What does it mean that God is not mocked?

Answer

To mock God is to disrespect, dishonor, or ignore Him. It is a serious offense committed by those who have no fear of God or who deny His existence. The most easily recognized form of mockery is disrespect typified by verbal insults or other acts of disdain. It is associated with ridicule, scoffing, and defiance. Mockery is a dishonoring attitude that shows low estimation, contempt, or even open hostility.

In the Bible, mockery is a behavior and attitude shown by the fool “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.”, (Psalm 74:22), the wicked “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”, (Psalm 1:1), the enemy “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever?”, (Psalm 74:10), the hater of knowledge (Proverbs 1:22;Proverbs 13:1), the proud (Psalm 119:51;Isaiah 37:17), and the unteachable “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: Neither will he go unto the wise.”, (Proverbs 15:12). A mocker goes beyond mere lack of judgment to making a conscious decision for evil. Mockers are without a spirit of obedience, teachability, discernment, wisdom, worship, or faith.

Those who mock God will mock the people of God as well. The prophet Jeremiah “became the laughingstock of all.”My people” and was mocked “in song all day long” «I was a derision to all my people; And their song all the day. », (Lamentations 3:14). Mockery of God’s prophets was commonplace «but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. », (2 Chronicles 36:16). Nehemiah was mocked by his enemies «But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? », (Nehemiah 2:19). Elisha was mocked by the youths of Bethel «And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: 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). And of course our Lord Jesus was mocked—by Herod and his soldiers «And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. », (Luke 23:11), by the Roman soldiers (Mark 15:20;Luke 23:36), by a thief on a cross «And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. », (Luke 23:39), and by the Jewish leaders who passed by the cross «Likewise allSo the chief priests, mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, “(Matthew 27:41).

It is easy for us as believers to point the finger at those outside the church who mock God. But the most subtle mockery of God, and the most dangerous, comes from those of us sitting in church. We are guilty of mockery when we behave with an outward show of spirituality or godliness without an inward engagement or change of heart.

Charles G. Finney, a preacher in the 1800s, wrote about the effects of mocking God: “To mock God is to pretend to love and serve him when we do not; to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey him, love, serve, and worship him, when we do not. . . . Mocking God grieves the Holy Spirit, and sears the conscience; and thus the bands of sin become stronger and stronger. The heart becomes gradually hardened by such a process.”

God warns that mockery of what is holy will be punished. Zephaniah predicted the downfall of Moab and Ammon, saying, “This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty” “This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.” (Zephaniah 2:10). Isaiah 28:22 warns that mockery will cause the chains of Judah’s sin to become stronger and that destruction will follow. Proverbs 3:34 says that God will mock the mocker but give favor to the humble and oppressed. Second Kings 2:24 records the punishment that befell the youths who jeered Elisha.

This is what it means that God is not mocked. There are repercussions for ignoring God’s directives and willfully choosing sin. Adam and Eve tried and brought sorrow and death into the world (Genesis).(Genesis 2:15-17;3:6,24). The deception of Ananias and Sapphira led to a prompt and public judgment (Acts 5:1-11). Galatians 6:7 presents a universal principle: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

God cannot be deceived (Hebrews 4:12-13). The sins of Achan (Joshua 7) and Jonah’s attempt to flee (Jonah 1) were not hidden from God. Jesus’ consistent message to each church in Revelation 2—3 was, “I know your works.” We deceive only ourselves when we believe that our attitudes and actions are not observed by an all-powerful and all-knowing God.

The Bible guides us on how to live a blessed life, at times through the positive examples of righteous individuals and at other times through the negative examples of those who opt for a different path. Psalm 1:1–3 states, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”