As we weep with those who weep, pray for those who mourn, and ponder the depths of wickedness which have been demonstrated by the murder of sixteen little children and their teacher, we strive to come to conclusions about the awful tragedy. We listen to the thoughts of some and we hear the refrain, “It is beyond comprehension.” We are shocked to hear others, in overt opposition to God, speak blasphemous things about Him in connection with the horrific event. We note the foolish statements about God made by others who profess to be Christians. We cannot have even a modicum of right understanding of the whole sad happening apart from viewing it in the light of the revelation which God gives of Himself in His word – and even then, we can see only through a glass darkly.
Of this fact we are certain: there is no unrighteousness in God. In working out all things “according to the counsel of His will”, He never errs. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Man, in his misery and pain, in his anguish and sorrow, wickedly points the finger of blame at God for allowing evil to come his way. Let us never forget that although man is fallen he has not been deprived of the power of volition. When man exercises his will in doing evil, it is upon himself that the guilt lies. Is God the author of sin when He permits man to sin and thus to bring misery and pain upon himself and others? God forbid. Let God be true and every man a liar.
This also is a fact: that God restrains men and nations so that they are not as wicked as they would otherwise be. This was a comfort to the Psalmist, for he said to God about the wrath of man, “The remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain.” God also withdraws His restraining influence in the case of some persons and peoples who persist in resisting His restraints and repudiating His authority. He leaves them to themselves more or less. Is this not happening to our nation? Increasing violence and murder, including the Dunblane murder and others like it, show that God is leaving us more and more to go our own way. We ought to pray, “Oh Lord, cast us not off forever,” (Psl 44:23).
We need not wonder that God is now striving less with us as a nation when we not only turn a deaf ear to His word but also condone and legalise such gross sins as abortion (160,000 abortions last year), sodomy and Sabbath desecration? We need not be surprised at the increase of violence when brutality and killings are beamed out nightly by television. How irresponsible the British Board of Film Classification was when, in February, it allowed the release of the video, Natural Born Killers, “one of the most violent Hollywood films ever made.” Tacit admission of the correlation between murderous violence on the screen and on the street is seen in the decision by Warner Home Video, because of the Dunblane shootings, to postpone the release of the Natural Born Killers video. And on the day of the shootings, ITV cancelled the showing of the film, Licence to Kill. But we fear they will soon forget.
How much longer is God to be long-suffering towards our land? We see numerous indications of His displeasure against us, which, if we do not repent, will prove to be forerunners of sore judgements. The world before the flood “was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” God looked upon it and said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man,” and then His just judgement descended upon man for his wickedness. Why should God continue to restrain us when we are bent on going our own way in opposition to Him? Let us fear. It is high time to plead with Him, “O God, thou hast cast us off,… thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.”
As we think of the evil which erupted from the heart of the murderer, we are bound to ask ourselves, “What great evil would I not do, if God left me to myself?” When saintly John Bradford saw some criminals being led to execution he commented, “But for the grace of God, there goes John Bradford.” Scripture asks, “Who maketh thee to differ?” The believer has to answer, “It is the Lord; by having renewed me and by keeping me.” On the other hand, the unbeliever should answer, “God has placed restraints on me which He has not put on those, or has taken away from those, who have descended into great depths of sin.” If we know our own sinfulness we will certainly be praying, “Lord keep me.”
We must also ask ourselves, as we think of the murderer, “Where would I be if God were to punish me for my own sins?” The Psalmist had to say, “If thou shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand.” It is solemnly true, as the Scriptures say, that “no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him”, and that “murderers… shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” It is also true that those who write lurid and self-righteous banner headlines in newspapers, declaring that the murderer is “burning in hell”, do not appear to understand the just deserts of every one of us, not excluding
themselves, and our need of returning to God. God calls to our covenanted nation, “Return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.”
It is amazing that as we go further away from God, He is yet calling to us to return to Him. In the midst of all the sin and misery, the murder and massacre, in this world, God is stretching out His hands to men in their profound need as sinners. In Isaiah’s day He pled with ‘a disobedient and gainsaying people’, “Come now, and let us reason together… though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Is He not the same God still? Most certainly! Those who return to Him will not only be abundantly pardoned but also will have Him as their God, in pain and sorrow, in life and death, and forever.
The greatest proof of God’s willingness to receive returning sinners is His gift of His dear Son. He has given Him, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”, to open up the way for sinners to have peace with Himself. Not only such awful crime as the murder of little children, but also every single sin, is a manifestation of ill will to God. May we be melted by His showing good will to us. Hear the proclamation which heralded the coming of His Son: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Implicit in this heavenly declaration is His willingness to receive the returning sinner. May the day soon come when we will all join in responding willingly, “Come, and let us return unto the Lord.” The Editor