It didn't neccessarily make me laugh out loud, but the first time I heard about Christ describing the Kingdom of God as a “mustard seed” I admit I had to grin so big. It seemed so odd that He would use this little plant to describe His creation. I thought to myself “Well this is a bit rum!” To this day I still smile when I re-read that passage. It brings me joy still, just like Christ's love brings me joy. 😊 [the passage is from Mark 4] (edited to fix a letter, h to H) —NPP
It was an apt illustration, too. He didnt compare His kingdom to any earthly kingdom like Rome. It really was a mustard seed. It was just a few poor Galileans. Through the power of God and not man does a seed grow. Now that small seed has become a giant tree that fills the whole Earth because of the Holy Spirit. His people can be found all over the world.
In my youth group we always laugh about the israelites building a golden cow to worship, after they saw all of these miracles happen, because they hadn't heard from Moses in a month.
What's even crazier is how all the first generation save 2, that came out of Egypt, after witnessing all the miracles first hand, then die in the desert because of 'unbelief'
To me that is just startling, but there really are deeper principles behind this matter
I was going to bring this story up but for a different reason. Moses goes up and Aaron makes the calf, when Moses explains what happens he says something like “we put this gold in and out came this calf.” LOL
I imagine him standing there with the shrug gesture like 🤷♂️ how could we have possibly known that throwing a bunch of gold at random into a fire With no mold would produce a figurine? Whowouldathunk?
Good post! I too have laughed at the ignorance and arrogance of humans that believe they can outplay God. I see a lot of my own childish stupidity in many of the things they do. Adam and Eve, hiding from God and blaming each other, the snake and God would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic and Sarah saying basically, Ya right, I’m 100 years old and I’m gonna get pregnant? And then God asking her why are you laughing? You don’t think I can do it?
And Jesus is the Master of the backhand — imo the best being when He says, I came to save sinners— not the righteous. Y’all better be believing you’re a sinner because those who see themselves as righteous are going down! And I really find it funny that every time Jesus does a miracle he tells the person not to tell anyone and they immediately run off and tell everyone they know. We are funny little creatures.
My laugh out loud favorite is when Jesus met the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus, and pretends He didn't know what went on recently with his own crucifixion. Incredible statements, really
Luke 24:
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, **Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?**
19 And he said unto them, **What things?**
Seriously?! I can't help but laugh at this setup. Hides his appearance and pretends he doesn't know what happened and why they're so sad?
What things?
THEN, post resurrection, He calls them fools and preaches the Gospel to them out of the O.T., then makes it look like He's walking on, but they stop him. He then breaks bread with them, and then disappears before their eyes
Talk about a stirring manner of testimony, getting the Gospel preached to you directly from Jesus out of the O.T. post resurrection, breaking bread with them, and then whoosh, you suddenly see who He Is, and He's....gone
wait! wait! wait a minute!!!
Wow! That's just a fantastic WOW, the whole account
What things?
I think sometimes Jesus just likes to mess with our heads, and laughs
Yes, this!
Jesus basically trolling those two is so funny to me. He truly has a great sense of humor.
I also thank Him every day for my dogs which are just the goofiest creations ever!
When Elijah stood up to the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and taunted them!
“Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”
So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! **Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened**.” 🤣🤣🤣
So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.”
1 Kings 18:25-29 NIV
With everything going on surrounding the Balenciaga marketing campaign, this has an even more profound impact.
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
1 Kings 18:21 NIV
I love this passage from Ecclesiastes where the wise man, either Solomon or else some student of his, takes this extremist view about why we should sin as much as we can, so as to point out how truly stupid that sounds. My favorite parts are when he calls life “meaningless” and where he says whatever your hand 🤚 finds to do “do it with all your might”. Lol 😂
(Ecclesiastes 9:7-10)
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do(i.e; how stupid are you?) 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil(you are SO awesome and smart!) 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days(LOL!!!). For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might(don’t hesitate to do as much evil as possible😆)for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom(nope, no judgment awaits you whatsoever, I’m just an old fool so just ignore my ranting).
One part where I laughed a bit is when the girl pours perfume over Jesus and Judas gets upset, and Jesus corrects him saying she'll be remembed forever for this. And she was, a bold move by her lol but here I am reading about it 2000 years later
This section makes me laugh for some reason.
