"The Grave Has No Hold on the Believer"—Franklin Graham's Strong Message to Islamic Terror Group Responsible for Easter Bombing in Pakistan

Leah Marieann Klett : Mar 30, 2016
Gospel Herald

"Muslims want Shariah law. They want the whole world to bow to Islam—that won't happen. The Word of God tells us that one day 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...'"

The Rev. Franklin Graham has issued a strong warning to the Islamic extremists responsible for the attack that killed 70 Pakistani Christians, mostly women and children, on Easter Sunday in Lahore, stating that soon, "every knee" will bow to Jesus—not Allah. (Photo: Franklin Graham/via BillyGraham.org)

"Islam has reared its ugly head again, killing innocent Christians," Graham said in a Facebook message shared on Easter Sunday. "As Christians we know that when death comes to someone who has trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, we are ushered into the presence of our Heavenly Father and will live for eternity in His presence. The grave has no hold on the Believer."

The Islamic extremist group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which splintered from the Taliban, has since taken responsibility for the attack. In a media statement, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said a suicide bomber deliberately targeted the Christian community.

"We claim responsibility for the attack on Christians as they were celebrating Easter," Ehsan said in the statement, adding that the attack had been carried out under an operation code-named Saut Ul Raad (Sound of Lightning), "which will continue throughout this year..."

Graham concluded his message: "Muslims want Shariah law. They want the whole world to bow to Islam—that won't happen. The Word of God tells us that one day 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on Earth and under the Earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' (Philippians 2:10-11). I serve a risen Savior." (Photo: Pakistan Christian Post)

Another prominent Christian leader, Pope Francis, has condemned the attack, saying the massacre of Christians was "reprehensible" and that it had "bloodied" Easter, Vatican Radio reports.

"I wish to express my closeness to all those affected by this cowardly and senseless crime, and ask you to pray to the Lord for the numerous victims and their loved ones. I appeal to the civil authorities and to all the social components of [Pakistan] to do everything possible to restore security and peace to the population and, in particular, to the most vulnerable religious minorities," Francis said.

As he has frequently done after deadly extremists attacks in Europe and elsewhere in recent months, the pope insisted that...

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