THE RETRIBUTION OF GOD AND COMBATTING INJUSTICE – UNVEILING RETRIBUTION – PART 1
We are going to take up a new series of Justice and Injustice and will cover matters such as retribution, judgement, vengeance, injustice and the Christian, and a very important area –“How to deal with Injustice”. We want the Lord to be our teacher. The writer has been there himself with these issues so they are of concern for him.
[1]. THE ACCEPTED MEANING OF RETRIBUTION
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word, Retribution, as, “deserved punishment for evil done, or, sometimes reward for good done; merited requital.” The word is originally derived from the Latin with a base meaning, “to recompense” or “repay.”
[2]. RETRIBUTION AND JUDGMENT CONTRASTED
How often we hear from children when they feel a wrong has been committed against them, a threatening comment with nasty invective such as, “I’ll get even with you! You just wait! You’ll be sorry!” What about adults? They may not scream it out but think the same dark thoughts inwardly. In all probability this is a difficult subject to lay out in order, much in keeping with the difficulty of defining succinctly the term as we use it.
Is there any difference in essence between the Judgment of God and the Retribution of God or are the two terms interchangeable? I am suggesting there is a difference and it is that difference which I shall pursue in this article. In fact there is a considerable difference.
The theme of the judgment of God is a rather constant one throughout the scriptures and all readers of God’s word should have an understanding of it. Put simply, we could say that the judgment of God is directed largely against sin. Because humans are sinners they are under the judgment of God and ever likely to be carried away by it. That was most clearly seen in Noah’s time when the whole world had become corrupted and had grown to a maturity of evil where God could no longer tolerate its continued existence. God’s judgment arrived as promised and it was totally against sin but it carried the sinner away because each person was caught up in the act of sin. Thus we could say the judgment of God falls upon sin and in consequence, upon the sinner because of his sin.
On the other hand, the Retribution of God comes more against the person or group or nation because of his/their actions against God, primarily because of the deeds done to His people. The Lord, Who identifies with His saints and their sorrows through oppression or mistreatment, will not allow those evil deeds perpetrated upon His people, to go unrecognised.
[3]. THE JUDGMENT OF NOAH’S WORLD
Noah’s generation experienced the greatest judgment upon sin that any entire generation has known. The people of his generation were sinners continually. So corrupted were they, that a mere eight in the whole of the inhabited world were considered righteous. God acted against those iniquitous people in overwhelming judgment. We don’t read of any specific retribution during Noah’s lifetime. There may have been but the word does not disclose it. It would be very unusual, though, if Noah did not encounter ridicule, threat or even conspiracies devised against him.
The action the Father took against His Son at the cross was one of absolute judgment and that fell upon the Son when He drank the cup which was alone His to drink. There was no retribution against the Saviour, but as He became the sin offering, there was the fullest of judgment against Him as the whole of God’s wrath upon sin was in the cup He drank. As we go through various aspects, we will gain an insight into THE RETRIBUTION OF GOD. The matters will not be covered exhaustively but the various glimpses obtained should clarify retribution better for us.
[4]. CAIN AND ABEL – THE BLOOD OF ABEL WAS AVENGED
The introduction to the subject of retribution occurs quite early in Genesis with the two brothers, Cain and Abel. The elder had murdered the younger because he had been motivated by his sinful jealousy. The man of the world had risen up against the righteous man of God, a dastardly act, for it had been premeditated. The Lord God met with Cain following the incident and in the encounter, Cain lied but God said, {{Genesis 4:10-11 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” Now you are cursed from the ground which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.”}}
Abel’s blood was crying for retribution from the ground. It had to be avenged. Abel was one of God’s, so the Lord’s retribution now becomes effective. The divine action is taken against the sinner (Cain) for his act against the righteous child of God (Abel). Cain is punished from the Lord. Retribution belongs to God.
A little further in the chapter when Cain was lamenting his punishment from God, and concerned about the selfish preservation of his own life, God answered him {{Genesis 4:15 so the LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, VENGEANCE will be taken on him sevenfold,” and the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, lest anyone finding him should slay him.”}}
Even Though Cain was not of the righteous line, in some special way, the sign of the Lord was upon him and God’s retribution would be strong against anyone who killed Cain. That punishment condemning Cain to the life of a vagabond for the crime of murder might seem light when compared with the precise demand of God to Noah after the flood in {{Genesis 9:5-6. “And surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I WILL REQUIRE THE LIFE OF MAN. WHOEVER SHEDS MAN’S BLOOD, BY MAN HIS BLOOD SHALL BE SHED, FOR IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE MADE MAN.”}} And God does require it. At a coming day at the great white throne, God will mete out judgement for murder. Incidentally, nowhere in the Bible has this demand been rescinded or altered. Modern man equates murder with 10 years prison, but God declares it differently. In this account of Adam’s two sons, God has revealed Himself as a God of retribution who will not allow an act perpetrated against one of His own to go unpunished. That will never change. God is a God of justice.
