The term "mock" is defined "to treat with
contempt or ridicule; delude; defy; to mimic
in sport or derision; a sham."[1] According
to Mr. Cruden, he defines the word "mock" as follows, "(1) to
deride or laugh at, 2 Chronicles 30: 10; (2) to speak in jest, Genesis 19: 14;
(3) to disappoint, deceive, Numbers 22: 29."[2]
1. Righteous Mocking
always Attacks Bad behaviour and Actions.
This is a subject you don't hear much talk about in the
Church. Often we are told it is wrong to mock others. On the most part, that is
true, but in some cases it is justifiable. For example, the Lord "that sitteth in the heavens shall
laugh [or mock]: the Lord shall have them in derision" (Psalm 2: 4).
Here we see the Lord from heaven mocking those kings and rulers who foolishly
rebel against the Lord (see 2: 1-3). Another Scripture passage that builds on
this truth is Proverbs 1: 24-26, "Because
I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man
regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my
reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear
cometh." Why does the Lord do that? "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the
LORD"
(1: 29). We learn here from the Lord that it is not wrong to
"mock" those who willfully rebel against the God of heaven. Next, we
see Elijah mocking the prophets of Baal,
"It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked [the prophets of Baal] and
said, 'Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or
[has wandered away], or is [traveling], or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be
awakened'" (1 Kings 18: 27). So we learn here that in some cases
mocking is acceptable. Elijah was not mocking the prophets of Baal personally,
he was mocking their false religion and practices. The same truth applies to
the Lord mocking the wicked rulers in Psalm 2: 4. He was mocking their foolish
behaviour and rebellion against Him.
2. Unrighteous
Mocking Attacks an Individual Personally.
The negative use of the word "mock" is associated
with the words "scoffers" and "scorners." These words scoffers and scorners describes the person who mocks. Mr. Cruden defines a
scorner, "the word is used in Scripture, is one who makes a mock of sin,
and of God's threatenings and judgments against sinners; one who derides all
wholesome reproofs and counsels, and scoffs at religion"[3] The
Word of God calls such a person who mocks at sin a "fool" (see Prov. 14: 9). Another example of unrighteous
mockings is the children who "mocked" Elisha the prophet: "And he [Elisha] went up from thence
unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little
children out of the city, and mocked him,
and said unto him, 'Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head" (2
Kings 2: 23). Then in the very next verse we read of Elisha "cursed them in the name of the
LORD" (v. 24). What was their sin? The mock of irreverence to God's
prophet. Perhaps there is none who knows better what it is to be
"mocked" unjustly than the Lord Jesus Christ: "And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him,
and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him" (Mark
15: 20). Then as a final example, we read in 2 Peter "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers
fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation" (2 Peter 3: 3-4). Here we learn the truth of many today who
mock the Lord's promise of "coming" back.
So as you can see from these two points above that there is
a correct way to mock and a incorrect way to mock. One way is righteous the
other way sinful. The idea of righteously mocking someone is to point out hoe absurd their actions and behavior is; whereas sinful mocking attacks the individual personally. (Will continue this article later, Lord willing).
No comments:
Post a Comment