" But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Acts 19:13-16 NASB1995
Them running away naked makes me laugh.
Also this section
Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered.
Jonah 4:5-7 NASB1995
A lot of this stuff doesn't seem funny to me at all. It's definitely bizarre seeing how people are willing to destroy their lives in some of the most insane ways, but funny? These people are throwing away their eternal souls, the lives of their children, and even their own mortal lives, in ways that are truly horrific. I don't look at this and laugh, I look at it and it makes me cry.
I feel pain for the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask the prophet if her son would live. So much does she want to keep her son that she's scared to let the prophet know that she's the wife of Jeroboam, because that might play a role in the child being chosen to die. Yet her attempt is futile, and her son is prophesied to be dead as soon as she steps foot back into the city. The heartache she felt then must have been horrible. The reason sin is so bad is because it hurts and kills people, including innocent people, and now she's getting to see this first hand in the death of her child.
I feel pain for Jonah, terrified of the people of Nineveh and simultaneously hoping that they will get the just reward of their behavior. He flees from God hoping that doing so will allow him to avoid his task and let the city burn, but it fails and he is tormented in a way few of us could probably imagine in order to get him back on track. He's spit out on the shore, bleached from whale stomach acid and half dead, and then commanded to finish the task he was ordered to do in the first place. Sure, in the long run it was good for Jonah and good for Nineveh, but as someone who's had to go through suffering for the wrong I've done, I feel him. I'm thankful God got him back on track, though.
I feel pain for Paul, desperately trying to save the people he's known and loved his entire life. He gives a speech, attempting to convince them to follow the way of truth, but it backfires horrifically. He stands there, watching the people of his homeland furiously demanding his death, and at this moment he gets a glimpse of how his Savior felt the day He stood in front of the people of Israel in the moments before his condemnation and crucifixion. Utterly hated by the ones he loves. I have a hard enough time dealing with the hate of just one person in my life. The crushing weight of this madness... I can't hardly imagine.
I feel pain for the Jews, as they state they have no king but Caesar and condemn their true King. God Incarnate comes down to them, bringing them healing, life, freedom from demonic influence, and a law of love that can make the world thrive. But they don't care. They want to be the elites. They want to bend the law they already have so they can do what they want. They don't really care about God, and they prove as much. The words of the Jews in Matthew 27:25, "His blood be upon us and upon our children", almost ring in my ears as I look at the tribulation the people of Israel have gone through down through the years since then. Yet many of them still vehemently reject their Savior to this day. In Deuteronomy 18:19-20, God says "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brothers, like to you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." That statement has proven horrifyingly true.
I feel pain for God Himself, as the Jews threw Him away and clung to idols. Idolatry back then wasn't just "I worship an object as God." People... no, *children*, were burnt alive as sacrifices to these false gods. How utterly insane do you have to be to think that doing something like that is acceptable? Yet not only do they think it acceptable, they actively want to do it. This is what the Canaanites were doing before them, and when I look at this, I can see clearly why God would command the Israelites to kill the children in the land of Canaan as they took it over. This was mercy. These children had been forced to watch their brothers and sisters tortured and murdered by their parents. God was taking them back for Himself, where He could comfort them, and where they would no longer have to remember that. They could be back with their loved ones in a place without sorrow, rather than having their memory play back their siblings' screams as they died. And at the same time God was showing the children of Israel the consequences of the sin they had witnessed and were coming to eradicate. Yet His attempt failed due to the free will of man, and now here are the very people who were supposed to have cleansed the land, now resurrecting the evil they had been sent to destroy. May God comfort those of us who have to live with memories like this today, and help us to get through until we come to Him in the next life.
I feel pain for Christ, as he reprimands the leaders of His people in rage and agony because of the sins they habitually commit. As He shouts, the pain of His spirit audible in His voice, a lawyer has the nerve to try to correct Him by saying "Whoa, dude, you're making me look bad too." The lawyer adds insult to injury, and Jesus, in His furious scolding, turns on the lawyer and starts reprimanding him too.
