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Lamech's View of Vengeance

Vengeance is commonly used to accomplish a sense of justice or security. Victims may feel it is fair for perpetrators to suffer as the victims have. People may feel protected when they know anyone who harms them will also be dealt with. Vengeance may be a common practice, but that doesn't make it good. It's hard to know what Lamech's intentions were, but in any case, vengeance is for God to decide and not for Lamech to justify.

Lamech remembered God's vengeance that would come upon anyone against Cain. Apparently, he thought he had the same protection. This notion was presumptuous and without God's approval. It can be comforting to know people understand that if we are harmed, we will be avenged. However, we don't completely understand vengeance, let alone the authority to carry it out. Lamech intended to retaliate with his own vengeance, regardless of God's approval. Any way you look at it, Lamech was so focused on how vengeance would personally affect him that he completely misunderstood God's mercy.

Our ways are not God's ways. We function on a limited ability, whereas God is unlimited in all his ways. God's ways, including his vengeance, are for him to determine. One could look at the cross and see that God's vengeance will be carried out when Jesus returns and locks up the devil for good. Unlike Lamech in his situation, Jesus understood what he had to go through on the cross. It may seem unfair, but the Bible tells us God was pleased to do it because he loves us.

Question: What do you recognize in Lamech's statement? Do you sometimes demand justice when God desires to give mercy?

Prayer: Ask God to reveal any areas where you want to take revenge and ask him to help you release the demand in your heart. Ask him to give you a heart of mercy to forgive the wrongs done to you. Pray that God reminds you to let God be God and to trust Jesus with your life. Also, thank Him that His ways are greater than our ways.