A Prayer for the Destruction of Osama bin Laden and All Terrorists

DELIVER US FROM EVIL: A Prayer for the Destruction of Osama bin Laden and All Terrorists

9/20/04

Curt Tilleraas, Pastor

North Immanuel Lutheran Church

Matthew 6:9-13    Jesus said, “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”

     Several weeks ago, I was preparing for a Church Council meeting. All week long, along with millions of others around the world, I had been over-whelmed with stories that were coming out of Russia about the terrible things that took place in a small-town schoolhouse -- on the first day of school. As I wrestled against the rage that I felt within, and tried to gain some focus in advance of the Church Council meeting, a picture of Saul of Tarsus came to mind. I could see him standing, watching and praying as Stephen was stoned to death – approving of the murder, praising God.

     I grew up with this story. It’s part of my psyche, and it’s a story that is right there at the heart of my faith. But I have to confess: until a couple of weeks ago, I never connected the dots.

     I never understood that Saul of Tarsus was a terrorist. “While they were stoning Stephen, he (Stephen) prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him. That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem . .  Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul (of Tarsus) was ravaging the church by entering house after house, dragging off both men and women…” (Acts 7:59-8:3)

     Saul was in favor of murder and imprisonment for religious reasons. He believed that the cleansing of the temple goes hand in hand with the shedding of the blood of apostates and heretics. The realization that St. Paul, as Saul of Tarsus, had been a terrorist, was – well, it was strangely liberating to me. I suppose it was a bit like the peace that can come, or that can become possible, with the naming of a demon.

     You see, I had felt compelled to speak to the Church Council about a Christian response to the terrorists’ violent hatred of Americans. I felt compelled to speak about these threats in a way that was not naïve – that was not condescending towards their fears, especially their fears as parents. I felt compelled to give voice to the experience of hatred that many of us feel when we learn of yet another attack on innocent men, women and children. 

     Biblical verses about loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us came to mind, but they didn’t speak to the issue at hand. While they are relevant, they didn’t seem like a direct hit. I needed, as a leader, to hit the nail on the head, and not just pound the hammer on a board, in the vicinity of the nail, like a child might do. 

     Suddenly my eyes were opened to those parts of the Psalms that often follow beautiful and poetic verses about the righteousness of God, and the goodness of God toward His people, Israel. The verses that often follow those hymns of praise are verses that always made me, as a Christian, a little nervous. They are verses in which the Psalmist prays that God will deliver His people from their enemies. Not only are many of the Psalms prayers for deliverance, but in these prayers the Psalmist can be found begging God to destroy the enemies of Israel; and the descriptions of how the Psalmist would like to see his enemies destroyed are not what anyone might call pretty. 

     “Deliver us from evil,” our Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray, at the end of His beautiful prayer – and in this way His prayer was structured like a Psalm. Like the Jews, we are called to pray for deliverance from evil; and sometimes deliverance requires the death and destruction of our enemies. A prayer for the destruction of our enemies is embedded in the plea for deliverance from our enemies. We can’t shy away from it. We can’t pretend that it’s just not there.

     Saul of Tarsus was a terrorist. He was a sworn enemy of the early Christians. When God killed Saul of Tarsus and gave him a new life (as the man we know as St. Paul) a great hope was born – for thousands, millions, and maybe even billions of people around the world and throughout the generations. And so I went to the Church Council meeting and asked them to begin praying with me that the Lord God would deliver us from evil and kill our enemies, just as He killed Saul of Tarsus.

     Our soldiers and military leaders have their job to do in this war. Our government officials have their job/s to do as well, but surely this is a contribution that we who are neither soldiers nor politicians can make. We can begin naming the names of known terrorist groups and individuals in our prayers, and ask the good Lord to deliver us from their evil – asking Him to kill them, in the same way that he killed Saul of Tarsus

     I can only begin to imagine what it would be like if the Lord would kill Osama bin Laden, in the same way that He killed Saul of Tarsus. What a stir that would cause in the Islamic world – and throughout the entire world. What a great miracle that would be! Can you imagine what it would be like if Osama bin Laden were to emerge, one day, from the darkness of his stinking hole, saying, “Brothers and sisters, Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Mary, peace be upon Him, was not only a prophet of the Most High, but He was and is the Son of the living God. Let us lay down our weapons now, for the blood of innocent men, women and children will not save us.

     Their blood will not transport us into the bosom of our beloved father, Abraham. The only blood that will save us is the blood of Jesus, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world. His blood, and His blood alone is capable of bringing peace into our hearts, and into our world. His blood, & His blood alone is capable of bringing us to the gates of Paradise.” 

     If the Lord could change the heart of a terrorist like Saul of Tarsus, surely he can change the heart of a terrorist like Osama bin Laden, and surely he can change the hearts of sinners like ourselves. As my father (who lost both of his legs in World War II) used to say to me, whenever I was troubled: “Son, the future is as bright as the promise of God.” And, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”

     Brothers and sisters in Christ, because He lives we can face tomorrow. Because He lives we have an Advocate with the Father, an Advocate who is also our Savior -- an Advocate who taught us to pray for deliverance from the evil one (and from his legions).

     In the meantime, and this is a very mean time, as we await the coming of the One before whom all knees shall one day bend, let us lift high the cross – and let us also lift high the blood of Jesus -- in large chalices that are overflowing with the goodness, the mercy, the forgiveness and the power of Almighty God. (“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day…” John 6:53-56)  

     I pray that the good Lord will bring you, your families, your neighborhoods and your congregations the peace that passes all understanding. I pray that God Almighty will deliver you from the evil one and the legions that serve him. “Vengeance is mine,” the Lord is saying, & the people of God said, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 

     In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.