Because we are currently experiencing the Tribulation, it is no surprise that suicides along with the crime rate is on the rise, and I could list many more stories and statistics but I would be digressing from the purpose of this article.
In a recent news article it was said that military suicides are at an extremely alarming rate; having risen for the fourth year in a row. The Army had 24 suspected suicides in January, which are 19 more than January 2008. And overall, more people die via suicide than on our roads.
Per the Suicide Prevention Hotline, it is becoming increasingly common for people to record their deaths on the internet for friends and loved ones to find; the most recent being a man in California, who is blogging and videotaping the last 30 days of his time here on earth before he commits suicide.
It was actually this man's story that prompted me to write this article, because regardless of if it's true or not, I must tell you that I was completely horrified as to the responses on a popular message board forum to the news of the man in California blogging his last 30 days on earth. The number of people, who were callous towards this man and what he planned to do, far outweighed the number of people who had compassion and concern for this man.
Perhaps it’s because the word suicide is found in the news articles of our newspapers and internet news sites on a daily basis…usually attached to the word terrorist. Or maybe it’s because as a whole, our society has become hardened and jaded; or maybe just plain evil.
Last week a friend wrote me to tell me that another mutual friend had decided to kill himself. He took a gun, placed it to his head and pulled the trigger. However, there was a problem and the sleeve of his shirt got caught on the gun itself somehow and the gun did not go off. This same friend said that in the past he himself had contemplated making himself a salad of Oleander leaves.
I told my friend, that I was glad that our mutual friend did not succeed in killing himself, because where he ended up would have been far, far worse than what he was currently experiencing here on earth.
Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”
The Definition of Murder
v. tr.
1. To kill (another human) unlawfully.
2. To kill brutally or inhumanly.
3. To put an end to; destroy: murdered their chances.
4. To spoil by ineptness; mutilate: a speech that murdered the English language.
5. Slang To defeat decisively; trounce.
Not a single one of us has any right to take the life of another person, or ourselves and suicide is murder of oneself. (i.e. definition: To put an end to; destroy) But how do you convince someone who has no hope, not to commit suicide?
You do not say to yourself, “Well it’s his life and he has the right to take it if he wants.” Because our lives are NOT our own, but belong to our heavenly Father Yahweh who is our Creator.
You tell them the truth.
For those who believe in life after death and heaven and hell, most believe that when someone commits suicide that they still end up in heaven. That is not necessarily true. While Father is the final judge on what happens to any soul that passes over because She knows all things and reads the depths of our hearts, there could be some circumstances in which the person is forgiven, but this is not a guarantee.
In all truthfulness and in simplest terms, to commit suicide it to murder oneself and murder is a vile crime and those who commit vile crimes end up in the Abyss; which is confinement in complete darkness and total separation from God. If you have a hard time imagining this, think about being in solitary confinement in prison and then add to the scenario that the room you’re confined to is so pitch black that you cannot see your hand in front of your face; and on top of that, you have absolutely no interaction with another human being; for eternity.
When you look at any given situation and compare it in all truthfulness and honesty whatever it may be that you’re experiencing on earth, to an eternity spent in the Abyss, there is nothing on earth that would compare or could possibly be as bad as what the punishment would be for the crime of murder. And if you’re not certain that God truly does exist…do you really want to take that chance?
If you don’t believe, it’s a roll of the dice. Temporary sadness and hardship here on earth, or an eternity spent in darkness. Because remember, here on earth, everything really is temporary. We all go through a series of ups and downs, good times and bad times. Sometimes the bad seem to outweigh the good – but they are most certainly not for eternity.
So if you’re contemplating suicide – the murder of yourself – I’ll tell you plainly and truthfully, just don’t do it. Fear God. Know that She is righteous and that while She reserves the right to pass judgment on all of us, She will also wipe every tear away when the time comes. Until then, endure and keep moving forward with your eyes set on Her and She will redeem you and love you in ways you never imagined possible.