The God of Vengeance

INTRODUCTION

Justice is a huge theme in our world today. There is evil happening all around us. There are school shootings, domestic violence, people’s identities are being stolen… The cry for justice has never been louder. This is the reason why there is so much debate on things like gun control and immigration

And because the cry for justice is so deep within our society it makes up the basis of the things that we watch on TV and in movies. I don’t know if you have ever seen any of the Marvel Netflix shows or seen any of the thousands of Avenger movies but every superhero ever dons their spandex and capes because they hear the cry for justice and they are the only ones that can deliver.

I remember in 2004, the first Punisher movie came out and my dad took me to see it. As a fourteen old kid, when Frank Castle’s family was murdered right in front of him… I was disturbed. I honestly don’t know what my dad was thinking taking me to that movie (ha ha).  I remember when the Punisher goes and gives John Travolta what’s coming to him… the satisfaction that I felt. Man they deserved it! It made me want to go and destroy some bad guys myself! This is right around the time I got into martial arts so that makes sense.

I’m sure each of you have felt something like this before. Maybe it was something that you saw on TV or a movie where justice is served for the bad guy. Or maybe it’s something on the news. You know, when some creep picks up little kids and he’s finally caught. We want justice.

What about when there is injustice within the church? When people who wear the jersey of God’s people… they claim to be one of us and many times they are leaders within the church…

Just a couple of weeks ago they arrested a pastor in Winter Haven for sexual battery with a child. A 12 year old girl. This kind of stuff happens all the time. There are wolves wearing sheep clothing among us.

Ultimately, we can never see justice executed perfectly. Because we ourselves deserve condemnation and judgement. It is the LORD and him only who is the perfect judge. He is the one we cry out to when there are injustices in the world. 

This is where we find the Psalmist this morning in . So if you have your Bibles go ahead and grab those and turn with me there.

This was written during a time that the people of God were under the leadership of evil men. People who were part of Israel but they weren’t God’s people. They were evil doers… wicked men… and he cries out to God for justice. For the Lord to make it right.

This is the Big Idea for our time together this morning: When God’s people cry out for his justice to manifest itself in the world... Wickedness may prevail for a season but God will vindicate the righteous in his own time. God will bless his people but false followers will only receive judgement and rejection.

So if you are in in your Bibles look at me in verse one… and if you are using a Bible app I will be reading out of the CSB.

BIBLE VERSEPsalms 94:1-23 (CSB)

1Lord , God of vengeance — God of vengeance, shine!

2Rise up, Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve.

3Lord , how long will the wicked — how long will the wicked celebrate?

4They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.

5Lord , they crush your people; they oppress your heritage.

6They kill the widow and the resident alien and murder the fatherless.

7They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”

8Pay attention, you stupid people! Fools, when will you be wise?

9Can the one who shaped the ear not hear, the one who formed the eye not see?

10The one who instructs nations, the one who teaches mankind knowledge — does he not discipline?

11The Lord knows the thoughts of mankind; they are futile.

12Lord , how happy is anyone you discipline and teach from your law

13to give him relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14The Lord will not leave his people or abandon his heritage,

15for the administration of justice will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16Who stands up for me against the wicked? Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?

17If the Lord had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence of death.

18If I say, “My foot is slipping,” your faithful love will support me, Lord .

19When I am filled with cares, your comfort brings me joy.

20Can a corrupt throne be your ally, a throne that makes evil laws?

21They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

22But the Lord is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection.

23He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The Lord our God will destroy them.

PRAYER AND TRANSITION TO POINT I.

This is the Word of the Lord. Let’s Pray…

Lord, you are the judge of the earth. In you there is perfect justice. You see the wickedness in this world and in your perfect timing you will make it all right. We ask that you make all of us sensitive to your Spirit this morning. That you would come and be our teacher in these next few moments. Convict us of sin and grant us repentance. Make us strive for holiness in this life. Make us look more like Jesus. And it is in his name that we pray… Amen. 

You can be seated.

There are four sections in this Psalm that I want us to look at together this morning. And this is the first section…

1 Point I: The Frustration of God's People (vs.1-8).

EXPLANATION

It can be incredibly frustrating when wickedness prospers… And it does prosper. Just look at the news… It’s all bad news. It can be tempting to just give up hope in this life and just be like… “well, it’s just the world that we live in.”

