๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ.
God watches how you treat your enemies. If you are happy when bad things happen to them, He will help them and possibly punish you. God protects His children by punishing their enemies, but He will end that punishment, if He sees you gloating about it.
Jesus Christ taught to love your enemies (Matt 5:43-48), but this rule had been taught long before, including this and another proverb (Ex 23:4-5; Job 31:29-30; Pr 25:21-22). If your life pleases God, He will deal with your enemies one way or another (Pr 16:7; Rom 12:19-21). But if you rejoice at their trouble, He will be offended and lift His judgment.
Solomon by divine inspiration wrote Proverbs to raise his son and citizens to greatness of heart โ noble and virtuous in thought, word, and deed. Here is one of the keys to such greatness: you should not gloat about trouble in the lives of your personal enemies. This requires character of the highest order, possessed only by exceptional men, true princes.
For full understanding, this verse is the second half of a whole proverb. The first half of the proverb reads this way: โRejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumblethโ (Pr 24:17). Then the second half reads, โLest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from himโ (Pr 24:18).
David taught Solomon this wonderful character trait of loving enemies. โFalse witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced.โ (Ps 35:11-15).
King Saul was Davidโs enemy for several years. He tried to kill David on many occasions and caused enormous trouble in his life. Yet David sought to serve him as well as he could. He fully forgave Saulโs outbursts of rage and attempts to kill him. David spared Saulโs life several times when he could easily have killed him, and he wept bitterly and eulogized him graciously when Saul eventually died on the battlefield (II Sam 1:17-27).
But God Himself is the great example every day. How? He sends sunshine and/or rain on both His friends and His enemies. You show the character of God when you learn to love your enemies and show them kindness, which is totally contrary to the evil heart of man by nature. Such thoughts and actions show you to be a true child of God (Matt 5:43-48).
God hates the selfish cruelty of gloating at the calamities of your enemies (Pr 17:5; Zech 1:15). The inspired history of the Old Testament shows numerous cases of even nations being punished for their delight or participation in the troubles of other nations (Ps 137:7-9; Jdgs 16:25-30; Mic 7:10; Isaiah 10:5-15; Lam 4:21-22; Ezek 26:2-3; Hab 1:5-11; etc.).
However, hating Godโs enemies is different. If you are not involved personally, you should hate the enemies of God. David wrote this about Godโs enemies, โDo not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemiesโ (Ps 139:21-22). The great King Jehoshaphat was rebuked by a prophet for loving Godโs enemies (II Chron 19:1-3).
How do you measure in nobility and virtue by this proverb? Are you as much like Godโs heart as was David? Do you grieve to see your enemies in trouble? How do you compare to Jesus of Nazareth and Stephen the deacon? Jesus prayed for those crucifying Him, โFather, forgive them; for they know not what they doโ (Luke 23:34). Stephen prayed for those stoning him, โLord, lay not this sin to their chargeโ (Acts 7:60).
If you want to be righteous and wise to please the blessed God of heaven, then your duty and privilege are clear (Rom 12:17-21). Identify your enemies and pray for them, right now! Purpose in your heart that you will do what you can to help them, if you find them in need. Purpose in your heart you will greet them warmly, if you encounter them. This is the character of God, and it is the character of all those who are truly His children.
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