January 16, 2016

Does G-d have a sense of humor? It is a great question to ponder as you read the bible. Let’s consider this text from the book of Numbers:

“When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. 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?” 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. The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down.”…(Numbers 22:27-31)

How else can we explain a talking donkey than G-d expressing some humor to teach a lesson about faithfulness. The G-d of the bible is not always just a grumpy man wearing a long robe, wearing a long white beard looking to punish sinners. G-d is none of that, at least as I perceive G-d. The bible uses anthropomorphic images for G-d – G-d’s right hand, G-d walking in the breezy time of the evening in the garden of Eden – just so we have some way to perceive this G-d we hardly know. The only possible description we have of G-d is his display to Moses, showing Moses his back, and the fact that we are made in G-d’s image. And since we are made in G-d’s image, then if we have a particular emotion, so does G-d. If we experience anger, we got it from G-d. If we experience humor and laughter, then we got that from G-d as well. There are other examples of G-d’s sense of humor: Jonah being swallowed by a whale; G-d creating a creature like the platypus; Proverbs 11:22 says, “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion – funny; and finally G-d inspired the author of Proverbs to write, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful” (15:13) Hopefully as you read the bible you will learn that G-d is an awesome G-d who likes to laugh, just like the creatures G-d created.

Pastor Dave