lim god -> ∞

Time is an important concept to people, and not as well understood as many might think. Historically, people assumed time to be constant, and only with the onset of modern physics was it discvered that in fact, time can dilate, and different reference frames moving at different speeds will experience time and space quite differently. This is not precisely pertinent in Lamentations, where we do not have speeds approaching c, however the historical misperception of time points out we may not understand it as well as we think. The Bible creates many questions about time. In Genesis, while God is creating the sky and the stars and the water and the earth, before there is a sun and moon, how is there any measure of a "day" as we think of it? More specifically concerning Lamentations, we are presented with a superficial contradiction between God's "day of anger"(2.1) and the eternity of His love and mercies (3.22). Non superficially, this is not really a contradiction. We really just have two statements: God has a day of anger. God has an eternity of mercy. To understand this we must look at how to interpret God's anger and mercy. We see God's anger directly resulting in the fall of Jerusalem. God is portrayed as "like an enemy" and firing arrows at Jerusalem, allowing destruction to wrack his own temple. God's "anger" is what we might call "bad stuff." There is no direct portrayal of God's mercy in Lamentations, but it is clear that is something different than anger. So "bad stuff" is a day, passing, and eternity is something else. This seems like a pretty vague comment, but even in it's indescription there is a powerful statement of hope. "Bad stuff" is not the constant that ties the universe together, and endures over time. Rejoice and have hope! Tomorrow always has the chance to be better.

Also related to time is the idea of causality. If mercy or "other stuff" is the constant through time, what brings about the bad stuff? In Lamentations, the fall of Jerusalem is brought about by the sins of her people. This is even admitted by the author, he says "My transgressions were bound into a yoke;" (1.14). The bad stuff happening to Jerusalem is caused by her own sin, her own fault. This adds a little to our Hopeful Message. People make mistakes and bad stuff happens, but this is passing, and tomorrow is another chance to take better actions!

From these simple metaphors we are left with a conceptualization that allows us to keep trying. If bad is constant, why try to fight it? If there is no redemption from mistakes, why continue living once a mistake is made? That is not a model to live by. God's mercies are "new every morning" (3.23). We see that indeed, tribulations are character building. "It is good for one to bear the yoke in youth," (3.27). All of this can be interpretted in a traditional religious sense, but even to the less pious, whether or not you believe in God or a god or no god, we gain a powerful utility from a model for endurance in the face of obstacles, opposition, and tragedy in life.