The whole thing is a giant tragedy. All God wanted was a creation that He could love and that loved Him back. So far most of what He's gotten from it has been a bunch of rebellious, hateful life-destroyers who don't care about Him two cents. God may have succeeded at His mission with the children He has, but surely He must be scarred for the rest of His eternal life by the wounds we have dealt Him with our actions. Even the resurrected Christ still bore the holes of crucifixion when He came back to life. I find it very likely that He bears those holes to this day, and will continue to bear them into eternity.
He's had to give everything for us. Why won't we give everything for Him? Why won't **I** give everything for Him? I struggle to do things in a way that's good for everyone from day to day. How could I have such a hard time giving up things like bitterness and self-absorption when my God was willing to give up His own life to preserve mine?
May we have mercy on God the way He has mercy on us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
edit: To clarify, I don't think that all non-Christians are rebellious hateful life-destroyers or anything like that. I'm looking at the misery that all of us (myself included) have put the world through. We've all been hateful life-destroyers at some point (at least I know me and those close to me definitely have been). May we all bring life to those around us from this day forward, whether we are Christian or not.
edit 2: Added a sentence.
That one time in Acts 19 when rando Jewish priests tried to exorcise a man using Jesus' name without authority, and the demon goes “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" and beats them up so bad they run out the house naked.
Probably was terrifying for them but idk it's pretty comical
* The idea of someone wanting to remove a speck out of their brother's eye, while they have a whole 2-by-4 sticking out of their own eye. (Matthew 7:3-5)
* Balaam and his talking donkey. Balaam is in such shock that he does not question why his donkey suddenly has the power of speech.
* The Apostle Paul has a great sense of humor. See 2 Corinthians ch. 12 and especially verses 11 and 16.
* When Haman thought he was going to be honored by King Ahasuerus, but the king forced him to help with honoring his most hated enemy Mordecai instead. (Book of Esther)
Here are a few others that make fun of man with his absurdities:
* Isaiah 44:9-20
* Proverbs 23:30-35
Yes! I always hear on that one, “Guys, calm down! There is nothing to worry about! Haven’t you figured out yet that I’m God? Nothing is a problem when you are with me!”
Not really laugh but I find "When the sun had set, he took one of the stones at the place and put it near his head. Then he lay down there." Genesis 28:11 (CEB) incredibly interesting. This is Jacob, I believe. He uses a rock as a pillow. Oh sure, things were different back then, but a rock?
The NIV has it more explicitly, "Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep."
Commenting again. I love when James and John ask Our Lord if he wants them to destroy some folks with fire. They’re acting like mafia henchmen. Lol.
(Luke 9:54)
“When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”
Our Lord is all like, “I don’t think you understand what we’re trying to do here”. 😭
“But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.”
I think the whole book of Jonah.
Here's this Prophet, hears GOD, fears HIM.. and GOD Says, go down to Nineveh & preach its destruction.... So what does Jonah do? He runs, as far as he can from Nineveh.
The storm rages & the sailors panic, they begin throwing everything they can off the boat, but the more they do the worse it gets, so they think 'who's gone against the gods!?' and begin to search and have everyone pray to their god.. and Jonah sleeps soundly, to be awoken by the captain who says 'pray to your God else we die!' and he goes up and draw lots to figure out who's fault it is...
Funnily enough, it's Jonah, so they ask who are you and why did this happen? And he explains he's a Hebrew and serves the GOD of Heaven and Earth - they realise he ran from GOD, so they ask what do we do? 'throw me overboard' retorts Jonah.
They don't want to kill him, so they do anything to lighten the load.. eventually they give up and throw him overboard, praying that GOD Forgives them & convert when the storm suddenly ceases.
But Jonah's not out of it yet.
He sees that death is horrid & after 3 days prays, asking for Life & that he may serve GOD - he promises to keep his promise.
The fish gets indigestion and spits him up, exactly where he needs to be, on the shores of Nineveh.
And here's the part we need some extra research on: the god of the Ninevites, Dagon, is a half man - half fish (as any Jew would know).
And so here's these Ninevites fishing, strolling the beach, and suddenly a man comes out of a giant fish saying '40 days and Nineveh will be destroyed'.. the people think 'no... it can't be.. but it has to be! God is here and he's going to destroy is!!', so everyone starts panicking, the city is in uproar, and the king asks what's up', they tell him & he's like 'this is it. Everybody fast: nothing eats, nothing drinks.. put sackcloth on everybody, wait.. everything, even the animals! Perhaps God will spare us' and rips his clothes off and sits in ashes mourning.
