No Rejoicing over Fallen Enemies

No Rejoicing over Fallen Enemies

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.

Proverbs 24:17

“He had it coming to him, and I am glad he finally got what he deserved.”  It is natural enough for us to experience the feelings that the opening statement conveys, especially when the person who “gets it” is a personal enemy of ours.  You may say to yourself, “I am a Christian, and I have no enemies.”  That’s wonderful, if it is the truth; however, plenty of other Christians who have gone before you have had enemies and have recognized them for being just that.  David, for example, writes freely about his enemies in a number of the Psalms.  In Psalm 22, David even pre-quotes Christ on the cross; describing the behavior of Christ’s enemies against Him.

One of David’s bitterest enemies was his father-in-law, Saul.  Saul made a fool of himself on several occasions; yet we find that David did not engage in the sort of behavior that our text warns us against.  In our text for today God warns us away from the sin of rejoicing at the failure of our enemies.  If we live before God in an upright manner, we are going to have some enemies.  In as much as those who are our enemies have set themselves against the law and truth of God, there will come the time when they will stumble.  Even though we are saved by grace and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, our natural inclination will be to rejoice in our heart at the fall of those who sought to harms us.  While the reaction is natural, it is not spiritual; and it is not glorifying to the God who saved us.  He warns us against rejoicing when our enemy falls.

Why is such rejoicing wrong?  It is wrong because therein lies the root of pride that is self-exalting in the face of another’s defeat.  We have not so learned Christ.  Perhaps you have recently learned of the downfall of someone who was your bitter adversary.  Do you find that even now you are feeling the risings of a perverse, vindictive joy over the failure of that one?  Have done with that sin, brother or sister.  Remember the attitude of Christ, who prayed for His own earthly enemies and taught us to do the same.  “Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles.

Our Gracious and Merciful God,

 enable us to be merciful unto those

who have been our enemies.

Give us grace to be gracious.

Where the Bush is Burning

Tomm Tice