A Great Man Has Fallen in Israel: An Elegy for John MacArthur

Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

--2 Samuel 3:38

John MacArthur has died (1939-2025). He did not fear death: “All that death can do to the believer,” he preached in his declarative style, “is deliver him to Jesus.” As was characteristic of the man, there was an entire sermon in that sentence; a whole system of theology rang out in those world-defying words.

For many evangelicals, all you need to say is the name “John MacArthur,” and a voice comes instantly to mind. Much like the baseball radio announcers who have closed quiet summer nights for generations of Americans, the deep and ever-so-slightly raspy voice of MacArthur has been a regular companion of too many Christians to count.

It is strange—and sad—to think of a world without MacArthur in the Grace Community Church pulpit, pumping out strong doses of rugged Bible truth across America and across the world. Because of his authoritative and warm presence, MacArthur was not just another talker on the air. For many, in truth, he was the loving and convictional father or grandfather they wanted but never had.

MacArthur the Man: His Unique Traits

Like all great men, MacArthur was a mix of seemingly polar qualities. He was an old-fashioned preacher, concerned only with lengthy and meaty doctoral exposition, but his was one of the first modern media ministries, as the “tape ministry” of Grace Community Church eventually grew into a genuine communications empire.

He knew his doctrine and kept a tight theological profile, yet built a marvelous friendship with Presbyterian leader R. C. Sproul that charmed thousands as they traded jokes on conference panels. (Neither should we forget this epic video.) MacArthur preached from extensive preparation, yet sounded smooth and effortless in the pulpit. He did not do much shouting, but somehow he was always engaging, even captivating, as he preached the biblical passage.

MacArthur was deadly serious in the way he lived his life, famously hewing to a disciplined weekly structure, but was known to enjoy a game of golf. Along these lines, I went to a Master’s University basketball game a few years back when MacArthur was known to be under the weather, and was shocked when he walked in, locked in on the game, and talked strategy at halftime with a few of us who greeted him. I loved that side of MacArthur—the competitor, the gamesman, the man who savored our many common-grace gifts of God.

MacArthur did not engage in flattery or puff up celebrities, but was one of Larry King’s go-to evangelicals, appearing on CNN countless times when I was in high school and college. For the younger generation, this was a huge deal back in the day. It was equivalent to going on Joe Rogan’s podcast dozens of times. Watch, for example, this prophetic on-air encounter between MacArthur and a young Gavin Newsom. What a master-class in bold evangelistic witness—you’re left with your hair blown back by the righteous authority of MacArthur’s stand.

Four Outstanding Elements of MacArthur’s Ministry

We could list more of these traits. But I will leave off here, as I want to highlight four major elements of MacArthur’s ministry that will endure long beyond this age. The point here is not to treat the man as perfect; he was far from perfect, just as I am. The point is to consider how we can imitate MacArthur as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

First, John MacArthur was a lion for the truth. The man bled Bible. He loved the Word; he loved the Word like few men before him. There are no two ways about it: if you love God’s Word, it will shape you, mark you, and rewire you. By the grace of God, you will be a fruit-bearing Christian. You will think differently, talk differently, act differently, and desire differently.

There is more to sanctification than drinking in the waters of God’s living Word, yes. But this is the foundation; this is the center; this is the hub; this is the nexus. There is nothing equivalent to the Word of God. There is nothing on par with the Word of God. There is nothing you need to read more than the Word of God. The Word of God is God’s revelatory gift to us. MacArthur fed on it like a starving man, and his life and ministry reverberated with Bible. As I said above, it rang out of him.

The righteous, Proverbs 28:1 tells us, are bold as a lion. This was MacArthur. He was counted righteous in Christ, and he found what Schaeffer rightly called “true truth” and the Reformers called the “norming norm” in Scripture, and he planted his feet on this solid ground. He took his stand, and he never stopped standing. The Lordship of Christ had claimed him, just as it claims all who are truly in Christ by faith.

No doubt, there was a special gifting from God on this man’s calling. He knew a unique anointing on his life that no one can commandeer or buy. Yet MacArthur’s ministry was thoroughly emulatable. He dove into the sacred text, loved it, labored to understand it, and then proclaimed it to all who would come. This, again, is a model that we do well to mark in our time.

Second, John MacArthur was incredibly fruitful in ministry. Like the London preacher Charles Spurgeon, an entire galaxy of ministry developed in God’s kindness out of the overflow of MacArthur’s biblical fidelity. This galaxy included The Master’s Seminary; The Master’s University; Grace to You; TMAI; the Legacy Standard Bible; over 150 books, including a famous study Bible; and the list goes on.

