For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
I have used these words of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:35 to feel a better about situations where people hurt me. In an effort to release my own desire for revenge, I would tell myself, “God will take revenge for me.” I basically believed that God would look at my situation and bring justice by harming the other person in some way appropriate to their crime against me. It was amazing! It was like having a divine mafia who had my back and never missed any wrongdoing! In this sense, I could say with excitement, “Watch out! I’m not taking revenge! I’m dropping you into the hands of the Living God!”
The only problem with this approach is that God extends grace to all (including me), and He achieves justice by pouring out His wrath on Christ (Romans 3:21-26). God does not achieve justice by looking at how I am treated and paying back people for hurting me. So what does God mean in Hebrews 10:30-31 when He uses these words of Moses?
These two verses come as a part of the final warning of Hebrews against the one sin that is not forgiven: rejecting Christ.* Since, as the author of Hebrews has established, the greatest gift and covenant of all is that of Jesus Christ, it follows that the penalties of rejecting what Jesus did be great.* The “vengeance” that the author references has more to do with just punishment than petty payback.*
What makes the situation serious and fearful is that the One who holds us accountable is living.* We are not dealing with a dead law or a past historical figure that we desire to measure up to the ideals or memory of. We are held accountable by the Living God.*
There are sins that are committed out of ignorance or imperfection, but the author of Hebrews encourages us to fearfully consider that rejection of the gift of Christ is to accept the need for justice without Christ.* Christ paid the price of our sin; rejection of His payment means we choose to provide payment ourselves.
God is not interested in condemning humanity or going around paying back others for wronging us; God is interested in giving grace to all in the form of Jesus Christ. We must accept this gift. In accepting it, we can forgive those who wrong us by passing along that forgiveness.
It’s that serious.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to sit in the comfort of knowing that He is a Living God who sees your needs and cares. Perhaps God wants you to remember that because He is the Living God who sees your failings and wants to give you what you need to overcome. Maybe today God wants you to turn to Him for salvation. Perhaps today God wants you forgive someone knowing that you are forgiven. Maybe today God wants you to share Christ with someone you know because it’s that serious.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 10:26–31). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 516–518). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 140–141). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (pp. 355–358). Zondervan Publishing House.
Schrenk, G. (1964–). ἐκδικέω, ἔκδικος, ἐκδίκησις. In G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 2, p. 445). Eerdmans.