Three Strikes You're Out?

He was know as ‘Chemical Ali’ and was one of the more notorious characters under the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein.

And now an Iraqi judge has issued the death sentence on Hassan al-Majid. He was convicted for ordering poison gas to be used on select groups of Iraqi people who were being persecuted by Hussein during his infamous rule. Interestingly, this will be the third sentence of death placed upon ‘Ali’ especially for his crimes against his nation's Shiites a decade ago.

Although justice through government is something approved by God according to Romans 13, humanly speaking it sometimes does not seem enough, especially when the crimes are particularly massive and gruesome. But man’s punishment is really just the beginning in light of what will follow.

The Bible is crystal clear on what to expect when the short life on earth is quickly replaced by the long life in eternity. In the case of Chemical Ali, the three death sentences will seem as nothing when contrasted to the words of Hebrews 9 and the reality of a potential sentence originating from the very One who created him. Verse 27 reads, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” And for those not on the proper spiritual footing with their Creator, Hebrews 10:30-31 adds a more sobering thought to the mix. “For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

The Bible reveals that every man and woman ever born all fall short of God’s holy standard and are deserving of ultimate judgement. This includes even those with ‘sins’ that cannot be compared to those of a ‘Chemical Ali’ - by human standards. But when the above mentioned appointed judgement arrives, the just and righteous judge of all the earth will use just one simple criteria to determine guilt and eternal punishment as spelled out in no uncertain terms in 1 John 5.

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life: he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (John 5:10-13)

Bill Breckenridge