Jeremiah Mourns for Jerusalem—Lamentations 1:1–22
Topics: Abandon, Despair, Enemies, God, Help, Judgment, Mourning, People, Punishment, Rebellion, Righteousness, Sin, Society, Sorrow
Open It
1. How do you handle rejection?
2. *What city would you least like to visit? Why?
3. What do you do when you know you need help?
Explore It
1. *How did the writer describe the city? (1:1–2)
2. What happened to Judah? (1:3)
3. What did the empty roads to Zion depict? (1:4–6)
4. What did Jerusalem recall? (1:7)
5. *How had the city become ruined? (1:8–11)
6. Who punished Jerusalem? (1:12)
7. How had the daughter of Judah suffered? (1:13–16)
8. Why were Zion’s pleas for help ignored? (1:17–19)
9. *What price did Zion pay for her rebellion? (1:18–19)
10. How did devastated Jerusalem describe her condition? (1:20–22)
11. What was Zion’s prayer for her enemies? (1:21–22)
Get It
1. What do you consider to be the worst change in your community during the past year?
2. *From your point of view, how much leadership, respect, and authority is given to God by our nation?
3. How do you think God deals with the sins of our society?
4. *If God were to lament publicly over our society, what do you think He would say?
5. What social sins most trouble you?
6. How has suffering and humiliation moved you to action?
7. When have you felt ignored by God?
8. When have you felt in desperate need of God’s help?
9. What do you need to safeguard most in your relationship with God?
Apply It
1. *When could you spend five minutes every day this week praying for the needs of a big city?
2. What action can you take to challenge a sinful social policy or practice in your community?
God’s Anger at Sin—Lamentations 2:1–22
Topics: Anger, Children, Death, Despair, Enemies, God, Leadership, Mourning, People, Prayer, Prophecy, Shame, Sin, Sorrow, Suffering, War
Open It
1. If a close friend turned against you, what would you do?
2. How do you respond to graphic scenes of starving children?
3. *When have you had to plead on behalf of something or someone?
Explore It
1. What did the Lord do to the Daughter of Zion? (2:1–2)
2. What happened to Judah’s strength and power? (2:3)
3. What had the Lord become like to the Israelites? (2:4–5)
4. In His anger, what did the Lord allow to happen? (2:6–7)
5. What became of the city? (2:8–9)
6. How did the destruction of the city affect the elders and young women? (2:10)
7. *How did the author respond to the harrowing scenes of destruction? (2:11)
8. What happened to the children because of the consequences of war? (2:11–12)
9. *How deep was the trouble that had overtaken God’s people? (2:13)
10. How had the false prophets misled the people? (2:14)
11. How did Israel’s enemies respond to her ruin? (2:15–16)
12. What was the fearless message of the true prophets? (2:17)
13. *What was the suffering city told to do? (2:18–22)
Get It
1. When have you felt the Lord’s silence or anger against you?
2. How do you respond when you are treated harshly by those closest to you?
3. *God’s people had sinned and He punished them for it; how does God deal with our sin today?
4. Why do you think God allows suffering?
5. What popular false teachings are set forth today by religious leaders?
6. In what ways have Christians today become complacent about sin?
7. How should Christians respond to the horrors of famine?
8. *What does it mean to you to cry to the Lord from the depths of your heart?
Apply It
1. What can you give to help provide food for a hungry child?
2. *When can you spend some time in prayer for an individual or group of people going through intense suffering?
Hope in the Midst of Affliction—Lamentations 3:1–66
Topics: Anger, Compassion, Enemies, Faithfulness, God, Hope, Judgment, Justice, Love, Mercy, People, Perseverance, Prayer, Punishment, Repentance, Suffering
Open It
1. If you were to portray pain and suffering through poetry, music, or painting, which one medium would you choose? Why?
2. *What gives you hope when you are troubled?
