Let’s be clear: It is not wrong to rejoice when the wicked fall. We are forbidden to exalt ourselves over our personal enemies (as if they deserved to die and we didn’t) but we surely may rejoice when evil men who have oppressed and killed others perish. I have no problem with thankful praise to God that Osama is dead and no longer around to stir up the ungodly in conspiring to do evil.
Here’s my problem: When America boasts over it’s omnipotence and greatness in assassinating a wicked man. Here are some of the things that have been said (and some are slightly paraphrased) by our president and other leaders:
“This shows how powerful America is. You can’t hide from us. We’ll get you, no matter how long it takes.”
“No one attacks us and gets away with it.”
“This sends a message to the world, no matter how you try to hide, we’ll find you and bring you to justice. This proves the invincibility of our will.”
Do these statements remind you of anyone?
These are the sorts of boasts Nebuchadnezzer, Pharoah, Babylon, Edom, Assyria, Tyre, Rome, and many others made before God showed them that there was Someone else of whom these statements were actually true. It’s not a good sign when the one given success by God, turns and acts as if he gained it by his own prowess and strength. In fact, it’s a pretty clear indicator of who will be next to receive the sure and certain justice of God.
We’ve forgotten how to handle success.
How much better would it have been for us to carry out the mission of Navy Seal Team 6 in complete secrecy and never take credit for it? Plan it, carry it out, reward the team of soldiers who did it, but take no credit for the deed publicly. Simply say to the world that we have received reports that Osama has been killed. Say that we have seen evidence that this report is true and that we are thankful that another of God’s enemies has been removed and we are grateful for the courage and success that has been granted to those who carried out the mission. . . and leave it at that.
Of course, it would soon be suspected that we had done the deed ourselves, but our public stance would simply be one of gratitude and thanksgiving.
The problem with doing it this way of course, is that our President wouldn’t get to boast of his excellent and efficient leadership and “courage.” Our military wouldn’t get to boast of its power and warn the world not to mess with us. We wouldn’t be able to boast over how “bad” we are and challenge all our enemies to “take a number” if they want to try to attack us. We wouldn’t be able to claim to possess divine attributes as we threaten the world and exalt ourselves on high as the only nation on earth that is capable of such great and marvelous feats.
In other words, if we took a humble stance, we would be robbed of bringing glory to ourselves – and if there is one thing modern America will not do, it is miss an opportunity to magnify itself before the world and its own citizens.
That’s my problem.
You say, “C’mon man, you just hate America. You need to be more patriotic.”
No, sorry, you’re wrong. I love my country and because I love it, I don’t want it to receive the judgment that God has promised to give to those who pretend that they are His equal. So, when America acts like Babylon, Assyria, Edom, Egypt, Rome, unfaithful Israel, and every other nation that made itself equal to God, I protest. I would rather we have God’s blessing. I would rather we not end up like Pharoah, Babylon, Rome, and all the other idolatrous kingdoms of the world.
There really is One from whom you cannot hide and from whom you will not escape — and it’s not the CIA, the Navy Seals, the IRS, or our President. And if we refuse to acknowledge Him, we will soon learn what all arrogant tyrants and Kingdoms throughout history have learned, if you pretend to be like God, you will be shown just how impotent you are.
True patriots care about the future of our country. True patriots are dismayed by mindless, idolatrous Nationalism. True patriots understand that the only way we will prosper as a country is by humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God and devoting ourselves to the only true and omnipotent King and the only Kingdom that actually will stand forever.
This is what’s been missing over the past couple of days . . . and that’s my problem.
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Steve,
Thank you for articulating what many of us have been thinking.
John
[...] We’ve forgotten how to do it « THE AVENUE. Comment (RSS) [...]
[...] go here to read what Pastor Steve Wilkins had to say and I hope you can add another hearty [...]
“Say that we have seen evidence that this report is true [...]”
But that “we” doesn’t have a credible track record of officially confirming reports of the death of high-ranking targets.
http://news.antiwar.com/2010/12/16/appearing-in-yemen-al-qaeda-official-denies-reports-us-killed-him/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704740604576301113236554064.html
An excellent post, Steve.
