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Proverbs 20:22 - Vengeance Belongs To God - Wait Patiently For Him.

Proverbs 20:22 (NIV) Do not say, Ill 
pay you back for this wrong! Wait for the 
LORD, and he will deliver you. 

INTRODUCTION

With the example of Christ before them (1 
Peter 2:23), Christians cannot fail to realize the 
necessity of resisting all impulses to take revenge. 
The Lord claims that vengeance is His (Heb. 
10:30). Those who put their trust in Him will be so 
protected by the Lord that all the attacks of their 
enemies will turn out to be for their good (Rom. 
8:28). [SDA Bible Commentary] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   With sadness Jesus looks into the 
upturned faces before Him. He notes the spirit of 
revenge that has stamped its evil imprint upon them, 
and knows how bitterly the people long for power 
to crush their oppressors. Mournfully He bids 
them, "Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever 
smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the 
other also." 
   These words were but a reiteration of the 
teaching of the Old Testament. It is true that the 
rule, "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (Leviticus 
24:20), was a provision in the laws given through 
Moses; but it was a civil statute. None were 
justified in avenging themselves, for they had the 
words of the Lord: "Say not thou, I will 
recompense evil." "Say not, I will do so to him as he 
hath done to me." "Rejoice not when thine enemy 
falleth." "If he that hateth thee be hungry, give him 
bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water 
to drink." Proverbs 20:22; 24:29, 17; 25:21, 
22, R.V., margin. 
   The whole earthly life of Jesus was a 
manifestation of this principle. It was to bring the bread 
of life to His enemies that our Saviour left 
His home in heaven. Though calumny and 
persecution were heaped upon Him from the cradle to the 
grave, they called forth from Him only the 
expression of forgiving love. Through the prophet 
Isaiah He says," I gave My back to the smiters, and 
My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I 
hid not My face from shame and spitting." "He 
was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He 
opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to 
the slaughter, and as a sheep before her 
shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth." 
Isaiah 50:6; 53:7. And from the cross of Calvary 
there come down through the ages His prayer for 
His murderers and the message of hope to the 
dying thief. 
   The Father's presence encircled Christ, 
and nothing befell Him but that which infinite 
love permitted for the blessing of the world. 
Here was His source of comfort, and it is for us. 
He who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ 
abides in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him 
falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds him with His 
presence. Whatever comes to him comes from Christ. He 
has no need to resist evil, for Christ is his 
defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord's 
permission, and "all things" that are permitted "work 
together for good to them that love God." Romans 
8:28. MB69-71 

COMMENTARY

   A way to help the angry person is to give 
him a new perspective on vengeance. An angry 
person seeks to pay someone back for something - 
done either to him or to someone else. This 
requires a sense of having the high moral ground; the 
angry person tells himself that he would never do 
what that other person did. He feels that this 
gives him a warrant to inflict insult or pain on 
the other. 
   Instead, 20:22 tells the angry person 
that only God occupies high enough moral ground 
for vengeance. God knows all that was in the 
person's heart and what they deserve. You don't. God 
alone is holy - he alone "would never do what they 
did" - and so has the right to inflict judgment. 
You don't. God also has the power to do so in 
the time and manner that might lead them to 
repentance (Romans 2:4). You don't. If a true wrong has 
been done to you, he will avenge you. You don't 
have to. 
   Is there someone in your life whom you 
are having trouble forgiving? Is it because you 
feel you have the high moral ground? 
   Lord, I now see that I cannot stay angry 
at someone unless I feel superior to them. Why 
should a saved sinner like me feel like that? If 
you paid me back for all I've done to you, where 
would I be? Help me remember these gospel truths 
when I'm tempted to be angry. Amen. [Gods 
Wisdom for Navigating Life by Timothy Keller with 
Kathy Keller] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

Romans 12:19-21 - Vengeance Belongs to God.

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240113-0724.html 

1 Peter 3:8-9 - Living in Harmony With One 
Another. 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220501-1038.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/