Have you Bin Forgetting Something?
May 1, 2011
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign lord. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:32)
Satan makes it convenient for us to react in ways not parallel of with that of God. Need proof? When Moses saw an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew, he became upset with the Egyptian and killed him. The account can be found in the Old Testament in the 2nd chapter of the Book of Exodus. Which Moses was that? Oh yeah, the same one that, with God’s guidance and power, brought Pharaoh to his knees. The same Moses that talked to God. How about David. Yeah, King David. You know, the guy who gained the favor of God and who God even called a man after his own heart. David lusted, lapsed, plotted, murdered…need we go on? And which David was this again? Oh yeah, just KING David, that’s all. Now David killed a lot of men in war but the death of Uriah as a result of David’s order is a whole different matter. Different situations. Same result. Different heart.
As has happened with so many of the great men of the bible, David’s success was focused too heavily on selfish desires and it corrupted him. His committing of adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband Uriah in an attempt to cover it up was perhaps the darkest event of his life. David truly repented of it, and God did forgive him, but David could still not escape the consequences of his actions.
If someone were about to Kill a family member, I would not hesitate to take that someone’s life first. After the fact I would be sad that they had chosen to listen to satan rather than God. I would be happy my family were safe, happy this person no longer remained a threat, but sad I had taken a life that God created. Same thing here…for me. On 9/11 people with Bin Laden celebrated in the streets over other people’s deaths. I think people here are mostly celebrating a death rather than their safety…which I disagree with if that’s the case. A couple of months ago someone broke into the house of a Jewish family near Jerusalem and murdered 5 family members (husband, wife, 2 young children, and a baby) by stabbing them to death as they slept. The next day in Gaza, celebrations occurred rejoicing over the death of this Jewish family. Residents handed out candy and sweets, one resident saying the joy “is a natural response to the harm settlers inflict on the Palestinian residents in the West Bank.” . Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.
God often orchestrated massive deaths to take place, for His will to be done, but he never found pleasure in it…neither should we find pleasure in anyone’s death. Happiness that they can no longer order death through hatred? Sure. Take pleasure in the death of another human being? Never.
Jack Patterson ~ Denver, Colorado (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)