Look at verse 1 again…

1 Lord , God of vengeance — God of vengeance, shine!

He begins by calling out to the God of Vengeance. This is an important observation and it is that the Psalmist recognized that the justice that he was looking for... the vindication that he was looking for.. could only come from the Lord. Vengeance is repaying evil they deserve. 

God says in ...

35 Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay. In time their foot will slip, for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.

It belongs to the Lord. When you are wronged by someone in or out of the church... it is not our job to make these people pay. Paul says in ...

19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay,,al says the Lord. 20 But 

If your enemy is hungry, feed him. 

If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. 

For in so doing 

you will be heaping fiery coals on his head., 

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. 

This doesn't mean that when someone breaks the law we don't notify the authorities. It means we don't take matters into our own hands. He says God of vengeance- shine! For something to shine would mean that it is plain for all to see. He wants all the world... these evil doers included to plainly see the power and character of our God.

Rise up and repay the proud what they deserve!

The Bible has nothing good to say about the proud. James tells us that God resists the proud. Solomon tells us in Proverbs that pride comes before destruction. Many people believe that pride is the sin of Satan that caused him to fall from heaven as described in and . What does the proud deserve? Judgement.

He then says that they celebrate in their wickedness and he asks, "how long will you allow this to go on?"

We can relate to this. We see all this evil happening in the world today. We hear skeptics and unbelievers ask that if God is real then why do all these bad things happen? We ask God to do something but he seems to just be silent.

He describes the wicked and evil things that these people do. They kill the widow and the resident alien... the people that need help... that need to be taken care of... they take advantage of and murder them... and what's worse is they boast in the evil that they do. They crush God's people... They put burdens on the people of God that are not Biblical. And they justify all that they do by saying that God either doesn't see what they do or he doesn't care. 

This doesn't necessarily mean that they say this out loud but this is what their hearts believe.

APPLICATION

He is speaking about people in power over God's people but in their hearts they are prideful... practical atheists. This is an important thing for us to consider. This is something that I really struggled with in the past so I think it’s important. Because it is possible to be a part of the church... to be involved in the church and not be a Christian. A lot of the time, people even genuinely believe that they are believers when they really aren't. Listen to what Jesus says in . He says this:

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. 

15 “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. 

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

These people standing before Jesus and they say, "Lord, Lord... did we not do this and that?" They're sincere! But their belief is based on what they have done for the Lord and not in what Jesus has done. There's a difference. Jesus said that he never knew these people. He says that we must enter the narrow gate and that we will know who is a true believer based off the fruit that they bear. 

What this means is that someone who is truly a believer in Jesus loves and strives toward holiness and a true believer in Jesus hates sin.

How do we strive toward holiness? We spend time with the Lord. We get to know him and then we will begin to look like him. We will begin to love the things he loves but also hate the things that he hates... sin.

These two things are what prompts the Psalmist to write . His love for holiness and his hatred for sin. Ligon Duncan said, 

The struggle here is seeing those who are wicked prospering, and those who are wicked harming God’s people; and so the psalmist prays for vengeance. It is a prayer for God’s justice to be visited on evildoers. And, my friends, those who love God will love righteousness; and because they love God and because they love righteousness, they will come to hate sin like God hates sin.

If you struggle with whether or not you are truly a Christian start here. What fruit do you bear? Are you making strides toward holiness? I mean, you got took look at your life over a long period of time because growth means that sometimes you take one step forward and one step back but over the long haul you're making progress. Do you hate sin? The sin in your life and the wickedness that happens around us?

TRANSITION TO POINT II

So in verses 1-8 the Psalmist describes this frustration that he's going through because the wicked are obsessing the people of God's. He's crying out to God asking him to judge them because they do all these evil things thinking that either God doesn't see or he doesn't care. This is the second thing that I want us to look at this morning...

Point II: The Instruction of God's People (vs.8-11).

EXPLANATION

Look at verse 8-11 again...

BIBLE VERSEPsalms 94:8-11 (CSB)

8Pay attention, you stupid people! Fools, when will you be wise?

9Can the one who shaped the ear not hear, the one who formed the eye not see?

