Celebrating death

I watched the news last night with a sense of disbelief. As the news reporter talked about the death of a Muslim radical leader the footage of cheering crowds in front of the white house told the story of how many felt. It made me think of a story I thought unlikely to be possible until last night. Here's a portion of the story from Revelation 11,

^{Rev. 11:7} Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. ¹⁰ The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Until last night I couldn't imagine how people could celebrate death as the author John describes, but now I understand. Honestly, I do understand the relief felt when an enemy who killed so many is finally defeated, but celebration? I may be an isolated voice here, but I'm not celebrating the death of any man who doesn't know Christ. His death is an eternal loss for him and for us. I grieve for those who lost family members, for those who live in fear, but to celebrate death? May I pass on this and simply say that a sad, angry lost man has begun a horrible eternity and that gives me nothing to celebrate.