We can see examples of God saying “Harrumph” to men when they get all full of themselves.  In Genesis 11 the world had decided not to follow God’s command to fill the earth but instead settled in the land of Shinar.  They had learned about bricks and mortar and were determined to build a tower “with its top in the heavens” so as to make a name for themselves.  They thought they could go up to heaven; instead God came down to them, confused their language and caused the people to disperse across the globe.

The book of Job has a back and forth discussion between Job, proclaiming his innocence despite his current sufferings, and his friends who argue he was correctly being punished for having done something wrong.  Job wants to talk to God, until God shows up! God’s harrumph includes a glorious description of his acts in creating and sustaining the whole universe.  Job was more correct than his friends, but they all needed to understand how much greater God is than themselves.

The believers gather together in Acts 4 after just witnessing the bold gospel defense to the Sanhedrin made by Peter and John.  They pray for their own boldness and that God would continue working his miracles.  They apply Psalm 2 to the leaders who crucified Jesus, persecuted the apostles, and failed to understand the salvation work God used them for: “Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed. ”

Current day scientists and others who pooh-pooh the idea of an Intelligent Designer are quick to point out things any “good” designer would have done differently than what we see now – the giraffes’ audio nerve runs from the brain down the neck , around the heart, and back up the neck to their ear; people get sunburn; human windpipes are right next to the esophagus so choking happens, etc.  Can you hear the harrumph?

The opposite side of such hubris is recorded in Jeremiah 9 where men are warned not to boast in their own wisdom, might, or riches, but “let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”