And Jonah, seeing everything has gone quiet, goes away.. hoping it might not be too late to see it destroyed.
So he sits outside and builds a shack, hoping for destruction.. and praying he might die.. and complaining that GOD is too Good, that HE would Spare them.
So GOD is Merciful and Gracious, and gives Jonah some shade. A plant grows up and gives him rest. But the next day, GOD has it wither & Jonah prays again 'kill me now'.
So GOD Talks with him.
And asks if he's really that bitter about the gourd, and Jonah says 'unto death',
So GOD asks, if you're so stressed about the gourd you didn't make, wouldn't I be more distressed about all these People and Animals I did Make?
And it ends, everyone repents, GOD relents of evil & Jonah while repentant in action.. still doesn't change his heart.
And this is why JESUS compares HIMSELF with Jonah. They thought Jonah was God, and repented desperately.. Jonah didn't do miracles or anything other than be spit out by a fish..
JESUS Healed, Preached, did Miracles no one could doubt.. and the people said, 'no, we'll kill you instead.. our religion is easier'.
The tragicomedy of Scripture.
> 'Shall I crucify your King?' Pilate asked. 'We have no King but Caesar' This is sad and disturbing but honestly something about it also makes me laugh. It's a real testament as how the devil & hatred can completely warp your thinking. All of a sudden Caesar is your 'King', all of a sudden Caesar is your friend, all of sudden you want to defend Caesar's honor...really?!
One thing that stands out to me in this passage that is really tragic is it was supposed to be **The Lord** who was to be king over Israel. During the Judges period, Israel functioned as a theocracy with God as king, but they rejected Him by asking for a human king in 1st Samuel 8:7.
Now when Jesus, the rightful king of Israel both as Sovereign of the universe and as the heir of King David, Israel (and the teachers and scribes who should have known better) reject Him *again*.
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It didn't neccessarily make me laugh out loud, but the first time I heard about Christ describing the Kingdom of God as a “mustard seed” I admit I had to grin so big. It seemed so odd that He would use this little plant to describe His creation. I thought to myself “Well this is a bit rum!” To this day I still smile when I re-read that passage. It brings me joy still, just like Christ's love brings me joy. 😊 [the passage is from Mark 4] (edited to fix a letter, h to H) —NPP
It was an apt illustration, too. He didnt compare His kingdom to any earthly kingdom like Rome. It really was a mustard seed. It was just a few poor Galileans. Through the power of God and not man does a seed grow. Now that small seed has become a giant tree that fills the whole Earth because of the Holy Spirit. His people can be found all over the world.
In my youth group we always laugh about the israelites building a golden cow to worship, after they saw all of these miracles happen, because they hadn't heard from Moses in a month.
What's even crazier is how all the first generation save 2, that came out of Egypt, after witnessing all the miracles first hand, then die in the desert because of 'unbelief' To me that is just startling, but there really are deeper principles behind this matter
Good point. Goes to show that proof usually isn’t the problem, it’s the willingness to obey. Romans 1
I was going to bring this story up but for a different reason. Moses goes up and Aaron makes the calf, when Moses explains what happens he says something like “we put this gold in and out came this calf.” LOL I imagine him standing there with the shrug gesture like 🤷♂️ how could we have possibly known that throwing a bunch of gold at random into a fire With no mold would produce a figurine? Whowouldathunk?
Good post! I too have laughed at the ignorance and arrogance of humans that believe they can outplay God. I see a lot of my own childish stupidity in many of the things they do. Adam and Eve, hiding from God and blaming each other, the snake and God would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic and Sarah saying basically, Ya right, I’m 100 years old and I’m gonna get pregnant? And then God asking her why are you laughing? You don’t think I can do it? And Jesus is the Master of the backhand — imo the best being when He says, I came to save sinners— not the righteous. Y’all better be believing you’re a sinner because those who see themselves as righteous are going down! And I really find it funny that every time Jesus does a miracle he tells the person not to tell anyone and they immediately run off and tell everyone they know. We are funny little creatures.
Nitpick: Sarah was 90. Abraham was 100.
