4 Christian Leaders Offer Perspectives on the Las Vegas Massacre

By Brandon Showalter, Opinion writer and social commentator Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Marshall Segal: God shows up in tragedy

A candlelight vigil is pictured on the Las Vegas strip following a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 2, 2017. | (Photo: Reuters/Chris Wattie)

God hates violence, wrote Desiring God staff writer Marshall Segal in a prayerful post in response to the shooting.

"When God looks out on a war zone like the one on Las Vegas Boulevard, he despises the violence, and he prizes the lives of the innocent, especially those who cry out to him in faith. Their blood is precious to the infinitely valuable One."

While this Nevada city is "an international symbol for iniquity," Segal said, and hell has surely invaded it, "God through the prayers of his people may yet flood the evil with heaven in the coming days and weeks and months—through the hope and love his people show one another and those in need. He loves to reveal his stunning mercy in the wake of sudden tragedy."

"Mass shootings will not always happen. Those who assault the innocent and remain unrepentant will spend eternity wishing their hell lasted only fifteen minutes. And those who run to Christ will soon enough forget how to fear," he concluded.