Laughing Out Loud!

I just love the fact that our Lord has a sense of humor.  I’ve read several stories in the New Testament that are truly laugh out loud funny stories.  But the Old Testament seems to come across as more serious most of the time.  However…back in September my Bible reading took me to a story – one that I’ve read many times.  I’ve always had an appreciation of the story – for the circumstances, the ways they were dealt with and the outcome.  But this time I noticed something different – something I hadn’t noticed before, that left me laughing out loud.  Let me share…

Let’s start at the beginning – Ezra 1:1-4 (AMP):  “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia [that is, the first year he ruled Babylon], in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah [the prophet], the Lord stirred up (put in motion) the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:  ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord*, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is God who is in Jerusalem. In any place where a survivor (Jewish exile) may live, let the men (Gentiles) of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with freewill offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”  (The non-Jews in the area were ordered to support them in their endeavors.  Imagine how happy that made those people!)

So chapter 2 tells us  that almost 50,000 people returned to Jerusalem and settled in their cities.  Chapter 3 says that after about 7 months they began to restore the altar so they could offer their sacrifices.  Then approximately 1½ years after that, they started the rebuilding of the temple. When the foundation was completed there was a celebration – a very loud celebration – 3:11-13 (MSG) says:  “All the people boomed out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly for joy. People couldn’t distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.”  Now the trouble started.  

Chapter 4 tells us how their adversaries, who were very unhappy about this project, began to do all they could to hinder the progress.  They tried to discourage them, they tried to frighten them, they went so far as to hire people to interfere.  This all started while Cyrus, who had sent the exiles to fulfill this project was still alive; but, after his death it continued.  

At one point, as a result of all the actions and complaining, the Israelites were ordered to stop the work.  It was suspended until King Darius could make a decision about this project.  (Chapters 4-5)  

Now the fun starts:  Chapter 6:1-12 (NLT):  “So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasury. But it was at the fortress at Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found. This is what it said: ‘Memorandum: ‘In the first year of King Cyrus’s reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem.  Let the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. Its height will be ninety feet, and its width will be ninety feet. Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury. Furthermore, the gold and silver cups, which were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.’”  So King Darius sent this message: ‘Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues and other officials west of the Euphrates River—stay away from there! Do not disturb the construction of the Temple of God. Let it be rebuilt on its original site, and do not hinder the governor of Judah and the elders of the Jews in their work.  Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted.  Give the priests in Jerusalem whatever is needed in the way of young bulls, rams, and male lambs for the burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven. And without fail, provide them with as much wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil as they need each day. Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons.  Those who violate this decree in any way will have a beam pulled from their house. Then they will be lifted up and impaled on it, and their house will be reduced to a pile of rubble. May the God who has chosen the city of Jerusalem as the place to honor his name destroy any king or nation that violates this command and destroys this Temple.  I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be obeyed with all diligence.’”

Laughing Out Loud!!!!  Can you imagine the shock and awe of all those adversaries when they received this message from King Darius??  I’m sure they had been in their little back room scheming, chuckling and rubbing their hands together in glee as they dreamed up how they were going to humiliate the Israelites!  They probably were even planning ways to go in and destroy what had been built.  But alas!  God had other plans and they were put in their place, in no uncertain terms!  Anything they tried to do against the plans would result in their death!

Oh thank you Lord!  Thank you for making me smile today!  Thank you for such a wonderful sense of humor.  This should make it evident to us that we don’t have to take life so seriously – that we can look at what seems negative around us, what makes us feel anxious and possibly find some joy in it; and, forgive us for thinking that you never laugh.

When people/nations try to work against our God, the Word indicates He doesn’t take it too seriously:  “But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans.”  (Psalm 2:4 TLB)

“The Lord is laughing at those who plot against the godly, for he knows their judgment day is coming.  (Psalm 37:13 TLB)

It’s important for our well-being that we do our best not to let the concerns of the world get us down.

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”  (Psalm 94:19 NIV)

 “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.”  (Proverbs 17:22 GNT)

“A heart full of joy and goodness makes a cheerful face, But when a heart is full of sadness the spirit is crushed.”  (Proverbs 15:13 AMP)

“When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!”  (Proverbs 15:15 TLB)

“You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills, the trees of the field—all the world around you—will rejoice.”  (Isaiah 55:12 TLB)

Lord, help us to find the joy in our day-to-day life and to remember how happiness and joy can change everything for the better.  Help us to be able to Laugh Out Loud! 

Written by Karran Martin – October 18, 2025  

 [All bold and underline emphasis is mine]

*A notation in the Amplified Bible regarding Cyrus referring to “The Lord” said this:  “It is remarkable that Cyrus actually used God’s special name, the tetragrammaton YHWH (traditionally rendered “Lord”). Certainly Cyrus recognized the true God, but he probably considered Him as one of a number of existing gods, as was typical for a polytheist. For Cyrus God of heaven probably meant just that, along with God of Israel and the God who is in Jerusalem (v 3).