Vengeance is punishment payback for an injury or offense. Retaliating is our instant, automatic response when others hurt us.
In seventh grade while riding home on a school bus, a boy a year older than I unexpectedly hit me. My reaction was unthinkingly immediate. I hit him on the shoulder as hard as I could. He never hit me again.
Vengeance is as natural as swallowing food after chewing it. We don’t need instruction. We are natural retaliators.
Retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce apologized on November 5, 2024, after grabbing the phone of a misbehaving fan and throwing it to the ground before the Ohio State-Penn State game on November 2, 2024. He admitted he was wrong to greet hate with hate. But that is what he did.
Vengeance has played out in the Middle East for decades. Hamas, a militant Palestinian movement seeking to create an independent Islamic state in Palestine, launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and killed more than 1,200 people.
Reacting to that attack, Israel has injured or killed well over 100,000 people. Similarly, Iran launched 180 missiles as a reaction against the growing Israeli military operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In response to that, Israel attacked missile sites in Iran. That won’t be the last exercise of vengeance in the Middle East.
Let’s consider what the Bible says about vengeance. Abigail stated that the Lord kept David from murdering and taking personal vengeance on Nabal, her husband (1 Samuel 25:26). That divine action spared David’s conscience from a staggering burden of unnecessary vengeance and bloodshed (v. 31). David recognized her good sense (v. 33).
Jesus and the Apostle Paul both prohibited personal revenge. Paul wrote, “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19 NLT). This reflects Jesus’ prohibition of personal revenge on those who hurt us (Matthew 5:39).
Vengeance is God’s responsibility, not ours because He does it with perfect justice. Scripture teaches He sometimes uses human instruments to mete it out. More on that shortly.
Asaph asked God to show His vengeance against the nations who spilled the blood of His servants (Psalm 79:10), recognizing vengeance was God’s department. Another psalmist connected God’s vengeance with His glorious justice (Psalm 94:1).
Jeremiah requested to see God’s vengeance against the enemies persecuting and plotting to kill him (Jeremiah 11:20, 20:12). How God repays people and nations for wrongs is unpredictable.
God used King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to punish Egypt and her allies (Jeremiah 46:10). Ezekiel noticed that God used the Babylonians to discipline Jerusalem for all her sins (Ezekiel 24:8).
He subsequently used the Medes to pay back Babylon (Jeremiah 50:15, 28) in full for desecrating His Temple (Jeremiah 51:6, 11).
He chose Israel to pour out His vengeance on Edom for avenging themselves against the people of Judah (Ezekiel 25:12–14).
In the last days, God will fulfill the prophetic words of the Scriptures and take revenge on all who oppose Him (Nahum 1:2, Luke 21:22). He will demonstrate vengeance against the nations that refuse to obey Him (Micah 5:15).
There is only one way to avoid divine punishment. Through Jesus's sprinkled blood, God offers forgiveness to those who would otherwise be objects of His vengeance (Hebrews 12:24).
Psalm 149 attests that God’s children will be His judgment agents one day “to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples….” (Psalm 149:7–9 NLT).
Similarly, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:2–3 NLT).
For now, vengeance is God’s department, not ours. But someday He will use us to carry out His vengeance against those who refuse to submit to Him. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians. #freediscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources
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