The death of the wicked

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” Ezekiel 18:23
Many people imagine God as being angry with mankind, just waiting for us to sin so that He can smite us with judgement. “After all,” they say, “why would a loving God send someone to hell?”
But here, even in the Old Testament, we see that God does not delight in the death of the wicked. He does not enjoy judging people. In fact, God’s judgement is called His ‘strange work’ (Isa. 28:21).
Hell was not created for man, but for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). And here’s something you might not have considered: God does not send people to hell. Anyone who ends up there, does so because they chose to reject the means God gave for salvation. The choice is entirely ours. If salvation was only dependent on the will of God, then everyone would be saved (1 Tim. 2:3-4). But God gives us a choice, to repent, or to reject. God is pleased when we do repent. He doesn’t save us reluctantly. Quite the opposite: Jesus endured the cross for “the joy set before Him” (Heb. 12:2) – that joy being to be united with us for eternity.
If you haven’t made a decision to repent and turn to God, I plead with you to do it today. The opportunity will not always be there. After you die, it’s too late. As the Scriptures say, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 4:7).