Early this week, we heard of exploding pager devices and walkie-talkies in territories where the Hezbollah has been active. These were hand-held devices especially encrypted by the Hezbollah for their violent operations – a network that allows them to carry out covert attacks in a coordinated fashion. On September 17th at about 3:30 pm, pagers began exploding injuring and killing those who had possession of them; on September 18th at about 5:00 pm, a second wave of explosions occurred, this time with walkie-talkies. And as yet, no one has claimed responsibility for it but the drumbeats of war are already emerging. Though Israel has remained silent, accusations have been levelled against her as the mastermind of the attack. Now, fresh graves and wounded bodies are likely to fuel an all-out war. Vengeance fuels wars and wars fuel vengeance.
Pick up your Bible and you will find that vengeance is an instrument wielded by Satan “to kill and to steal and to destroy.” Genesis 4:23 records Lamech’s war of revenge when he said, “I killed a man for wounding me, I have killed a young man for striking me.” Then he said something chilling, “If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-seven fold.” If you wondered what Lamech was referring to, turn to Genesis 4:15. It was God’s warning to those who wish to exact revenge on Cain – that the punishment on those who kill him shall be seven times as severe. Lamech twisted God’s protection of Cain into a warning against those who would seek out vengeance on him for his act of murder: “If you think killing Cain would make it seven times more terrible for you, don’t mess with me. I’ll return on you violence seventy-seven times more.” Today, I hear Lamech’s threat plastered all over the news. Unfortunately, it’s not as far away as war in the Middle East. It’s here at home as well. Someone says something that hurts you; another does something that injures your pride. It seems so easy to reach for Lamech’s sword of vengeance. Listen to what Paul says, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Romans 12:17). But what of the offender? Do we let the person go free to injure another? Paul continues, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God” (Romans 12:19). Vengeance makes the assumption that God doesn’t act against unrighteousness. Paul says, let go of the sword. Leave it to God. As we read the news in the next while, we will find vengeance rearing its ugly head over and over. Let it be a reminder to each one of us. “Live peaceably with all.” Then leave the rest to God.
Just Church
This is what Just Church seeks to do – to live before God in a way that He desires for us to be. “The vision of Just Church is to establish a church in just the way Christ called the church to be – true to His Word, loving Him, loving one another, and loving the lost.”
