How should Ezekiel 25:6 influence our attitude towards others' misfortunes? Inviting the Text to Speak “For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice in your heart against the land of Israel…’” What Was Happening? • Israel’s neighbor Ammon had watched Jerusalem fall. • Instead of mourning, the Ammonites “clapped” and “stamped” in mocking celebration. • God responds with judgment (vv. 7) because their gloating violated His heart for justice and mercy. Why God Condemns Gloating • Gloating exposes malice (Ezekiel 25:6) rather than love for neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). • It presumes superiority: “I’m safe; they’re not.” God alone exalts and humbles (1 Samuel 2:7). • It ignores shared frailty—“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). • It mocks God’s discipline of His own people, as though His purposes were laughable. Parallel Warnings in Scripture • Proverbs 24:17-18—“Do not gloat when your enemy falls… lest the LORD see and turn His wrath away from him.” • Obadiah 12—Edom told, “Do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction.” • Romans 12:15—“Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” • Galatians 6:1-2—Restore the fallen “in a spirit of gentleness… bear one another’s burdens.” Heart Check: Applying Ezekiel 25:6 Today • When news breaks of an opponent’s failure, ask: “Am I clapping inside?” • Replace secret cheers with intercession: pray for repentance, healing, redemption. • Speak with sobriety, not sarcasm, about God’s dealings with others. • Celebrate righteousness, not ruin. Applaud progress, not punishment. • Remember our own rescue from judgment through Christ (Ephesians 2:3-5). Gratitude leaves no room for gloating. Practical Steps for Cultivating Compassion 1. Limit “schadenfreude” media—stories designed to delight in downfall. 2. When tempted to mock, deliberately express a word of kindness or silence. 3. Engage in acts of mercy: write a note, give anonymously, serve someone who’s hurting. 4. Review God’s grace in your life daily; humbled hearts don’t rejoice over ruin. Takeaway Ezekiel 25:6 teaches that delighting in another’s misfortune offends the Lord. Instead, He calls us to mourning, mercy, and mindful humility—a posture that mirrors His own heart toward a fallen world. |
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