Public Execution
The United States government announced a public execution scheduled to take place on December 3 for a US Army major who killed 13 people (including a pregnant soldier) and wounded 32 others, all troops preparing for deployment at Fort Hood in 2009. You shouldn’t feel obligated to watch the livestream. Who knows if it will even happen.
God’s Word teaches capital punishment for certain crimes, especially for murder (Genesis 9:6 bibrefgenesis9 bibrefgenesis9v6; Exodus 21:12-14 bibrefexodus21 bibrefexodus21v12 bibrefexodus21v13 bibrefexodus21v14). In fact many of the specifics of criminal law required the congregation to participate (in the stoning to death), not merely observe it.
God gives the government the sword (Romans 13:4 bibrefromans13 bibrefromans13v4), and part of what this means is that they have the authority to kill. We pray that justice is done, not mocked. We know that this power is not always used with God’s approval, but it is always according to His purposes.
Our Lord was executed in public, nailed to a cross by the Roman government as pushed by the Jewish leaders. He was mocked, tortured, put on display, and killed in cruelty.
Of course we remember two vital distinctions. One, Jesus was innocent of all charges against Him, and so God accepted the death of His Son in place of us who believe. As God Jesus died for us, He did not kill us in the name of His God. Two, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, and we will be raised up with Him.
Every week as we eat the bread and drink the cup we proclaim His public execution until He comes.