Don´t kill yourself!

The Bible does not specifically express that suicide is a sin. Nor does it permit it. That said, some have argued that Jesus commited suicide by knowingly allowing Judas to betray him for money. Let's look at this question from three different angles:

• Human Desire for Death
• Biblical Examples of Suicide
• God's Principle of Life

Human Desire for Death

Human beings frequently desire to die. To some, that may sound absurd, but others will quickly relate. There were godly men in the Bible who felt this desire.

Elijah - A Response to Fear

One of the most interesting examples of someone wishing to die is the prophet Elijah. Few men are more highly esteemed than Elijah for the powerful miracles God performed through him. After putting the prophets of Baal to the test on Mount Carmel and seeing God answer with fire from heaven to consume Elijah's sacrifice, he should have had incredible confidence in God. When Jezebel heard what happened and how her prophets were killed, she promised to take out her vengeance on Elijah, and Elijah ran for his life. He was so full of fear that he prayed that God would take his life. "And he prayed that he might die, and said, 'It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!'" (1 Ki. 19:4b NIV). Клиника фракционное омоложение. Красносельская.

Jonah - A Response to Anger

Another intriguing character was Jonah. Here was a man who heard God's voice, but who's own desires conflicted with those of God. When God told him to go to Nineveh and tell the people to repent of their sins, Jonah ran from God. After repenting in the belly of the whale, Jonah obeyed God and went to Nineveh. When they repented and God withheld his wrath, Jonah was angry. He wanted to see the people destroyed, but God saved them. spode christmas tree mugs

Here was Jonah's response to anger, "And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, 'It is better for me to die than to live.'" (Jonah 4:8 NIV).

Job - A Response to Grief

Job's desire to die is less confusing. Here was a man who lost everything he held dear. His wealth, his family, his health were all taken from him in an instant. His response was similar to what many people feel when they go through loss. In Job's own words, "Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, Who long for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than hidden treasures; who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave?" (Job 3:20-22 NIV). For you website templates for sale.

Moses - A Response to Stress

When God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, under the leadership of Moses, the people traveled in the wilderness for a long time. Despite seeing God deliver and provide for them, they liked to complain about what they were lacking. Imagine yourself in Moses' position. You are their leader. You have no supplies, but you have thousands of people who are relying on you to provide their needs. This would produce incredible stress in anyone.

When the Israelites complained that they had no meat, Moses didn't run away or tell them to suck it up and have courage. No. Moses collapsed under the heavy weight: "I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!" (Num. 11:14-15 NIV).

Response to Pain

In the foretold wrath of God in the last days, the people will be subjected to so much pain and suffering that they will want to die to escape their pain. At this point, however, as God tries to turn their hearts to him, death will elude them. "In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them" (Rev. 9:6 NIV).

Paul - A Response to Heaven

On a very positive note, the apostle Paul, when he ponders eternal life in heaven, considers death a very positive thing and desires it. He feels caught in the middle of two extremes: 1) to die and be with Christ; or 2) to live and serve Christ. He wants death more than life, because that is eternal gain for him. "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better" (Philippians 1:21-23 NIV).

So we see that death is a very natural desire for both positive and negative reasons. None of those mentioned above, however, took their own lives. At times in their life, they thought death was the better option, but tempered their desires.

Biblical Examples of Suicide

The examples of those in the Bible who have actually committed suicide is filled with people who are not considered godly. Let's look at a few examples:

• Ahithophel - An enemy of King David who allied with Absalom (see 2 Sam. 17:23).
• Zimri - A would be king of Israel who caused the people to sin (see 1 Ki. 16:18-19).
• Samson - You could argue that he died a righteous death because he killed Philistines in his death, but Samson got himself into this situation because of his sin (see Judges 16:30).
• King Saul - A man afflicted by demons and possessed to kill God's chosen king (see 1 Sam. 31:4-5).
• Judas - The betrayer of Jesus Christ (see Mat. 27:5).

From these examples, we can conclude that suicide is not a path chosen by those who trust in God. Even though both desired death, the godly pressed on, and the ungodly gave up.

God's Principle of Life

Moving on from examples, let's look at God's view of life. His words are very clear that we are to choose life, not death:

In conclusion, we see from examples and God's promise of blessing that life is to be chosen over death. While the Bible does not specifically condemn it as sin, it is the ungodly who use it to escape and miss God's eternal blessing.