The evil and wicked man may hide under the cover of darkness to execute his evil works. He may disguised his face, changed his overall appearance with gloves in his hands to avoid his finger prints and to confuse the investigators from finding him whereby an innocent soul is held responsible to pay for the crime he knew nothing about. He may run thousands and thousands of miles away from his crime’s scene to escape and avoid men’s judicial system, power and justice – but not with our God with whom all things and naked and opened before him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:13.
Darkness cannot hide before him and there is no place where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves (Job 34:21-22). Light shines before him and darkness cannot hide from him….yea, the darkness hides not from thee; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Psalms 139: 12.
His surveillance eyes never sleep nor slumber and are at work twenty four – seven both to protect, guides and to recompense the ways and works of the righteous as well as the wicked upon them presently and in eternity…..Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: thou shewest loving-kindness’ unto thousands, and recompenses the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name, great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes (divine eyes of vengeance) are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 32:17-19.
In the New, the Lord changed the law of human and moral relation as saying resist not evil – that is, not paying the inconsiderate, heartless, wicked and the unrighteous back with their own coin….say not thou, I will recompense evil, wait on the Lord (divine vengeance) and he shall save thee (Unlike in the Old Testament where it was an eye for an eye rule of self retaliation and revenge). Proverbs 20:22.
The law and principles of spiritual moral in the kingdom disallows and forbids the new creatures in Christ Jesus taking to jungle justice: that is, putting the judicial law into their own hands on personal retaliation or revenge to inflict injury or punishment on their offenders and wrongdoers. Personal offences are to be overlooked for God to fight for us (the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me Romans 15:3) rather than returning evil for evil, good should be repaid as we put aside any grudge, malice, bitterness and hatred towards the ungodly, unregenerate, carnal brethren and the wicked.
Deaf ears should be turned to malicious words spoken and directed against us as a deaf man: be quiet and dumb as a man in whose mouth is no reproof. (Psalms 38:14) We should not allow any insult or embarrassing word to embarrass us and neither anyone in any situation or circumstance to cause us to fret (evil provocation) to do evil….For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed himself (the vengeance act of God) to him that judges righteously…….Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord (eyes of divine vengeance) is against them that do evil. 1Peter 2:21-23. 1Peter 3:9-12.
Note: there is no good and justifiable reason to do evil – good tree brings forth good fruit and an evil tree brings forth evil fruit- how can you that are evil speak or do good things? Matthew 12:40.
Such is the way of the cross, the pathway of self-denial and abasement in the consideration of Christ honor, testimonies and glory above our personal feelings, dignity, praises and any damage (s) done against our name and integrity as we bless them that persecute us and are not overcome with evil but constantly overcoming evil with good…..recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12: 17-21.
David was introduced to the palace of King Saul as an anointed musical artist capable of helping the king to overcome his demonic depression and affliction through his playing the flute. Before then, the young and sweet Psalmist of Israel has wrought great deliverance and victory for the whole house and armies of Israelis through his exploit by faith in God in the death of Goliath of Gath and the women with joy and appreciation sang and awarded hundreds of victories to King Saul while they gave ten thousands of thousands of victories to the young brave David.
The king was angry and furious, restless and became envious of the young David as he thought him a threat to his kingdom, honor and dignity….And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, they have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed (intent to eliminate) David from that day and forward. 1 Samuel 18: 6-9.
The Lord was with David and the king was afraid of him. Twice did David escaped the javelin threw at him by Saul aimed to kill him while ministering to him for deliverance. While those attempt couldn’t work, he thought it wise to destroy him by the hands of the Philistines as he proposed his first daughter to David as wife at the expense of an hundred foreskins of the Philistines as dowry to be avenged of the king’s enemies….but Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines…..And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law. And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.And Saul said, thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son in law: and the days were not expired.
Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by. 1 Samuel 18: 22-30.
For his goodwill and heroic act toward his nation and for his deliverance ministrations from demonic oppression and depression for the king, David became a national fugitive and vagabond, a public enemy number one to King Saul as he shamelessly, relentlessly and openly sought to kill him.
Note: when the wicked hardened and persisted in their evil labor, fruitless and senseless pursuit against the righteous (Psalms 37:32) it is the token of their condemnation and perdition for that judgment without mercy which is awaiting them – the wicked is reserved against the day of judgment…have ye not asked them that go by the way? And do ye not know their tokens, that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him (divine eyes and hands of vengeance) what he hath done? Job 21:29-31.
King Saul’s hot chase and intent to destroy David intensified as he took three thousands strong armies of Israelis after him looking for David: but the latter was once spared again by divine separation as Saul was caused to hear a rumor of invaded forces against Israelis when he almost caught David.
Once was David in advantage by divine providence to slay the King and put an end to his unreasonable, ungrounded hatred and pursuit after his life….. then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.
Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth. And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. 1 Samuel 23: 19 -29.
Though men are ever bad so themselves, and carry it ever so basely towards us, yet that does not discharge us from the great debt we owe them – love.
Thus the man (David) after the heart of God render good for evil from King Saul whom he had received evil for good. We cannot but find ourselves very prone to wish the hurt or do evil to those who hurts or abusive to us – love does not work evil to his neighbor and though the dog bark at the sheep, let not the sheep bark at the dog……And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. And he said unto his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, my lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said to Saul, wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
The Lord Judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge (divine eyes of vengeance) me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, wickedness proceeded from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. 1 Samuel 24: 1-15.
In the wilderness where David and his men abode for the fear of Saul, Nabal men were tending their flocks as David and his men provided security assistance and safe passages; both for them and their flocks against thieves and wolves without any loss or Injury without charge.
