Lamentations 2:1-22 – God’s Anger

Read Lamentations 2:1-22

While the first lament was of a sorrowing widow, Jerusalem, the second poem comes from the perspective of God’s anger and the devastation it can wield. The author was consumed with sadness and fear. What was going to happen? Writing these words in his own anguish would help people never forget. Do you think that was the author’s intent in the moment?

Lamentations is a book to read in Hebrew, if you can, because some of these poems are acrostic. That means each of the 22 verses starts with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet. One thought as to why the author wrote the laments like that was to facilitate memorization. We, as well as the original audience, should never forget what God’s anger can do. Lamentations helps us remember.

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Nehemiah 8:13-18 – Festival of Shelters

Read Nehemiah 8:13-18

I appreciate when I can learn more about Jewish traditions and what the Law of Moses instructed the Jewish people to do. After all, these are the traditions that Jesus would have known and participated in. This feast or festival is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles and is still celebrated today for nine days sometime during the months of September or October. It is associated with the gratitude for the bounty and provisions of God.

Because the returnees were trying to do things “by the book,” literally, reviving this festival was one of those activities being renewed. Rather than “guess” at what God wanted, the leaders met to learn more by reading the law together. When we want to know how to act in a certain situation, our “go-to” should always be, “what does the Bible say,” or “what would Jesus do?”

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