Q: #11. Does God have a sense of humor?
A: If you spend very much time reading the Bible, it becomes quite apparent
that God is VERY funny at times. Since God directly inspired the words that
were written in the Bible, we know that He felt it was important to have humor
in its pages from time to time. There are dozens of examples of this humor, but
let me list some that have cracked me up. (Forgive me if my sense of humor is
a bit odd.)
Nehemiah: The men of Judah were marrying women from the heathen lands
around them. This was against what God had commanded, and so upset Nehemiah
that he took some rather drastic measures to try and make them stop.
(Neh 13:25) And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of
them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall
not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your
sons, or for yourselves.
Jonah: The whole book of Jonah has its humorous moments. What I find
particularly funny though, is the reason Jonah didn't want go to Nineveh and
tell the people of that city to repent as God asked. He did obey God and went
to Nineveh (after running away and being swallowed by the great fish first)
and they did repent and here is what Jonah said to God afterwards.
(Jonah 4:1-3) But it displeased Jonah exceedingly (that they repented), and
he was very angry. (2) And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O
Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled
unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to
anger, and of great kindness, and repentest the of the evil. (3) Therefore
now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to
die than to live.
In other words, Jonah didn't like the people of Nineveh and just knew God
was going to forgive them if they repented because He was kind and gracious.
Since they did repent, and God forgave them, Jonah said, "Ok, just kill me
now Lord."
Aaron: While Moses was up on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments,
the people decided they wanted to make a golden calf to worship. They asked
Aaron to make it for them, and he did. When Moses came down from the mountain,
and angrily confronted Aaron about why he did this evil thing, look at Aaron's
explanation.
(Ex 32:25) And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it
off. So they gave it to me: THEN I CAST IT INTO THE FIRE, AND THERE CAME OUT
THIS GOLDEN CALF. (caps emphasis mine)
Miriam and Aaron: Miriam and Aaron were criticizing Moses (Num 12:1)
because he had married a Cushite (a dark skinned woman). What was God's
punishment?
(Num 12:10) ... and behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron
looked upon Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
Moses interceded for her, and shortly after, God healed her.
Elijah: Elijah decided to have a contest with the prophets of Baal to see
whose god was real. The contest was to kill a bull, cut it into pieces, lay it
on the wood of an altar, and then they would each call on their god to see
whose would light fire to the wood. The prophets of Baal called upon him all
morning with no answer. Look at what Elijah did next.
(1 Kin 18:27) And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said,
Cry aloud (shout louder): for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is
pursuing (busy), or he is in a journey (on a trip), or peradventure he
sleepeth, and must be awaked.
Balaam: God was angry that Balaam disobeyed Him. As Balaam was riding his
donkey, and angel of the Lord blocked their path several times, but only the
donkey could see the angel. When the donkey tried to avoid the angel each time,
Balaam became angry that his donkey went off course, and he beat her. Finally,
God caused the donkey to speak, and look at this hilarious exchange.
(Num 22:28-30)(NASB) And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said
to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three
times?" (29) Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery
of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now."
(30) The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden
all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?" And
he said, "No."
I find it hilarious as well, that Balaam doesn't even seem fazed that he
is suddenly arguing with his donkey. Can you imagine the reaction if anyone
was watching Balaam arguing with his donkey, or if he tried to explain it to
someone else?
The Philistines: In (1 Sam 5:1-5), the Philistines defeated Israel in
battle and captured the ark of God. They placed it in the temple to their god
Dagon. When they got up the next morning, Dagon had fallen on his face. They
picked it up, and when the next morning came, Dagon had fallen over again, but
this time his head and hands were cut off and laying on the threshold. From
that point on, the priests who entered Dagon's temple never stepped on the
threshold again. We can see that this "tradition" went on for hundreds of
years afterwards (Zeph 1:9).
Can you imagine how funny that must have looked? Were the priests getting
a running start and jumping over the threshold? Did they somehow try to slide
along the side walls?
Solomon: Look at some of the Proverbs Solomon wrote.
(Prov 27:15) A continual dropping in a very rainy day And a contentious woman
are alike.
(Prov 25:24) It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a
brawling woman and in a wide house.
(Prov 21:19) It is better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious
and angry woman.
(Prov 11:22) As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, So is a fair woman which
is without discretion.
(Prov 26:11) As a dog returneth to his vomit, So a fool returneth to his folly.
(Prov 26:13) The slothful (lazy) man saith, There is a lion in the way; A lion
is in the streets.
Achish: Achish was the king of Gath. When David was running from Saul, he
went to Achish, hoping he would not be recognized. However, the servants of
Achish recognized David, and he was afraid, so he decided to act insane. Look
at what Achish said when he saw David.
(1 Sam 21:15) Have I need of (don't we have enough) mad men, that ye have
have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall this fellow
come into my house?
I LOVE these stories. I could go on and on....
The Bible says that God does laugh (Ps 59:8)(Ps 37:13)(Ps 2:4)(Prov 1:26).
We can see His sense of humor all through the Bible. We can see it in creation.
Look at some of the animals he created: penguin, ostrich, giraffe, platypus,
kangaroo, anteater, etc... Look at all us crazy people he created. The old joke
goes, "If you think God doesn't have a sense of humor, just look at yourself in
the mirror."
How many of us have experienced God's sense of humor firsthand? I know I
have! Let me give a few recent memorable examples...
Most people who know me, know I am a bit of a perfectionist. At work one
day a while back, a co-worker commented that she couldn't believe I had made
a mistake on something she found. I replied (kiddingly), something like, "Yeah,
it is hard to believe I made a mistake it is so rare, huh?" My boss goes, "I
think I am gonna be sick now," and leaves. When he comes back a short time later,
I have to point out another mistake I had found that I made.
I also hate to lose. I just have to laugh at the lessons God has put me
through to die to this. Playing a board game with a friend, and hearing God
telling me over and over I was gonna lose (when I rarely lose at that game). I
did lose every game. I still remember bowling with my family over the holidays,
and I needed a strike or spare to beat my wife (I couldn't lose to my wife!).
I was standing at that line getting ready to roll the ball, and I heard God
tell me I wasn't gonna get it. I almost started to crack up right then. Of
course, I got a split.
There is an old saying, you never fail a test with God, you just keep
taking it over and over until you pass. Man... I can just picture God laughing
at this sometimes. I don't know about you, but I have had my share of tests to
take and attempt to pass. There has been times I could do nothing BUT laugh
when God would keep bringing up a trial He knew I needed to pass, over and over
and over and over and.... Prayerfully, we pass eventually, but then we just get
a NEW test to pass. It is all about becoming more and more like Jesus, but the
path isn't always easy. However, if we look for the humor in these trials, we
can sometimes find it. I can guarantee you that if you pray for patience, for
example, God is gonna send people and things into your life that will drive
nuts. If you ask for a better love walk, God is gonna send some unloveable
people to you. There are no coincidences in life, God is TOTALLY in control.
God gave us a sense of humor, and we are made in His image. He obviously has a
sense of humor.
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