Should we celebrate death?

Yesterday, a well-known and politically polarizing figure passed away. Public response was swift, passionate, and, sadly, overwhelmingly indicative of our brokenness as a people.

While some mourned this figure’s passing, celebrated his incredible philanthropy, and offered condolences to his family, others rejoiced over his death, claimed “good riddance” and piously gloated that he would now have to face his maker (whom at least one person claimed was Satan).

These comments, though aimed at the individual who yesterday left this world and stepped into eternity, actually are a mirror reflecting the state of our own hearts. 

I don’t know the person who died, never met him, and have no idea the state of his soul on his passing. But here’s what I do know:

First, God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God’s heart is that none reject Him but all run to Him for forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. John 3:16 is widely known yet far less widely accepted: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Second, God does not take death lightly. Scripture says that costly in His eyes is the death of believers. The actual verse is Psalm 116:15, which reads, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” The word translated “precious” is yaqar, which means valuable. The Amplified translation renders this verse, “Precious (important and of no light matter) in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (His loving ones). 

As one pastor put it, death is so serious that God sent His Son to earth to defeat it. For the one who believes in Christ, death on earth marks the beginning of eternal rejoicing in God’s presence, yet we miss the heart of God when we celebrate someone’s departure as our gain. 

Third, God does not celebrate the deaths of even the wicked. Let’s assume for a moment that someone who is incredibly wicked dies. Perhaps a murderer, a terrorist, a rapist—or if you believe yesterday’s Twitter eruption, anyone you don’t agree with politically (as hyperbolic as that unfortunately sounds). Isn’t it then ok to celebrate their deaths as a removal of wickedness from the world? 

Well, what’s God’s heart? We’ve already seen God does not wish that any should perish in their sin but that all come to repentance. But in Ezekiel 33:11, God makes it abundantly clear that He does not rejoice over the deaths of the wicked. This verse states in part, “…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…” The word translated “pleasure” is chaphets, which means “to be pleased with” or “desire”. God does not desire the deaths of the wicked but rather their repentance. (Yes, Christ’s death on the cross is sufficient to atone for even the sins of a terrorist, murderer, or rapist. That person need only repent, believe on Christ, and turn from his ways.)

We are not righteous to rejoice over anyone’s death. In fact, we should particularly mourn over the deaths of the wicked as they perish without Christ, which breaks God’s heart—and should break ours, too. 

Celebrating death—whether of a righteous man or a wicked man—does not display our virtue. Instead, it shows how deeply we need a Savior.