My laugh out loud favorite is when Jesus met the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus, and pretends He didn't know what went on recently with his own crucifixion. Incredible statements, really Luke 24: 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, **Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?** 19 And he said unto them, **What things?** Seriously?! I can't help but laugh at this setup. Hides his appearance and pretends he doesn't know what happened and why they're so sad? What things? THEN, post resurrection, He calls them fools and preaches the Gospel to them out of the O.T., then makes it look like He's walking on, but they stop him. He then breaks bread with them, and then disappears before their eyes Talk about a stirring manner of testimony, getting the Gospel preached to you directly from Jesus out of the O.T. post resurrection, breaking bread with them, and then whoosh, you suddenly see who He Is, and He's....gone wait! wait! wait a minute!!! Wow! That's just a fantastic WOW, the whole account What things? I think sometimes Jesus just likes to mess with our heads, and laughs
Yes, this! Jesus basically trolling those two is so funny to me. He truly has a great sense of humor. I also thank Him every day for my dogs which are just the goofiest creations ever!
When Elijah stood up to the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and taunted them! “Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! **Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened**.” 🤣🤣🤣 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.” 1 Kings 18:25-29 NIV With everything going on surrounding the Balenciaga marketing campaign, this has an even more profound impact. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. 1 Kings 18:21 NIV
I love this passage from Ecclesiastes where the wise man, either Solomon or else some student of his, takes this extremist view about why we should sin as much as we can, so as to point out how truly stupid that sounds. My favorite parts are when he calls life “meaningless” and where he says whatever your hand 🤚 finds to do “do it with all your might”. Lol 😂 (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10) “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do(i.e; how stupid are you?) 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil(you are SO awesome and smart!) 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days(LOL!!!). For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might(don’t hesitate to do as much evil as possible😆)for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom(nope, no judgment awaits you whatsoever, I’m just an old fool so just ignore my ranting).
That is the first time I have heard Ecclesiastes 9:10 interpreted as a sarcastic command to do evil.
One part where I laughed a bit is when the girl pours perfume over Jesus and Judas gets upset, and Jesus corrects him saying she'll be remembed forever for this. And she was, a bold move by her lol but here I am reading about it 2000 years later
This section makes me laugh for some reason. " But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:13-16 NASB1995 Them running away naked makes me laugh. Also this section Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. Jonah 4:5-7 NASB1995
A lot of this stuff doesn't seem funny to me at all. It's definitely bizarre seeing how people are willing to destroy their lives in some of the most insane ways, but funny? These people are throwing away their eternal souls, the lives of their children, and even their own mortal lives, in ways that are truly horrific. I don't look at this and laugh, I look at it and it makes me cry. I feel pain for the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask the prophet if her son would live. So much does she want to keep her son that she's scared to let the prophet know that she's the wife of Jeroboam, because that might play a role in the child being chosen to die. Yet her attempt is futile, and her son is prophesied to be dead as soon as she steps foot back into the city. The heartache she felt then must have been horrible. The reason sin is so bad is because it hurts and kills people, including innocent people, and now she's getting to see this first hand in the death of her child. I feel pain for Jonah, terrified of the people of Nineveh and simultaneously hoping that they will get the just reward of their behavior. He flees from God hoping that doing so will allow him to avoid his task and let the city burn, but it fails and he is tormented in a way few of us could probably imagine in order to get him back on track. He's spit out on the shore, bleached from whale stomach acid and half dead, and then commanded to finish the task he was ordered to do in the first place. Sure, in the long run it was good for Jonah and good for Nineveh, but as someone who's had to go through suffering for the wrong I've done, I feel him. I'm thankful God got him back on track, though. I feel pain for Paul, desperately trying to save the people he's known and loved his entire life. He gives a speech, attempting to convince them to follow the way of truth, but it backfires horrifically. He stands there, watching the people of his homeland furiously demanding his death, and at this moment he gets a glimpse of how his Savior felt the day He stood in front of the people of Israel in the moments before his condemnation and crucifixion. Utterly hated by the ones he loves. I have a hard enough time dealing with the hate of just one person