Rejoice, You Nations, With His People

Deuteronomy 32:35,40-43 – It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”…I lift my hand to heaven and solemnly swear: As surely as I live forever, when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the  heads of the enemy leaders.” Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.

Psalm 149:6-9 – May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them—this is the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the Lord.

Isaiah 65:18 – But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.

Psalm 65:3 – When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.

Psalm 79:9 – Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.

Application:

• ·         Avenging is God’s prerogative, not ours.
• ·         Vengeance is God’s just retribution on those who have attacked His kingdom.
• ·         John links the notion of a new heaven and a new earth with the “new Jerusalem”.
• ·         “Forgave our transgressions” means accepted the atonement sacrifices you appointed and so forgave our sins.
• ·         As the desolation of God’s people brings reproach to God, so their salvation and prosperity bring Him glory.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV