The Greek word chara is translated in the New Testament as joy, rejoicing, or happiness. Typically this word is used in connection with God’s people and their response to what he has done. As believers, we experience joy in God’s presence and in the salvation he gives us. But does God experience joy?
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Table of contents
The Character of God
It is very easy to read the Old Testament and come away with the picture of God as an angry and spiteful deity. A God who is demanding and who ruthlessly punishes disobedience. Calling for the extermination of whole people groups. Killing people for minor infractions of his laws. Sometimes it seems like he just got up on the wrong side of the bed.
The New Testament would seem to soften the image of God as a God of love. But even it is filled with expressions of the wrath of God. However, when you look a little deeper, you find in both testaments that God loves his creation, especially his people. And it is clear that the expressions of wrath are really a reflection of his righteous nature.
God is righteous, and that is reflected in everything he does. God is also love, and that also is reflected in all that he does. But God’s righteousness and love are not two distinct parts of his nature. Instead, they are two aspects of a fully integrated nature. He is fully and completely both righteous and love.
Defining Joy
The Hebrew words śimḥâ and śāśôn, along with the Greek word chara are most often translated into English as joy. But they also are sometimes translated as gladness, delight, or happiness.
In Nehemiah 8:12, in response to the reading of the Law, “all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great śimḥâ, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” In Psalm 51:12, David prays that God would “Restore to me the śāśôn of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” And, in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Paul tells this church that “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the chara given by the Holy Spirit.“
These, and many other passages, express the joy that we have in knowing God and his will for our lives. And, that the joy we have is not of ourselves, but that it comes from God. He is the source of our joy.
Joy As an Attribute of God
We should, first, think that God leads a very interesting life, and that he is full of joy. Undoubtedly he is the most joyous being in the universe. The abundance of his love and generosity is inseparable from his infinite joy. All of the good and beautiful things from which we occasionally drink tiny droplets of soul-exhilarating joy, God continuously experiences in all their breath and depth and richness.
“The Divine Conspiracy” by Dallas Willard – God’s Joyous Being
Is joy a fundamental attribute of God? An attribute that is essential to his nature? Most would agree that attributes like his omnipotence, omniscience, aseity, and transcendence are basic to who God is. And moral attributes like love, goodness, righteousness, and mercy are also fundamental to God’s nature. But what about joy?
Wikipedia has a list of 28 attributes for God. And joy is not included. I have seen countless attribute lists for God over the years. And I cannot recall ever seeing joy on one of these lists. Yet on reflection, it would seem like it would be an attribute of God. God is not a sour puss deity looking for someone to smite. But he is joyous, taking delight in the work of his hands. The rejoicing in heaven when a lost one is saved is surely led by the God who created that one who has been found.
Joy In His Image Bearers
The first chapter of Genesis affirms that humanity was made in the image of God. At least part of being made in God’s image would be that we reflect his moral attributes. We love, not because we are loving. But because God is love and we are made in his image. The same would be true of goodness, righteousness, mercy, and other moral attributes, including joy.
That people can experience and live in joy is another indication that joy is a part of the nature of God. It is not something that we just inexplicably have. Rather, we can know joy because God is joy.
Entering Into God’s Joy
In Matthew 25:14-30 is found the parable of the talents. In this parable, a man entrusts three servants with some money to invest for him while he is away. When he returns, he calls each of the servants in to give an account of their stewardship. Two of the three have done well and are commended for their efforts.
In verses 21 & 23 the master says to the two, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” In these verses, the word translated as happiness is chara, translated elsewhere as joy. These faithful servants are invited to share in the joy of their master.
This is one of the kingdom parables, describing what the kingdom of heaven is like. The master here represents God, with us as his servants. And his faithful servants will partake of God’s joy.
Living a Life of Joy
In Ephesians 5:12, Paul tells us to follow God’s example, walking in the way of love. And in 1 Peter 1:15-16, we are called to be holy because God is holy. As children of God, we should seek to be like him as much as we can. And that would seem to include joy. In Philippians 4:4, Paul tells us twice to rejoice in the Lord. To have joy as God’s people.
All too often as Christians, we seem to wear a frown, looking like we have just sucked on a lemon. And while there certainly may be times when that is appropriate, it should not be our default face. Rejoice in the Lord. Let God’s joy fill us and flow out to those we come into contact with. Let’s be a people of love, holiness, and joy.
Passages of Joy
Old Testament
- Nehemiah 8:10 – Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
- Psalm 16:11 – You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
- Psalm 21:6 – Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
- Psalm 51:12 – Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
- Psalm 65:8 – The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
- Psalm 106:5 – that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.
- Isaiah 58:14 – then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
New Testament
- John 15:11 – I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
- John 17:13 – “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
- Romans 14:17 – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6 – You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
- Hebrews 12:2 – fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Hebrews 12:22 – But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
Related Posts
Disclaimer
The views expressed here are solely mine and do not necessarily reflect those of any other person, group, or organization. While I believe they reflect the teachings of the Bible, I am a fallible human and subject to misunderstanding. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions about this post in the comments section below. I am always interested in your feedback.
If you have found value in this post, please consider subscribing to A Clay Jar so that you don’t miss any other posts.
You can totally ignore my comment. I started reading Don’s comments before finishing your post. And taking the words translated as “joy” or “delight” back to the original language. In the OT it seems like God imparts joy and Spurgeon’s argument was that in the Garden before the Fall there was joy. Jesus came to restore that relationship and to bring back the continuous joy of being in God’s presence. I really love running into another “thinker” and pray your ministry touches and encourages many. Love, Jill
Thanks, that is my prayer as well.
I believe that true joy only comes from participating in God’s joy.
Thank you for taking the time to write this. I too was pondering on whether joy was an attribute of God. Listed in Gal 5 it is obviously something God can give-but then why is “joy” not on any attribute list? Presumably God can’t give something He doesn’t have. My search led me to your page. And then to a book by Spurgeon who referenced John 15:11 “These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be complete.” Jesus’s joy came from His obedience to God. (Heb 12:2) and knowing and obeying God is also the source of our joy. So if Jesus has joy, and Jesus is God, then God has joy and it is imparted to us by the Spirit. Thank you again for writing this. Some people imply that they are too smart to be a Christian, but I have found if you really ponder and meditate on God’s Word, you can never reach the depth of all God has to teach us here on Earth.
I love what you wrote. I too – on this Valentine’s day – am pondering the joy of love and the joy God gives to those who love Him. Sixty five years ago a beautiful young lass smiled as I gave her a Valentine’s card – three years later she became my wife. Joy has marked most of life though now dementia has taken away so much. Her smile and love and joy remain and it lights up the room when she sees me. God loves and rejoices with His children. Yes, as a bridegroom rejoices over and with his wife. God is a God of joy!
Walter Mohr
Thanks for your touching tribute to your wife and the love you share.
Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
Isaiah 65:19 “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying.”
Luke 15:6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance….
22 The father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
The joy of the Lord is our strength
Thank you so much for your encouraging words each day.
So glad you find them encouraging. Thanks
Thank you for your input on how God is Joy therefore we have joy. Even in the situation that we are in now with covid 19 we can turn to our Lord God in joy and Thanksgiving
It is good that we can have joy that transcend this world and its troubles.