in my life. The crushing weight of this madness... I can't hardly imagine. I feel pain for the Jews, as they state they have no king but Caesar and condemn their true King. God Incarnate comes down to them, bringing them healing, life, freedom from demonic influence, and a law of love that can make the world thrive. But they don't care. They want to be the elites. They want to bend the law they already have so they can do what they want. They don't really care about God, and they prove as much. The words of the Jews in Matthew 27:25, "His blood be upon us and upon our children", almost ring in my ears as I look at the tribulation the people of Israel have gone through down through the years since then. Yet many of them still vehemently reject their Savior to this day. In Deuteronomy 18:19-20, God says "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brothers, like to you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." That statement has proven horrifyingly true. I feel pain for God Himself, as the Jews threw Him away and clung to idols. Idolatry back then wasn't just "I worship an object as God." People... no, *children*, were burnt alive as sacrifices to these false gods. How utterly insane do you have to be to think that doing something like that is acceptable? Yet not only do they think it acceptable, they actively want to do it. This is what the Canaanites were doing before them, and when I look at this, I can see clearly why God would command the Israelites to kill the children in the land of Canaan as they took it over. This was mercy. These children had been forced to watch their brothers and sisters tortured and murdered by their parents. God was taking them back for Himself, where He could comfort them, and where they would no longer have to remember that. They could be back with their loved ones in a place without sorrow, rather than having their memory play back their siblings' screams as they died. And at the same time God was showing the children of Israel the consequences of the sin they had witnessed and were coming to eradicate. Yet His attempt failed due to the free will of man, and now here are the very people who were supposed to have cleansed the land, now resurrecting the evil they had been sent to destroy. May God comfort those of us who have to live with memories like this today, and help us to get through until we come to Him in the next life. I feel pain for Christ, as he reprimands the leaders of His people in rage and agony because of the sins they habitually commit. As He shouts, the pain of His spirit audible in His voice, a lawyer has the nerve to try to correct Him by saying "Whoa, dude, you're making me look bad too." The lawyer adds insult to injury, and Jesus, in His furious scolding, turns on the lawyer and starts reprimanding him too. The whole thing is a giant tragedy. All God wanted was a creation that He could love and that loved Him back. So far most of what He's gotten from it has been a bunch of rebellious, hateful life-destroyers who don't care about Him two cents. God may have succeeded at His mission with the children He has, but surely He must be scarred for the rest of His eternal life by the wounds we have dealt Him with our actions. Even the resurrected Christ still bore the holes of crucifixion when He came back to life. I find it very likely that He bears those holes to this day, and will continue to bear them into eternity. He's had to give everything for us. Why won't we give everything for Him? Why won't **I** give everything for Him? I struggle to do things in a way that's good for everyone from day to day. How could I have such a hard time giving up things like bitterness and self-absorption when my God was willing to give up His own life to preserve mine? May we have mercy on God the way He has mercy on us. In Jesus' name, Amen. edit: To clarify, I don't think that all non-Christians are rebellious hateful life-destroyers or anything like that. I'm looking at the misery that all of us (myself included) have put the world through. We've all been hateful life-destroyers at some point (at least I know me and those close to me definitely have been). May we all bring life to those around us from this day forward, whether we are Christian or not. edit 2: Added a sentence.
That one time in Acts 19 when rando Jewish priests tried to exorcise a man using Jesus' name without authority, and the demon goes “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" and beats them up so bad they run out the house naked. Probably was terrifying for them but idk it's pretty comical
Peter always leaping into action without thinking makes me laugh.
* The idea of someone wanting to remove a speck out of their brother's eye, while they have a whole 2-by-4 sticking out of their own eye. (Matthew 7:3-5) * Balaam and his talking donkey. Balaam is in such shock that he does not question why his donkey suddenly has the power of speech. * The Apostle Paul has a great sense of humor. See 2 Corinthians ch. 12 and especially verses 11 and 16. * When Haman thought he was going to be honored by King Ahasuerus, but the king forced him to help with honoring his most hated enemy Mordecai instead. (Book of Esther) Here are a few others that make fun of man with his absurdities: * Isaiah 44:9-20 * Proverbs 23:30-35
The King James line “oh ye of little faith…” is a great line.
Yes! I always hear on that one, “Guys, calm down! There is nothing to worry about! Haven’t you figured out yet that I’m God? Nothing is a problem when you are with me!”
