Irony in the Bible

What Is Irony?• Irony is when something turns out the

opposite of what is intended

• Like the person who tries to save money by cutting corners but ends up spending more money, or the person who tries to get ahead illegally and then gets left behind, etc.

Irony in the Bible• The tower of Babel is an example of irony

(Gen. 11:1-9)

• Lot’s choice of Sodom is an example of irony (Gen. 13:10-13; 2 Pet. 2:6-8)

• Haman’s gallows is an example of irony (Esther 5:9-14; 7:1-10)

The Irony Is…• The first will be last and the last will be first

(Mt. 19:30; 20:16; Mk. 9:35; 10:31; Lk. 13:30)

• Many of the Jews are a good example of this (Mt. 8:11-12; 21:31-32, 43; Lk. 7:29-30)

The Irony Is…• Those who save their life will lose it and

those who lose their life will save it (Mt. 10:39; 16:25; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24; 17:33; Jn. 12:25)

• Judas is a good example of this (Acts 1:25)

The Irony Is…• Those who exalt themselves will be

humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Prov. 16:18; Mt. 23:12; Lk. 14:11; 18:9,13-14; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6; )

• Nebuchadnezzar and Herod are good examples of this (Dan. 4:28-33; Acts 12:20-23)

The Irony Is…• The wise becomes a fool and the fool

becomes wise (1 Cor. 1:20, 25, 26-27; 2:6-7; 3:18-21)

• The Gentile world of Paul’s day is a good example of this (Rom. 1:21-22)

The Irony Is…• The one who wants to be free becomes a

slave and the one who is willing to be a slave becomes free (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 2:16; 2 Pet. 2:18-19)

• Israel in the period of the Judges is a good example of this (Judges 21:25)

What Have We Learned?• God’s ways are not man’s ways (Isa. 55:8-

9; Lk. 16:15)

• God has the final say so on our plans (Prov. 19:21)

• God is not mocked, you will reap what you sow (Gal. 6:7-8)