Context No. 3503 of 4322 · Ezekiel

Ezekiel 25:8-17: in context

8“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’ 9therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on its frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim, 10to the children of the east, to go against the children of Ammon; and I will give them for a possession, that the children of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations. 11I will execute judgments on Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” 12“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and taken revenge on them,” 13therefore the Lord GOD says, “I will stretch out my hand on Edom, and will cut off man and animal from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman. They will fall by the sword even to Dedan. 14I will lay my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath. Then they will know my vengeance,” says the Lord GOD. 15“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because the Philistines have taken revenge, and have taken vengeance with contempt of soul to destroy with perpetual hostility,” 16therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I will stretch out my hand on the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. 17I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance on them.”’”

God pronounces judgment on the neighboring nations, Moab, Edom, and the Philistines, and the reason given is their treatment of his people in the day of trouble. Edom took vengeance and grievously offended; the Philistines acted with contempt and unrelenting hostility. When Judah fell, these nations gloated and took advantage, striking a people already down.

And God takes note. He does not overlook cruelty done to his people in their weakness. The refrain runs through the whole passage: then they will know that I am the LORD. God vindicates his people and his own name against those who scorned them in their lowest hour. There is a sober comfort in this for anyone wronged: God sees the contempt and cruelty poured out on the weak and the fallen, and in his own time he sets it right. Those who exploit another's misfortune, kicking them while they are down, answer at last to the God who sees it all.

Do I refuse to gloat over or exploit others in their weakness, remembering that God sees how the fallen are treated and will vindicate them in his time?

Sources

Ezekiel 25:12: "Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended."
Ezekiel 25:15: "Because the Philistines have... taken vengeance with contempt of soul to destroy with perpetual hostility."
Obadiah 1:12: "But don't look down on your brother in the day of his disaster."