The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-23, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 51."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 2001 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

Answer

This is coming up all the time now; people are picking up on the imprecatory Psalms where the psalmist is praying for God to destroy his enemies. The difference is a very clear difference: in the Koran, it’s people being called to kill for God; in the Bible, it’s people asking God to destroy those that are destroying his people. One puts the power--the jihad--in the hands of the people; the other puts the vengeance where it belongs with God.

But, it is true that there are imprecatory Psalms, which call down damnation on the enemies of God. That is an appropriate kind of praying. It doesn’t allow us to take vengeance into our hands. But, it’s the same thing in Habakkuk: “How long, O Lord, how long?” It’s the same thing in Revelation, the martyrs under the alter: “How long, O Lord, how long are you going to let this on? Your people are being massacred all over the world; how long before you’re going to step in and stop the bloodshed and honor your name and vindicate yourself?”

So, I think it’s a righteous prayer. It’s not that we as martyrs hate those who kill us. It’s not that we hate our persecutors. Quite the contrary: we love them. It is that we want our God to be vindicated…we want our God to be honored. It is like the Psalm (I think it’s Psalm 69) where it says--David said that “the reproaches that fall on you are fallen on me. Zeal for your house has eaten me up” and then Jesus quotes that! Jesus is the one who said “love your enemies,” but Jesus is the one who made a whip--right?--and quoted that Psalm, “Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the reproaches that fall on you are fallen on me,” went in there, turned over the tables, and started slashing people with a whip. It had nothing to do with personal self-defense. It had nothing to do with whether He loved his enemies or not. It had to do with the vindication of the glory and honor of God.

But only Jesus did that. He didn’t authorize the disciples, He didn’t send them out and say, “Now go preach the gospel and throw over people in the temple and,” you know, “pick fights and be tools of vengeance.” That was unique to the nation Israel. Those are the only holy wars--legitimate ones--in all of history. So, I think it’s a matter simply of recognizing that we have every right to pray that the glory and honor of God be vindicated and that sinful men be thwarted and that righteousness prevail in the world.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
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