Vengeance Belongs to the Lord
Vengeance Belongs to the Lord Text: Romans 12:19; Deuteronomy 32:35 Romans 12:19 declares: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Here Paul echoes Deuteronomy 32:35, where God Himself promises: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip.” These verses contain both a command and a promise. The command: Do not take revenge. The promise: God Himself will set things right. They are closely related because our obedience—our refusal to strike back—rests upon our trust that God will keep His word. The Command: Leave Vengeance to God Human nature pushes us to retaliate when we are wronged. We feel that fairness demands an immediate response. Yet God tells us to step aside. Why? Because vengeance is not safe in our hands. Our justice is usually mixed with selfishness, anger, and pride. God alone knows hearts and motives. To seek revenge i...