Does sin carry a high cost? Does God hold leaders accountable? Should enemies gloat? Let’s look at the acrostic poem in lamentations 4.
Was Zion once valued like gold, but because of her sins, now like mere pottery?
[Alef א] How tarnished the gold has become, the finest gold debased! Sacred stones have been scattered at every street corner.
[Bet ב] Though the precious people of Zion were like fine gold, how they are valued like clay vessels, the handiwork of a potter! (Lam 4:1-2 ISV)
Was starvation so bad under a Babylonian siege that even nursing babies suffered?
[Gimel ג] Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
[Dalet ד] The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. (Lam 4:3-4 KJV)
Were even the rich suffering? Were Jerusalem’s sins greater than Sodom’s?
[He ה] Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in crimson Embrace ash pits.
[Vav ו] So the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands whirled toward her. (Lam 4:5-6 LSB)
Did Jerusalem’s leaders, once like precious jewels, become like soot?
[Zayin ז] Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They shined more than milk; They were more ruddy in body than pearls of coral, Their form was like lapis lazuli [sapphire].
[Het ח] Their appearance is darker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is dry, it has become like wood. (Lam 4:7-8 NASB)
Would a quick death have been better than starvation and cannibalism?
[Tet ט] Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.
[Yod י] With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed. (Lam 4:9-10 NIV)
Were foreign kings astonished that Jerusalem was invaded?
[Kaf ך] The Lord has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations.
[Lamed ל] The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem— (Lam 4:11-12 NKJV)
Did God place blame on religious leaders? Were dead bodies and blood everywhere?
[Mem ם] Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the sins of her priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood.
[Nun נ] They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared touch them. (Lam 4:13-14 NLT)
Did people tell those who touched the blood to go away? Were priests and elders disrespected?
[Samekh ס] “Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They can’t live here any more.”
[Ayin ע] Yahweh’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favor the elders. (Lam 4:15-16 WEB)
Did they look to Egypt for help in vain, and their end came anyway?
[Pe פ] Our eyes continually failed, looking for some help, but for nothing. From our watchtower we watched for a nation that doesn’t save.
[Tzadi צ] Our steps were tracked; we could no longer walk in our streets. Our end had drawn near; our days were done—our end had definitely come. (Lam 4:17-18 CEB)
Did the Babylonians pursue anyone who tried to escape Jerusalem, including Zedekiah?
[Qof ק] They swooped down faster than eagles from the sky. They hunted for us in the hills and set traps to catch us out in the desert.
[Resh ר] The Lord's chosen leader was our hope for survival! We thought he would keep us safe somewhere among the nations, but even he was caught in one of their traps. (Lam 4:19-20 CEV)
Did Edom gloat over Zion’s punishment, then learn that they too would be punished?
[Shin ש] Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.
[Tav ת] The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; he will keep you in exile no longer; but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins. (Lam 4:21-22 ESV)
For rejecting God and later for crucifying Jesus, was Jerusalem like Capernaum punished much longer than the quick destruction of Sodom?
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” (Mat 11:23-24 HCSB)
Does sin carry a high cost? Does God hold leaders accountable? Should enemies gloat? You decide!
