God Our Avenger – Part 2
By Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of March 28, 2021
I love how King David celebrated what surely felt like final victory over all his enemies, including Saul. David sang unto our Lord in 2 Samuel 22:48 NIV, acknowledging that God was the One who avenged him, who put the nations under him.
David must have felt tremendous relief as God brought completion to this stage of his kingship process, because David, who feared God, was now proven obedient (Ps 34:7).
Herein lies a secret of God’s vindication.
When we follow God to complete obedience, He releases His vindication on our behalf as well as His vengeance on our enemies.
In other words, we need to obediently follow God into 2 Corinthians 10:6 AMPC, which says, "Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete."
Friends, God has no problem releasing vindication and punishment simultaneously to individuals and nations (Deut 32:43 AMPC, 1 Peter 2:14 AMPC).
Hebrews 10:30 AMPC says, "For we know Him Who said, Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the meting out of full justice rest with Me]; I will repay [I will exact the compensation], says the Lord. And again, The Lord will judge and determine and solve and settle the cause and the cases of His people. [Deut. 32:35-36]"
We must never forget that God is a God of complete justice and that He "reserves wrath for His enemies" (Nahum 1:2 AMPC).
God even wears garments of vengeance.
Isaiah 59:17 AMPC says, "For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak. [Eph. 6:14, 17; 1 Thess. 5:8.]."
God can use a sword of vengeance to make His point to those disobedient to His Word of authority (Lev 26:25 AMPC, Ro 13:1-5).
And this is not just Old Testament.
Romans 13:4 AMPC reminds us, "For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer."
Friends, God does not mess around. He has destinies to fulfill in our lives. And He has ways of getting His point across, even to His people.
Hebrews 2:3 (AMPC) asks us, "How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak]."
This "great salvation" here is described in 2 Corinthians 5:21 TPT which says, "For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him."
2 Thessalonians 1:8 (AMPC) confirms that God will "…deal out retribution (chastisement and vengeance) upon those who do not know or perceive or become acquainted with God, and [upon those] who ignore and refuse to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, friends, we want to be on the side of righteous behavior. As such, not following Jesus is not an option. We are to know God’s truth, know our identity in Him and faithfully act on His precepts and strategies.
We don’t have to worry about the opposition along the way, because God assures us that He will release vengeance on our opposition, even in our promised land, as we courageously obey Him, like Joshua and Caleb (Joshua 10:13 AMPC)!
It’s when we act in opposition to God’s ways and stop following Him out of cowardice, or for any other reason, that we should be concerned (Joshua 22:23 AMPC).
If you follow Jesus and maintain a fear of God, you will see God’s justice and abundance of promise fulfilled (Prov 9:10 TPT, Ps 94:1 TPT). Like David and Joseph, God will make you known, and you will have your say when God brings completion to your kingship process (2 Sam 22, Ge 45).
So, friends, let’s be encouraged by and trust in God’s truth of Word and Spirit.
Vengeance is actually a time of God restoring order, of "rendering full justice or satisfaction" (Luke 21:22 AMPC). As such, this is cause for the vindicated to rejoice.
Revelation 18:20 AMPC instructs us to, "Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her! [Isa. 44:23; Jer. 51:48.]."
So, don’t give up, friends. Keep moving forward in your divine assignments. Just as God can send His avenging angel to His enemies, He can send an army of angels to help vindicate you, like King David (1 Chron 12:22).
So, pray with me if you will…
Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your righteous justice. You tell me in 1 Chronicles 12:22 AMPC that "day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God." You instruct me, Lord, in Proverbs 12:22 TPT to "Live in the truth and keep” my “promises, and” You “will keep delighting in” me. You say that You detest “a liar."
So, Lord, I thank You that You are no respecter of persons and that You say those who fear you lack nothing (Ps 34:9). I ask You to help me keep my promises to You by sending me a great army to help me run my race and complete Your assignments in my life. Strengthen me, Spirit of Grace, to be unwavering and faithful as You are faithful Ps 26:1).
Thank You for freeing me from the burden of vengeance and for bringing completion to this kingship process in my life as You have established me to live out divine rulership with You. "…O God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth" (Ps 94:1 AMPC)!
Pour out Your Spirit on the earth today as revelation-light to pierce the conscience of the wicked as we worship You (Ps 94:1 TPT, Prov 9:10 TPT). Thank You for sending Your Son to be pierced for our transgressions (Isa 53:5).
Thank You, Lord, for vindicating "me by Your mighty strength and power" (Ps 54:1).
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.
Originally published Sunday, 28 March 2021.
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