(Image by Thought Catalog)
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
SUICIDE + THE BIBLE
While suicide isn’t explicitly condemned in the Bible, it would be wickedly disingenuous to consider that God’s tacit approval of the act. Pedophilia, same-sex marriage, abortion and other sins also aren’t explicitly named as sin, yet an honest reading of what God says on a host of other matters reveal his heart on these topics. First, there’s the fact that murder is an explicitly named sin (Exodus 20:13), and suicide is but self-murder. Second, it’s helpful to note that all instances of suicide in the Bible were carried out by those who were enemies of God, or those or who had turned away from Him.
Abimelech (Judges 9) undermined his father Gideon’s legacy by killing his own brothers (70 in all) and ruling his people with brutal force and violence. After bringing much terror to his people and damage to the land, Abimelech was subdued only after a woman dropped a millstone on his head and cracked his skull. Refusing die by the hands of a woman, he immediately opted for assisted suicide, calling on his armor bearer to thrust him with his sword. According to the Scriptures, Abimelech’s death was the Lord’s judgment for his wickedness (Judges 9:56).
King Saul (1 Samuel 31;1 Chronicles 10) was rejected by God for his repeated disobedience. For example, he failed to utterly destroy the Amalekites as the Lord instructed and he consulted mediums, which the Lord prohibited (1 Samuel 15; 1 Samuel 28). Saul feared man more than God, and he hated David, who God describes as a man after His own heart. As such, King Saul repeatedly sought to kill David, who never retaliated. Eventually, the Lord delivered David from Saul, as Saul would find himself in a fierce battle with the Philistines. Rather than die at their hands, however, Saul opted to fall on his own sword. His tragic end was also counted as the Lord’s judgment against him. *Note: Saul’s armor bearer also killed himself after seeing that Saul was dead, which means the Amelikite’s account of killing King Saul (2 Samuel 1) was a lie, likely told to gain a reward from King David.*
Ahithophel - (2 Samuel 15-17) was King David’s trusted advisor and it’s suggested that he was also Bathsheba’s grandfather. However, he betrayed King David by co-conspiring with David’s son Absalom to overthrow David and rule in his father’s stead. Though he advised Absalom in how to best overtake David, Absalom ignored his counsel, which only meant the rebellion would fail. Now exposed (as King David was informed of Ahithophel’s betrayal) and his advice rejected, Ahithophel returned to his hometown, put his personal affairs in order, then hanged himself.
Zimri (1 Kings 16) was originally the commander of half of the chariots of King Elan, who was king of Israel. Yet, Zimri became king of Israel after murdering Elan. Not only that, he murdered Elan’s entire household and all of his friends. Granted, Elan was a wicked king as well, so Zimri’s actions ultimately served as God’s judgment against him. Yet Zimri was also wicked, and his reign was short-lived, lasting only seven days. Once Zimiri’s actions were exposed, Israel appointed Omri king and they went up to besiege the city from which Zimri ruled. Seeing that his city was overtaken and his capture imminent, Zimri went into the citadel of Elan’s palace and took his own life by burning down the entire place while he was inside. Scripture identifies Zimri tragic end as the Lord’s judgment for his wickedness. He, like the kings before him, caused Israel to practice idolatry.
Judas (Matthew 27:3-10), famously and forever known as a traitor, was one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples. In fact, Jesus chose Judas to walk with Him foreknowing that Judas was wicked and would be the one to betray Him that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. Judas was also greedy, which was his motive for selling Jesus out. Oddly enough, after realizing what he’d led an innocent man to die, Judas was actually remorseful and tried to return the money he’d received to turn Jesus in. Yet, his remorse wasn’t a godly sorrow that led to repentance and faith in Christ as his savior. Instead, he opted to hang himself.
In all of the aforementioned accounts, suicide isn’t explicitly counted a sin, but it is shown to be a means of God’s judgment against those who had worked great evil in His sight, and it is presented as an act carried out by the Lord’s enemies.
So what about Samson?
Those who defend a Christian’s ability to commit suicide and still inherit life eternal will often point to Samson’s account in Judges 16, and his also being named in the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11. I can honestly understand that reference if we are reading the Scriptures by our own wisdom, however Scripture actually speaks to Samson’s death as martyrdom, not suicide (Judges 16:30). (There is a difference.)
Samson was raised up explicitly to carry out the Lord’s judgment against the Philistines, who were the enemies of God, and he was ultimately successful in his calling. Samson, however, often made unwise decisions that caused him to fall into the enemy’s hand. Having foolishly revealed the source of his strength to “his girlfriend” Delilah (a Philistine), who sold him out and let in one of her people to cut off Samson’s hair. Samson was then captured by the Philistines, who enslaved him and gouged out his eyes (Judges 16:18-21). Samson could have fallen into despair, pitied himself for falling into the enemy’s hand, or even blamed God for his circumstances. Instead, he hoped in the Lord and PRAYED for His help, asking the Lord to restore his strength so that he could have a final victory against the Philistines.
Moreover, it is important to highlight that the lords of the Philistines and thousands of other Philistine men and women were all gathered in one place at one time, making Samson’s decision to push over the temple’s pillars the most effective strategy to ensure victory against the Lord’s enemies. Yet, this strategy couldn’t be carried out without Samson also perishing. Indeed, he asked the Lord to let him “die with the Philistines”, but his ultimate goal was to take down the Philistines (Judges 16:28). They were enemies of the Lord, and they were mocking God and His servant as they worshipped and attributed their victory to their false god Dagon in that very temple (Judges 16:23-25). Of course, it was coming down!
As with all of the Old Testament prophets, judges and kings raised up by the Lord, Samson was a “type of Christ”. The Old Testament shows that these individuals were flawed because only Christ, who is God, is perfect and qualified to die for the sins of mankind. Yet, these individuals had callings that foreshadowed what Christ would ultimately fulfill on a grander scale. The Lord used them to ultimately point us to Jesus. To say that Samson’s death was a suicide would undermine the ultimate victory he had in his death, just as calling Jesus’ volunteering to die for our sins a “suicide” would undermine and misrepresent His victory in death. Samson died hoping in the Lord and doing a work that served Him, though knowing it would cost him his life. This is a similar calling we as Believers have in our lives. We aren’t permitted to kill ourselves, but we must die to ourselves that we be willing to lose our natural lives for the cause of Christ (Romans 8:36; 1 Corinthians 4:9, 15:312 Corinthians 1:9; 4:10; Matthew 16:25 and elsewhere).
Further, it must be noted that Samson’s victory could not have been successful without the Lord restoring his strength. We see in Judges 16:22 that Samson’s hair actually began to grow back before he even prayed. It isn’t clear whether Samson was aware of this, but it is clear that it was the Lord who strengthened him to prevail, hence his being mentioned in Hebrews 11 alongside Gideon and others who “were weak but made strong”. Suicide, on the other hand, is an act committed when the individual in question is at their weakest and overcome by hopelessness and despair. Suicide isn’t a sign of strength and it isn’t committed when one is strong. If it were, most wouldn’t rest their case on suicide being the outworking of a “chemical imbalance” or mental illness (which I further discuss here). God doesn’t bless one’s decision to commit suicide that they may honor Him, the act doesn’t glorify Him, and it doesn’t point others to His truth. As such, an honest analysis of suicide in the Scriptures makes an extremely strong case for suicide as the fruit of one who is either an enemy of the Lord, or one who has turned away from Him.
