What does "execute great vengeance" reveal about God's character and holiness?

◄ God's character in vengeance? ►

“I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them.”

• Spoken through Ezekiel to the Philistines after centuries of hostility toward Israel

• Part of a series of oracles (Ezekiel 25–32) against nations that mocked or harmed God’s covenant people

• Context: God is not venting a petty anger; He is vindicating His holiness, defending His people, and making Himself known

“Great Vengeance”: What the Phrase Means

• “Execute” – deliberate, sovereign action, not random outburst

• “Great” – significant in scale, matching the gravity of the offense

• “Vengeance” – just retaliation that upholds divine justice (cf. Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19)

• “Wrathful rebukes” – verbal and tangible judgments that expose sin and compel recognition of the LORD

Revelations About God’s Character

• Perfect Justice

– God cannot overlook evil (Nahum 1:2–3)

– His retribution is measured, appropriate, never excessive

• Covenant Loyalty

– He defends those bound to Him by covenant (Genesis 12:3)

– Vengeance affirms He keeps every promise to bless and protect Israel

• Moral Clarity

– Sin is not redefined; it is condemned (Habakkuk 1:13)

– God’s standards remain unchanged across nations and eras

• Self-Revelation

– “Then they will know that I am the LORD” – judgment serves evangelistic purpose, unveiling His identity and glory

Implications for God’s Holiness

• Holiness is not passive purity; it is active opposition to evil

• Vengeance flows from holiness just as surely as mercy does (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 99:3–5)

• A holy God must confront rebellion; failure to punish would compromise His nature

Balanced Biblical Portrait

• Justice and mercy meet at the cross (Romans 3:25–26)

• God delays final wrath to allow repentance (2 Peter 3:9)

• Those who persist in hostility face certain judgment (Revelation 19:11–16)

Takeaways for Believers Today

• Trust God’s timing—He will right every wrong without fail

• Seek personal holiness; the One who judges sin also purifies His people (1 Peter 1:15–16)

• Leave retaliation to God, responding to enemies with righteousness (Matthew 5:44)

• Proclaim both God’s saving grace and His righteous judgment so the world “will know that He is the LORD.”