I have benefited from the responses to my post concerning the “rejoicing” over the news about the killing of Osama bin Laden by our Navy Seals. Some of the rejoicing went over the line into “gloating” and I have no sympathy with that. I was surprised, however, that some Christians posted that we should not rejoice at all over this news. “We should never rejoice over the death of a human being” said one of my former students. After I offered another view, I was encouraged by the much greater number of affirmations than disagreements. Here I elaborate further what I wrote, with a brief Biblical perspective.
Christians need to realize that the NT teaches that one function of government is to protect its citizens from evil people. This is taught implicitly in 2Tim.2:2 and quite explicitly in Rom.13:4: “The authority is the minister of God to you for good. He does not bear the sword for nothing because he is the minister of God who is an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” The powers (our military) did not bear the sword in vain, but executed (God’s) wrath on this evil doer. This international mass-murderer has been brought to God’s justice by God’s appointed servants. This evil man lived by the sword so he asked to die by the sword (Matt.26:52).
David often prayed for justice to be meted out to the wicked. I believe that his prayers have been answered in this specific case. Some of these sincere but, in my opinion, naive Christians need to read the Psalms again! I understand the problems with the imprecatory psalms, and maybe I don’t have all the answers to every specific statement, but I do know this. Our problem with them often arises because of our inadequate understanding about the righteousness of a holy God and the very real nature of evil. We have often been dulled and softened by postmodern ideas of fairness so we do not have a balanced idea of the hideousness of sin, even at the level of the crimes of a Bin Laden. If we had a greater sense of God’s righteousness, we would not be questioning the idea of rejoicing at the righteous judgment of God.
Some prominent bloggers have distinguished between rejoicing at the righteous judgment of God, but not rejoicing at Bin Laden’s death. I confess to being absolutely perplexed at this dichotomy. God’s righteous judgment was his death! How do we somehow distinguish between the two? Furthermore, the statement that God does not delight in the death of a sinner has been ripped out of its context where God is addressing Israel and preferring that the sinner repent rather than die (Ezek.33:11). In any case Bin Laden rejected any opportunity for repentance.
One responder cited Prov. 24:17: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” This is similar to citing Jesus’ statement about turning the cheek. But these passages deal with personal affronts from our personal enemies that are not to be returned. When they do fall after insulting us, we should not rejoice at their fall. These passages have nothing to do with international wars and international murderers. But there is another quotation from Proverbs that seems more appropriate to a “civic” rather than a personal context: “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting” (Prov.11:10). (I know this is a descriptive, not a prescriptive comment, but that in itself does not invalidate the verse as illustrative of this situation. I just am making the point that all quotes from the Proverbs should be considered).
Not only the OT lament psalms but many statements in the NT Apocalypse should also be considered. It is there that we are told to rejoice when God judges His enemies and the justice of God is upheld. Read the four “hallelujahs” in Rev.19:1-6 and you will see how we are commanded to rejoice when God judges the wicked who have flouted God’s righteousness. See also Rev.18:20, where “saints” are actually commanded to rejoice over the destruction of Babylon and the sinners in it! And this is in the NT, my friend, not the OT! (No one who disagrees with me thus far has really responded to this point!).
On a lighter note, when I heard about the heroic action of our forces who killed a man who has murdered thousands including his fellow Muslims, and who rejoiced publicly over sending his own young men to their deaths along with the Christian and Jewish “infidels”, I thought of a line from the Wizard of Oz: “Ding dong, the wicked witch is dead!” I can now hear some “pious” Christian questioning why I would use a quote from a fictional fantasy. I would tell that person, however, that it is sad that Frank Baum and the munchkins perhaps had a greater understanding of God’s holiness, righteousness, and justice than some current Christians do!
Let no one accuse me of fiendishly delighting over Bin Laden’s suffering in the fires of Hell. My comments have addressed his judgment in this life, not in the next one. His eternal judgment I will leave in the hands of the God of all the earth, who will certainly do the right and just thing! (Gen.18:25).