In our polarized society, facts can often be presented to us as if they are one dimensional. That is to say, they are presented as if they exist in a vacuum and can only possibly lead to a single conclusion about a single topic.
Take the title for instance. Some people would read this as “Vengeance is God’s Business (not yours)” and gather that a person shouldn’t go around seeking revenge. This is a Biblical truth!
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.”
Romans 12:19
In fact, the very next verses say we should do the opposite and repay wrongs with good.
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.
Romans 12-20-21
Burning Coals
However, many have taken this lesson so far as to say that the very idea of punitive justice is wrong. For instance, the verse about burning coals (which is originally found in Proverbs 25:21-22 and repeated by Paul in the Romans verses above) has been interpreted in commentary and sermons to mean that you’re putting coals from your own fire into a brazier (which historically, they argue, people carried on their heads) so they could use them to start their own fire at home.
This way of understanding the verse is very unnatural. The part about burning coals comes as a reason to give food and water to your enemies. Put in common language, it’s being understood as “If your enemies need food and water give it to them, because to do so will be to help them start their cooking fire too.”
God’s no fool. He knows that being kind to our enemies is not natural. What follows “for by so doing” has got to be motivation rather than still more ways we can help those who hurt us.
In Proverbs it also mentions that God will reward us and is included as part of the “reason” along with heaping burning coals. The burning coals are a reason to help, rather than another way to do so.
God’s Business is Good
There’s another way to read the title of this post, however. God is in the business of vengeance. We need only read a few verses anywhere in scripture (Old Testament or New) to see evidence of this. Whether it’s fire from heaven or blood up to a horse’s bridle, the wrath of God is a fearsome thing. While he is eager to forgive and longsuffering, he is also perfect in wrath.
Instead of burning coals being another gift to your enemies, I argue it should be understood more in lines with coals mentioned elsewhere.
As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Psalm 140:9-11
Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise!
Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
So many today, hearing a believer voice sentiment anything like what David (a man after God’s own heart) is voicing here, would become outraged! There can be no room for wrongs returning on the doer, according to modern man.
However, reading the other verses already mentioned here, it’s unavoidable that, while vengeance isn’t ours, it is absolutely God’s. Further, if vengeance is God’s, it is a very good thing. In fact, God’s justice and wrath are just as perfect as his mercy and grace.
How Should We Take This?
We need to not fall into the trap of our time and imagine that punishment is an evil thing. God commands authorities (from governments to parents) to punish wrongdoing. While we should also be eager (as God his, himself) to not just accept repentance but celebrate it. We also need to realize that no wrong is left unpunished.
This is the very reason for our sinless savior to have suffered for us. Because God doesn’t just “forgive and forget” sin. The punishment was paid out in the blood of the Son of God in one of the most brutal methods of execution ever developed.
While we shouldn’t carry around hatred and should forgive others. We can’t fall into the other ditch of pretending like evil is just something to shrug our shoulders about either. A justice system that seeks only behavioral modification and not punishment is a system that has lost its purpose. Further, we can be sure that wickedness will be punished perfectly no matter what happens now, because Jesus will one day sit in judgement over all of the earth and wrath is his to repay.
That wrath is a terrible thing. Not that it is wrong. Anything less would be wrong. However, it is terrifying beyond imagining. Our response, rather than to deny it to claim a false hope, should be to accept the real hope of the loving God who willingly suffered what we deserve so that we can live forgiven with him in eternity! Humble yourself, admit that you deserve wrath, and then praise Jesus who took that wrath upon himself for you!
