Vengeance Belongs to God

In 2002, a movie came out that was based Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel. A very trusting young man, Edmond Dantés, whose best friend, Fernand (Guy Pearce), falsely frames him for treason. In prison, Dantes endured a yearly thrashing with a whip from the warden. As Edmond Dantes rotted in his concrete captivity, his thirst for revenge magnified and his capacity for grace dissipated. After 13 years of incarceration, Dantés escaped from prison, collected an enormous fortune, and sought to drink from the bitter cup of vengeance.

Have you sought to drink for the bitter cup of vengeance? Do you prepare a cup when life seems to be unfair? Do you seek to get even with those who have behaved badly? Is retaliation or revenge an acceptable activity?

How should we respond when coworkers mistreat us?

How should we respond when others injure us?

How should we respond when the systems of this world seem to be against us?

As we examine the passage just read, prayerfully, we will learn and respond by putting it all, the good, the bad, the unfair, the ridiculous, the hurtful, the mean, and the ugly, in the hands of the LORD. WHY? because VENGEANCE BELONGS TO GOD!

1 Samuel 26:7–11 NKJV

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” 10 David said furthermore, “As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.”

1 Samuel 26:22–25 NKJV

22 And David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

I. RESIST BAD COUNSEL (vs. 7-9)

1 Samuel 26:7–9 NKJV

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?”

David and Abishai were in the camp of King Saul, who was hunting David to kill him. At the same time, Saul and his men were sleeping. Abishai surmised that the LORD had given David’s enemy into their hands to eliminate. David's servant possibly made this recommendation based on the Scriptures, which says, "How should . . . two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them?"

Deuteronomy 32:30 NKJV

30 How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had surrendered them?

Yet, David knew the sound of competent counsel. Abigail advised him that the LORD will fulfill His promise and make him king. He will not have a troubled conscience by seeking his revenge

1 Samuel 25:30–31 NKJV

30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”

As saints, we may receive counsel from different people, some worldly and some Christian.

Yet, that counsel must first be biblical. Ask the question.

Does it come from the Word of God?

Second, does it truly apply to your situation?

Third, are there other scriptures that need to be considered?

Fourth, have I taken this situation and His Word to Him in prayer to receive wisdom from His Spirit?

II. RECALL BIBLICAL CONSEQUENCES (vs. 9-11)

1 Samuel 26:9–11 NKJV

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” 10 David said furthermore, “As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.”

After receive counsel from Abishai, David responded by saying, "who can lift a hand against the LORD's anointed and be innocent?" (v 9).

The Bible commands, "Do not touch my anointed ones"

Psalm 105:15 NKJV

15 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

Saul was appointed and anointed to be king by God Himself, not David. Although Saul made life difficult for him, David could not remove him. In his encounter with Abigail, David understood this because he stated that she kept him from avenging himself by his hand (1 Sa 25:33).

The future king could not kill Saul and be innocent because he had learned not to “take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh”

Leviticus 19:18 NKJV

18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

III. REST IN THE BELIEVER’S COMFORT (vs. 22-25)

1 Samuel 26:22–25 NKJV

22 And David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David also knew that the LORD would do what is right. The Bible states, “He will take vengeance on His adversaries; He will purify His land and His people”

Deuteronomy 32:43 NKJV

43 “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.”

Taking matters in his hand would not keep him in good standing with God. Therefore, David declared to Abishai, “I will never lift my hand against the LORD’s anointed”

1 Samuel 26:11 NKJV

11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.”

He also told King Saul, “May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and loyalty. I wasn't willing to lift my hand against the Lord's anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today"

1 Samuel 26:23 NKJV

23 May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

David later wrote a psalm declaring that one will reap what they have sown. He said, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not turned from my God to wickedness”

Psalm 18:20–21 NKJV

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

What should comfort every believer is that God will repay one's righteousness.

Conclusion: David received terrible advice, but he recognized it. He remembered what the LORD commanded from His Word that vengeance belongs to the LORD. God will right the wrongs. He will repay those that have acted wickedly and those who have acted righteously. My father told me that this is a dog eat dog world. Yet, we don't have to think, feel, work, or live the way the world does. We are called to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves.