“Thoughts of Suicide”
September 15, 2019
Judges 9:50-55
“Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” his servant ran him through, and he died. When the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.”
“When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.”
2 Samuel 17:23
This past week was suicide prevention week, a mega church pastor in Southern California killed himself, the Minnesota legislators are considering a bill for assisted suicide, AND it was the anniversary of 911, where a series of four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks, by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda, against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The attacks killed 2,996 people, injured over 6,000 others, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage. Additional people have died of 9/11-related cancer and respiratory diseases in the months and years following the attacks. It was one of the most successful suicide attack in history. The Bible records Samson as killing 3000 when he brought the temple down around himself and the people, but 911 was very close to that number.
Suicide attacks are fairly common in war. Often the soldier is called a hero. In World War Two, the Japanese Kamikaze pilots were held in great honor. The war was ending, ammunition was low and this was the biggest bang they could get for their buck – literally. Jesus said there is no greater expression of love than giving your life for someone else. (John 15:13)
There are seven clear examples of suicide in the Bible: Abimelech, mortally wounded by a millstone, ordered his armor-bearer to kill him to avoid the suggestion he had been slain by the woman who had thrown the stone (which we just read); the prophet Ahithophel hanged himself after betraying David (2Sam 17:23); Zimri burned down his house around himself after military defeat (1Kgs 16:18); and the more familiar stories of Saul and his armor-bearer (1Sam 1:1-6; 1Chr 10:1-6), Samson, (Judg 16:28), and, of course, Jesus’ disciple Judas— (Matt 27:3-5; Acts 1:18).
Suicide in the ancient world did not carry the same negative connotations as it does today. For Greco-Roman philosophers, suicide in correct circumstances constituted a “noble death.” Socrates (469-399 B.C.E.) chose to drink hemlock rather than endure exile, a choice enthusiastically endorsed by most of the philosophical schools at the time. If carried out for country or friends, or in the face of intolerable pain, incurable disease, devastating misfortune or shame, or to avoid capture on the battlefield, suicide constituted a noble death. Each of the instances of suicide found in the Bible fits with noble-death ideals.
Having said that, in my experience, suicide is not noble. It is ugly, selfish and hurtful. I have worked for 3 funeral homes in my past, been a police chaplain for over twenty years and a pastor for 40 years and have seen first-hand the devastation suicide leaves in its wake. I have seen broken bodies and bloody scenes first hand. I have heard the wailing and sobbing of survivors and the trauma that scars a soul for life. There is nothing noble about suicide.
Unfortunately, suicided is on the rise. A number a years ago it was common for teenagers to make suicide pacts. It was almost an epidemic.
Ozzy Osborne wrote a song called “Suicide Solution”.
Wine is fine but whiskey's quicker, Suicide is slow with liquor
Take a bottle and drown your sorrows, Then it floods away tomorrows, Away tomorrows
Evil thoughts and evil doings, Cold, alone you hang in ruins
Thought that you'd escape the reaper, You can't escape the master keeper
'Cause you feel life's unreal, and you're living a lie, Such a shame who's to blame and you're wondering why
Then you ask from your cask is there life after birth, What you sow can mean hell on this earth, Hell on this earth
Now you live inside a bottle, The reaper's traveling at full throttle
It's catching you but you don't see, The reaper is you and the reaper is me
Breaking laws, knocking doors, But there's no one at home
Made your bed, rest your head, But you lie there and moan
Where to hide, suicide is the only way out! Don't you know what it's really about?
Ah, now people, you really know where it's at, Ah, ah you got it, fox
Get the flaps out, Satan, Satan, Satan, ha ha ha
Wine is fine but whiskey's quicker, Suicide is slow with liquor
Take a bottle, drown your sorrows, Then it floods away tomorrows
Take me away, Oh, oh, tomorrow, It's never gettin' fixed, no flaps, nobody, no flaps, nothing?
A number of song writers have been sued for inspiring kids to commit suicide – most unsuccessfully (freedom of speech). I think many will have to answer to God’s judgment for the suggestive actions offered to impressionable children. In my mind, there is little doubt that musicians share some of the blame for the suicide epidemic that is going on, but there is more to it.