It came to the time of harvest and end of the year celebration while Nabal was feasting for the success and profits of the year that David sent some of his men to him to congratulates him for the success of his year’s work and to recognize in remembrance that they contributed to it and desire some victuals for them….And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 1 Samuel 25: 7-8.
Nabal behaved proudly and wickedly to the servants sent, accused David of rebellion against Saul, treated them with scorn as insignificant men. They returned to David in shame, heaviness of heart and rejection from Nabal from whom they had hope to have some comfort and rejoicing of heart. David became frustrated and thought well: I have labored in vain to help this man who treated them with an ungrateful spirit and contempt. Note: though our motive is right in our good works and will (practical righteousness) yet should it not be a grief of heart to us if it were met by ungrateful men of churl spirit, meant to count our benevolence as unworthy and useless and to our provoke and weary us in well doing.
David thought to destroy every living being in Nabal’s house by anger and self revenge for his inconsideration, abusive and deformative words spoken against them and for his refusal to be kind to their kindness and services rendered to his men.
He met Abigail, Nabal’s wife on his way to the revenge mission as she wisely pacified David’s anger and held him back from revenge or retaliate himself for the shame and reproach they received from her husband’s foolishness and wickedness….I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me. And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.1 Samuel 25: 28-34.
Our God is clothed with garments of vengeance for clothing as he smote Nabal’s with cardiac arrest, from which he later died after ten days of his churlishness. Thus the selfish and foolish man’s wife (Abigail) became the wise and good man’s wife (David)…the righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. Psalm 58:10.
There is no personality favoritism, neither acceptance of person with God in his dealings with us all – male or female, great or small – rich or poor – white or black…as each man shall found and receives a just recompense of reward of his doings, works and ways in his dealings, relations and treatments of others before God.
As long as we are right, the Lord shall be there to fight and to vindicate us: but if and when we are wrong and oppressive to the poor and needy, the Lord shall arise and fight against us…For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffed at him. Psalms 12:5.
The face of the Lord is against (whosoever) them that do evil, to cut off their remembrance from the face of the earth Psalms 34:16.
Just as the just and righteous Lord and Judge fought and avenged David of Saul: so likewise did he fought against David in his selfish act against Uriah by killing him and taking over his wife from him.
It was the greatest blunder in David’s life as he thought to cover it up against the eyes of divine vengeance. His error caused him the greatest pain and restless generational curse from the Lord to whom vengeance belongs to…..Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly (impossible to hide from divine eyes and hands of vengeance) but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 2 Samuel 12: 7-12.
Naboth’s vineyard was much closed to King Ahab’s palace; he desired and asked of it for any price or another better vineyard in exchanged. Naboth refused both offered because the vineyard is not just for him – but the inheritance of his father’s as their lot or inheritance in the land of Canaan and for his generation after him. The King got dejected and sad for Naboth’s refusal and denial of his request. Jezebel schemed and helped her husband the King to kill Naboth for his vineyard to facilitate the possession of it.
The Lord God sent Elijah his prophet to confront Ahab while he was on his way to the vineyard for the possession of it and condemns him for his wicked act and to inform him of the inevitable retaliation of God against him and his entire generation for the revenge of Naboth killed for his vineyard. (1) Ahab and his posterity shall be wiped out from the face of the earth to avenge Naboth’s shed blood. (2) In the place same place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth’s stoned to death innocently for his vineyard, shall dogs lick the blood of King Ahab as well. (3) The dogs shall lick the blood of Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. (4) Any one that of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and he that died in the field the fowls of the air shall eat.
Let no man think to hide himself from God’s judgment, no, not in masquerade – his hand shall find out all his enemies, whatever disguise they are; except the mouth of the Lord has not spoken it.
The divine mouth does not transgress in judgments as he pronounced the doom of Ahab in battle, though he thought to prove the prediction false and God a liar as he disguised himself to battle; yet the eyes and hands of divine vengeance saw and found him.……And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, every man to his city, and every man to his own country. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake. 1 Kings 21:17-21. 1 kings 22: 34-38.
You cannot run nor hide from God. He knows all your ways and his eye sees all your doings. He will avenge against the manipulators, wicked and the oppressors; either for the living or the dead; for all live or died unto him.
Er, so was his name, the firstborn of Judah was notoriously wicked in the sight of the Lord and the Lord slew him for his wickedness. Onan, Judah’s next son, though he consented to marry the widow, yet, to the great abuse of his own body, of the wife that he had married, and of the memory of his brother that was gone, he refused to raise up seed unto his brother, as he was in duty bound.
He went into his brother’s wife and knew her but as soon as the sperm is coming out, he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give child to preserve the name of the dead in Israel, so the Lord was displeased with his evil intention just to use his brother widow for his pleasure and to dump her, so the Lord slew him as well….And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also. Genesis 38: 7-10.
God shall avenge all proudness and puffing on others (1Samuel 2:1-5: 25: 4-17. Psalms 76: 5). He shall avenge acts of betrayal (Isaiah 17: 12-14: 33:1). He shall avenge acts of cheating and unjust balances (Proverbs 29: 24. Zachariah 5: 1-4. 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-7. Jeremiah 17:11). He shall avenge advantages taken on others in their necessity, vulnerability and weakness (Genesis 19: 1-13. Proverbs 23: 10-11. Zachariah 7: 8-13). He shall avenge all ungratefulness and rebellious attitudes (Proverbs 17: 11 & 13. Proverbs 24: 17-18). He shall avenge acts of violence and all unrighteousness (Judges 1: 1-7 Obadiah: 10-15 Micah 6: 6-15).