Glee and Gloating

From My Perspective - - - 

On the night of May 1^st, 2011 news alerts were given to the media that the President of the United States had an important announcement regarding national security to make to the nation and the world at 10:30 PM. The usual delays ensued and it was almost Midnight before the President addressed the nation. By the time he got to the cameras and microphones, the news speculators had come to the conclusion that the announcement would inform all that Osama bin Laden had been killed by a United States Special Forces Unit in Pakistan. There was a mixture of glee and gloating because the acclaimed architect of September 11^th, 2001 had been flushed out, offered the opportunity to surrender, refused and was killed in the firefight that followed. The President’s brief address included that “justice has been done.” However – is this a time for glee and gloating – or – for sober reflection in terms of who or what we are and/or have become? For many, this was the occasion to celebrate. For others, they were in the midst of their own tragedy following the horrific Tornado that ripped across the South and wreaked major loss in the State of Alabama.

Osama bin Laden has symbolized the age of terrorism in which the world finds itself. This symbol has occupied the attention of three American administrations – William J. Clinton; George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama. The comments of the former Presidents is telling. Former President Clinton, who was in office for the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, issued a written statement: "I congratulate the President, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaida attacks…” Former President George W. Bush, whose entire presidency was defined by the September 11th attacks, said in a statement tonight that President Obama called him to inform him of the news of bin Laden’s death. Bush called the operation a “momentous achievement” that “marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001: “I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude…The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

There are two very broad questions that are in the minds of some with the events that have been occurring: (1) The increased activity of tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. – is God angry with this nation for its disregard of Him? And (2) Is the killing of Osama bin Laden in actuality the killing of an Antichrist? In terms of the activities throughout the world in terms of earthquakes, etc., in the Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5:43-45 – Jesus stated: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” The focus: “…He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Since this is the way God functions in terms of His Creation, Can we ignore the fact that God can and does use the forces of “nature” in terms of Judgment and Punishment. Just remember the events leading up to the efforts of Noah to proclaim the message of righteousness and hope – but – when that message was rejected - the universal flood followed. There was the effort of Abraham as he tried to have God divert his judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah by asking if he could find a few righteous people there – even though God was willing for that effort and search – because there were no righteous remaining except Lot and his family – judgment by fire rained down upon those cities. 

When it comes to the possibility of killing an antichrist, in I John 2:18-27, we read: “…it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour…Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also…If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us--eternal life…” This message can be maligned and ignored, but one does it to his/her own peril and judgment. Consider these things with me!