[5]. RETRIBUTION WILL COME TO ALL THOSE WHO CURSE THE JEWS, THE OFFSPRING OF ABRAHAM
While Abram was living at Haran, God conversed with him and initially imparted to him certain promises which are fully applicable even to the present time. They are found in Genesis 12:1-3. We will consider verse three in particular, {{“And I will bless those who bless you, and THE ONE WHO CURSES YOU I WILL CURSE, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”}} The retribution of God would fall upon Abram’s enemies and that is inferred in the verse. God promised that any who cursed or reviled (an alternate rendering) Abram would be cursed or reviled by Him. That currently means the Jews today as well. That was a powerful promise which transcends all generations of Abram’s seed and is immutably true. History has borne it out as countless examples will verify. The reader would be able to investigate that for himself. Some cases will be touched on as we work through this article. Let us not forget also, that we who are believers, are incorporated in Abram’s seed, the heavenly or spiritual seed through faith. We are the stars of the sky and the Jews are the sand on the seashore. I have covered that elsewhere.
The corollary of blessing is likewise true and included all Abram’s seed. There are people who have shown both great and small acts of kindness to Christians and to the Jewish people, even though, sadly, these persons were not themselves Christians. Those acts themselves will not merit a person’s salvation, as nothing but the blood of Christ can do that, but I believe somehow that God will show His acknowledgement of those things in the Judgment or in the extent of punishment which is meted out by God at the Great White Throne. It is a difficult area of speculation and we will not deliberate on it any further here.
It is God Who will avenge Himself on behalf of His people, showing just retribution to any who raise their hands against the elect. So sure was God’s resolve in this, that even the mere act of a Pharaoh taking Sarah for a prospective wife, however innocent his intention was, was enough for God to afflict the whole of Pharaoh's household.
[6]. HOW RETRIBUTION IS IMPLEMENTED
The bible discloses two major avenues by which the retribution of God is implemented. The first of these must be reserved to God’s directive will, as it is ultimately His prerogative to intervene personally on His people’s behalf. The second way is through the instrumentality of a person of nation, etc to execute His will.
As an example of the former method, we have a very clear demonstration of that in the judgment allowed upon the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Following the death of Solomon, then over a period of around 250 years, the divided kingdom of Israel or Samaria had become progressively more and more steeped in idolatry. So bad had it become that one of their own prophets could describe Israel as “joined to idols.” Because of their gross sin, God had judged them through that time but His chastening or correction had been ignored and rejected by the wilful people.
God does not take vengeance upon His people - He chastens them; He corrects or disciplines them in order that they might return to a loving Father. Eventually His discipline had run its course and nothing but Assyrian captivity remained for the nation. God used, in human estimation, the unstoppable rod of Assyria upon Samaria and a harsh and cruel rod it proved to be. The nation was taken captive and many carried off to Assyria.
[7]. RETRIBUTION AGAINST SENACHARIB AND THE ASSYRIANS
About eight years after the fall of Samaria, Senacharib, the king of Assyria invaded Judah and arrogantly insulted the living God. It was his purpose to overtake the land of Judah as the Assyrian army had done to Israel not more than ten years previously. Remember God had allowed them to do that because of the gross sin of the people, but now the Assyrians challenged Hezekiah, a godly, prayerful king and had caused immense damage through the land. God now intervenes and reveals His intention through the ministering prophet, Isaiah. {{1Kings 19:33-34 “By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come to this city,” declares the Lord. “For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”}}
The next remarkable verse declares the way God did intervene totally in His retribution upon Assyria because of their hurtful actions against Israel and Judah even though those actions had been within the permissive will of God. {{1Kings 19:35 “Then it happened that night that the angel of THE LORD WENT OUT, and struck 185 000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead.”}} Remember the immutable promise the Lord gave to Abram - “and the one who curses you, I will curse.” The word contains many others.
[8]. ABRAHAM WAS THE INSTRUMENT OF RETRIBUTION AGAINST CHEDORLAOMER
The examples where God used people as instruments of His retribution are numerous throughout the Old Testament and I won’t even look at the book of the Judges but there is much there. I have selected only a few of them.
