“Bittersweet Victory”

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Do you think it's wrong for a christian to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden?  I was ecstatic and thankful to God when I heard the news, but then someone showed me Prov 24:17.

Sincerely,
Grateful

Dear Grateful,

There is a balance in the heart of a christian between rejoicing that evil has been vanquished and mourning over the death of a human being.  There are plenty of examples of God’s people rejoicing in national victories.  There is an entire song that was written when the Israelites celebrated the destruction and drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (Ex 15:1-21).  There is always joy when the wicked are defeated (Pr 11:10).  It is appropriate to be happy when evil is destroyed because it means righteousness is prevailing (Pr 28:28).

However, this also must be tempered with the fact that a human that was made in the image of God (Gen 1:27) perished.  God says that it pains Him when the wicked perish (Ezek 18:23); we should also have that pain.  There is a bittersweet emotion within the hearts of God’s people when an evil person dies.  We rejoice that righteousness has prevailed, but we sorrow that a soul stained with sin has gone to face its Maker.

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