The Death of a Terrorist
The world either went to sleep on Sunday to the news or woke up Monday to hear of the death of Osama bin Laden. I would imagine that there were a number of responses people had. There was jubilation in the streets, pundits weighing in. I thought that Carl Rove’s comments were interesting. He said, and I paraphrase; “I have to say, and I don’t think it is a Christian response, but I feel a sense of revenge.” He was being honest but more thoughtful than many of us when he reflected that feelings of revenge may be beneath our best Christian standards. Are we right to have a feeling of revenge or is that below us as Christian believers?
One simple passage has been on my mind. It is a passage from Ezekiel 18 (verse 23);
“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” declares the Sovereign LORD. “Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”
As I have been mulling over those words, I have had to temper a pure sense of the pleasure I feel at the death of such an evil person. I have asked myself how I can be more like God. “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather . . .” And then I think about how much better it would have been, at least in my mind, if this evil person had “. . . turned from his evil ways.” It would have been better for him to see that what he had done was a terrible and grevious evil. Then, even seeing that the justice of the case would have been served if he had then been subject to the death penalty through a miltary tribunal, it would have been a greater good for him to have turned. There is always a glory of sorts in turning. And there is a sense in which the evil person who dies represents a small victory for the evil that has been manifest through that person’s life.
“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their evil ways and live.” Live with that one as you ponder the just end of the life of perhaps the most evil man of our times.
May 3, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Jeremiah 13:23 (New International Version, ©2011)
23 Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
> Some may think of it as revenge or vengeance, but rather it is justice. Our Father will be the ultimate judge but as far as I concerned UBL deserves to be spending eternity with his father (Satan) …in hell. -SG
May 3, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Yes, Osama bin Laden is getting what he “deserves”, but it is still not pleasing to God. Wouldn’t God have been much more glorified if bin Laden would have repented and become a changed man by the grace of God? I cannot say that I am not pleased with his death, but then I also have a hard time “loving my enemy and praying for those who persecute me.” Just another example of God’s thoughts being so much higer than my thoughts.
May 4, 2011 at 2:33 pm
I understand that vengeance is to be the Lord’s alone. I do not believe it’s right to dance in the streets with jubilation, celebrating the death of any man, evil or otherwise. I also agree with Lori that we cannot begin to comprehend the Lord’s thoughts or His strategic plan.
But, I also know that God’s judgement is ongoing; it is not reserved solely for Judgement Day. He has used many instruments to discipline people in the past, such as Cyrus in Isaiah. I’m not implying that this is the case here, but who am I to say that it couldn’t be. Somehow this is part of His plan as He is sovereign and works for the greater good.
Did God allow 911 to take place to discipline Americans in an attempt to turn her back toward Him? That would be a tough thought to swallow. He raised up Cyrus as a conquerer to serve His purpose, but remedied this situation thereafter. Most likely this is not the case, but who am I to fully reject the possibility?
I’m not a heartless tyrant feeling that our government is free to do as it pleases. I’m not even saying that I’m totally convinced this was the correct way to handle the situation. The truth is that it’s confusing and results in me feeling conflicted. I’m just saying that our God is wrathful, as well as loving. The following is from Romans 13:
“1Let every person(A) be subject to the governing authorities. For(B) there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you(C) will receive his approval, 4for(D) he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God,(E) an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also(F) for the sake of conscience.”
I realize that Paul wrote this in explanation of why people should pay their taxes. But, is that all it applies to?