Vengeance, Biblical Counseling

When we speak of vengeance we are talking about "getting even" with an offender. Basically, it is punishment given in retaliation for an injury. God made an agreement with Moses and the Lord gave him laws that the people should live by. The law concerning violence was "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound" Exodus 21:24-25. This was a call for equal retribution. It was also given by God to be a limitation. If someone owed fifty dollars, it would not be just to burn the man's house down. Today, we also have laws of the land, much in the same way as with Moses. The Lord says, "the authorities that exist are appointed by God...for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil" Romans 13:1-4. It is clear in God's Word, we are not to take matters into our own hands. For great offenses, let the courts decide.