Never Take Revenge

Prayer – Lord, revenge is Yours. Trying to pay someone back for their actions because I've been offended only escalates things and makes matters worse. Please, Lord, give me, my family and friends wisdom and understanding that we would see clearly Your plans for our lives and not be vengeful in against any trials, activities, or events where feelings are hurt or offense taken. 

Samson used the jawbone of a donkey...
such a sweet animal to use as a weapon!
Revenge. Was it worth it?

"Because you did this," Samson vowed, "I won't rest until I take my revenge on you!" So he attacked the Philistines with great fury and killed many of them. Then he went to live in a cave in the rock of Etam. The Philistines retaliated by setting up camp in Judah and spreading out near the town of Lehi. The men of Judah asked the Philistines, "Why are you attacking us?" The Philistines replied, "We've come to capture Samson. We've come to pay him back for what he did to us." So 3,000 men of Judah went down to get Samson at the cave in the rock of Etam. They said to Samson, "Don't you realize the Philistines rule over us? What are you doing to us?" But Samson replied, "I only did to them what they did to me." But the men of Judah told him, "We have come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines." "All right," Samson said. "But promise that you won't kill me yourselves." "We will only tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines," they replied. "We won't kill you." So they tied him up with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock. As Samson arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting in triumph. But the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon Samson, and he snapped the ropes on his arms as if they were burnt strands of flax, and they fell from his wrists. Then he found the jawbone of a recently killed donkey. He picked it up and killed 1,000 Philistines with it. Judges 15:7-15 (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

Meditate. Consider God’s view on revenge.

 

Samson may have been filled, temporarily with the Spirit of the Lord, but he clearly is not a man after God’s own heart, nor someone that we really want to be like. He wanted revenge. God clearly gives direction to His followers throughout the Bible that revenge is His, not ours. Note that all these passages build on early guidance from the Lord, repeating it over and over.

-        Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18

-        Therefore, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says, "I will take revenge on my enemies and pay back my foes! Isaiah 1:24

-        The LORD is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies! Nahum 1:2

-        Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD.  Romans 12:19

-        For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The LORD will judge his own people." Hebrews 10:30

Never take revenge.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ "Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorn, nor fear their insults. For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation." Isaiah 51:7-8

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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