Jeremiah, Lamentations

NIV Application Commentary, Old Testament

by J. Andrew Dearman

The books of Jeremiah and Lamentations cannot be separated from the political conditions of ancient Judah. Beginning with the righteous king Josiah, who ushered in a time of glorious but brief religious reform, Jeremiah reflects the close tie between spiritual and political prosperity or disaster, between the actions and heart of Judah and her kings and their fortunes as a nation. While few of us today have any firsthand understanding of what it means to live in a theocracy, the central theme of Jeremiah and Lamentations remains clear and still holds God first, politics second. The words, prayers, and poems of 'the weeping prophet' serve to realign us with God's priorities, turning us from evil and encouraging us to pursue God and his ways. With emotion and spiritual depth, these prophetic writings beckon us toward a spiritual integrity that can still affect the course of individuals and nations today. Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from our world to the world of the Bible. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. They focus on the original meaning of the passage but don't discuss its contemporary application. The information they offer is valuable--but the job is only half done! The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our postmodern context. It explains not only what the Bible meant but also how it speaks powerfully today.

Genres: Reference, Christian, Nonfiction, Biblical Studies

496 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

28 Oct 2015
Jeremiah and Lamentations are dark books .. a collection of dialogues between God and (primarily, but there may be other voices here) Jeremiah during some of the darkest hours of Judah. Dearman calls the prophesies a "collection" - that is, these prophesies, dialogues, prayers, and responses from God do not form a sequential historical record but are a record of numerous events, some of which cannot be dated. The situation is dire, and the words are uncomfortable to read. Dearman helps me walk through this section of the Bible and helps me find meaning for my life and my times as well as helps me understand the life and times of God's people during those days.

Here's a sample paragraph from the Contemporary Application section for Jeremiah 15:

"One of the marvelous gifts of Jeremiah’s book is the humanness of his prayers when wearied and depressed by the struggle with rejection and persecution. Zeal for the path of discipleship (in the case of Jeremiah, zeal to carry out his prophetic commission) is no guarantee of smooth sailing in life. God will hear the prayers of his disciples—unlike those prayers from the dark hour of Judah’s judgment — just as God heard Jeremiah’s cries."

15 Nov 2015
This was the first time I've read the entirety of Jeremiah and Lamentations through, though I have read parts on various occasions. With Dearman's help, I have a better feeling for the scene "on the ground" as Judah's demise came. It was as though Dearman helped me to become embedded with them at certain moments. I think of the people of Syria in current history, as well as of others who live in constant war and destruction. Terrifying.

Dearman makes many points about what Jeremiah and Lamentations mean to us, as Christians, in today's world, and he helped me think through current applications of this text.

This is the second or third NIV Application Commentary I have used in my study. I am impressed with the quality of the writings in these commentaries, in the professions of faith of the authors, and I look forward to more of the same in the next NIV Application commentary I use.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how to provide the best commentary on a commentary other than to say that this book definitely helped me get the most out of my time in the Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations. I can absolutely say that I have a much better understanding of Jeremiah and his life and times, and this book is a hugs part of that.

[Stephen Hiemstra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting commentary and good read. I learned a lot.