10The one who instructs nations, the one who teaches mankind knowledge — does he not discipline?

11The Lord knows the thoughts of mankind; they are futile.

EXPLANATION

He says, "you think God doesn't pay attention? You need to pay attention!" And then he goes into the absurdity of thinking that God doesn't see or hear what you do and say. He formed the eyes and ears... why wouldn't he know what's going on. 

We live this life in light of the eye of God. There is nothing that God does not hear; He created our ears, after all. There is nothing that God does not see; He created our eyes, after all. There is no thought that we can have that God does not know. And it is that all-searching knowledge of God, the omniscience of God, the all-knowingness of God, that moves the psalmist to pray for the wise man to realize our accountability to God. 

We may do things and say things that our friends and even our families do not know, but God knows everything that we do, everything that we say, and even everything that we think. And the psalmist is calling out to the wicked in verses 8-11 and saying, ‘Man, don’t you understand that God knows everything? That you may get by with this in this world, but you will not get by with it with God? Because He knows what you’re up to.’

He is asking us to live our lives wisely in light of this reality. That God sees and hears and knows everything.

The application for this is simple... if we are wise and we believe in Jesus and we love God then we will live our lives like he is real. Live in light of the all-searching knowledge of God, and he is warning the wicked that God sees and hears and knows everything they do, including the deepest thoughts of their hearts. In other words, the psalmist is making it clear that nothing will escape the judgment of God. 

Everything we say do and think in public and in secret is seen and will be judged by the Lord. This is one of those doctrines that we learn in Sunday school and we affirm it without much thought. Yeah we know that God knows all things... otherwise he wouldn't be God... but it's not always something that we take in account for our everyday lives.

He is Omniscient. All knowing. This means yes he knows the evil thoughts and deeds of wicked people but he also knows when we have a repentant heart and when we truly want to have fellowship with him.

Meditating upon this can help us to not take our secret sins lightly and from deceiving ourselves that we can escape God's notice.

It prompts us to crucify those secret wrong attitudes and sinful actions, breaking with them through God’s grace. It should propel us to repent of those sins and embrace the forgiveness that our omniscient God provides through Christ.

EXPLANATION

The Psalmist says that the Lord knows the thoughts of mankind and they are futile. The Apostle Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 when he discusses the wisdom of the world. He says this...

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness;,g 20 and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are futile.

When we continue on sinning our secret sins thinking that the Lord doesn't know about it we are being foolish. We can reason and justify what we are doing but the fact remains... our wisdom is foolishness to God. I've heard people justify saying that it's ok if they do this or that because they know that God will forgive them afterward. All they got to do is say they're sorry and they will be forgiven.

Now it is true that God will forgive you if you repent but repentance is turning your back on sin and waging war against it. It's hatred for your sin. You have to ask yourself in the moment of temptation... "Do I love this sin more than I love God." 

The Apostle John gives test after test of true faith in 1 John. He writes this in ...

6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

I know I just said it but here it is again: when you have fellowship with God you will begin to love the things that he loves and hate the things that he hates.

TRANSITION TO POINT III

We need to move on because we are running out of time. So far we have seen the frustration that wickedness in the world causes the people of God... and how we can feel like God is being silent when in reality he is going to judge in his own perfect timing because he is infinitely wise. And then in verses 8-11 we saw the Psalmist instructing the wicked leaders of Israel about how foolish they are thinking that God doesn't see or care what they are doing. And this is the third thing I want us to see this morning.

Point III: The Blessings of God's People (vs.12-19).

EXPLANATION

Look at verses 12-19 with me...

BIBLE VERSEPsalms 94:12-19 (CSB)

12Lord , how happy is anyone you discipline and teach from your law

13to give him relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14The Lord will not leave his people or abandon his heritage,

15for the administration of justice will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16Who stands up for me against the wicked? Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?

17If the Lord had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence of death.

18If I say, “My foot is slipping,” your faithful love will support me, Lord .

19When I am filled with cares, your comfort brings me joy.

EXPLANATION

Here’s where it gets really good… 

After describing all this bad stuff that is happening to the people of God… after seeing God’s people being afflicted by oppressive leaders and wolves wearing sheep’s clothing… God’s people can still acknowledge that God has taken and is taking care of them.