There were 44,965 deaths by suicide in 2016, 47,173 in 2018. The suicide rate has increased by 25.4 percent from 1999 to 2016. Why is this? I think a number of factors contribute to it. First, when you eliminate God and His Judgment Day and accountability to Him, that takes away having to answer for your actions. Secondly, our theology in Christendom of “Once saved –always saved” almost encourages it. Think about it. If things get really bad – it is logical to end the pain and go be with Jesus. Even if suicide is sin – we are forgiven and can’t lose our salvation. If you really believe that theology you can commit murder and still go to heaven. Thirdly, most Christians never reach that level of maturity where they die to self and allow Jesus and the Holy Spirit to be in control. They never reach that place of blessed peace where you can rest in Jesus in the mist of the storm. Jesus never gave us an option of avoiding pain or conflict. He said, “They that endure to the end will be saved.” I just don’t think God would lead us to take our own life. I think the person who takes his or her own life has not given control over to God. Suicide is a very selfish act giving little consideration to family and friends. Maybe excusing themselves by saying, “They will be better off without me”, but that is a lie. They will be scarred for life. Most survivors blame themselves and live with that guilt.
Most of us have considered suicide at one time or another in our life. It could be a thought just flashing across our consciousness or a deep meditative contemplation. I have experienced both. When I got out of the Army in 1969 I felt like everything in life caused pain and if life were synonymous with pain – you were better off dead, I concluded. I was a sergeant in the Military Police and after I put my dog handlers out, I would often contemplated ending the pain of life. It was one of the factors that turned me to searching the Scriptures. I wanted to find purpose for my life – and I did. I have to admit that recently when I thought I might have ALS that the thought crossed my mind (Satan) that it would be better to die in a car crash than a slow death. Most of us have had thoughts like that. Some have even said things like, “I wish I were dead!” or “I wish God would just take me home!”
Those are common thoughts and I think the Enemy of our Souls often causes them. He uses things to put us in that state of mind. When we struggle with depression and feelings of hopelessness or painful physical and/or emotional pain – suicide seems pretty attractive. But it’s a lie. It is not from God but from the pit of hell. Suicide is caused by a lack of hope and faith in God in most cases. It is living in your feelings and not your faith. And so often we are so down that we can’t get up by ourselves. We need a friend. We need help.
As a Chaplain for Law Enforcement, I have been privileged to receive training in suicide intervention, thanks to WPD. I am not going to give you that class this morning, but let me say that, as Christians, we have the help to offer someone with this need. First of all, hope. Hope is the “trusting, expectation that God will keep His Word”. Before we can have faith – we need hope, Hebrews 1:1 tells us. If you have hope for the future – you can deal with the present. Better days are coming. So when I get called out to do suicide intervention, one of the first things I do is to try to inspire hope in the individual. The person feeling suicidal usually feels hopeless. He is in pain and doesn’t feel like it is going to change. He needs hope for the future to keep on living. There are different ways of doing that, but one thing I use is God’s promises. Listen.
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
Do you see how to gain hope? First, endure – just endure your trials. Secondly, learn the encouraging promises of the Scripture. There are so many. Some of my favorites are,
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 1 Peter 5:4
There are so many more. You should have an arsenal of them memorized so you can combat the attacks of the enemy. Also, Secondly, you need to control you mind. You need to control your thoughts. I didn’t know you could do that when I first became a Christian – but I learned you can. The Bible says,
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
We are to learn to control our minds. We are to control our thoughts. If you think about negative and hopeless things, and listen to hopeless and negative music – you will become negative and hopeless. Control your thoughts.
Thirdly, Control your words. The Christian needs to speak life – not death. We need to encourage – not discourage. What we say has such an impact of others – as well as on ourselves. The bible says,
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
James 1:26
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
James 3:9-10
We need to control our thoughts; we need to control our words; and we need to, Fourthly, control our actions. We can talk all we want – but we need to walk the walk – not just talk about it.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
James 2:14-17
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:17-18
We easily see how we ought to treat others – but I want you to know that we are to control our actions when it comes to ourselves. We need to make sure we read the Word of God daily. We need to talk with our Savior daily. Even emotionally regurgitate on Him. He can take it. Tell Him exactly how you are feeling. Be honest. The kind of music we listen to is important. The Bible says,
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:18-20
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
As we control our thoughts, words and actions – we, with the Lord’s help, can control our life.
Suicide is at an epidemic level in America. Some people think suicide is a solution. It isn’t. It’s a cope out. When I was a young pastor I thought everyone who committed suicide was going to hell – because they murdered themselves. I don’t think that way any longer. I’ve seen too many who were so overcome with grief and pain that they didn’t know what they were doing. Only God can be the judge. We need to be the encouragers; the hope givers; the ones who show the lost that there is a better way.
If you are struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide – don’t deal with it alone. Find a friend or call a hotline. Sometimes just having someone to talk to; someone to hold you up works miracles. Most importantly, find God’s promises for you. There is always hope; always help; always healing to be found in Jesus. He’s not called ‘Savior’ for nothing. There are better days ahead. The Christian has a fantastic future. Believe it! Share it! Live it! May you be filled with hope and act in faith and love.
SONG
