Murder in Newtown

“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me.  Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me… “  (Psalm 55:4-5)

Like the Psalmist, our nation reels with horror in the wake of merciless evil.  If you are wondering where God is in the midst of it all—how to fit such atrocity into your theology—I have linked some articles below from giants of the faith.  I hope they will strengthen you, as they have me in the face of devastation.

Rachel Weeping for Her Children—The Massacre in Connecticut: Al Mohler answers the question, “How should Christians think and pray in the aftermath of such a colossal crime?”  He gives a four-point answer before concluding with the painful and timely reminder that the Christmas story also includes the mass murder of children, an event that prompted Matthew to cite Jeremiah 31:15, an achingly powerful verse: “Thus says the LORD: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping.  Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.’”  Among the articles I am posting, Mohler’s is the longest and most comprehensive article about how believers should process this tragedy.

School Shootings and Spiritual Warfare—Russell Moore focuses on the satanic evil that thirsts for the blood of children, writing: “throughout the history of the universe, evil has manifested a dark form of violence specifically toward children.”  He cites Jewish commentator John Podhoretz, who pointed out that the Hebrew god Moloch demanded the blood of children, sacrificed in the valley of Ghenna—the very valley Jesus pointed to when teaching about hell.  Dr. Moore demonstrates the unique ways that children point to Christ, and therefore, the damnable truth that “Satan hates children because he hates Jesus.”

A Lesson for All from Newtown—John Piper asserts that murdering an image-bearer of God is nothing short of “treason against the creator of the world.”  He points the finger at all of us, worthy of God’s righteous judgment.  In this way, Newtown is a warning to us: “Not a warning to see our schools as defenseless, but to see our souls as depraved.  To see our need for a Savior.”

“But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.”  (Psalm 55:16)