These and many more works remind us just how much productive labor poured out of this man—and beyond him, out of the scores of godly men and women who worked alongside him. I encourage fellow believers to pray for these ministries, those who lead them, and the godly believers who staff them. Pray especially for GCC, its elders, and for love and unity to prevail now that MacArthur’s pastoral tenure has ended.

How was it that all these endeavors came into existence? Because faithfulness produces fruitfulness. By the way, those who want to understand MacArthur would do well to consult the enjoyable biography of the pastor by esteemed historian Iain Murray. Note as well that MacArthur is the kind of figure who will take volumes to sum up. As a leader of consequence, he was undoubtedly at the level of an Edwards or a Lloyd-Jones or a Spurgeon. He was, I would argue, the Spurgeon of our era.

Third, John MacArthur was faithful to the gospel. MacArthur never wavered in his promotion and defense of the gospel. He had a reputation among some as a firebrand, and understandably so—his very name is the name of some of the fiercest Highland warriors known to the West. (Scottish blood is strong blood indeed!) In truth, though, MacArthur was relentlessly evangelistic, far more so than many who critiqued him.

MacArthur proclaimed the gospel in the Grace pulpit to multiple generations of congregants, leading many to saving faith by the Spirit’s work. MacArthur also contended for the faith, and guarded the good deposit, beyond his local church. For example, with the Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) controversy in 1997, MacArthur and R. C. Sproul took what I believe was the right position (even against good men they rightly loved).

So too did MacArthur recognize early the danger of what we now call the “prosperity gospel.” Even in his winter years, the lion asserted himself all over again, speaking up so as to protect the global flock of Christ from wokeness. In this same season, when lockdown culture kept pornography shops open but mandated the closing of churches, it was inspiring to see MacArthur gather himself, stride toward the famous GCC pulpit, and charge his fellow pastors to open their churches. Church, he rightly said, is essential. So was true then; so is true today.

Of course, not every team of elders came to precisely the same plan of action as MacArthur, and we need to recognize that. Our movement should not remain mired in past controversies; that is a sure sign of a group nearing the expiration date of its usefulness. With humility and charity, we must hear Christ’s call afresh: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9).

MacArthur himself sought to live this out. He had some disagreements with some of his fellow evangelical leaders in the period in question, but he took clear steps in the last three years to repair what had torn. On this count, we cannot help but think of what Christ said would show the world that we are his disciples: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).

Those of us who love sound doctrine—as we must!—should mark these words. Would not Satan love to edit this verse in our minds? As I’ve written about recently on this very Substack, would Satan not delight to see us grip “pure doctrine” as we see it with an iron fist and a cold heart, but lose love, and in the end, lose all traces of broader unity beyond agreement with the four people on planet earth who happen to believe exactly as we do? I suspect he would, crafty devil that he is.

Fourth, John MacArthur was steady to the end. There is no need to belabor this point, for it is straightforward. John MacArthur lived in daily need of God’s grace. This grace powered him all the way to a faithful end. He did not destroy his marriage. He did not besmirch the reputation of Christ. He did not embezzle money. He did not descend into endless quarreling. He remained “stable and steadfast” in the power of the gospel until the end (Colossians 1:23).

MacArthur was what men need to be in Christ: stable. Steady. Solid. Dependable. Persevering. Too often, young preachers think that they need to be the opposite. They need to enter churches and catalyze them beyond belief. To be sure, some flocks do need a little crackle in the air, but many sheep today simply need a man who will model steady faithfulness and loving pastoral presence.

Sadly, men all around us crash and burn. They lose their first love. They get hit hard by the devil and opt out. They “succeed” and grow proud, losing sight of their utter need for God. This could happen to any of us. Men in ministry are in a dangerous place, for Satan trains his biggest guns on them. Yet this sobering reality only makes a steady man, a gospel man, stand out all the more (Philippians 1:6).

Conclusion

John MacArthur has died. Yet he is not presently mortified; he is presently more alive than he has ever been. For the Christian, God saves one last miracle for the end: death for us is only the gateway to glory. At this very moment, John MacArthur is face to face with his Savior.

He is rejoicing. Many of us, however, feel a mixture of joy and sadness. It is right that we are, for it is not wrong to grieve, nor is it sinful to mourn. No, the Bible carves out much space, much wonderful room, by which to feel deeply (Romans 12:15). Knowing this, we mourn.

But we do not mourn without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Soon, we will see Jesus, the Jesus that MacArthur proclaimed. Then, Jesus will not be defamed. His church will no longer suffer attack. His precious saints will no longer feel lonely. We will be with our God, and he will be with us, and nothing will ever take us from him. We will be at rest, full and final rest; our hearts will be at peace.

We treasure this truth now as we mourn the faithful dead. John MacArthur, a lion of the truth, a warrior for God and an honorable man, has fallen in Israel. We shall not see his like again.

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Image: Grace to You