Proverbs 24: King James Bible
When not to Rejoice – Daily Devotion of Proverbs chapter twenty four, Verses 17-18
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Daily Inspiration from These Verses – When not to Rejoice
Every parent with more than two kids should know why the Lord is taking the position described up above. Have you ever had to threaten punishment on an innocent kid celebrating the punishment of a sibling that might have wronged him/her somehow?
The reasoning for the verse above isn’t too much different than that, but is consequentially much more extreme than the example of the two siblings. We are not all children of the Lord, because not all have been Born Again. However, all are creations of the Lord.
The Lord takes no pleasure in carrying out punishment toward any of his creation, and a look into his Word will make that perfectly clear. That said, he is the Just Judge, and will not curb his justice because it is forcing him to do something he doesn’t want to do. He will do everything that he has established, and will not repent from his decrees.
Because he takes no pleasure in watching any of his creation fall, he also takes no pleasure in watching his kids rejoice over it. What someone may deserve does not give us reason to celebrate. Instead, shouldn’t we be humble, meek, grateful to the Father if a victory is a result, but remorseful for the outcome for those who stood as your enemies?
Nobody likes a sore winner, especially the Lord. When our enemies fall, we need to always bear in mind that the Lord died for them too. And if they fall or stumble, and we decide it’s time to boast or rejoice, what exactly is it that we’re rejoicing about?
Are we rejoicing in someone getting theirs, receiving their just deserves? If anything, we should be rejoicing over the fact that we haven’t received our just deserves. The world will always choose to celebrate the fall of anyone, ever notice that?
It doesn’t matter if the person is good or bad, if they deserve it or not, the worldly reaction is to be glad over it. Often it comes in the form of gossip. Or, it comes because of a false sense of satisfaction; as if all of your problems are now gone because that person or people have stumbled out of your way.
We are to be understood as children of the Most High God. If he doesn’t rejoice over the fall of another, who do we think we are doing it ourselves?
All that being said, there is nothing wrong with rejoicing over the fact that the affect the enemy might have had on you is now over (whatever the case may be). In those circumstances, praise God Almighty for his delivering arm!
There is plenty to be glad about in these types of circumstances. But a lost soul getting more lost is something to take pity on, and pray for if they haven’t gone by way of the grave. The fall of someone who has piled their sins up to heaven, and has caused the Lord’s children all kinds of hardships is a terrible thing.
Something that should always bring into our remembrance that the Lord is just, and it is only by his grace that we have any chance at all of being on his good side. We have four gospels packed full of the works of Christ Jesus, and accounts of constantly being surrounded by his enemies.
Every time he would cause them to stumble over their words, or get victories over their efforts, there was no rejoicing over it. And in the end, while dying on the cross, his prayer was for those who bore witness, including those who stood as his enemies. “Forgive them, they know not what they do.”
That is no different than what our approach should be. That is if we desire to be pleasing to the Father, rather than a child needing reprimanding for taking joy in the punishment of his sibling.
Related New Testament Scripture
Matthew 5: King James Bible
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Luke 6: King James Bible
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Romans 12: King James Bible
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Prayer
Father,
Thank you for bearing our punishment on the cross all of those years ago, in the person of Christ Jesus. And we also thank you for being just in all of your ways. Please forgive us when we have ever rejoiced when someone has fallen or stumbled, no matter what the situation may have been. Help us to understand your heart toward even the wicked, and help us to incorporate your heart into our own, and also into our conduct and behavior. All so that we are more pleasing in your sight, and better representatives of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen
Question
Ever notice how we’re trained to be sad or afraid when we’re told to rejoice, and celebrate if instructed when not to rejoice?