Interesting take Sir, I do have some points though would like to add:
The Bible clearly states in Proverbs 24:17 “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles” So technically we should not be celebrating his death?
Tell a “white lie” to the entire American people that we “received reports?”… I do not think it is biblical to lie in any form.
As far as the death of OBL… his role in the AQ network dwindles years ago, all we did when we killed him was serve justice. He was a face, it would be just as relevant as taking out the Queen of England. To have his death unverified would continue the moral support that his figure provided to terrorist all over the world. There is already too much speculation that he is NOT dead.
Richard,
There have been a lot of discussions on how we are to properly react to this death: If God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked [Ez 34:11] then I don’t think we can either and thus we must be careful not to be rejoicing.
However, many of the Psalms teach us to pray for the destruction of God’s enemies and the verse you have quoted is actually given so that God will not turn back from punishing the wicked: “17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; 18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him. 19 Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked; 20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.” We have great peace when we remember that final justice is in God’s hand.
And finally, what Rahab told the leaders of Jericho was much more than a “white lie” and yet Hebrews tells us it put her in the hall of faith: The prohibition against bearing false witness against our neighbor does not preclude deceiving our enemies, which is very common and very necessary in war.
John
Lying is clearly justifiable to protect innocent human life (a higher Word/Commandment; Graded Absolutism), but what if done only to give a “public stance” that’s boast-free?
Pastor Wilkins,
I am just confused about your statement that is was OK to rejoice in the fall of the wicked.
I am familiar with the the story of Rahab, but I don’t see how that story justifies this hypothetical lie. From a global perspective not laying claim to the death of OBL as well as releasing lucrative reports would have been detrimental to the cause and the credibility of the US and it’s intelligence community. The war is ongoing. While the death of this man will have little substantial affect on the efforts of Islamic radicals, the message of accountability on earth still remains.
I believe that the exploitation of his death was a righteous decision. I do agree with you about the American mindset of omnipotence, our pride perhaps has always been too great and maybe it alone will be our downfall. America needs to stop parading his death and accept it with a somber reverence to all lives he has helped take.
Respectfully.
I misread the reply. I thought that was Pastor Wilkins’ replying to my comment… my apologies! The above comment is in response to Pastor Stoos!
Richard,
I was making the point that we should NOT rejoice in a celebratory manner, if I did not make that clear.
With the “white lie” that Pastor Wilkins is suggesting, I am assuming that the military intelligence would indicate that this would be the best route: If solid evidence was needed that too could be done humbly. I how either might be helpful in the long run so we just have to use what wisdom we think is best.
I think the bottom line is that we do not want the proud attitude of don’t mess with us.
John
WELL PUT!!!
To respond to Frank Bernard: Actually, what I’m suggesting is not “lying” outright, but merely withholding the whole truth. We certainly did receive a report that Osama was killed and then (later) supposedly received confirmation of that fact in some form. My point was that we could simply have reported this, expressed our gratitude and left it at that. No boasting, no gloating, no chest-beating, self-exaltation, etc. But that aside, even if one insists that this is still “lying” then I respond: We have been threatened by a group of people who have openly declared that they desire our death. It is perfectly appropriate for our leaders to deceive them in an effort to protect the lives of others. A truly strong country doesn’t need to take credit for everything it does for the good of the world. Weak nations, on the other hand, desperately seek to glorify and magnify their deeds and exaggerate their importance. We are a very weak nation.
RE: Richard Perry’s question: Yes it is fully appropriate to rejoice when you are delivered from the hands of the wicked (Prov. 11:10; Psa. 58:10-11). Of course, this doesn’t mean that we can “rejoice” in a Pharisaical, self-righteous manner (i.e., like most of the “rejoicing” we’ve seen, and as Pastor Stoos has observed. We cannot exalt ourselves and act as if we have gained the victory in our own strength). But it is most appropriate to rejoice when God’s enemies are destroyed and their efforts to oppress God’s people are thwarted. Indeed, this is something we are pray for right? (Psa. 139:19-22).