The Lonely City

Lamentations 1

If you still remember Easter Sunday last week, we learned about hope and lamentation. We also read a quotation from Kathleen M. O’Connor, an author who reminded us that there is a deep connection between lamentation and true hope. It’s difficult to talk about hope without lamentation, just as it’s hard to talk about God’s forgiveness without human repentance. Lamentation precedes hope.

Our culture tends to suppress tears. Sometimes, we feel ashamed to cry because it shows vulnerability. However, we live in a fallen world—so what stops us from crying? The simplest thing we can do is to cry for ourselves. Yet as we grow, we should also learn to cry and pray for people out there.

When the worship leader invited us to intercede in prayer for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted in Nigeria, were we broken-hearted? It’s difficult to answer this honestly, isn’t it? Do we feel a deep resonance with them in the suffering of Christ?

One of the elements that unites the Church—but is rarely discussed—is suffering together with Christ. Are you united with our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of Christ? Or are you glorifying yourself? Be careful: glorifying yourself divides the body instead of uniting it.

In Lamentations 1, we see alternating speeches between the narrator and Jerusalem, who has been left behind. This invites us to go beyond simply reading a description or viewing a depiction of how Jerusalem felt, and instead enter into the experience—feeling the cries of Jerusalem itself. This approach brings greater resonance. For example, when we pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Nigeria, I believe it’s more powerful not only to describe the persecution but also to hear or read direct quotations from those who are suffering.

We are invited to place ourselves in their situation. And only after that, we can speak of true comfort from above. In Lamentations 1, Jerusalem is desolated, abandoned by ordinary people: “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow she has become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave.” The glorious days of Jerusalem have passed. Why did this happen? Because the day of the Lord had come.

What does the day of the Lord mean? If you read the Old Testament, the day of the Lord refers to the day of judgment. Sometimes, we bypass this understanding because in the New Testament the concept is transformed from a day of judgment into a day of salvation. We often jump straight to salvation, without reflecting on God’s judgment. But when Jesus died on the cross, it was both: the day of salvation and the day of judgment—because Jesus bore the judgment.

Lamentations is actually a collection of five songs. In these laments, we find the basic elements of communal lament. What are they?

First, in Christian lamentation—as we see in Lamentations 1:9 and 11—the lament is addressed to God: “O Lord, behold my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed.” This is a simple but important point. You and I may have cried before, but have we cried before the Lord? Some people cry to themselves, or in front of family or friends. But Christian lament must be directed toward God. There is a relationship present in lamenting before Him. Growth doesn’t come simply from experiencing bitterness or pain—it comes through a relationship with God in the midst of those experiences.

In verses 9 and 11, Jerusalem laments to God. At the same time, there is a depiction of calamity caused by enemies. Most people avoid talking about calamity because it’s painful. Yet for true communal lament, it’s important to speak about these difficulties honestly. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that God allows calamity because of our sins. But let us learn from Job: he received hardship and calamity as though it were from God (Job 2:10). If we are unwilling to accept difficulties, then we cannot grow.

The book of Lamentations tells us that God gave difficulty to His people because of their sins. Of course, we cannot generalize and say all difficulties are caused by sin, but we also can’t ignore the reality of human sinfulness.

A lawyer once gave a powerful testimony. He was imprisoned after handling a client’s case, even though he was not guilty. It wasn’t fair. But he said that in the past, he may have done wrong in God’s eyes, so he couldn’t say it was entirely unfair.

We shouldn’t focus only on whether we’ve done something wrong today that caused this disaster or suffering. Maybe we haven’t sinned recently—but what about years ago? That’s why we cannot claim that we don’t deserve suffering. We are not sinless.

Jerusalem lamented and confessed before God that their suffering and destruction came as a result of their own sins. This affirms Deuteronomistic theology, or as it’s commonly known in Indonesia, the law of sowing and reaping. In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27–28, we read of covenantal blessings and curses: obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings curses. Israel recognized that the disaster was self-inflicted. So what should they do? They should come before God, confess their sins, and ask for forgiveness. They didn’t blame others. They had received their punishment, but they courageously came back to God.

Some people become disappointed with God when suffering comes and refuse to come before Him. As a result, they lose their relationship with God. Suffering doesn’t make them grow—it makes them bitter. Remember, suffering by itself does not produce growth. Only a relationship with God can do that. What matters most is how we respond to Him.

The final basic element of communal lament is that Jerusalem asks God to judge their enemies as well. In verse 22, Jerusalem prays that God will deal with her enemies just as He has dealt with her. Why?

First, so that Israel, though fallen and abandoned, will not be mocked or ridiculed by her enemies.

Second, so that the day of the Lord may be fulfilled—because sin is not only found in Israel, but also in other nations.

Third, because Israel trusts in God’s promise: that judgment will also come to those nations that do not know Him.

What can we learn from the book of Lamentations? We learn how to deal with suffering and hardship. Jerusalem accepted the reasons for her suffering rather than complaining or blaming God. She accepted that it was self-inflicted. She didn’t question God’s righteousness.

God’s righteousness can be expressed not only in salvation, but also in punishment. A mature believer understands this and humbly confesses their sin. It’s heartbreaking to see people suffering who refuse to humble themselves before God. Instead, they blame others—the government, society, or people around them. But there will be no transformation until they come and confess before God.

As Christians, we have the good news of the gospel: when we confess our sins, God will forgive us. He is full of mercy and love. Those who are always defensive and unwilling to confess their sins are those who have not yet understood the compassionate heart of God.

Here’s a simple illustration: if we, as parents, lack compassion, our children will hesitate to confess to us—because they fear punishment. But God is not a merciless parent. The question is: do we believe that our God is compassionate and merciful? If we do, why is it so hard to confess? Even when we show our vulnerability, God responds with love. Isn’t His love enough for us? (G.N.S)