Since the events of Sunday Night, May 1, there have been many discussions about the appropriate response as a believer in the death of a man like Osama Bin Laden. I have read the twitter feeds, the Facebook posts and several blogs indicating everything from the The New York Daily News’ headlines to the Facebook postings criticizing anyone for finding any joy in this act.
My sermon yesterday was over the call of Abram from Genesis 12. In verse 3 God says to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” This promise to Abram became a covenant promise to all believers. God’s covenant to us as believers is the same (2 Thess. 1:5-11). Osama Bin Laden was an evil man. He was evil because of his actions and decisions but also because he chose not to accept Jesus Christ as his savior. He chose at some point in his life to make enemies of everyone who opposed him and his views. Bin Laden was evil and his death is justified. But this is not about justifying his death. It is about celebrating his death? Do we have to feel sad because he will spend eternity in hell? I read a blog today that drew this conclusion, “If heaven celebrates when one soul is saved from eternal separation from God, doesn’t it also weep at one soul is lost to hell?” The purpose for this blog today is to let you know what the Bible teaches.
For many of us we want God to judge evildoers quickly and righteously. Until we remember that all of us fall into that category and then we rejoice over the promises of Exodus 34:6-7 that the Lord is “slow to anger” and “abounding in love and faithfulness.” We know that in Ezekiel 18 God declares that He has no joy in the death of the wicked but would prefer they turn from their sin and live. At the same time we know James 5:1-6 tells us that as believers we can find comfort in hell, knowing that God’s righteous wrath will be poured out on those who oppose God. I believe we forget that Bin Laden sinned against mankind and he has paid for those sins with his life. It is not wrong to rejoice in this type of punishment. The punishment of the wicked is the theme of the Psalmist in Psalm 58. However, that is all Bin Laden can offer us. From this point on he can only repay God for the sins he has committed against Him. It is this righteous judgment that will send Bin Laden to hell. It is God’s righteous wrath that will prove God’s ultimate victory over evil. In this we can rejoice! We can rejoice that God has won the day and evil will be thrown down. We can rejoice that God’s justice will prevail for all mankind. Does this mean we can rejoice because someone will spend in eternity in hell? NO! We don’t rejoice because Osama Bin Laden is in hell, we rejoice because of God’s justice. His justice is righteous and holy and on those grounds we can rejoice. Let us be careful to not make a martyr out of Bin Laden by guilting believers into thinking it is wrong to rejoice in justice or it is wrong to rejoice in the promises of God.
(As a side note: I found myself somewhat embarrassed by those in the streets last night that chose to make this into a party for the celebration of death. Life, all life, is sacred
Simply Craig Yates 
I find myself split over how to consider the event in my own mind. Romans 12 says:
“12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 12:20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
The first part tells us not to avenge ourselves. In killing OBL, have we taken vengeance upon ourselves? I think most people agree that in this season, OBL wasn’t too much involved in current operations against the U.S. If that is true and we knew that it was true, then wasn’t this action vengeance for 9/11 and earlier attacks that did belong to him?
Genesis 9:
“9:5 For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.
9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood,
by other humans
must his blood be shed;
for in God’s image
God has made humankind.””
Is Romans 9:6 a call for believers to repay death with death? Does it still apply if Christ has fulfilled the law? The verses from Romans 12:19 are quoting from Prov 25:21-22, not known as a book of Law.
How should we reconcile “whoever sheds human blood, by other humans must his blood be shed” with “Do not avenge yourselves, but give place to God’s wrath…” and “overcome evil with good.”
The topic in Gen 9:6 seems to be referenced very little elsewhere, except perhaps Jesus’ turnabout of “eye for an eye” law with compassion. But in many places (over 12) vengeance is referred to only as reserved for God.
Does vengeance in this sense mean only God can condemn to Hell, but humans can rid the earth of evil people until Judgement day?
At this point, I don’t know that anyone has the answers. (Though I am sure many believe they are certain of them!)
-Lance
Lance,
Great comments and well thought out. Let me give two more views.
(1) 1 Thess 1:5-11 tells us we (believers) can rejoice in Hell because it is proof that God overcomes evil. The Israelites prayed against Pharaoh, Ex. 3:7-9. That ended with Pharaoh’s death Ex. 14:28 and the Israelites sang and danced over God’s deliverance then, Ex. 15:20-21.
(2) As I have read the reports, this was not death because of vengeance. From what I understand OBL was engaged in the gun fight. We will never know if orders were to take him into custody if the situation permits. But, because he was involved in the gunfight as well, I would not call it “a vengeance killing”. It could be self-defense, casualties of war or whatever. While many Americans will look at it as vengeance, there is still a piece of me that would have liked for him to have to stand trial for actions and answer questions. However, because of the choices he made during the raid we will never get that opportunity.