The 14 th chapter of Genesis recounts the story of a battle where Chedorlaomer and his three confederates had successfully conquered five other kings including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. Much booty had been removed from Sodom and Gomorrah but it also included Lot and his possessions. When Lot’s uncle, Abram heard of it, he led out his 318 trained men to seek the invading armies. By night he attacked them and, gloriously defeating them, recovered Lot with all his possessions. Abram was returning from the victory when he was met by the illustrious king-priest, Melchizedek. Melchizedek’s words are recorded in {{Genesis 14:19-20 “And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”}}
Melchizedek acknowledged the part that God had played in the defeat. Because righteous Lot had suffered at the hands of these evil, invading armies, then the sword of retribution had been given to Abram and in its use, God had been glorified and blessed.
[9]. DAVID EXECUTES RETRIBUTION WITH GOD’S PERMISSION
God had providentially delivered David and his 600 men from fighting as supposed allies of the Philistines against Saul and the Israelites. Achish, one of the Philistine lords, then dismissed them and the following morning saw them depart from the presence of the Philistines. Before long they arrived in the town which Achish had given to David as a gift. To their horror they found their town had been raided and overthrown by the Amalekites who then burned it. All their wives and children had been taken as captives. David was in great consternation for not only had his own two wives and children been taken, but his men, overcome by great shock, were prepared to stone him. David was in a very difficult position.
What was he to do? David, a man after the heart of God, sought God’s mind in the matter through the priest, Abiathar. {{1Samuel 30:8 “And David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them? And He said to him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and you shall surely rescue all.”}} Thus God gives His permission to David to execute retribution upon his enemies because of what they had done to the children of God.
David and his men set out but only 400 were strong enough to complete the journey. An Egyptian servant became a guide for them. This passage describes the confrontation. {{1Samuel 30:16-19 “And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread all over the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah, and David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives, but nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back.” David is avenging himself with God’s full authorisation, and in doing so is carrying out the retribution of God, for the enemies of His people, become His enemies through identification.
[10]. AHAB AND JEZEBEL RECEIVE FULL RETRIBUTION FROM GOD
Ahab and Jezebel would be accepted as the most wicked couple in the bible. Their reign was characterized by gross idolatry and every kind of wickedness. It came about one day that Ahab coveted another man’s vineyard for a vegetable garden. His evil wife devised a foul scheme that resulted in the murder of Naboth, the vineyard’s owner. As they were stoning him for allegedly cursing God, he probably had no suspicion of the sinister scheme that emanated from the wicked heart of Jezebel. Nevertheless the Lord counted Ahab as guilty in this as his wife.
The omniscient God had heard and seen all that had happened but now the time for the announcement of judgment had come. We have this striking verse in {{1Kings 21:19, “And you shall speak to him (Ahab) saying, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you murdered and taken possession?’ ” And you shall speak to him saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs shall lick up your blood, even yours.’ ”}}
In obedience to God’s command Elijah went and met Ahab in the vicinity of the vineyard. Straight away the judgment is announced but two verses we will quote. {{1Kings 21:21, 23 “behold, I will bring evil upon you, and I will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel.” “And of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, ’The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.’ ”}}
Judgment also was pronounced upon the whole of the house of Ahab. It will be noted that the Lord took this action after the terrible crime against Naboth. That makes the issue of the death of these two rulers a matter of retributive judgment. Judgment would have come anyway but in regard to Naboth, God was going to avenge his death, or in other words, cause Ahab and Jezebel’s death to be in retribution for their brazen and public crime against Naboth. Naboth died a terrible public death, so will they. The dogs fed on Naboth’s blood, likewise with them. Their deaths would be as public as Naboth’s.
[11]. DAVID WRITING ON RETRIBUTION IN THE PSALMS
The subject of God’s retribution is encountered more frequently in David’s writings, especially in the Psalms. There would be an immense study in the Psalms but I want to confine the comments to only two passages. The second half of Psalm 21 focuses on the judgment of God against His enemies. Two verses in that section take up the theme of the retribution of God against His enemies who had planned action against God Himself. {{Psalm 21:11-12 “Though they intended evil against You, and devised a plot, they will not succeed, for You will make them turn their back. You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.”}}
In that passage above David acknowledges that it is God who will move in demonstration against the enemy. This same idea is canvassed in the second psalm selected. In Psalm 28 verses 3 and 4, David is aware of the falsehood of corrupt enemies around him but it is not his sword this time which has been summoned to requite the evil committed against the righteous. He hands it all over to God for His divine retribution. {{Psalm 28:3-4 “Do not drag me away with the wicked and with those who work iniquity; who speak peace with their neighbours, while evil is in their hearts. REQUITE THEM according to their work and according to the evil of their practices. REQUITE THEM according to the deeds of their hands; REPAY THEM their recompense.”}}
In the next posting we look at Retribution – swift and delayed. God bless you.
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
