Exploring God's Sense of Humor

 Have you ever wondered what God’s sense of humor is like? After all, He created all that exists, including humor, and there’s such a wide variety of it. Most people have at least some concept of humor, but it varies widely from one person to another. So what about our Creator and His sense of humor?

The Bible is a serious book, a book of life and death. God didn’t give it to us for lighthearted entertainment, but rather as a guide to His Kingdom and eternal life. That’s something we must take very seriously.

I’d also suggest that much of God’s humor is beyond our comprehension, just as the humor of grown-ups is often beyond the comprehension of small children. There’s much that our minds simply cannot yet grasp. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Cor. 13:9-12).

Nevertheless, the Bible sometimes gives us glimpses of our Creator’s humor, and also of His servants’ humor. So let’s explore this a bit.

There’s a time and place for all things, “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Eccl. 3:4). Laughter and levity lighten both the heart and the burdens of life: “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” (Prov. 15:13). Again, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Prov. 17:22). Yet some things demand a sober mind: “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep” (Luke 6:25).

Thus our Creator finds humor in certain things, but also takes those things seriously that must be taken seriously. Some things are appropriate to laugh at; some things are not.

We can rest assured that God does NOT find humor in wickedness. King Solomon wrote, “Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor” (Prov. 14:9). And the apostle Paul added, “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph. 5:3-4).

Wickedness is no laughing matter to God or to anyone who strives to please Him. God hates wickedness, and so should His people. God does sometimes laugh at or mock the wicked, but that’s another matter. More on that in a moment.

Likewise, mistreating, harming, or bullying other people isn’t something God will laugh at; it makes Him angry! Again, Solomon wrote, “He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished” (Prov. 17:5). And, “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, ‘I was only joking!’” (Prov. 26:18-19).

So what sorts of things DOES God find funny?

As we might shake our heads and laugh at all the stupidity and foolishness in this world, so does our Creator. He laughs at the foolishness and futility of the wicked, not because it’s cause for joy or lighthearted fun, but simply because He mocks stupidity.

Regarding those who think they can overthrow God or get along fine without Him, we read, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision” (Psa. 2:4). Again, in Psa. 59:8, David wrote, “But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.”

Imagine some little runt walking up to a heavyweight boxing champion and threatening to beat him up. And so the boxer simply laughs, puts his hand on the little fellow’s head, and lets him flail away without ever coming close to landing a blow.

That’s how stupid — laughably stupid — it is for anyone to think he can overthrow God, or to think that he knows better than God. No, it’s much more laughably stupid than that for a puny human being to rebel against his omnipotent, omniscient, and invisible Creator. God laughs at and mocks the presumptuous, just as one laughs at a fake tough guy.

And how much must God mock at evolutionists who attempt to explain how duckbill platypuses evolved? How much must He laugh and shake His head at their stupidity when they claim that whales evolved from deer?

Like their Creator, God’s people also laugh at the stupidity of the wicked: “The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, ‘Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness’” (Psa. 52:6-7).

Now, I’d suggest that God also probably chuckles at His creation. Just as moms and dads often laugh at silly things their children do, I imagine that God often laughs at the silly things we do. We’ll see a few examples in a moment. Likewise, we often laugh at the things our pets and other animals do, and God probably does as well. After all, He’s the One who created them.

Let’s look at a few examples of God’s humor in the Bible.

After Adam and Eve disobeyed their Creator and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we read, “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” (Gen. 3:8-9).

God knew where Adam and Eve were; no one can hide from Him. As a parent playing hide-and-seek, you may pretend to look for your children even though you can clearly see most of their bodies sticking out of their chosen hiding spots. So it was with God.

God could’ve come down in fury right in front of Adam and Eve as soon as they ate of the tree, but He didn’t. No, He walked through the garden calling out, “Where are you?” Of course, He was displeased by their disobedience and had to punish them accordingly, but how He must have been shaking His head at their silliness in trying to hide from Him!

Oftentimes, God foils human pride by such simple means that one has to laugh. To the men building the Tower of Babel, He didn’t show off His power by raining fire and brimstone on it; no, He simply confused their languages. Can you imagine the hilarity and confusion as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of men suddenly began shouting at one another in different tongues, some able to understand one another perfectly, some having no idea what the others were saying, and all of them having no earthly idea what was going on?

The Egyptians pursuing the Israelites into the Red Sea, God halted by taking off their chariot wheels “so that they drove them with difficulty” (Ex. 14:25). The prophet Balaam, God rebuked through the mouth of his own donkey (Num. 22:28-30). The Syrians besieging Samaria, God caused to hear the sound of chariots and horsemen so that they fled and left all their belongings for the Israelites to plunder (2 Kings 7). And when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and brought it into their temple, God caused their idol Dagon to bow down before it (1 Sam. 5:2-7).

Abraham and Sarah had difficulty believing God’s promise that He would give them a son. In fact, they both laughed at the thought of it (Gen. 17:17; 18:12). So God told them to name their son “Isaac” (Gen. 17:19), which means “laughter” (yitskhaq; Strong’s # H3327).

When Saul, overcome with bashfulness, hid from the men who were about to crown him king, God simply told Samuel the prophet, “There he is, hidden among the equipment” (1 Sam. 10:22).

The Bible contains countless examples of God and His servants mocking the foolishness and stupidity of idolaters who worship “the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell” (Deut. 4:28). One of the most noteworthy examples comes to us from Elijah the prophet, who made fun of the prophets of Baal.

We read, “And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, ‘Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened’” (1 Kings 18:27). Did the prophets of Baal pick up on Elijah’s sarcasm and recognize the foolishness of their undertaking? No, they tried even harder to get Baal’s attention: “So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them” (v. 28).

There are many more examples of God’s humor in the Bible, but I find these to be some of the more noteworthy ones. Clearly, our God has a sense of humor! We may not understand it all at this time, but one day we can.

God promises that His people will laugh with Him: “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh” (Luke 6:21). “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them’” (Psa. 126:2). And of the Proverbs 31 woman, we read, “Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice [tsakhaq; that is, smile or laugh] in time to come” (Prov. 31:25).

What do you think? Any additional thoughts? What are some of your favorite examples of God’s humor?

Please comment below!