The Laughter of God

 

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:1-6 ESV).

 

I enjoy watching movies and television series based on the comic of Marvel and DC. There is a scene in The Dark Knight that fits well.  This scene, from the second of the Batman films, begins with Coleman Reese, one of Wayne Enterprises’ auditors, approaching Bruce Wayne’s right hand man Lucius Fox.  Reese has discovered that Lucius Fox has been building Batman’s vehicles and gadgets. Upon further investigation, Reese has concluded that his boss, Bruce Wayne, is Batman.  Reese walks into Lucius Fox’s office and begins to blackmail him.  He lays out his evidence and says, “To keep quiet I want ten million dollars a year for the rest of my life.”  Fox waits a few moments before responding, “Let me get this straight, you think that your client, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante, who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands, and your plan is to blackmail this person?”  Fox chuckles and says, “Good luck.”

 

This scene reminds me of our reading today, though God’s laughter at humanity’s plan is far more uproarious.  Let me paraphrase a bit. The psalmist pictures God saying:

 

“So, let me get this straight, I created you out of dust.  I breathed life into you.  You wouldn’t be alive without me and you will only live as long as I decide. Before me, your power is as nothing. Before me, your wisdom is as nothing. Before me, your glory is as nothing. It is all less than nothing, and your plan is to take my throne?  Good luck with that.”

 

God finds human rebellion so laughable that He doesn’t acknowledge it as a threat.  Spurgeon is right when He says of this rebellious world, “[God] has not taken the trouble to rise up and do battle with them—He despises them, He knows how absurd, how irrational, how futile are their attempts against Him—He therefore laughs at them.” But then… the miraculous mercy of God shows up! Jesus comes and pays the debt we could never pay; and, dies the death we all deserve! Meditate on that today. Let your mind and heart turn toward the One who simply laughs at those who would attempt to overthrow His will and purpose!