The Evil Tripartite Of Hatred, Grudges & Revenge
Elias Bejjani/September 11/16
Romans 12/19-21/:”Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Psalm 56/11: “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
It is a known fact that the severance of communication between people is a form of death. When people cease to communicate with each other because of problems, hatred, resentment or fear of confrontation they simply abandon God himself because in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 01-01).
How any one who alleges to be religious and to fear God, allows himself to assume God’s work and judge others based on his own concepts and self made criteria for what is right and wrong, and simply put them on trial and issue verdicts against them? He who does so do not really understand Christ’s teaching who said: “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged, for with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7/1-2). Those who unlawfully give them selves this Godly right Christ calls them hypocrites.
When two individuals speak two different languages that neither of them comprehends no actual communication takes place. One of them has to learn the other’s language in a bid for the communication to be productive and a two way process needs to be established, or other wise they keep on to speak a Babylonian language. In this same context righteousness and evilness are two different human languages with two contradicting frames of mind and mentality. Those who hate, hold grudges, judge others and cease to communicate speak the Satan language, while those who belief in God and know that He is love speak His language of mercy, openness, forgiveness, meekness.
Impulsivity and anger are common human conducts through which people lose control and act stupidly not thinking of the dire consequences. We all know for sure that it does not need much of an effort to hate, despise, resent, act evilly or hold grudges against others, particular those whom one have serious or crucial problems and conflicts with. At the same time it is very easy to act violently and take revenge by punishing physically or emotionally those who we believe according to our own human and earthly standards have inflicted pain on us or unlawfully took what is ours by force or fraud.
(Matthew Henry: 56:8-13),”We should aim in all our desires and expectations of deliverance, both from sin and trouble, that we may do the better service to the Lord; that we may serve him without fear. If his grace has delivered our souls from the death of sin, he will bring us to heaven, to walk before him for ever in light.”
Meanwhile is very difficult, laborious, tough and needs a great deal of self control, anger taming, forgiveness, and nobility to love our enemies and not to react with revenge to their hatred, grudges and evilness, especially when they purposefully hurt us and infringe on our rights, property, and beloved ones. (Matthew 05/44): “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”.
There is a misleading very popular proverb that we use to justify our lack of self-controls, it says: “when in woods if you are not a lion, lions will devour you”. Yes, this is 100% right if we were animals, but we are not and the wood’s doctrine that says, “the stronger eats the weaker” does not apply to us as sons and daughters of Almighty God, Our Father. Why it does not? simply because, we are God’s children and He has created us in his image (Genesis 1/27): “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”.
No matter what and under all circumstances, good or bad, our conduct ought to be righteous and not evil, civilized, peaceful, loving and shaped in a human and not in an animal manner. As God’s children we are taught to love specially those whom we see as enemies and pray for those who persecute us. “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”. (Luke 06/27):
As genuine believers , we are not supposed to take revenge no matter what, but instead forgive and leave the vengeance for God. “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord”. (Romans 12/19).
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19/18).
“The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies”.(Nahum1/2).
As God’s Children, we are required under all circumstances to leave the judgment work for the rulers and courts even if we feel they are biased and not fair. God himself will punish them if they do not fear Him and not performing their duties with justice.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.”. (01Peter 02/13-14).
“For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” (Hebrews 10/30).
There is no doubt that in this contemporary competitive and merciless society that we live in, and because of lack of faith and hope, we falsely at times convince ourselves that self defense and protecting ones sour interests is a lawful right, because the law at times does not protect and safeguard us.
Self-defense when applied needs a great deal of wisdom, understanding and restraining physical abilities by spiritual attainment. This simply means that the one who has the ability to bring great harm doesn’t mean he or she needs to use it for more than is required for self defense. Just because we can break someone’s arm, doesn’t mean we need to use that ability. Just because we have a gun doesn’t mean we need to fire on someone who breaks into the home.
We have to trust in Almighty God, because He definitely will not Forsake us.
(Psalm 94/01- 07): ” O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”
The question is, when we are hurt do we have to act on our revenge impulses?
If we do succumb to our instinct of revenge, than what is the difference between us and that who hurt us?. But in passing over it and forgive, we prove to God’s Children who obey His commandments.
Both the Hebrew and Greek words translated the terms” vengeance,” “revenge,” and “avenge” as punishment. This is crucial in understanding why God reserves for Himself the right to avenge. A real believer, should refrain from revenge acts and let God do His work. In both the new and old testament God asks us to leave the revenge issues for him.
“To me belonged vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste”. (Deuteronomy 32/35).
“For the LORD will vindicate His people, And will have compassion on His servants, When He sees that their strength is gone, And there is none remaining, bond or free”. (Deuteronomy 32/36).
May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you”. (Samuel 24/12 &15)