Explore It
1. How did the writer identify with the sufferings of the people of Judah? (3:1–18)
2. To whom were the sufferings of the people directly attributed? (3:1–18)
3. *What did the poet recall? (3:19–21)
4. *In the middle of lamenting the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, what profound assurance did the writer express? (3:22–24)
5. What virtues were affirmed by the author? (3:25–27)
6. *How was God’s mercy revealed in suffering? (3:28–33)
7. What was intolerable to the Lord? (3:34–36)
8. How did the writer describe the nature of God’s knowledge? (3:37–38)
9. What did the writer say about sin and suffering? (3:39)
10. In identifying with God’s people, what did the poet urge them to do? (3:40–42)
11. How did the writer describe the sorrows of sin? (3:43–54)
12. What was the prayer of the penitent sinner? (3:55–66)
13. How did the prayer include both comfort and cursing? (3:55–66)
Get It
1. What valuable lessons have you learned through personal suffering?
2. How have you been affected by God’s hand of discipline?
3. What do you know about the mercies of God in the middle of difficulty?
4. *Why does relying on God give you hope?
5. *What message of hope can we offer to people who are in despair?
6. If the author of Lamentations wrote a letter to your congregation, what specific call to repentance would be given?
Apply It
1. *To whom could you write a supportive letter (or make a phone call) to provide a word of encouragement and hope?
2. When can you spend some time in prayer to thank the Lord for His faithfulness and acts of mercy in your life?
God’s Anger Is Satisfied—Lamentations 4:1–22
Topics: Anger, Children, Consequences, Enemies, Future, God, Hope, Leadership, People, Punishment, Sin, Suffering
Open It
1. What once-treasured possession of yours has lost its value and significance over the years?
2. *If you could restore something important from history that is now in ruins, what would you want restored? Why?
Explore It
1. What was scattered throughout the streets? (4:1)
2. *What contrasts did the writer make between Jerusalem in her glory and Jerusalem in her shame? (4:1–12)
3. How did the children fare in the siege of Jerusalem? (4:2–4)
4. What happened to the wealthy? (4:5)
5. How did Zion’s punishment compare with that of Sodom? (4:6)
6. How were the arrogant and self-confident brought down? (4:7–12)
7. *What were the reasons for the siege? (4:13–20)
8. How were the prophets and priests punished? (4:14–16)
9. Why were the people disappointed in their ally? (4:17)
10. What was Judah powerless to avert? (4:18–20)
11. What did the future hold for Edom? (4:21)
12. *What was Zion’s hope? (4:22)
Get It
1. *What have you lost that was once precious to you?
2. *How would you compare your walk with the Lord today to your spiritual life five years ago?
3. What role does godly discipline play in the life of your church?
4. In what ways do we disregard the consequences of sin?
5. Who are some of today’s false prophets?
6. What false securities have kept you from relying on the Lord?
7. How would you describe your hunger for God?
8. How is the Lord a hope and comfort to you in times of trouble?
Apply It
1. What can you do to restore a relationship in need of renewal?
2. *What is one thing you can do to renew your hope in the Lord?
Jeremiah Pleads for Restoration—Lamentations 5:1–22
Topics: Anger, Faithfulness, Forget, Forsake, God, Mercy, Mourning, People, Punishment, Renewal, Restoration, Sin, Suffering
Open It
1. If you could help a group of people defeated by war and suffering, what group would you help and how would you help them?
2. *If you had the ability to change one thing about your past in order to improve your present circumstances, what change would you make?
Explore It
1. *What did the people ask the Lord to do? (5:1)
2. What was the predicament of God’s people? (5:2–18)
3. What were the Jews compelled to do? (5:4–6)
4. *What consequences were other generations forced to bear? (5:7–10)
5. How did the poet describe the shamefulness of sin? (5:11–18)
6. What was the attitude of God’s people? (5:15)
7. Why did the Jews face such awful retribution? (5:16)
8. What had become of the Davidic dynasty? (5:17–18)
9. How did the writer describe God’s throne? (5:19)
10. *What were the longings of God’s people? (5:20–22)
Get It
1. When you face trouble, at what point do you turn to the Lord for help?
2. *What is easy or difficult about facing the consequences of our sin?
3. *What previous sins committed by others in your family still affect you now?
4. When was the last time you felt sorrow for sins?
5. What is the value of a penitent attitude?
6. What is your attitude toward the Lord when He disciplines you?
7. Why would God forsake His people?
8. In what ways do you need to be restored to the Lord?
9. What words would you use to describe God’s faithfulness?
Apply It
1. When can you spend some time this week examining your life for sin and seeking God’s forgiveness?
2. *What “family sin” or tendency do you want to focus on changing, and what would be one step you could take toward change?
Adult Questions for LESSONmaker (2024). Bellingham, WA: Logos, p. La 1:1–5:22.