Among the prophecies of the Old Testament perhaps the least enjoyable in reading is that of Lamentations. And this for obvious reasons. It is the mourning of the prophet Jeremiah over the lost glory of Israel and the seeming abandonment by God of his people. This can make for some gloomy reading. The question naturally arises: why would this be inspired by God and put down in the canon of Holy Scriptures?

There is the first, and perhaps the most immediately recognizable answer, that it was given to us to show us the pain and separation from God that is brought about by our sin. But there is also a slightly less obvious reason that I believe is even more central to God’s plan revealed in this book. Lamentations was given to us to demonstrate God’s love for us in that he weeps over our sin and that he enters into solidarity with his people in their sufferings