May 22, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Behold, it is written before Me: ‘I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will pay it back into their laps, both for your iniquities and for those of your fathers,’ says the LORD.” (Isaiah 65.6,7)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

“Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.” For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.” (Deuteronomy 32.35-36) How many times have we heard this in our own day, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”? The Apostle Paul uses this phrase in writing to the early Church, specifically to the congregations of believers in Rome. (Romans 12.19) It was Paul’s admonition to those believers to not seek to “right a wrong done to them” by taking action against the offender to exact, as in Jewish law called “an eye for an eye” and in Latin Lex Talionis, retribution (and can we extend the call to that of reparation? let the reader beware.) Here we must be very clear, as mighty ones of God, to apply the concept correctly. Too often, the consideration of “revenge, retribution and reparation” are put into the category of physical or material. Such identification sets apart, and actually in most cases overlooks, the spiritual aspect. Paul was speaking to Christians facing persecution, deaths of loved ones, libel by detractors (especially by the Judaizers) and the loss of property. His call was to hold fast to faith in God because their reward was in Heaven as earth was no longer their true home.

The same could be said for those of Isaiah’s day who had faced the hardships of exile (foreign and domestic). Yet, in that manner the spiritual issue was not being addressed. It was too easy, and remains so to this day, to play the blame game instead of embracing the “claim game.” To own up to one’s downfalls and foibles and seek mercy and grace from God is the “claim game.” We all know and recognize the blame game. It follows the comedian, Flip Wilson, who made a living playing off “the Devil made me do it.” The devil cannot make us do anything. The devil can create scenarios and extend invitations to believers, unbelievers and non-believers to “enter into temptation.” We hear the echo of this in the prayer which Jesus taught His disciples, saying, “Lead us not into temptation (which is the work of Satan and contrary to nature, character and purpose of God); rather, deliver us from evil [or “the evil one.”] That is God’s desire: to protect us from the fate of the evil one, Satan, the fallen and cast out Lucifer. It would do us well to think of the consequences of our sins, spiritual debts and trespasses in this way: to suffer the fate of the evil one. Do I need to explain that fate? For clarity and clarification, the Resurrected and Glorified Christ revealed it all to the Elder John of Ephesus sentenced to imprisonment on the isle of Patmos. While it would have been easy for him to consider revenge and some form of retribution/payback on his “jailers,” he maintained the faith which caused him to be imprisoned in the first place. His reward, better to say “honor,” was the Revelation from Jesus the Christ. While its nuances may be difficult to understand and digest, there is no question as to the conclusion. In the words of SNL’s Church Lady, “up to Heaven, down to Hell.”

So, it is, as we are led to understand in today’s verses, the issue at hand when it comes to “vengeance” is about spirituality. Jesus said to those Pharisees who challenged His authority, “Even the very thought of lust in one’s heart is equal to or greater than the act committed because of lust.” (Matthew 5.27-28) The word in Isaiah is spoken to the Hebrews who had experienced and endures the hardships caused by those who sought to overtake them, put them in exile and keep them there. It is the same for those who do the same today in sex trafficking, drug dealing and unscrupulous financial deals. And not even to that extreme alone, but in bullying, taunting and misrepresenting the truth of law, order and the gospel. All of that is the modern day intrusion and “sin-fection” of society. We can certainly see the outward manifestations in our non-transparent world. We are aware of the masks which many attempt to peddle and put on to cover the heart, mind and soul damage which all of these produce. It is the inwardness that must be acknowledged and dealt with. That, my friends, can only truly be accomplished by the will and work of God through faith in Jesus Christ and by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. God can more easily change the preponderance of evil in the world not by transforming the conditions but by transforming the presence of sin. For those who understand the relevance of that identification, healing and restoration is made possible. We visit again that scripture which says “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” The premise and purpose of that scripture is not about worldly manifestations of works and glory. Rather, it is about salvation, redemption and reconciliation. This is the culmination of God’s efforts among the people who dwell on earth as well as their “temptors.” God’s will will be done.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free. Hear our prayer, O Lord, and be gracious to us in the name of Jesus. AMEN.