GOD'S WORD -- HE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR!

WHERE ARE YOU?

I have had some of these thoughts for a long time, so I figure that I may as well spring them loose on you.  I am sure that there are some among you who read the Bible now and then.  Just as I do.  I have to admit that there are certain parts of the Bible that make me smile.  Sometimes even an audible snort escapes.  Does the author of the Bible books intend humor?  Many very deeply intellectual people have written important documents on the subject.  The consensus is that though the Bible is not meant to be a humorous presentation, it does have a lot of low key, subtle humor.  The problem that most of us have is that we do not understand Hebrew.  That takes away our ability to appreciate the puns and the sarcasms and other forms of humor that are undoubtedly there.  My feel for Bible humor is more along the lines of comparing our beliefs about God and others and some of the sayings and actions that we read about.  I therefore invite you to try to see the humor in some of the following passages.

1. Genesis 3;9 - The LORD God then called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?"  'Scuse me?  You don't know where we are?  Hmmm...

2.  Genesis 8;1 - "and then God remembered Noah and all the animals, wild and tame, that were with him in the ark."  So, you just now remembered?  Thank you, Lord God.

3. Joshua 2;1-2 -- Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim, saying, "Go, reconnoiter the land and Jericho." When the two reached Jericho, they went into the house of a harlot named Rahab, where they lodged.  So, where else would soldiers go for a warm meal and a soft bed? Hmmm... [By the way, Rahab did help.  She saved their lives and changed hers.  She is in the Genealogy of Jesus in Matthew]

4. Judges 4; 1-8 -- Deborah the sitting Judge calls for Barak and tells him that Yaweh will help him to win a battle.  He is to go and get it done.  His response is: ... "If you come with me, I will go; if you do not come with me, I will not go." Real brave commander, eh?  Catch the name?  It means "Lightning." I wonder if he was left handed.  Now get the punch line.  This is rich:  "I will certainly go with you," she replied, "but you shall not gain the glory in the expedition on which you are setting out, for the LORD will have Sisera fall into the power of a woman."  Don't mess with Gog's women, Barak!

5. Tobit 5; 4 - 5 -- Listen while the Archangel Raphael tells a fib - "Tobiah went to look for someone acquainted with the roads who would travel with him to Media. As soon as he went out, he found the angel Raphael standing before him, though he did not know that this was an angel of God.  Tobiah said to him, "Who are you, young man?" He replied "I am an Israelite, one of your kinsmen. I have come here to work." Tobiah said, "Do you know the way to Media?"  Of course I do.  I've been there many times.  Read the story.  The unveiling is at the end.  There is a lot of "good stuff" in this wonderful story about good, God loving people.

I could go on and on, but I won't.  I had this thought because one of the most humorous passages in the Gospel is the entire chapter 9 of St. John's Gospel and it was read in church this past Sunday. The characters in this little drama are so wonderfully sculpted that it is impossible to read this chapter just once.  My favorite part is when the ex-blind man really takes it to the Pharisees, they take offense ... ""You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?" Then they threw him out." [John 9; 34]
Don't ya just love it?  Geddoutta here!  Think about it, you probably know someone to whom that has been done.  Maybe it was you.  I know that I've gotten the bum's rush a time or two...once by a bishop.  I showed him, I'm still alive and he isn't.  Schadenfreude!
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, cats and dogs, snakes and frogs, cows and asses, drink your water, eat your grasses, wear your fig leaves and your glasses, so when HE comes out from the blue, HE won't have to ask, "WHERE ARE YOU?"