The sinking of Numenor - a lesson to whom?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Well, calling it an "accident" was a little bit of an exaggeration itself, that's why I put the quote marks around it. My idea is not Eru saying "Oops, I guess that was a little too much to the right."

Of course, I was aware of it. That's why I said it's a little exaggeration also when I was writing my post.

In the Silmarillion there are many deeds worthy of punishment by Eru, especially by Morgoth, yet he never comes to punish them. Why would Eru make such an exception? Why does he count the trespasses of those who are supposed to rule Arda in his stead less than the trespasses of his Children that live in it? Would it not make more sense the other way around?

Actually, here we are back at what I said earlier about Manwë's prayer to Eru. Eru did not interfere when the Trees were destroyed, and in lots of other events of all-world importance. Curiously, the sending of Istari, as noted in UT, is said to be on account of Manwë, and Christopher notes that on the edge the Prof marked: "And perhaps he asked Eru for counsel?" In any case, what I want to point out here is that you actually don't usually see Eru acting in any direct, apparent way in the stories (not talking about HoME here, I don't know them, but even then, the tales in them are not among the "canonical" stuff). He rather makes the impression of somebody sitting "outside" and watching it all. But when he is specifically asked, he acts. But this happens really just a few times.
So, stemming from this, the destruction of Númenor, to me, doesn't look like the well-thought intervence of the omnipotent and omniscient creator, but rather the intervence of the omnipotent and omniscient creator who was asked by desperate King of Arda and heard his call. Something like "okay, you asked for it, so I will do it". And if I caricate it a little bit, he might have been saying: "All right, dear Manwë, I understand you. Yes, the course of the events is horrible, Men are going to violate Aman. I will remove the Undying Lands. *cough*itwilldestroynúmenorasitisontheedgeoftherif t*cough*" This is actually how I would imagine it.