Romans 12:19-21
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
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. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
You cannot overcome evil by returning evil. You have to return good for evil. If you return evil for evil then there will be more evil on earth. Just ponder on this for a moment and refrain from returning evil on those who do evil to you. God who is just and holy knows what to do with evil. Make room for His righteous and upright wrath. He knows how to turn men away from sin. He has been in this for the past 6000 years or so, since Adam and Eve first fell into sin. For Cain, Adam and Eve's evil son, who killed Abel his brother out of jealousy, God was just towards him. We can read that in book of Genesis in the whole of chapter 4. But, think of the consequences of living in sin. Just pause and think after reading that chapter. After you have pondered on that deeply, now ponder carefully on the given passage below.
2 Samuel 21:1-6
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.” The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the LORD’s inheritance?” The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.” “What do you want me to do for you?” David asked. They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul—the LORD’s chosen one.” So the king said, “I will give them to you.”
David was put in a very difficult situation. He was the king of the land where injustice was practiced by the past king, king Saul. As a result of king Saul's evil rule, king David had to settle matters that regard injustice and unfairness for the people of his land. He talked to the affected people. But before he talked to them, it was the LORD who had alerted him of this gross injustice. The LORD brought three years of continuous famine. King David felt that there was something wrong and he sought the LORD in prayer. Sure enough, the famine was sent by the LORD to signal the unresolved injustice in the land. King David upon hearing the injustice done to them made peace with the people (the Gibeonites). They sought revenge from the LORD against Saul's house and they got it through king David. This is a lesson where we should learn that God knows everthing that is going on here, on this earth. Every injustice is taken into consideration by God. He waits for the right time for a man like king David to come into power. God is in control of everything on earth but it may seem as though He is not. Don't be fooled, you would have to give account to God , one day. Never think in your heart that you could do as you please, this earth and everything in it , is His!
There will be a day of vengeance and a year of retribution from the LORD and you will not be able to escape from Him.
Isaiah 34:8
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.
