What Makes God Laugh B Y P A S T O R D av i d G u z i k

He who sits in the heavens shall Because He sits in the heavens. laugh; the Lord shall hold them in This phrase contains two reasons why God laughs: how He rules, derision. Psalm 2:4 God looks at the way men plot and where He rules from—the heavens. By sitting, God demon- against Him, and He laughs. We don’t often think of God as laughing, strates that He reigns as the Great but the Bible says He does. The God pre- King who has no fear of losing God isn’t afraid or confused sented in the Scriptures isn’t depressed, His authority. He is not pacing and He isn’t filled with fear or anxiety. God back and forth, concerned that about the opposition of man. has the settled confidence that He both someone will do something He knows and controls the future. Plus, when cannot prevent. The Lord is not God sees mankind—in both his glory and worried, and He has never had a panic . He was so confident that he his foolishness—He must often smile. attack. He rules in perfect peace and assur- built two monuments on the frontier of his ance. When men rage and plot against God, empire with these inscriptions: Psalm 2 speaks of God laughing because He does not fret; He simply laughs. men think they can plot and work against “ Jovian Herculeus Him with any hope of success. The first few Second, God laughs because of the location Caesares Augusti for having extended the verses of the Psalm read: from which He rules: in the heavens. It isn’t Roman Empire in the east and the west an earthly, temporary throne He occupies; and for having extinguished the name “Why do the nations rage, and the it is the permanent and abiding throne of of Christians who brought the Republic people plot a vain thing? The kings heaven. He has authority over all creation, to ruin.” and His rule can’t be toppled. What does of the earth set themselves, and heaven have to fear from earth? “Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus the rulers take counsel together, Caesares Augusti for … having everywhere against the Lord and against His Please notice that God does not laugh at the abolished the superstition of Christ [and] for Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break suffering of humankind, or even at their having extended the worship of the [Roman 1 Their bonds in pieces and cast suffering as a result of sin. Instead, God pantheon of] gods.” laughs at the proud man or woman who away Their cords from us.’” thinks so highly of him- or herself that this Really, Diocletian? You extinguished Psalm 2:1-3 person fights against God and seeks to pre- Christianity? You defeated the Gospel of vent His will. God shows all sympathy and Jesus Christ? Not quite. “He who sits in the As King David wrote this Psalm (Acts 4:25- compassion for the suffering. It is only the heavens shall laugh.” 26 demonstrates that David authored it), rage of mankind against heaven that causes he thought of how strange it is that people Him to laugh—rather than to fear or worry. Diocletian is dead and gone, but the fame rage against God. They have no reason to and glory of Jesus Christ is spread over all rage against God, and they gain no benefit Verse 4 concludes, “The Lord shall hold the earth. Multiplied millions have given from it. Even though men band themselves them in derision.” Through the centuries, their lives for the Name and Gospel of together against God, it gives no better many people have opposed God and His Jesus, while Diocletian is barely remem- chance against Him. Worst of all, they kingdom. Each one of these opponents has bered. What was true of Diocletian is true think of God and His Messiah as bondage- been frustrated and crushed—as they will of all those who set themselves against God: bringers. They say, “Let us break Their be forevermore. In every generation there “The Lord shall hold them in derision.” bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords are arrogant voices that think they have put from us.” This shows how irrational their the last nail in a coffin to bury the church. David Guzik directed CC Bible College in rage is, because God is a bondage-breaker, It will not happen, and God simply laughs. Siegen, Germany, for seven years. He is now not a bondage-bringer. senior pastor of CC Santa Barbara, CA. He has A famous example of an opponent of served in pastoral ministry for twenty years What is God’s response to the rage of the Christianity was the Roman Emperor and has authored several Bible commentaries. nations, and their plotting against Him? Diocletian (AD 245-313). He was one of www.enduringword.com “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh” the last great open enemies of the church (verse 4a). God looks at the way men plot in the days of the Roman Empire. He was 1Spurgeon, Charles H. The Treasury of against Him, and He laughs. God isn’t such a determined enemy of Christians David. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1976. afraid or confused about the opposition of that he persecuted the church mercilessly man; He laughs at it. Why? and believed he had actually defeated

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