renewingourminds Archives - Renewing Our Minds

All quoted scriptures in New International Version. This content may contain affiliate links.

Overcoming the darkness

Though chosen by God to serve His purpose, many Bible characters faced moments of profound despair, at times preferring death to their problems. Here, we explore eight stories of God’s servants who wanted to die and what actually happened.

Bible characters who never died — **Even though Elijah the prophet at one time prayed for an early death in a crisis moment, he didn’t die at all – instead he ascended to Heaven in a chariot of fire.** (Renewing Our Minds)

1. Elijah prays to die

After triumphing over the prophets of Baal, Elijah fled from queen Jezebel’s wrath. In his despair, the prophet journeyed into the wilderness where he sat under a broom bush and prayed for death to come.

“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 1 Kings 19:4

Recognizing Elijah’s physical and mental exhaustion, God sent an angel to feed and strengthen the prophet. After refueling, Elijah traveled for 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb. There, God announced Elisha would become successor prophet.

After anointing and mentoring Elisha, Elijah ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire, one of the most remarkable exits from Earth ever recorded in biblical history.

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2. Jonah hides from God

Some may think the prophet Jonah did not want to serve God when he tried to run away. But as the Bible story reveals, the prophet who spent three days in the belly of a whale was afraid of delivering God’s mercy to the evil people of Ninevah.

After announcing impending destruction to the backslidden city, Jonah was filled with bitterness and anger when the people of Ninevah repented and God spared their lives. Jonah was so distraught by God’s decision to have mercy that he pleaded for death.

“Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4:3

In the final verses of the short Bible book, Jonah maintained his anger, though God reminded the prophet of His absolute just judgment and the righteousness of His divine mercy.

3. Job tempted to curse God

Though Job’s wife told him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9), the righteous man refused. However, stricken by calamity, loss, and disease, Job cursed the day he was born, saying:

“May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’ Job 3:3

Through his unwavering faith and talking with God, Job’s life was eventually completely restored, receiving double what he had lost, along with profound insights into God’s justice.

4. Moses asks God to kill him

Overwhelmed by the burden of leading the Israelites and their incessant complaining, Moses asked God to end his life.

^“If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” Numbers 11:15

Instead, God appointed 70 elders to share the leadership responsibilities, easing Moses’s burden and providing him strength to continue his mission.

5. Jeremiah curses the day of his birth

**The prophet Jeremiah, curses the day he was born.** (Renewing Our Minds)

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, faced intense persecution and suffering for his prophecies. In his despair, he cursed the day he was born, wishing he had never been conceived.

“Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!” Jeremiah 20:14

Through his lamentations, Jeremiah remained committed to his calling, finding solace in the promises and plans God had for His people.

6. Samson prays to die with his enemies

Samson, betrayed by Delilah and blinded by his enemies, prayed to God for the strength to end his life along with the Philistines.

Samson prays to God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” (Judges 16:28)

Even though he lost his strength after his hair was cut, Samson regains power long enough to push on the pillars of the Philistine temple. The temple came crashing down on the Philistines and himself, killing more of his enemies in his dying moment than all the while he lived serving God.

7) Judas Iscariot hangs himself

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, hanged himself after realizing the gravity of his actions.

Judas Iscariot, one of the original twelve disciples, is infamously known for betraying Jesus Christ for t30 pieces of silver. This act of betrayal weighed heavily upon him, leading to immense guilt and remorse.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas tried to return the silver to the chief priests and elders.

“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” Matthew 27:4

However, they dismissed him.

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

In his anguish, Judas threw the silver into the temple and went away. Overwhelmed by his actions and unable to cope with the guilt, Judas ended his life by hanging himself.

8) Paul describes despairing ‘life itself’

Paul’s journey was marked by intense persecution, physical suffering, and deep emotional struggle.

The Apostle’s anguish is poignantly expressed in his second letter to the Corinthians.

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.” 2 Corinthians 1:8

Yet, in this moment of profound despair, Paul found a greater purpose and reliance on God’s power. He ultimately became responsible for writing most of the New Testament.

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God commands His people to forgive one another, while providing the blood of His only son for the forgiveness of our sins. Throughout scripture, God shows us that forgiveness is critical to unlocking His power and opening the doors to His kingdom. But it’s not just our eternal welfare at stake. Let’s take a look at four times the Bible clearly links forgiveness of sins and the release of healing power in people’s lives:

Psalm 103:2-3: “Praise the Lord, my soul; and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

In this psalm, David commands his soul to remember that God forgives and heals. He praises God for human redemption through His love and mercy; His power to renew strength inside a believer empowering people to prosper.

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Isaiah 53:5: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.”

This profound prophecy points to the painful punishment Jesus took to pay for the sins of all God’s people. For our sakes, and because of our “iniquities” or sins, Jesus’ body was tortured. He took our punishment, exchanging eternal torment for everlasting peace. But His wounds not only provided a way to Heaven – the crucifixion of Christ has also provided healing for us today.

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James 5:14-16: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other so that you may be healed.”

This promise emphasizes the power of communal prayer and faith in healing. It offers express instruction of who – the elders of the church – and how – by praying over the sick in the congregation, physically pouring oil over the ill. This instruction shows us that healing happens when sins are forgiven.

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Mark 2:5: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son your sins are forgiven.”

The paralyzed man had some very good friends. Four of them, desperate to get their friend in front of Jesus, cut a hole in the roof of the room where Jesus was preaching. Jesus healed the paralytic because of the faith of his friends. As the religious teachers heard Jesus forgiving the man, they accused Him of blasphemy. Jesus schooled them,, saying in verse 9: “Which is easier: to say to this this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk?’”

In this exchange, Jesus shows us that forgiving sins and commanding healing flow together.

Jesus finished His argument by letting the religious teachers know He has authority to forgive sins, telling the paralytic to take his mat and go. With the forgiveness of sins and command of healing, the paralyzed man was healed in front of everyone.