1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

The Lord's Laughter

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Rippon, Apr 28, 2007.

Top Posters
  1. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Psalm 2:4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs ; the Lord scoffs at them .

    Psalm 37:23 the Lord laughs at the wicked , for He knows their day is coming .

    Psalm 59:8 But you , O Lord , laugh at them ; you scoff at all those nations .

    Proverbs 1:26 I will inturn laugh at your disaster , I will mock when calamity overtakes you .

    I know Benny Hinn-types expected something else from this thread , but I had to be biblical anyway . ( There are no Benny Hinn-types here , are there ? )

    I have seen in print some articles about the joy of the Lord and saying the Lord must laugh -- He has to have a sense of humor . But the only references we have in the Bible are the ones I have shared . Does anyone know other verses that might apply ?

    It seems the Lord's laughter is serious stuff !
     
    #1 Rippon, Apr 28, 2007
  2. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2002
    Messages:
    7,359
    Likes Received:
    2
    Yeah, but I got a good laugh out of the Benny Hinn reference. ;)
     
    #2 npetreley, Apr 28, 2007
  3. DQuixote

    DQuixote New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2006
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    0
    The Hebrew Bible is written in couplets. A thought is stated, then restated in a slightly different form. Passages in the Hebrew Bible are stated, then restated differently; for example, see Genesis 1 and Genesis 2.

    Couplets.

    "Laugh" or "laughs", then, is to be taken in the same sense as the repeat in each reference. It isn't the image of a jovial giant bursting out in laughter, grabbing his sides. It is, as you say, serious stuff.

    Boy, we reach way back into ancient English to spell laugh and laughter, don't we?
     
    #3 DQuixote, Apr 29, 2007
  4. Allan

    Allan Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2006
    Messages:
    6,902
    Likes Received:
    5
    Here are some Rippon about God laughing.

    This one shows he laughs at how laughs at those who wish to oppose Him.
    Here we see God laughing at the carefully laid plans of the wicked to hurt and or kill the righteous, and that God laughs at their futility as He saves the righteous from out of their hands.
    Here,...well the passage speaks for itself.

    I do think God laughs, smiles, and has joy - since scripture says He does.

    Just not in the unbiblical way many of the present day pentacostal types are portraying Him. Like His is some kind of mighty laughing hyena and sending out his "laughing Spirit" upon People. (not just His own people) So everyone can share in the all accepting God. - HOGWASH !!!


    However, I agree His laughter is portrayed as mockingly toward those who oppose Him. But if He laughs scornfully at His opposition, He must inherently laugh at (or more correctly with) those who walk in union with Him. And I don't mean some silly, knee jerk laugh but more of a fatherly type acknowledgment of praise. Otherwise what is the purpose of a laugh which is intrinsic to both mirth and Joy?
    IMO.
     
    #4 Allan, Apr 29, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 29, 2007
  5. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Allan you quoted 3 of my verses thinking you were covering new ground . ( I had made a typo -- I listed Ps. 37:23 -- it should have been 37:13 ) .

    departing from the theme of the OP , I will address human laughter now .

    Pro. 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache , and the end of joy may be grief .

    Ecc. 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter because sober reflection is good for the heart .

    Ecc. 7:6 For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot , so is the laughter of the fool . This kind of folly also is useless .

    All human laughter is not intrinsic to both mirth and joy . Some laughter is of an evil nature .
     
    #5 Rippon, Apr 30, 2007
  6. Rufus_1611

    Rufus_1611 New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2006
    Messages:
    3,006
    Likes Received:
    0
    I believe 1 Samuel 5 had a bit of humor in it.
     
    #6 Rufus_1611, Apr 30, 2007
  7. Allan

    Allan Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2006
    Messages:
    6,902
    Likes Received:
    5
    I honestly didn't see your listing of Psa 2 and Prov 1, so my appologies there.

    Regarding Joy and mirth they are neutral terms not specificaly inherent of good or evil.-
    But since I was addressing God and His laughter not specifically Mans let me elaborate a little on what "I" ment:

    Joy is commonly (if not typically) used as being synonymous with aspects of good and not evil, but in fact the word is neutral and really neither. However, due to the neutrality of the word it CAN and COULD be used refering to evil.
    Therefore, since it is commonly accosiated as such (Joy as good not evil) I allowed it to maintaintain it's generally accepted meaning.

    BUT...
    Mirth is commonly used as being synonymous with something that was found funny, and not whether something is good or evil. It also is a neutral word but has no such commonly given attribute like good but is seen only as thing (neither being inherently good or evil) during the time of an action.

    When using mirth or Joy regarding Gods disposition it can not be seen in any form of evil but it can reflect the negitive aspects of both terms. i.e. instead of edifying or acknowledging in a positive way it can be given condescendingly, patronizingly, and disdainfuly to the detriment and humiliation of a person/people.

    And is why I stated :
    So His laughing condendingly (mirth) is toward evil. So He would equally laugh (in Joy) toward and with His children of Good. (but that is my opinion)
     
    #7 Allan, Apr 30, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 30, 2007
  8. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    4,521
    Likes Received:
    43
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I always believe that God had a smile on his face in Genesis 3:18-21 when he told Adam that he would make a helper fit for him and then paraded all the animals in front of him.
     
    #8 Tom Bryant, Apr 30, 2007
  9. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2002
    Messages:
    7,359
    Likes Received:
    2
    Wait....I'm getting a message directly from the Lord that this is how the original manuscripts read...

    [Ducks and whistles, innocently.]
     
    #9 npetreley, Apr 30, 2007
  10. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Acts 12:13-16

    This passage has always seemed humorous to me .

    Peter knocked at the outer entrance , and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door . When she recognized Peter's voice , she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed , " Peter is at the door !" "You're out of your mind ," they told her . When she kept insisting that it was so , they said , " It must be his angel." But Peter kept on knocking , and when they opened the door and saw him , they were astonished .
     
    #10 Rippon, May 1, 2007
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Loading...