Revenge

Message / Question

Touchy subject... but what do you think about revenge

Response

The words generally translated in our Bibles as “revenge” and “avenge” (“vengeance” in older translations) carry in their meaning the concept of punishment.

In Deuteronomy 32:35, God said “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” (KJV) – this statement is repeated twice in the New Testament. God is speaking about the disobedience of Israel and declaring that, because they have rejected Him, they will face His punishment for their evil deeds. In the New Testament,, the same passage is used to tell Christians that they should not act to judge or punish those who act against us, rather we are to leave Him to act as The Righteous Judge and meter out punishment as He sees fit. The problem is that we tend to seek retribution in anger and somehow satisfy ourselves that anyone who has wronged us “gets what’s coming to them!” Our motive is unlikely to be based on justice that may lead to repentance, rather something that somehow vindicates us or appeases our own anger.

When we seek revenge, we are in effect, seeking to do God’s job – usurping His divine right and authority God’s instructions in Leviticus. 19:18 was “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD” and Jesus told those who heard Him on the Mountain to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. He said “When someone takes your cloak, don’t seek revenge – offer them your coat as well.” In an even tougher standard, He said "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink."

I really don’t think that it’s hard to find the Biblical answer to the question of revenge – and the main reason that we all find that this subject is “touchy” is because we don’t like the answer that we find in Scripture, we would much prefer to be allowed to “get our own back” when we are wronged. We cannot see the future, but God can – that’s why we should simply leave it to Him – for when He sees the enemy act against His people, “the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming” (Psalm 37:13)