Aha

Today’s Passages – Ezekiel 24 – 27; Proverbs 7

(Second Milers also read – Philippians 1 – 4; Memorize – Psalm 85:6)

“And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.” – (Ezekiel 26:1-3)

This Book of Ezekiel was written thousands of years ago; in fact it was written several hundred years before the time of Christ. Yet, the word, “Aha”, is still very much in our vocabulary today, and it is used much the same way. When we here some dirt about somebody, we say, “Aha!”. Well, after reading today’s passage from Ezekiel we may want to reconsider what we say, and even what we think about people.

For much of the Book of Ezekiel, God has been pronouncing judgment on the people of Israel (including Judah). They had forsaken God, and though God had sent them many warnings via the prophets, they continued in their rebellion. God’s judgment eventually came, and when it did some of Israel’s neighbors rejoiced. They were happy that Israel was being punished. Two of her neighbors, Amman and Tyre, actually said, Aha. However, God was not at all pleased with these nations because of their attitude toward Israel’s hardship.

How do we react when we hear about bad things happening to the people around us? I’m not talking about people who are close to us; but people with whom we have had problems in the past. Do we say, “Aha”? Do we inwardly rejoice because they are finally getting what we think they deserve. We had better be careful about that attitude. God is not at all pleased with it. We ought to just be very thankful that we are not getting the judgment that we deserve.

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” – (Proverbs 24:17-18)