How does Jeremiah 51:35 connect with Romans 12:19 on vengeance? The historical cry for justice: Jeremiah 51:35 “ ‘May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,’ says the inhabitant of Zion; ‘May my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea,’ says Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 51:35) • Judah’s remnant voices a passionate plea. The destruction Babylon inflicted is real, personal, bodily. • The petition is directed to God, not to human courts or armies. Jerusalem asks the Lord to put the nation’s blood on Babylon’s account. • This verse is an inspired, literal record of an oppressed people entrusting their demand for recompense to the Judge of all (cf. Genesis 18:25). The apostolic instruction: 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 cites Deuteronomy 32:35, grounding his command in the unchanging character of God. • Believers are forbidden to seek personal retaliation; their role is to step back and allow divine justice its space. • “Leave room” implies active restraint—an act of faith that God will settle accounts rightly (cf. 1 Peter 2:23). How the two passages connect 1. Same Author of justice • Jeremiah’s plea and Paul’s prohibition both rest on the certainty that the Lord owns vengeance. • God’s consistency: He hears Zion’s cry (Jeremiah) and still claims exclusive rights to repayment (Romans). 2. Prayer vs. personal revenge • Jeremiah 51:35 is a prayer—petitioning God to act. • Romans 12:19 restricts believers from executing judgment themselves. • Both affirm the proper channel: grievances go upward to God, not outward in human retaliation. 3. Timing and covenant setting • Jeremiah looks ahead to Babylon’s downfall (fulfilled in 539 BC; Jeremiah 51:36-37). • Romans speaks to the church age, urging saints to wait for final judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8). • Faith in God’s timetable bridges Old and New Testaments. 4. Personal application today • When wronged, imitate Zion’s example: articulate the hurt to God honestly. • Obey Paul’s directive: refuse to plot payback, choosing instead to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). • Confidence grows by recalling past fulfillments—Babylon fell exactly as Jeremiah prophesied, proving God handles vengeance perfectly. Key takeaways • Scripture never contradicts itself: Jeremiah models a godly appeal; Romans sets the boundary against self-directed revenge. • Divine vengeance is certain, measured, and righteous—far superior to human retaliation (Psalm 94:1-2). • Believers find peace by handing injuries to the Lord, trusting Him to “repay each according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6). |
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