Leviticus 19:18 (ESV)
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Proverbs 20:22 (ESV)
Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
Roman’s 12:17-19 (ESV)
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Hebrews 10:30 (ESV)
For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
It seems that Moses (the author of Leviticus), Solomon, Paul and the writer of Hebrews all received the same memo from the Holy Spirit. God is making a point in the book of Leviticus that the summary of the laws, rules and regulations is to love your neighbor. Hence we read from Jesus’ own words when He was asked to sum up the Law:
Luke 10:27 (ESV)
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
There will be those who don’t love you back, however. There will be those who hurt you and do damage to you and yours. The initial impulse is to hit back and hit back hard. But, based upon God’s word we are to allow God to carry out the vengeance. He has both the mercy and wrath in perfect harmony and love to do that work. We do not. We are to love unconditionally and God is the judge to carry out His wrath when others harm us.
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