Vengeance is a punishment in retaliation for an injury or offense to oneself, another person, or a cause one supports; retribution or repayment for a wrong suffered.

The Law of Moses did not allow one to pursue personal vengeance. "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" (Lev. 19:18). God saw it as His duty to deal out retribution for sins that had been committed and wrongs that had been done to another. "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense..." (Deut. 32:35). The psalmist understood this truth when he penned, "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs - O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!" (Ps. 94:1).

While we are no longer bound under the Law of Moses, the passage in Deuteronomy is quoted twice in the New Testament, indicating the principle is still in effect. "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord" (Rom. 12:19; c.f. Heb. 10:30). It is hard for some people to fight back the urge to seek revenge for wrongs done against them or their loved ones, but such matters still belong to God.

Romans 12:19 says God will repay, but what assurance do we have of God's retribution? Has God ever carried out vengeance upon man? Indeed, He has. Jude 7 tells us Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the "vengeance of eternal fire" because they left the will of God and went after strange flesh (practiced homosexuality). Jesus called the destruction of Jerusalem (which took place in A.D. 70) the "days of vengeance" (Luke 21:22). It was God's way of punishing Jerusalem for her sins (Matt. 23:24-26).

There will be one final day of God's vengeance. "And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

Obey the gospel and escape the vengeance of God.