all these _____________________?

THE BIBLE HAS AN UNDERLYING
INVISIBLE STRUCTURE.

6.     Not only did Jeremiah write with deeply expressive emotions, but he was a skilled poet and structured the book of Lamentations to reflect characteristics of the Hebrew alphabet (the primary language in which the Old Testament was recorded and preserved).

There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet beginning with the Hebrew letter aleph א (English letter “A”) and ending with the Hebrew letter tav ת (English letter “T.”).

How many verses are in each of the chapters of Lamentations? Chapter 1 ______; Chapter 2 ______;    Chapter 3 _____; Chapter 4 _____; Chapter 5 _____.

7.     The entire book of Lamentations is structured as a poem. Chapters 1 through 4 are created as an alphabetic, acrostic poem. Each verse of chapters 1, 2, and 4 begin with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet starting with aleph and ending with tav.

With Chapter three, every two verses start with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet but follow the same acrostic pattern as Chapters one, two, and four. The alphabetic structure is not used in Chapter 5, but there are twenty-two verses.

There is an underlying supernatural structure of the Bible which few, if any, can fully discern. Only God with His creative “Hand” can know how every jot and tittle is so meticulously planned and carried out; and only through His chosen Holy men: For the prophecy [the Word of God] came ______ in old time by the will of man: but ________ men of God _________ as they were _____________ [directed to do so] by the Holy ____________. 2 Peter 1:21

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one ______ or one _________ shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18

8.     Unbelievable destruction befell Judah (Jerusalem). God, however, points to the failure of “church” leadership who partook in leading the people astray. Could that be happening today? However, the people are also held accountable for their individual sins: For the sins of her ­­­­_______________, and the iniquities of her _________, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. Lamentations 4:13

9.     Chapter 5, which has _______ verses, is not an alphabetic acrostic but is still poetic. Notice the repetitive dirge theme of torture, of calamity, of hopelessness:

5:10: Our skin was _________ like an oven because of the terrible _________________.

5:16: … woe unto us, that we have _______________!

10. However, the book of Lamentations ends with giving glory to God and turning to Him for help: Thou, O LORD, remainest ­­_______ ________; thy throne from ___________________ to generation. Lamentations 5:19

11. Hard times will come upon most of us at one time or another. We must examine our hearts to make sure we have not become a reprobate (a person who has turned against God by a repetitive lifestyle sin), and remember that it is He (not a political party, not a nation, not a charismatic leader) Who will deliver us: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my ____________, and I will not _________ what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6

12. Lamentations is not an easy book for most to delve into, but its message is so contemporary and vital for each of us to study, especially because the unbelievable hardships which came unto God’s chosen people are standing “off stage” ready to strike our nation. The “writing is on the wall,” but will we commit to repent; to share Biblical Truths with others? God can heal our land, but we must DO our part:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall _______________ themselves, and _________, and _________ my face, and __________ from their wicked ways; _______ will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

This Bible study is designed to prepare you to approach the upcoming article, Contemporary Lamentations, with better understanding. We pray that you will complete the Bible study, and even share it with others, before you read Contemporary Lamentations.

Please write if you have questions, prayer requests, or would like to be added to our free email teaching list. We are blessed when we hear from you: RestorationOfTheFamily@gmail.com; Restoration Of The Family, PO Box 621342, Oviedo, FL 32762-1342.

After you have STUDIED the above information, complete the puzzle below. An online version (with answers) is supplied by clicking this link: https://crossword-puzzles123.neocities.org/Lamentations_Rebellion’s%20Price.html

In Christ’s Service,