I’m beginning a new section here at A Peculiar Pilgrim called God Hath Said. I draw this title from Genesis chapter 3 where Satan, in the form of the serpent, calls into question God’s commandments to Adam and Eve with the words ‘Hath God said?’ Eve retorts to the Father of lies with a confident ‘God hath said’.

Way to go girl! Except for that eating the fruit off the forbidden tree thing… but I digress.

The point is, I will periodically post little snippets of scriptural truth that may not be common knowledge to those not real familiar with the bible.

So, without further ado, here is my first offering.

God hath said he greatly values the death of his saints and takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psa 116:15)

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Eze 33:11)

From our perspective we tend to believe the opposite. Who here on earth isn’t pleased at the death of a tyrant? Who here esteems a devoted Christian life cut short? How could the death of one of God’s people possibly bring him happiness? Especially if the saint was brutally martyred or died after a prolonged illness. How could the death of an unrepentant reprobate sinner whose days of rebellion have finally ended not bring pleasure to God’s heart?

The answer may perplex us mortals who can only see into the here and now, but in light of God’s eternal perspective, it makes perfect sense. God knows the end from the beginning. Eternity is a long time. Life on earth is a morning mist, quickly burned away by the light of the sun. We live a short space, then enter the eternal state. A saint called and sanctified by God’s grace lives in a sinful world. Daily living is a constant spiritual battle against the desires of the flesh. Our sanctification is a process of being made holy despite the arsenal of weapons arrayed against us. Death releases us from this struggle once and for all. Death of the body means we will be present with the Lord. Our sanctification is complete for we have been delivered from the ‘body of this death’ and stand holy before our heavenly Father. The Lord rejoices that we are forever with him, that the battle is won and we have overcome by the blood of Jesus, the word of our testimony and by not loving our lives unto death. Our eternal bliss lies before us every day for multiple tens of thousands of years. Our suffering and trials are only for a season and for our good. Rejoice in the Lord for this beautiful truth!

In contrast, the death of the wicked grieves God. A yawning chasm of eternal misery hungrily awaits to devour the sin-saturated souls of unrepentant men. Yes, the same God who casts wicked men into hell also weeps over their fate. God grieved over the flood that washed man off the earth. Jesus weeped over Jerusalem because they utterly rejected their only means to salvation.

God grieves, but his anger also burns hot. His holy attribute of justice shall be poured full measure upon the vessels of his wrath without mercy. God does right when he punishes and puts away all rebels to his kingdom for all time, but he takes no pleasure in it.

Ask yourself honestly how God will react to your death. Will he rejoice with you in the heights of heaven? Or will he shed tears of grief as you descend into the bowels of hell?