MAY 15, 2026 – VENGEANCE

READ: 2 Kin. 9:1–37: … I will cut off from Ahab all the males …

Despite the great decline in the royal houses of both the ten-tribe and the two-tribe kingdom, the LORD still shows patience. For He wants to cause a lamp to shine: to preserve a descendant of David with a view to the Messiah, David’s great Son (Ps. 132:17). Therefore, in His faithfulness to David, the LORD still spares Jehoram and Judah (2 Sam. 7:13; 1 Kin. 11:36; Ps. 89:36–37; Ps. 132:10–12,17; 2 Kin. 8:19).

At the same time, God does not leave sins unpunished. Because He is righteous, He calls His people to repentance. The anointing of Jehu is intended to destroy all the ungodly male descendants of Ahab, together with Jezebel. In this way the blood of God’s prophets and other servants will be avenged upon the queen. She herself will be devoured by dogs, so that nothing of her body remains to be buried.

This terrible commission is spoken by a son of the prophets on behalf of Elisha. Thus God’s earlier command to Elijah at Horeb is finally carried out (1 Kin. 19:16). This divine command belongs to the covenant vengeance of the LORD.

It must be noted that no human being is entitled to such vengeance, since a human cannot judge purely. God alone can do this: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30). The civil authority also has the task, in God’s service, to execute righteous judgment (Rom. 13:4). This has nothing to do with cruelty; it is deserved punishment.

One day God will judge all people through His Son, including those who have persecuted and killed believers. Even now, the persecuted church cries out, like the souls under the altar: “How long, O LORD, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:10). The answer given to them is that they must rest a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brethren who will be killed is complete—that is, at the final judgment.

To what extent do we have to deal with covenant vengeance?

Singing: Ps. 94:1,6