Ezekiel 25:8-17: a reflection

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.”’”

In a series of judgments on the nations surrounding Israel, God takes note of how they treated his people in their trouble: gloating over Judah's fall, taking vengeance, treating them with contempt. Because Moab said, behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations, God says; and because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance; and because the Philistines have taken revenge with contempt of soul. The nations had seized on Judah's misfortune to gloat, to take vengeance, to treat God's people with contempt, kicking them when they were down; and God takes note of it, and holds them accountable for it. God sees how we treat others in their trouble, and it matters to him. This shows that God notices when we gloat over or treat others with contempt in their misfortune. God notices when we gloat over others' misfortune. Treating others with contempt in their trouble matters to God. God takes note of how we treat others when they are down. Gloating over another's fall is a sin God sees.

Notice what God holds against these nations: their attitude and treatment of his people in their trouble. When Judah fell, these nations did not respond with sympathy or restraint; they gloated, saying Judah was now like all the other nations, brought low; they took vengeance; they treated God's people with contempt and hostility, seizing on their misfortune to strike at them. And God takes note of this, holding them accountable for how they treated others in their trouble. This is sobering, for it reveals that God sees and cares about how we treat others, especially when they are down. It is a common temptation, when someone falls, suffers misfortune, or is brought low, to gloat, to feel a secret satisfaction, to kick them while they are down, to treat them with contempt, to take advantage of their weakness. But God sees this, and it matters to him; he takes note of how we treat others in their trouble. We are called instead to sympathy, to compassion toward those who suffer or fall, not gloating or contempt. We do well to guard our hearts against gloating over others' misfortune or treating them with contempt when they are down, mindful that God sees. God sees how we treat others in their misfortune; do not gloat. Do not kick others when they are down or treat them with contempt. Guard against secret satisfaction at another's fall. Show sympathy, not contempt, to those brought low.

That is worth taking to heart, for God notices when we gloat over others' misfortune or treat them with contempt in their trouble, and we are called instead to sympathy, as God held the nations accountable for gloating over Judah's fall. We can gloat when others fall or suffer, feel a secret satisfaction, kick them when they are down, treat them with contempt; but God took note of how the nations treated his people in their trouble and held them accountable. God sees how we treat others when they are down. Do not gloat over others' misfortune or treat them with contempt; show sympathy, mindful that God sees. Guard your heart against gloating over others' misfortune or treating them with contempt when they are down, showing sympathy instead, mindful that God sees how we treat others in their trouble, as God, in a series of judgments on the nations around Israel, held them accountable for how they treated his people in their fall, because Moab gloated that Judah was now like all the nations, because Edom took vengeance, and because the Philistines took revenge with contempt; for the nations had seized on Judah's misfortune to gloat, to take vengeance, and to treat God's people with contempt, kicking them when they were down, and God took note of it and held them accountable, which is sobering, since it reveals that God sees and cares about how we treat others especially when they are down, and it is a common temptation, when someone falls or suffers misfortune, to gloat, to feel a secret satisfaction, to kick them while they are down, or to take advantage of their weakness, but God sees this and it matters to him, so that we are called instead to sympathy and compassion toward those who suffer or fall, and do well to guard our hearts against gloating over others' misfortune or treating them with contempt, mindful that God sees.

Lord, in a series of judgments on the nations surrounding Israel, you take note of how they treated your people in their trouble: gloating over Judah's fall, taking vengeance, treating them with contempt. Because Moab said, behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations, you say; and because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance; and because the Philistines have taken revenge with contempt of soul. The nations had seized on Judah's misfortune to gloat, to take vengeance, to treat your people with contempt, kicking them when they were down; and you take note of it, and hold them accountable. You see how we treat others in their trouble, and it matters to you. Show me what you hold against these nations: their attitude and treatment of your people in their trouble. When Judah fell, these nations did not respond with sympathy or restraint; they gloated, took vengeance, treated your people with contempt, seizing on their misfortune to strike at them. And you take note of this. This is sobering, for it reveals that you see and care about how I treat others, especially when they are down. It is a common temptation, when someone falls, suffers misfortune, or is brought low, to gloat, to feel a secret satisfaction, to kick them while they are down, to treat them with contempt, to take advantage of their weakness. But you see this, and it matters to you. I am called instead to sympathy, to compassion toward those who suffer or fall, not gloating or contempt. Take that to my heart, for you notice when I gloat over others' misfortune or treat them with contempt, and you call me to sympathy. Keep me from gloating over others' misfortune, feeling secret satisfaction at their fall, or treating them with contempt when they are down; help me show sympathy and compassion, Lord, to those who suffer or are brought low, mindful that you see how I treat others in their trouble.