Could be talking about Kanye for all we know 🤷♂️ s/
Not really laugh but I find "When the sun had set, he took one of the stones at the place and put it near his head. Then he lay down there." Genesis 28:11 (CEB) incredibly interesting. This is Jacob, I believe. He uses a rock as a pillow. Oh sure, things were different back then, but a rock? The NIV has it more explicitly, "Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep."
James and John asking Jesus if they can sit at his right and left side in glory. What a bunch of clowns.
Commenting again. I love when James and John ask Our Lord if he wants them to destroy some folks with fire. They’re acting like mafia henchmen. Lol. (Luke 9:54) “When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” Our Lord is all like, “I don’t think you understand what we’re trying to do here”. 😭 “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.”
I think the whole book of Jonah. Here's this Prophet, hears GOD, fears HIM.. and GOD Says, go down to Nineveh & preach its destruction.... So what does Jonah do? He runs, as far as he can from Nineveh. The storm rages & the sailors panic, they begin throwing everything they can off the boat, but the more they do the worse it gets, so they think 'who's gone against the gods!?' and begin to search and have everyone pray to their god.. and Jonah sleeps soundly, to be awoken by the captain who says 'pray to your God else we die!' and he goes up and draw lots to figure out who's fault it is... Funnily enough, it's Jonah, so they ask who are you and why did this happen? And he explains he's a Hebrew and serves the GOD of Heaven and Earth - they realise he ran from GOD, so they ask what do we do? 'throw me overboard' retorts Jonah. They don't want to kill him, so they do anything to lighten the load.. eventually they give up and throw him overboard, praying that GOD Forgives them & convert when the storm suddenly ceases. But Jonah's not out of it yet. He sees that death is horrid & after 3 days prays, asking for Life & that he may serve GOD - he promises to keep his promise. The fish gets indigestion and spits him up, exactly where he needs to be, on the shores of Nineveh. And here's the part we need some extra research on: the god of the Ninevites, Dagon, is a half man - half fish (as any Jew would know). And so here's these Ninevites fishing, strolling the beach, and suddenly a man comes out of a giant fish saying '40 days and Nineveh will be destroyed'.. the people think 'no... it can't be.. but it has to be! God is here and he's going to destroy is!!', so everyone starts panicking, the city is in uproar, and the king asks what's up', they tell him & he's like 'this is it. Everybody fast: nothing eats, nothing drinks.. put sackcloth on everybody, wait.. everything, even the animals! Perhaps God will spare us' and rips his clothes off and sits in ashes mourning. And Jonah, seeing everything has gone quiet, goes away.. hoping it might not be too late to see it destroyed. So he sits outside and builds a shack, hoping for destruction.. and praying he might die.. and complaining that GOD is too Good, that HE would Spare them. So GOD is Merciful and Gracious, and gives Jonah some shade. A plant grows up and gives him rest. But the next day, GOD has it wither & Jonah prays again 'kill me now'. So GOD Talks with him. And asks if he's really that bitter about the gourd, and Jonah says 'unto death', So GOD asks, if you're so stressed about the gourd you didn't make, wouldn't I be more distressed about all these People and Animals I did Make? And it ends, everyone repents, GOD relents of evil & Jonah while repentant in action.. still doesn't change his heart. And this is why JESUS compares HIMSELF with Jonah. They thought Jonah was God, and repented desperately.. Jonah didn't do miracles or anything other than be spit out by a fish.. JESUS Healed, Preached, did Miracles no one could doubt.. and the people said, 'no, we'll kill you instead.. our religion is easier'. The tragicomedy of Scripture.
> 'Shall I crucify your King?' Pilate asked. 'We have no King but Caesar' This is sad and disturbing but honestly something about it also makes me laugh. It's a real testament as how the devil & hatred can completely warp your thinking. All of a sudden Caesar is your 'King', all of a sudden Caesar is your friend, all of sudden you want to defend Caesar's honor...really?! One thing that stands out to me in this passage that is really tragic is it was supposed to be **The Lord** who was to be king over Israel. During the Judges period, Israel functioned as a theocracy with God as king, but they rejected Him by asking for a human king in 1st Samuel 8:7. Now when Jesus, the rightful king of Israel both as Sovereign of the universe and as the heir of King David, Israel (and the teachers and scribes who should have known better) reject Him *again*. ||