“Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles: lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him” (Prov 24:17,18).
This proverb perhaps lends itself more to NT scripture than the OT. Under the old covenant, godly men under severe attack often prayed for God to deal sternly with enemy forces. For example, the psalmist frequently pleaded for God to scatter his enemies and deal with them in righteous judgment. For the most part, however, the enemies of the Israelites were used by a sovereign God as an instrument of discipline because of repeated spiritual adultery. Indeed God clearly warned His chosen people of consequences if they failed to obey the law and commandments given through Moses at Sinai following deliverance from Egypt. And just as the Israelites found themselves delivered from bondage after dwelling 430 years in Egypt by the mercy of God, we also must remember from whence we ourselves have been brought. So it is hearts are never to be glad when our enemy stumbles apart from earnest desire the experienced be used by a loving and merciful God to bring enemies to repentance and saving knowledge of our own Savior. God would none might perish, but that all would come to godly sorrow and repentance so as to be saved. For this reason, Jesus commands us to pray for enemies and to show kindness to those who mistreat us. It is in showing grace and mercy to others that we’ll be treated with mercy as well as being a reflection of God’s love. It is a natural thing for our sinful nature when our enemy falls, but such is not the will of God for those indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. Let us not be deceived by token forgiveness and kindness toward enemies. God knows fully well the inner condition of a heart which is why we must forgive others from the heart, not merely with words that have no genuine meaning. Many believers claim to have forgiven those who have offended or abused them, but remain filled with anger and bitterness. And their emotions reveal they still hold unforgiveness, and for one to be deceived in this manner is a dangerous situation. As Jesus warns, “”For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Mt 6:14,15). Should the latter be true for you, eternity will be spent in the same fiery torment as Satan and his fallen angels. So let us be careful to examine our hearts and ask Holy Spirit to reveal any root of bitterness. For we are warned, “He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls” (Prov 25:28). A person with no rule over his spirit is lacking in self-control and is unable to apply the teachings of Christ to his own thinking, speech and behavior. Such are not experiencing the benefits of Calvary, for to rejoice when our enemies fall indicates we remain under the influence of “principalities and powers” of Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Such a person is like a city with its walls broken down, allowing the hosts of Satan’s kingdom to freely enter and manifest their evil character in and through one’s life.
