We don’t often see justice enacted against the wicked in this fallen world.
Far more frequently, we watch the innocent suffer, and we long for evil deeds to be halted and punished.
Early one morning in May 2011, I climbed the stairs to my friends’ apartment. Mere seconds after my knock, they flung open the door and asked if I’d heard the news.
“We got him!” they excitedly proclaimed.
At my confused expression, they explained: US Navy SEALs had finally located and killed al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, nearly a decade after he orchestrated the September 11 attacks on US soil. In our Middle Eastern city, many rejoiced at this step toward defeating terrorism—though not all did so.
Thirteen years later, news reports are again filled with the death notice of a man who caused untold suffering. How are we as believers in Christ to respond to the death of the wicked?
Two biblical principles provide guidance. First, Scripture reminds us that God does not delight in the judgment of death. “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23).
Evil men and women, like all of humanity, are already spiritually dead in their sins (Ephesians 2:1). At the time of their physical death, the holiness and righteousness of God demands that they be eternally separated from him and punished in the place of torment. However, God, through his riches in mercy, provided a means of salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection. As Peter explains, God is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God gives the wicked, like all of us sinful humans, the opportunity to repent and place our trust in his Son for salvation.
When the wicked die apart from him, therefore, God does not take macabre pleasure in sentencing them to eternal punishment, even though he rejoices in his own justice and holiness. Likewise, neither should we take macabre pleasure in their eternal demise, but instead consider with awe the justice of God.
These spiritual realities become even more sobering when we consider the missiological status of the gospel. In the Middle East, for example, less than one percent of the population of most nations are evangelical believers—meaning that most populations in the Middle East qualify as unreached people groups. The small number of believers, limited biblical resources, and cultural and religious hostility towards Christians leave many people without any opportunity to hear the biblical gospel during their lifetime—and therefore, no opportunity to respond in faith.
We must “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38), not only in the Middle East but across the globe. Only through the gospel can wicked hearts transform.
Second, while God does not delight in the spiritual death of the wicked, their physical death may restore well-being to societies. As Proverbs 11:10 observes: “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.”
Too often evil people harass, oppress, or destroy innocent lives, and, in some cases, the situation can only be resolved through the death of the wicked. The Psalms, recognizing this truth, are replete with imprecatory prayers urging God to destroy the psalmist’s enemies, both personal and national. Removing vile offenders from power or from contact with the people they are harming will improve a society’s collective health and function.
While it is important to note that biblical principles prohibit personal vengeance, God has granted governments (Romans 13:1-7) and judicial systems (Leviticus 19:15) the authority and responsibility to institute justice on behalf of their people. Whether through military forces, court decisions, or other means, these divinely appointed institutions may deem it necessary to achieve justice through the death of the wicked. When evildoers perish in this case, we should pray that the resulting societal changes will bring increased opportunities for sharing the gospel and that the governing authorities will act according to biblical principles.
The death of the wicked can be cause for rejoicing when we see justice accomplished on the earth, even as we mourn the eternal ramifications. As we hold these truths in tension, let us entrust ourselves carefully to God’s divine justice and his sovereign plan to spread the light of his gospel.