What this means for you and I right now is this: even under the most extreme oppression and affliction… no matter what kind of wickedness we see or experience… we know that God has been and will continue to be faithful.

Even when the people of God are afflicted, and even when the we see the wicked prospering in this world, we can acknowledge that God has cared for us in our affliction, and will one day put everything right.

What the Psalmist is describing here is the joy that we experience as believers! Joy that can never be taken from us! Just listen to what he says!

12Lord , how happy is anyone you discipline and teach from your law

13to give him relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.

When the Lord teaches and disciplines us it is meant to lead to our ultimate joy! When he convicts us of sin, it is for our joy!

He then says that relief from troubled times comes from the Lord... he doesn't say that relief will come when the pit is dug for the wicked... he says that there is relief for us here and now and it is found in the Lord.

Verse 14... the Lord will never abandon us. He will never forsake us. This is such great news for us. It doesn't matter what goes on... the Lord will never leave us. 

Verse 12-15  is the assurance to the righteous who are afflicted, so that even when we see wickedness prevailing in this world, even when we experience trials and tribulations, even when we experience oppression at the hands of the wicked, we can acknowledge God’s goodness to us. There is a blessings even in affliction. He has His own reasons and His own purposes in our afflictions; He cares for us even in our affliction, and He will put everything right in the end.

And in verses 16-19... acknowledge God as being our help and express gratitude toward him. He raises an important question here and it is this..

Where would I be without the help of God?

Have you ever asked yourself this? He has truly done a lot for us but have you ever just asked yourself where you would be without God?  It can be kind of unpleasant to think about but this will definitely grow your affections for the Lord. Many of us would be enslaved to addictions or stuck in some kind godless religion working hard to be good.

You know, one of the things that I’m certain of is that when we get to heaven there will be far more times that we realize that the Lord has spared us and helped us and aided us than we have ever realized in this life. We will get there and we’ll say, “I had no idea.”  We will suddenly realize that there were so many times in our lives when the Lord was protecting us, and we didn’t even realize it. The psalmist confesses this here.

APPLICATION

There are many blessings to being a believer in Jesus. we've seen this in verses 12-19... We get his discipline and instruction on living holy lives... We get relief in times of trouble... we are never forsaken by the Lord... he is always with us... we get a new life in him that's full of purpose... he's our support and our comfort... he is our joy...

We have so much to be thankful for in Jesus.

4 Point IV: The Vindication of God's People (vs. 20-23).EXPLANATION

Verses 20-23...

BIBLE VERSEPsalms 94:20-23 (CSB)

20Can a corrupt throne be your ally, a throne that makes evil laws?

21They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

22But the Lord is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection.

23He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The Lord our God will destroy them.

EXPLANATION

When the wicked are prevailing we have a God who is our refuge and our protection. And there will come a day when he will vindicate his people by judging the wicked in this world.

You know... the Psalmist talking about evil leaders having power over God's people is perfectly illustrated in the ministry of Jesus. Today is Palm Sunday and next week is Easter. Palm Sunday is when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey symbolizing the peace that the King will bring. Israel laid down palm branches and cried out 'Hosanna' in celebration of the arrival of the King. 

But they misunderstood the purpose of his mission. He wasn't there to overthrow the Romans... he came to overthrow sin and death. The very same people who celebrated his coming by saying 'Hosanna' were calling for his crucifixion just a few days later.

There were evil people in power over God's people. And they murdered the Son of God. But he didn't stay dead. This is what we celebrate on Easter. This is what we celebrate every Sunday... It's why we worship on Sunday. Because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday morning. And when he did that... he vindicated the people of God by freeing us from the slavery of sin and death.

INVITATION

Maybe you're here this morning and you are still enslaved by sin. You don't have to be. Maybe you're a believer in the things of God but you have bought into the lie that your secret sins are so small that they don't matter. Repent of those this morning because they are not a secret to God. As Andrew comes back up and leads us in worship again... use this time to talk to God. Thank him for the care that he has shown you... repent of sins... if you're an unbeliever today ask him to save you. Prayer is how we talk to God. Tell him that you repent of your sins and you believe in his sacrifice to pay for that sins... and then ask him to change your heart from a dead heart to a new heart.