God’s Sense of Humor

         If there is a Supreme Being, why wouldn’t He have a sense of humor? I think our concepts of God are too limited. Too many folks think of God as only love. But the same Bible that defines Divine Character as love also speaks of His justice, vengeance, jealousy, immutability, omnipotence, omniscience, eternity, mercy, grace, judgement, & a Trinity. The true Biblical God has a wonderful set of character traits, and I’m sure a sense of humor is in there. (Which only makes horse sense if it was God that invented human laughter.)
      We could consider some of the animals out there for a clue on God’s Sense of Humor. The camel, the giraffe, monkey, ostrich, pelican, the skunk, the porcupine, and many others challenge my mind. Evolution & chance over millions of years couldn’t make such homely & bizarre creatures. Only a fun loving & humorous mood in Creation could account for these.
        Specific Bible examples of God’s Sense of Humor are from cover to cover:
        •  Noah’s arc was a real joke to the people of his time. They had never seen such religious ambition in Noah’s family to build              a huge arc high & dry with NO means to float it. Then animals were led inside from near & far. Then the rain like never                  before.  The whole story challenges and amuses man’s rational mind. (But is God the one amused with our anti-Bible &                    faith lemming instincts?) Who had the last laugh in Noah’s time?
        •  The 9 plagues on Egypt were mostly humorous - only the #10 was terribly serious. Exodus 7-12
        •  Balaam’s ass speaking w/a human voice can be seen as humor. Numbers 22:28-29
        •  The David & Goliath altercation can be seen as Divine Humor – only it does have a gruesome ending. 1 Samuel 17
        •  How about Jonah & the whale. Then the ending of the book also has a humorous twist when a worm ate the miracle shade              plant Jonah was camping under, 4:6-7.
        •  In the gospel of Matthew (17:27), Jesus had disciples cast a hook for a fish that would have in it’s mouth the tax money                that was required of them. 
        •  Acts chapter 20 shows a fellow sleeping in a 3rd story window during one of Paul’s long sermons, only to fall out to the                 ground & bash his head – dead. Eutychus was brought back by Paul’s prayer. (Questionable humor, but it does suggest                    that we not sleep in church – one of my faults.)
        •  A lot of other examples are omitted for brevity, but there are clear references to God himself laughing for various                      reasons.  Psalms 2:4, Psalms 37:13, Psalms 59:8, Proverbs 1:26 and more.
       Now elements of general Christian doctrine may speak of God’s Sense of Humor. (And some of this will be controversial.) The 6-day creation. How about the talking snake, Genesis chapter 3. The great age of pre-flood humans. Adam 930 years, Methuselah 962 years, Enoch 365 years. Is this God’s Sense of Humor, or does He just put into His Word things that call for faith on our part? Maybe they are faith tests . . . The virgin birth of Jesus. Even my own aunt who was a NUN seemed to scoff at this one. She said intensely, “Jesus was just a man!” His first miracle of converting 150 gallons of water into FINE wine. His resurrection after 3 days being DEAD. (The terrible crucifixion was God’s MOST sorrowful moment EVER, Laminations 1:12) but I believe God had a powerful & long LAUGH that resurrection morning. It is possible that Divine LAUGH two thousand years ago was BIG enough to wake from death, “many bodies of the saints . . . and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection . . . and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27) See also note #179 “The Resurrection”.  
        Then the ULTIMATE picture of “God’s Sense of Humor” could easily be the end time RAPTURE. That is God instantly taking out ALL dead & living righteous souls. (See note 201 which touches the subject more.) 1) The audacity of our Biblical God to do such a thing has always amazed me, and I see humor. 2) The world is now reeking with sin like never before, and then WHAM – THE PARTY IS OVER. Overwhelming contrast . . . Those humans left behind are shocked & confused & worried with the drastically darker & hopeless world they face.  See Isaiah 2:19  3) A definition of funny besides amusement is – Strange; odd; curious. Well, the rapture is all those things. 
        Now for God to require FAITH & PRAYER in this world of pride & hate seems kind of funny. Doesn’t He know that we have to be tough & self-sufficient & even sometimes rude to survive?  LOL  “Only the strong survive”, so they say. Then to expect us adults to become like children to get God’s approval & blessing -- “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 All these thoughts point to a Biblical God that has a healthy Sense of Humor. And although God does not think like us humans, (Isaiah 55:8 -9), He did invent our minds, and our sense of humor & laughter.
        To conclude this Gospel-note #204 I’ll just say God is still VERY alive & capable of humor & fun. Us believers too should be “happy campers” – “Don’t worry, Be Happy”. There are enough serious blokes out there who say they want to “go down shooting”. Well, I want to “go down laughing”. You can too if you are on the saved team. Choose Jesus, He is alive. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 And laugh with God – especially knowing that WE WIN AT THE END.
        A word on my literalist style of interpreting Bible material may be in order. I truly never read God’s Book liberally or loosely BECAUSE there was always a spiritual element in my “Jesus experiment” that was just like I found in the Biblical stories/accounts. See G-notes “My Miracles” 33, “The Demon” 43, “Why Literal” 74, “Why I Write” 158. **

Many other Titles: www.gospelnotes.org                                                                                                           * * Fred J. Stone * *
                                                                                                                                                                                                    204



** Notes 1-100 are in Vol. I “GOSPEL NOTES – FOR - Atheists, Clergy, Heathen, Nerds, Politicians, Rednecks, & Scientists”. Notes 101 -200 are in Vol. II. Both can be purchased from Amazon. All notes are online at GOSPELNOTES.ORG, & they can all be used as free tracts.