Ezekiel 25:1-7: a reflection

1The LORD’s word came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them. 3Tell the children of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD! The Lord GOD says, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against my sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity, 4therefore, behold, I will deliver you to the children of the east for a possession. They will set their encampments in you and make their dwellings in you. They will eat your fruit and they will drink your milk. 5I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.” 6For the Lord GOD says: “Because you have clapped your hands, stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the contempt of your soul against the land of Israel, 7therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand on you, and will deliver you for a plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish out of the countries. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

God pronounces judgment on the Ammonites, and the reason he gives is telling. They had said Aha! against God's sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against Judah when it went into captivity. They had clapped their hands and stamped their feet and rejoiced with malice over the calamity of God's people. For this gloating over another's downfall, God says, judgment will come upon them.

Notice the sin for which Ammon is judged: not an attack, but gloating, taking malicious pleasure in the misfortune of others. When Judah fell, Ammon rejoiced, clapped, exulted over their calamity; and God took note of that gladness at another's suffering, and judged it. Gloating over another's downfall is not a harmless feeling; it is a sin that God sees and holds against those who indulge it.

That searches a hidden corner of the human heart. We can feel, and even indulge, a secret gladness when someone we resent or envy suffers a setback, a quiet satisfaction at a rival's downfall, a subtle pleasure in another's misfortune. But God sees this gloating, and it is a sin, not a harmless emotion. Guard your heart against taking pleasure in the misfortune of others, even those you may resent, even your enemies. Do not clap and stamp, inwardly, at another's fall. God calls us not to rejoice when others stumble, but to have compassion; examine your heart for the secret gladness at another's downfall, and turn from it, for God sees and judges the gloating heart.

Lord, you judged Ammon for gloating over the calamity of your people, for clapping and rejoicing with malice at their downfall; you saw their gladness at another's suffering and held it against them. Search that hidden corner of my own heart. I can feel, and even indulge, a secret gladness when someone I resent or envy suffers a setback, a quiet satisfaction at a rival's downfall, a subtle pleasure in another's misfortune. But you see this gloating, and it is a sin, not a harmless emotion. Guard my heart against taking pleasure in the misfortune of others, even those I may resent, even my enemies. Keep me from clapping and stamping, inwardly, at another's fall. Help me not to rejoice when others stumble, but to have compassion. Show me the secret gladness at another's downfall, and turn me from it, for you see and judge the gloating heart. Give me a compassionate heart instead.