INTRODUCTION

The believer’s life is loaded with benefits (Psalm 68:19Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
See All...), but one of the greatest of these benefits concerns the area of vengeance. According to scripture, vengeance is reserved for the Lord’s enemies (Deuteronomy 32:41If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
See All...; Judges 11:36And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
See All...), or adversaries (Deuteronomy 32:43Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.
See All...; Jeremiah 46:10For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
See All...; Nahum 1:2God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
See All...), or the heathen (Psalm 149:7To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
See All...; Micah 5:15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.
See All...) but specifically upon “them that know not God” (2 Thessalonians 1:8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
See All...). God does not deal with His people in vengeance, it is reserved for those who reject the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
See All...). When the children of God are disobedient, the Lord chastens, but He never takes vengeance upon His own.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Read why God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16:49-50 [49] Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. [50] And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
  See All...; Genesis 19:24Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
  See All...). He waited until the two angels removed Lot and his family out of the city (2 Peter 2:6-7 [6] And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; [7] And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
  See All...; Genesis 19:16And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
  See All...). Likewise, God’s children are not appointed unto wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
  See All...).
• (For everyone): How should believers respond to a greater understanding of God’s vengeance (see Psalm 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
  See All...; Isaiah 35:4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
  See All...)? Why should believers take comfort from God’s vengeance?
• What are some other distinctions you can think of that come with being saved? Write them down and thank the Lord for the benefits of knowing Him.

PRAYER NEEDS

• If you are saved, thank the Lord for His salvation.
• Ask the Lord to give you a burden for those who are not saved.

HYMN

Tremble, Ye Sinners

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