there’s not a whole lot of call to read ezekiel. he has some very difficult visions to deal with, and lived at a difficult time. people tend to avoid his writings except for the occasional curiosity, or for the references in ‘wheel in the sky’ by journey.

in chapter 25, we find a set of prophecies against amnon, moab, edom & philistia. amnon & philistia are unrelated pagan nations. moab & edom are cousins to israel, but also pagan in their practices as well. ezekiel lived to witness israel in her exile to babylon, and these 4 nations are called out to be judged because of their gloating reactions to israel’s punishments.

we are mistaken if we think God finds joy in punishing us. He is definitely righteous and just, and therefore punishment must come. but just like when a parent tells their child, “this hurts me more than it hurts you,” God’s judgments are not times for rejoicing. rather, the word ‘woe’ is very appropriate, and our reactions at anyone’s punishment should be based in pity and sadness not joy.

these 4 nations were called out because they were glad to see israel get what they had coming. and we can see very clearly that God is not pleased with their reactions.

as Christians, our reactions to the punishment of others should be tempered with a mix of sadness and pity. anytime someone is condemned for their sin, a life has gone awry, and so we should mourn for them and the loss of a life that could have been lived for God. even people that we find detestable (hitler, stalin, pol pot, hussein) we should pity. what a sad waste of a life. each and every one of us has the potential to serve God in an honorable way, but so many fall into sin in it’s varying degrees. so many are so far from Christ…

we should not rejoice in their suffering. and this idea is definitely going against the world’s grain. in the realm of jack bauer & jason bourne, where revenge is sweet, our culture has taught us to hate our enemies, and to revel in their destruction. but i seem to recall Jesus giving us a different set of instructions for those who persecute us and qualify for the term ‘enemy.’ instead of seeking their destruction, we pray for them. and a heart that is bent on prayer, consistent prayer, for someone will eventually bring an attitude of love and concern.

if someone harms my family, or they do something against me personally, my reaction as a Christ-follower is not to retaliate, but to love them, pity them and pray for them. we see this so wonderfully carried out in the amish communities that are met with tragedy. they embrace the families of their killers. they offer forgiveness before the blood is dry, and their open hearted compassion offers a gateway for Christian witness that cannot be ignored.

do not rejoice in the pain of others. do not seek their destruction. God’s justice will make sure that sin is punished, and it is not our place to take joy in their pain.

so the next time you hear about somali pirates being killed, or terroist leaders being captured and executed, do not rejoice in their deaths. be glad that God is just, but do not rejoice in the loss of life. pray for them, pray for their conversions before it is too late & pity those who will not have a chance to turn their lives over to God. it’s not what the world would call us to do, but since when were we living by their rules anyway?