IS SUICIDE TRULY THE BEST WAY OUT? A BIBLICAL GUIDE FOR YOUNG INDIVIDUALS AGAINST SUICIDE.

Recently, the internet has been flooded with cases of suicide among young people. According to an article published by the BMJ careers and mental health practitioners, after carrying out a research on a total of 350 suicide reports gathered from 10 english newspapers in Nigeria between January 2010 and December 2019, the mean age of reported cases was 36 years old, majorly male (80%), married (51%) and students (34%). Hanging and poisoning were the most commonly reported methods of suicide. Financial constraints and marital conflicts were most commonly assumed precipitating factors. 

Suicide entails all activities carried out in order to take one’s life or killing one’s self. Several factors could be responsible for this act, regardless, is taking one’s life the easiest way out? This article seeks to answer this question from a biblical standpoint.

The bible documented few cases of suicide, out of which will be cited in this article. Certain similar trends were observed in all the documented cases of suicide and will be analysed. First, suicidal acts begin with the occurrence of a bad situation. King Abimelech was the first suicide victim recorded in the Bible (Judges 9:54). There was a clash between the nation of Israel which he ruled over and the men of Shechem. He had initially won the battle but at some point, he was overpowered by a tower filled with warriors, where a woman cast a piece of millstone upon his head. He immediately thought of killing himself in order to retain his dignity, because (based on his ideology) it was a reproach for him to have been killed by a woman. Same was the case of Samson (Judges 16) who decided to initiate his death with the Philistines because he felt he was in a hopeless situation which he could not come out of. Things happen to everyone everyday, our reaction to the situation is what matters. The reality of the scripture is, other bible characters experienced worse situations than those experienced by these suicide victims, yet they were patient through the situation and still came out successful. Hagar is one example of this. She’d fled from her mistress, Sarah, because she dealt “hardly” with her (Gen. 16:3-13). At that point, she was in an awful situation. She might have thought of killing herself, but she didn’t. Later on, an angel came, ministered to her and gave her a way out. Unfavourable situations are bound to happen, but our disposition to them determines the outcome. Bad situations can become good, or go worse; however, suicide has never made the situation better, instead, it has worsened it. Aren’t there better ways to handle the awful situation rather than suicide? I bet there are. Just think, and think again. 

Most times, such occurrence of bad situation is followed by grave thoughts of hopelessness. The thoughts of someone who is in such bad situations can hardly be controlled by themselves, hence the devil takes advantage of them by clouding their minds with thoughts of hopelessness, emptiness and worthlessness. These individuals would not (on a normal note) think such bad thoughts, but due to the awful incidence and the heavy thoughts of self abasement, regret, hopelessness and emptiness which the devil has surrounded them with, they begin to think bad of themselves. Are you experiencing this in your life presently, I advice you to shield your mind with God’s word and do not allow the devil to control your thoughts. No wonder bible tells us “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2Co:10:5)”

You may have made a mistake; you may have gotten an unwanted pregnancy; your dad may kill you if he hears about it; you might have been rusticated from school; whatever the bad situation is, you have the right to control your thoughts. Don’t you think that taking your own life will terminate your opportunity to find a solution? 

Thoughts are like fuel, they lead to actions. Negative thoughts lead to negative actions; while positive thoughts lead to positive actions. King Saul was another case of suicide in the bible (I Sam. 31:1-4). He was sore wounded in a battle, so he thought that dying by the sword of his enemies (uncircumcised philistines) would be very shameful, hence, he asked his armour bearer to thrust him with a sword; the young man refused, so Saul fell upon the sword by himself and died. Who knows, Saul could have survived this ordeal if he had thought in another direction. More surprising is the fact that King Saul’s armour bearer did likewise because he saw that his master was dead and felt  hopeless, hence he took his own life too. The truth is, hopeless situations are not actually hopeless; it was hopeless because we couldn’t think of a solution at that time. Can you believe that the two suicide victims cited earlier are both kings? Kings are rulers and controllers, yet, the impact of an helpless situation followed by a negative thought completely overwhelmed them. Thoughts are flying waves of suggestions, we can decide to take them or shun them. Would you allow a mere wave of suggestions to blow you out of your direction? Who told you life is meaningless because of an occurrence? What about the beautiful future you planned for yourself? Would you blow all that away because of a mere negative suggestion of the devil? 

One other facilitating factor for suicide is loneliness. A life-threatening action cannot be successfully carried out in a company of friends (at least, good ones). The devil knows this, hence, he clouds the minds of his victims with thoughts of hopelessness and encourages his victim to stay alone, secretive and to stay away from people who can help. Isn’t that ridiculous? I bet it is. Ahitophel (2Sam 17:23) committed suicide, by hanging himself, just because his counsel was not followed by the king and elders. He saddled his ass, went home and hanged himself. I wish he’d spoken with his wife or a friend, maybe he would have gotten over that sad situation and lived longer to give another counsel which will be accepted by the king. Naaman in II Kgs 5 was a great man, but he was a leper. He would have allowed the thought of despondency to take over him but he didn’t. A little maid who was taken captive out of the land of Israel was the one who counseled him into his total healing. A lot of lost lives would have been saved if only they spoke to someone. The devil tells you everyone hates you. Could that ever be true? I doubt. There has to be someone who would understand your predicament and counsel you aright.

The last and most grievous characteristic of most suicide cases is the fact that they are (often times) a consequence of sin or God’s wrath. A man named Zimri (I Kg. 16:18) saw that his city had been taken by the enemies, so he went into the palace and burnt the king’s house over him with fire and died. What a ridiculous death! The reason behind this blind decision was written in the next verse, “…for his sins…” Suicide is a result of adamant refusal to accept the life of Christ. Judas Iscariot hanged himself too because “…Satan entered him…” Lk. 22:3.

Your life Is more precious and priceless to be thrown down the drain of suicide just like that. Regardless of the serious challenges you may be facing, those who live long enough will find a way out and life goes on. Hence, suicide is not in anyway the best way out of a bad situation; patience and faith in Jesus is the better way. Hannah, Job, Jabez and Abraham all had a share of their desperate times, yet they never ended their lives untimely. They were alive to see the end of the challenging situations and got their solutions. You too can. Everyone will still end up on the other side, but wouldn't it be better to award yourself some more time to prepare, live a better life, influence others and end up on the better side with Jesus? You chose.