Do We Serve a God of Vengeance?

When I was little, people used to tell me to look around and see all the beautiful things in nature—all the intricate designs. How could there not be a God? They would ask me.

Of course, they were picturing daisies and sunrises and ocean waves. Yet, as a little girl, I looked around and saw pain. I saw the lonely gravestones in long and quiet fields, the angry clouds that hazed the skies on stormy nights, and the hidden ache of sorrowed hearts.

We live in a world that is unbalanced. There is proof of God’s love yet there is so much hurt.

The mixed views leave us with mixed opinions on God’s character. Is He a God of love? Or is He a God of anger?

Nahum 1

I’m going to be referring to Nahum 1 for my points in this post. When studying the Bible, it is crucially important that we understand the context. If you were to read the book of Nahum randomly, without any idea of the background, you’d be shocked—and quite possibly offended—by many of the words.

Two things to note:

1. Nahum is written to the people of Nineveh. Does that name ring any bells? If you thought of the people Jonah was sent to, you’re correct.
2. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria—a powerful nation that was one of Israel’s greatest enemies (captors of the northern kingdom of Israel after the split of the nation).

Righteous Anger

Nahum 1:1-6

¹A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

²The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents His wrath against his enemies.

³The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; He Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet.

⁴He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.

⁵The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at His presence, the world and all who live in it.

⁶Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before Him.

When we first read that, it can be a bit intimidating. What is all this about enemies and wrath?

Let’s pause here for a minute and take a deeper look at the Ninevites.

These people were powerful, very strong in battle, and feared by surrounding nations—for good reason. They were known for impaling, flaying, burning, and beheading their captives. They would cut off the limbs and gouge out the eyes of their enemies and leave them in the streets as a reminder for anyone who dared fight back.

The Ninevites were wicked.

And these were the ones who had been tormenting God’s chosen people.

If a mother saw her child being bullied, would she not be angry? And rightly so! In the same way, when God hears the cries of His children, His fury is aroused.

There is a such thing as righteous anger. This is passion against that which is contrary to God’s will.

And what is the direct proof that this was contrary to God’s will?

Genesis 12:2—3 says, ““I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

That was God’s promise to Abraham (at the time, Abram), the grandfather of Jacob. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and thus the lineage of God’s people began.

This is why it’s important to look at all the pieces when studying the Bible. It’s easy to read this passage and be offended by the “negative” perspective of God’s character, when, in fact, He was keeping a promise from years before.

It’s a rather difficult thing to understand, but we know that God cannot be flawed and therefore even His vengeance is righteous.

God’s Reputation Among the Nations

Nahum 1:7-11

⁷The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him, ⁸but with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh; He will pursue His foes into the realm of darkness.

⁹Whatever they plot against the Lord He will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time.

¹⁰They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble.

¹¹From you, Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the Lord and devises wicked plans.

In these verses we are reminded of who God is. At this point, Yahweh was being mocked among the nations as Israel fell and was captured. “Where’s your God now?” They would ask. Not only were His people being shamed, but He was being shamed.

We know that God is a jealous God; He does not ignore the ways of the wicked or the lies of the evil one.

Choices and Consequences

Nahum 1:12-15

¹²This is what the Lord says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more. ¹³Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the images and idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.”

¹⁵Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.

When we read this, we see hurt and destruction. Yet note the rejoicing in the last verse! God is saving His people.

Specifically in the Old Testament you will find that God’s vengeance was directly related to covenant obedience. Remember, this was the old covenant, which means these rules and promises relate to us in different ways than they did to the people of that time.  

The Ninevites were given many opportunities to turn from their old ways, but they were not willing to leave behind the life they lead.

This does not mean that every bad or negative thing is caused by God to destroy someone or something that is hurting one of His children and/or denying Him. It simply means that consequences will come, and our decisions are what determine whether they will be positive or negative.

(Note: not all events are consequences; just because a good/bad thing happens does not mean it’s a consequence.)

Purpose

Our God is slow to anger, but He does not turn away from His children. Therefore, He is a just God. His vengeance is righteous and with pure motives—which is something that is truly hard for us to understand as humans.

We have to remember that the God of goodness and grace is also the God of justice and judgment.

That is the most obvious theme of this passage. However, I hinted at something earlier which is a theme I find most interesting.

God keeps His promises.

Abraham didn’t get to see this “great nation,” nor did He ever fully understand the meaning of the promises, as He died before they were fulfilled.

Yet God did not forget them.

Sometimes we feel abandoned and lonely. We look around the world and see pain and suffering. Why? Because our world is broken. It is no longer a place of perfection and serenity. Instead it is full of hate and corruption.

Yet, we must remember that, yes, our God is a jealous and avenging…but He is good. Because in the middle of it all we can trust that our He keeps His promises.