How does Jeremiah 18:23 connect with Romans 12:19 on vengeance? Context of Jeremiah 18:23 “But You, O LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Forgive not their iniquity or blot out their sin from Your sight. Let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.” (Jeremiah 18:23) - Jeremiah’s life is in danger from his own people because he preaches hard truth (Jeremiah 18:18). - He does not strike back; instead, he entrusts justice to the LORD. - His plea is that God Himself would act in righteous anger at the proper time. Jeremiah’s Appeal: Leaving Justice to God - The prophet fully expects God to deal with evil; he never presumes to take revenge personally. - His words echo Psalm 94:1—“O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!” - By praying this way, Jeremiah affirms two truths: • God alone knows hearts and motives (“You… know all their plots”). • God’s timing and wrath are perfect (“in the time of Your anger”). Paul’s Instruction in Romans 12:19 “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19) - Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 to ground his command in longstanding revelation. - Believers are urged to step aside so God’s wrath can operate without human interference. - Like Jeremiah, New-Covenant disciples are called to trust God’s justice rather than retaliate. Shared Theology: Vengeance Belongs to the Lord Both passages proclaim the same core conviction: 1. God alone has the right to repay evil. 2. Human retaliation usurps that divine prerogative. 3. Trusting God’s vengeance frees the believer to pursue love and forgiveness (Romans 12:20-21). Practical Lessons for Believers Today - Resist the impulse to “even the score.” Let God carry the burden of justice. - Pray honestly, as Jeremiah did, but commit the outcome to the Lord’s timing. - Remember that God’s wrath is always righteous; human anger rarely is (James 1:20). - While waiting for God’s action, respond to enemies with kindness, “overcoming evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Supplementary Scriptures - Deuteronomy 32:35—origin of the “Vengeance is Mine” promise. - Proverbs 20:22—“Do not say, ‘I will avenge this evil!’ Wait on the LORD, and He will deliver you.” - 1 Peter 2:23—Christ “entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” when He suffered. |
    |