What Does It Mean To Lament?

What Does It Mean to Lament?

Luke 16:19-31

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines lament as (1) to express sorrow, mourning, or regret for often demonstratively, to mourn, to regret strongly, and (2) a crying out in grief, a wailing, dirge, elegy, complaint. It could also be said that one who laments is passionately expressing a grief or sorrow.

In the Strong’s Concordance, there are numerous Hebrew words that have similar meanings for the word lament, which is to bewail, as well as in the Greek language.

Isaiah 3:26, And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

Jeremiah 4:8, For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned back from us.

Ezekiel 27:32, And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?

Micah 2:4, In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

Revelation 18:9, And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

So, what does it mean to lament? People who are sincerely remorseful for the wrongs or transgressions that they have committed will openly show some type of emotion.

Have any of us felt such deep sorrow at some point in our lives, that we cry out in anguish, beating ourselves on the chest, covering our heads in ashes, and clothing ourselves in sackcloth? Is our lamenting or has our lamenting been based upon a deep regret of personal past sins, wrongdoings, or transgressions?

John 16:20, Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Joel 1:8, Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.

We hardly ever hear of people lamenting at a church altar anymore. I remember as a child being at various church services, the preacher would give the message, people would fall onto the altar, and some would even cry out as if they were in agony. I have felt the Holy Spirit move on me as I have knelt to pray at the altar, and yes some of those times I would cry out in anguish either for myself or for others.

Unfortunately, our society has changed. It is as if no one allows the Holy Spirit to move within them. You can see this in our churches today. People have become too dignified for that. It is not proper to allow such emotions to overwhelm them in public, what a spectacle one would make of themselves to act in such a way. Oh, but how wrong we are.

If we do not allow the Spirit to move, someone could end up reaching the pits of hell, and be in torment for all eternity. Today could have been the last morning that someone may have eaten their last breakfast. Today could be the last sermon that someone will have heard preached. Today could be the last day someone will spend on this earth. Not many preachers speak on hell anymore. I want to warn those that do not know Jesus as their personal Savior, that they need to come to Him now before it is too late. Our society today is all about a false brotherly love.

We can see a glimpse of someone who lamented from Luke 16:19-31.

The Pharisees looked at having wealth as a proof that the person was righteous. Jesus confused them with this story in which an ailing beggar is recompensed or rewarded, and the rich man is sentenced. The rich man did not end up in hell because of his wealth but because of his selfishness with it. He would not give Lazarus food, take him in, or care for his wellbeing. He was pitiless despite his incredible gifts. The measure of money we have is not so exceptionally significant as the way we use it. What is our disposition toward our wealth and assets? Do we store them egotistically for ourselves, or do we utilize them to help other people?

In verse twenty-two:

The beggar died and was carried away to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

In verse twenty-three:

He will Look… But the rich man being in hell he (1) lifted his eyes, (2) he recognized where he was, (3) was in torment, (4) he saw Abraham and Lazarus afar off, (5) undoubtedly, he recognized those around him after death. Just for a moment, just try to imagine what that must be like.