Something to Rejoice!? Alright, it has been a while since I have blogged (I know that the masses are eagerly awaiting) so here is my apology- SORRY! Now let’s move forward ‘cause there is something that I feel very compelled to discuss. Saddam Hussein: What a cruel dictator this man was. He killed a host of people. He used biological chemicals on his own countrymen (if the reports are accurate). If there is a man in this age who deserved the death penalty (besides maybe that guy who flipped me off the other day while I cut him off. How rudeJ). Anyway, on Saturday morning Saddam was hanged. You can even see the hanging on the net. I did, and I have to admit, I felt no joy. What I felt was there is a human life, and real person who was laying dead, lifeless, without movement and now without hope. I am not against the death penalty (I don’t think I am, but I guess maybe that is another discussion for another time). Someone who murders anyone deserves death. And my point here is not to suggest that we don’t all deserve to die (because we do- Romans 6:23 says that “The wages or penalty for sin is death..”) We all deserve Hell, Death, pain, misery, destruction. However, we have laws. We have order to our cultures that we live in. There is something about taking a person’s life so cruelly and heinously that such egregious acts demand that the murderers life be take from him/her. I believe that. That is replete throughout scripture. (Genesis 9:6, Leviticus 20:2, 24:14-16 etc). However, I don’t see any warrant for rejoicing in such destruction, at least not the way I have seen rejoicing in this instance. The other day I was with several professing evangelical Christians. One was a Pastor and the other the son of a pastor. And they seem to have genuine jubilation over the death of Saddam. And how they rejoiced was very confusing to me. I don’t assume to be able to read their hearts, (and I am willing to admit, that I may have misread the plethora of outward joy expressed as joy in death, when it may have been something else, but all that aside, here is what was said). The younger guy said-“ I am glad he is dead. He deserves to die. I wish I could have shot him” The Pastor responded with- I don’t know if I could have pulled the trigger, but I am definitely glad he is dead”. Now, they could have been genuinely concerned about the people of Iraq, but oddly enough, when talking about Iraq, the people are never the concern. The lives of American soldiers is a concern, the competency of our President is a concern ,but not the people of Iraq. SO, the question is should we rejoice in the death of Saddam? Does God rejoice in the death of Saddam? Ezekiel 33:11 says “As I live, says the Lord, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.’” It seems that Bruce (from Bruce Almighty) is wrong when he says “God is a bully with a magnifying glass, and I am the ant”. God is not some bully that kills without any heart or emotion for the death of wicked. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that God appointed Saddam’s death (Hebrews 9:27 “It is appointed (by God) for man to die once, and after this the judgment”), but I don’t think God was pleased with the death in and of itself. I believe God was pleased with the vindication of His Holiness and the laws by which God has given man to be governed. I believe God is pleased that justice has been honored. I believe that God is pleased that the gospel has an open door to the people of Iraq due to this war and the resulting effects (but make no mistake, God does not take pleasure in the death of any of His creatures)!. God is not a Sadist. So, should we rejoice in the death of Saddam? If what we are rejoicing is the that Justice has been honored, and we are humbly reminded that we deserve such a death, then yes- Rejoice! If we are rejoicing for the sake of the gospel being preached to the peoples of Iraq, then Yes Rejoice! But the death of Saddam, although it will certainly be “worked out for good” (Namely God’s glory being displayed and seen and embraced and rejoiced in), it is a tragedy. It is tragic because God sent His Son in the world to save sinners just like Saddam (and me!). It is tragic because Saddam was created in the image of God and now is in a grave lifeless and dead while his soul is eternally in hell. This is tragic. And they only rejoicing for us who know Christ is thatdidn'tshould rejoice that we didn’t meet such a fate for our wickedness. But to rejoice simply at the death of this wicked man, is not honoring to God. Death and Judgment are swift and merciless. Those who depart this life without Christ are in a place of utter destruction, and even the Saddam’s of this world are part of the “every creature” that we must share the good news. Somewhere in our lives, there is a Saddam. There is a person who to us seems so egregious, so heinous, so despicable that we joyfully wish harm or even death upon them. Maybe an aunt or uncle, or an abusive parent, and rivalry sibling, or a co-worker or boss, or neighbor or even some guy driving next to you, there is someone whundeserved so wicked they are undeserving of the love of Christ. And they are, but the beauty of God is that He loves such sinners (1 Tim 1:15, Romans 5:5-9), and our life is to share and show and persuade these people to come to Jesus. I am preaching to me here, hope this starts some good discussion either here or there (wherever), but it is good for me to get these thoughts down. Starting this year off to become more genuine through Christ- S