Connect Lamentations 3:60 with Romans 12:19 on vengeance and God's justice. Setting the Scene Scripture stands as the infallible, literal Word of God, revealing His heart for justice from Genesis to Revelation. Two passages—Lamentations 3:60 and Romans 12:19—seem centuries apart, yet they harmonize to show how God alone administers righteous vengeance. Human Desire for Justice • Every heart instinctively longs for wrongs to be set right. • Our fallen impulse, however, tempts us to seize the gavel ourselves. • God repeatedly warns that personal retaliation twists justice into sin (Proverbs 20:22). Calling Out to the God Who Sees (Lamentations 3:60) “You have seen all their vengeance, all their plots against me.” • Jeremiah, eyewitness to Jerusalem’s collapse, feels cornered by enemies. • He does not retaliate; instead, he reminds God that nothing escapes divine sight. • The verse teaches: – God observes every act of malice in real time. – Prayer is the believer’s first response, not revenge. • The prophet anchors hope in God’s literal promise to judge. The New Testament Echo (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.’” • Paul builds on the same Old-Testament foundation (Deuteronomy 32:35). • Key commands: – “Do not avenge yourselves”—a direct prohibition. – “Leave room for God’s wrath”—step aside so His justice operates unhindered. • The certainty: “I will repay.” God’s repayment is not symbolic; it is literal and timely. Harmonizing the Two Scriptures • Lamentations 3:60 shows the plea: “Lord, You see their vengeance.” • Romans 12:19 gives the principle: “Let the Lord repay their vengeance.” • Together they map out a two-fold response: 1. Cry out honestly to the Lord about injustice. 2. Refuse to take matters into your own hands, trusting His promised reckoning. God’s Character in Justice and Mercy • Justice is intrinsic to God (Psalm 89:14). • Mercy co-exists with justice—He desires repentance before retribution (2 Peter 3:9). • At the cross, both qualities meet: sin punished in Christ, mercy extended to believers (Isaiah 53:5–6; Romans 3:25–26). Living It Out Today • When wronged: – Turn complaint into prayer like Jeremiah. – Resist retaliation; forgiveness releases the offender to God’s court (Matthew 5:39–44). – Wait expectantly—God’s timing is perfect, even if invisible now (Habakkuk 2:3). • Injustice around you: – Support lawful avenues (Romans 13:1–4) while never stepping into personal vengeance. – Keep your speech gracious; vengeance begins in the tongue (James 3:6). – Imitate Christ: “When He suffered, He made no threats” (1 Peter 2:23). Quick Reference Verses • Deuteronomy 32:35—“Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” • Psalm 94:1—“O LORD, God of vengeance, shine forth!” • Hebrews 10:30—reaffirms the same promise under the new covenant. • Revelation 6:10—martyrs cry, “How long, O Lord… until You avenge our blood?” God’s people need not fear overlooked injustice. The Lord who sees (Lamentations 3:60) is the Lord who repays (Romans 12:19). Rest in His flawless, literal promise: He will make every wrong perfectly right. |
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