‘For thus says the Lord God, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against the land of Israel, (and the destruction of her temple) therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you and I will give you for spoil to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.” (vv.6-7)
Proverbs warns us: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice” (24:17). Instead, Jesus tells us that we show His love in action when we “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us” (Matt. 5:44). By doing so, we imitate the perfect love of our Lord (5:48).
Today it is becoming a common reaction by some, who perceive a social injustice, to destroy property, defy authority, to riot, loot, and rejoice at the destruction and insurrection they have perpetrated on innocent people. These actions solve nothing and only serve to stir up more of the same.
Better to show the love of Christ (as some are doing) by helping to rebuild, not tearing down; by protecting those in need, not ignoring their cries for help; by standing for righteousness, and not partaking in unrighteousness.
Rejoice in that, celebrate that, and you will save yourself, your neighbor, and your city.
The Truth: “Dear friends, this how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:9-11)
Proverbs warns us: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice” (24:17). Instead, Jesus tells us that we show His love in action when we “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us” (Matt. 5:44). By doing so, we imitate the perfect love of our Lord (5:48).
Today it is becoming a common reaction by some, who perceive a social injustice, to destroy property, defy authority, to riot, loot, and rejoice at the destruction and insurrection they have perpetrated on innocent people. These actions solve nothing and only serve to stir up more of the same.
Better to show the love of Christ (as some are doing) by helping to rebuild, not tearing down; by protecting those in need, not ignoring their cries for help; by standing for righteousness, and not partaking in unrighteousness.
Rejoice in that, celebrate that, and you will save yourself, your neighbor, and your city.
The Truth: “Dear friends, this how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:9-11)
