Connect Ezekiel 36:2 with Romans 12:19 on God's vengeance and justice. Setting the Stage • Ezekiel 36:2: “This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,” ’” • 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.’” At first glance, one verse addresses an ancient taunt against Israel, the other speaks to believers tempted to retaliate. Yet both hinge on one unchanging truth: God alone exercises just vengeance. Backdrop of Ezekiel 36 • Judah lay in ruins, mocked by surrounding nations. • The “ancient heights” refer to Israel’s hill-country—lands God promised to His people (Genesis 12:7). • Neighboring nations boasted, “They’re ours now!” • The LORD steps in, not merely to reclaim dirt, but to vindicate His holy name (Ezekiel 36:22-23). Backdrop of Romans 12 • Paul writes to a mixed church facing hostility in pagan Rome. • Instead of retaliating, believers must entrust justice to God. • Paul anchors this in Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance is Mine.” God’s Vengeance in Ezekiel 36 • The LORD promises He will “speak in My zeal and in My blazing wrath” (Ezekiel 36:5). • He pledges to judge Edom and the rest who “appropriated My land” (v. 5-7). • Justice is not delegated; He reserves it for Himself. God’s Vengeance in Romans 12 • “Leave room for God’s wrath”—make space for Him to act, rather than crowd Him out with personal payback. • Paul’s command mirrors Jesus’ example: “When He suffered, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). • The cross models how God meets evil with both wrath (on sin) and mercy (toward repentant sinners). Connecting the Threads 1. Same Owner, Same Right – In Ezekiel, God claims His land; in Romans, He claims the right to justice in human relationships. 2. Same Purpose – Ezekiel: vindicate His reputation before the nations. – Romans: display His character through a non-retaliatory church. 3. Same Certainty – Ezekiel’s enemies eventually fell; Rome itself would bow (Revelation 19:15-16). – Every unrepentant wrong will be answered either at the cross or at the final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). The Character of God Revealed • Just: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (Psalm 89:14). • Jealous: “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God” (Nahum 1:2). • Patient: He delays judgment, granting time for repentance (2 Peter 3:9). • Faithful: What He promises in Ezekiel, He carries out; what He promises in Romans, He will finish. Living This Out • Yield personal grudges to God daily; He hears, He records (Malachi 3:16). • Intercede for enemies; God may grant repentance (Matthew 5:44; 2 Timothy 2:25). • Rest in divine timing; justice postponed is not justice denied (Psalm 37:7-9). • Reflect God’s heart: oppose evil through righteous means—truth, prayer, lawful authority—without slipping into personal revenge (Romans 13:4). In both prophets and epistles, the message rings clear: God’s people trust His perfect justice and refuse to take vengeance into their own hands, confident that the One who spoke in Ezekiel’s day is still on the throne. |
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