Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, February 25, 2013 Read - Lamentations 1 We are going to leave Luke’s gospel for a few days to listen to the lament of God’s people as they experienced the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple at the hands of the Babylonians. That event happened in about 586 BC – six hundred years before the ministry of Jesus. It was not the only time Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed – we would do well to listen to the story of Antiochus Ephiphanes and the desecration of the Temple in 168BC – an event that is told in the book of 1 Maccabees and Josephus. We would also do well to read Josephus’ account of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans. Each of these stories helps us to feel the pain of rejection as Jerusalem is destroyed. Our OT provides us with a little known account of the first destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC so we’re going to listen to the five chapters of the book of Lamentations. Even the structure of the book of Lamentations speaks volumes. There are twenty-two verses in each chapter and each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in ascending order – from “A” to “Z”. We cannot get that effect in our English translation but knowing about it is helpful. The central, third chapter contains sixty-six verses with the same letter used three times in succession to add emphasis. Someone went to a great deal of trouble to create this book. And the theme is consistent – the destruction of Jerusalem is deeply lamented. There is not much more to say than to invite each one of us to slowly read and listen and let the impact of the words wash over us. And, then to think about the same destruction that was the destiny of Jerusalem following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. It is no wonder Jesus lamented over Jerusalem. He was in good company.