Vengence is Mine Saith the Lord

(yes it has to be read in the King James for effect)

One of the conversations I had this week offered me an "alternative" interpretation of this quip. Traditionally it has been read like this, "God will punish with his terrifying wrath all those who hurt his people." My own clever retort in high school was "vengence is mine thus saith the Lord, and he can do a much better job at smitting someone than I can." This interpretation is not wrong, for countless times across Scripture God does promise to judge (and punish) the wickedness for their sins against his righteous people. But it is not the whole understanding. How does such a judgemental view balance with a God who loves all humans equally? Who "does not want to see any perish"?

The other way to read "Vengence is Mine" is that God has, in his amazing graciousness, taken our vengence upon himself. It is an invitation to give vent to the anger that comes from being hurt, but instead of directing it on the person who hurt us, or someone close to us when we have a bad day, we direct our need for vengence upon him. He is big enough, strong enough, and loving enough to handle even the fiercest wrath we can direct at him. It is a testament of his loving protection that he spares us from each other.

The implications for those in ministry (which is all Christians) are staggering, because God invites us to imitate his behavior in all aspects. This may mean getting between Christian brothers and sisters and permitting them to rail against the situation, taking the brunt of the fury upon ourselves, in order to spare the "wronger" further pain (we've all seen situations where revenge escalates out of control). It is a protection to perserve the unity of the Body without short-changing the God-given desire to see righteous judgement executed. We do this all with the hope that through the love of God people who were once enemies can eventually become family.

Taking these two interpretations, that seem at odds with each other, actually portrays a clearer and fuller picture of God's character. He is at once God who is slow to anger, gracious, and abounding in steadfast love (a common refrain of the Bible) but he is also God who is the righteous judge, repaying wickedness.