Lamentations 2:9 (ESV)

9 Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

All the foundations of the people of Judah are gone: her protection (“her gates”), her government (“her king and princes”), and her access to God’s Word (“the law,” which the priests and Levites were supposed to teach). Moreover, there were no longer prophets who could bring the Word of God.

In the past, God would always reveal to his prophets what he would do (Amos 3:6). Now God was quiet. His people had for too long not listened to him. Imagine a similar situation in today’s church, where there would be no more Bibles and no more preaching!