No Pleasure

             For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:32)

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:6-8)

 

As I consider the subject of overcoming, and the fact that our battle is not against flesh and blood, one question that comes to mind is our treatment of other people as we overcome. We are offended when Muslims throw parties over the death or defeat of their enemies, even when they have no part in the death or defeat. But what happens when one of our enemies is defeated, humiliated, or killed? Too often, the form of our “party” may not be as big, but we still rejoice. We cheer. We tell jokes and draw cartoons that celebrate the demise. Even in Christian circles, we see this both in celebration of the downfall or death of human enemies, but in celebration of the future completion of the defeat of the devil and his followers.

Don’t mistake what I’m saying here. There is a great difference between “Christ has won the victory!” and “Satan (or whoever the enemy of the day is), I’m going to enjoy watching you rot in Hell!” God did not - at the time Job was written - deny Satan access to  Heaven. In fact, it seems evident in Job 1 that God was trying to get through to Satan, but Satan wouldn’t listen. Scripture says repeatedly that God doesn’t want anyone to perish.

If we want to claim we’re the children of God, we need to start acting like it.