2 Chronicles 24:15-27 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+24%3A15-27&version=ESV

There are very few things in this world that can drive a decent person to kill – very few things that mean enough to someone for them to do that. But, even when this is the case, the killing is usually still selfish. Imagine that your child was captured by ISIS and they told you that you had to plant a bomb at such and such a place or else they would kill your child. That would, of course, be a terrible thing. Many people would probably do it. It would still be the wrong thing to do. And it would probably, truly, be a selfish kind of love that would do that. What most people identify as love isn’t love at all but “the way that person makes me feel” and what my life would be like without them.

We see something different from God. He killed for the sake of His Word but it was good in His case and it wasn’t selfish. When Joash and the people turned away from Him, God sent His prophets, He sent Zechariah and Zechariah was willing to do die for the proclamation of God’s Word. When Joash refused to listen, God allowed him to be defeated and assassinated. Why? Judgment certainly but also compassion. He wanted His Word to be preserved. And not because He just wanted us all to know how great He was but because His Word is the only thing that can save us! That’s why it’s so important. That’s why God will kill for it, because He would kill for you. And He did. He killed His Son. The Son who volunteered to be the sacrifice for all the sins of all the ages of mankind.

You are not called to kill for God’s Word. Leave such things up to God. But you might be called to give your life for it. And you should treasure it more highly than anything else – even children. Because God’s Word alone saves. His Word alone tells you that your sins are forgiven and heaven is opened. Because God was willing to kill for you.

In Christ
Pastor Ude