Declaring universal accountability

Last week we talked about individual responsibility, and this week the topic is same, but the people groups are different. Ezekiel 25-32 prophesies God’s judgment on the nations surrounding Israel/Judah. Read David Padfield’s account of the destruction of Tyre, where he writes how God judged that city as prophesied in Ezekiel 26.

Proverbs 24:17 warns us not to gloat when an enemy fails. Ammon didn’t heed that wisdom. Instead that nation said “Aha!” when Israel/Judah were judged (see Ezekiel 25:3). It’s hard to feel sad when something bad happens to an enemy! As Christians, we never do that. Right? Question: Did Israel gloat when the Egyptians drowned in the sea?

Sometimes we say, “I told you so” when a prior warning is ignored. We might say it to mock, to gloat, or to tease, but it never gets more serious than when God says in effect, “I told you so.” What’s your reaction? Either go warn others, or rejoice that the LORD is a righteous judge?

What ideas do you have for illustrating this lesson?