Hey everyone, it’s Jim Gaffigan! Today, we’re gonna talk about the Bible book of Lamentations. I know what you’re thinking, “Jim, you’re a comedian, what do you know about the Bible?” Well, let me tell you, I may not be a theologian, but I can still crack a few jokes while telling you about this sad, sad book.
Lamentations was written by a prophet named Jeremiah. He’s known as the “weeping prophet,” which honestly sounds like a nickname I would give myself. Anyway, Jeremiah wrote this book as a lament. What’s a lament? I don’t know, but I think it’s a fancy word for whining. And boy, does Jeremiah whine a lot in this book.
Basically, Lamentations is about the destruction of Jerusalem. You know what else is a disaster? My kids’ birthday parties. They always end up covered in cake and tears. But I digress. This book describes the city in ruins, the people starving, and Jerusalem’s enemies gloating.
Jeremiah doesn’t hold back in his description of the suffering of his people. It’s like he’s the original king of complaining. He talks about how the people have no food, their enemies have taken everything, and they’ve been thrown into exile. It’s like a really bad camping trip. He even mentions how they have to drink their own pee! Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have made a joke about drinking pee in a Bible lesson. Sorry about that.
Despite all the complaining, Jeremiah still had some hope. He believed that God would eventually give his people a new day. Sort of like how I believe my wife will let me eat a second slice of pizza one day. But for real, Jeremiah’s hope helps him to write a beautiful poem in the middle of Lamentations. It’s called the “Great Love of God” and it’s basically saying that even though the people messed up, God still loves them and can forgive them.
In the end, Lamentations is a pretty depressing book. But it’s also a reminder that even in the darkest times, there can still be hope. Like when I’m trying to fit into my skinny jeans, there may not be much hope, but it’s still there.
So I’ll leave you with this quote from one of my stand-up sets: “I have a love-hate relationship with New York City. I love it, and it hates me.” Thanks for listening, folks!
