Should Christians Pray for God To Destroy The Wicked?

A question was brought up recently that in the Psalms, David prayed for God to destroy his enemies. But Jesus taught that his followers should love their enemies and pray for them. Some have suggested that the difference was that David was an Old Testament saint but we are New Testament saints. 

But is that true? 

David was called a man after God's own heart. He is also listed in the 'Hall of Faith' in Hebrews 11 where it says of them, "They were living by faith when they died...." Clearly they were spirit filled saints. In Psalm 51, David pleads with God not to take his Holy Spirit from him clearly indicating that he was regenerated.

So why did David ask God to destroy his enemies and the wicked, but Jesus said to 'turn the other cheek' and love our enemies? 

Is the Bible contradicting itself?

Is this a difference between Old Testament and New Testament?

Whenever we see a difficult passage of scripture it is important to read the passage in its entire context. You may have heard the expression:

"A text without a context is a pretext."

So the first thing we need to do is look at the entire context in which Jesus was speaking.

What Was Jesus Actually Saying?

Jesus's words about turning the other cheek and loving our enemies come from what has been called the 'Sermon on the Mount.' Previous to this Jesus has been explaining that while the law is good and perfect, it cannot save us because it cannot fix the sin problem. The problem was not the law. The problem was, and is, our sinful nature. We are not capable of obeying the law. Jesus illustrated this in the laws against adultery and murder. While the law may keep us from actually committing the acts because of fear of the penalty, it cannot remove the lust and unrighteous anger within our sinful nature. We have to understand that the Old Covenant law was essentially the constitution for the nation of Israel. It was made for a people who in general were not given the Holy Spirit. Therefore all the law could do was restrain human nature. You might think of it as putting a lion in a cage to keep it from killing sheep. it doesn't change the nature of the lion, it only restrains it.

So when we come down to Matthew 5:38, we see another restraint placed on our carnal nature:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

The first thing to notice is that Jesus refers to the Old Covenant principle of 'eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' That comes from Leviticus 24:17-22:

“ ‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death. Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution—life for life. Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death. You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

'Eye for an eye' means that the punishment was to fit the crime. If this was not in the law people would be indiscriminatly taking revenge and possibly killing each other because of wrongs committed. 

Years ago I saw the movie End of the Spear. The Auca Indians were a fierce group that lived in the jungles of Ecuador. One thing I remember is that, after the gospel made its impact, a phenomenon appeared that had been almost absent before; there were grandfathers in the village. Before that, most men didn't live long enough to become grandfathers because they killed each other off. They had been a lawless people and when one got offended by another, they simply killed the offender. This is what human nature does when it is not held in check by law. The passage in Leviticus dictates how justice is to be administered fairly and equitably. This was to prevent vigilante justice.

The expression, 'love your neighbor and hate your enemy' is not actually contained in the law. But the law actually says in Leviticus 19:18:

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."

We don't actually know where the saying originated, but because Jesus said in both cases, "You have heard it said,..." he may have been refering to a saying that was common at the time.

The concept expressed in Leviticus 19:18,  is repeated in Deuteronomy 32: 35, and in Romans 12:19

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."

The bottom line is that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are not to be all about demanding justice for ourselves. Paul deals with that in 1 Corinthians 6 concerning the believers were suing each other. He even says in verse 7:

"...Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?"

Nobody has ever been dealt with more unfairly than Jesus Christ himself. He told us that if the world hated him they would hate us. He also said we would be blessed if we endure persecution for his sake. Demanding justice for ourselves is not to be the hallmark of a Christian.

David's Call for God to Destroy the Wicked.

Many times throughout the Psalms, David cries out to God to avenge him or to destroy the wicked. David is not talking about taking matters into his own hands. Even when David had a chance to kill King Saul he would not raise his hand against the Lord's anointed. He waited for God to deal with Saul in His own good time. In Revelation 6:9-11, we see the same thing:

"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been."

The saints that had been slain were asking for vengeance, but they were waiting for God to do it in His time. God fully intends to do away with the wicked. He will either do it by converting the wicked into his followers to where they are no longer wicked, or He will cast them into hell. But make no mistake, He will do away with the wicked.

The answer is yes, it is perfectly in line with both Old and New Testament teaching to pray for God to destroy the wicked and foil their plans. The issue in the New Testament is that our primary goal should not be demanding justice for ourselves and seeking revenge. 

The most loving prayer we can pray for our enemies is that they would repent. Because if they repent they will no longer be wicked and they will be saved. However, if they will not repent then praying for God to thwart the schemes of the evil doers and ultimately do away with them is appropriate. 

Jesus Was Preparing His Followers for Persecution.

Matthew 5:10-12:

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

The way of the Christ follower is the way of the cross. We are going to be persecuted. As followers of Christ we may as well get used to the idea that we are going to be treated unjustly. We aren't fit for the job if we are going to demand justice every time we are wronged. 

That doesn't mean we are to be passive doormats. 

The prophets were persecuted because they boldly and powerfully called the people out on their sin. Stephen was killed because he called the Jewish leaders out on their hypocrisy.

Passive people don't get persecuted. 

Christians are persecuted because they call the world out and convict them of their sin.

We are going to be persecuted. Jesus was telling us not to demand justice or seek revenge but to trust Him and keep proclaiming his word boldly.

We will be blessed. 

We Need Annointed Preaching.

 2 Timothy 4:3

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."

"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats." (C.H. Spurgeon)

I remember years ago hearing a story about a man who saw Satan speaking to a crowd of people out on the street. As he got closer he could hear that Satan was preaching a sermon about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The man waited until he was done and when the crowd had dispersed he went up to the devil and asked him, "Why would you, the enemy of Jesus Christ and the gospel, be preaching the gospel to all of these people?' The devil responded, "I have discovered that the best way to deceive people is to preach the gospel without the anointing of the Holy Spirit."

WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC OF UNNANOINTED PREACHING TODAY!!

When we hear the words of Paul to Timothy and the words of Spurgeon, it is easy to think of the popular word/faith and health/wealth preachers like Joel Osteen, Jesse Duplantis, and Benny Hinn, who are so far off the plantation that it's hard to believe that anyone takes them seriously. But as in so many things, it is the SUBTLE deviancies from the pure gospel that we need to beware of. Jesus said in Matthew 24: 24: 

"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

Most churches today act as if Jesus never said these words. But he did warn about them and not just once. There are many warnings in the New testament about false teachers and we are fools if we ignore them.

An incomplete gospel

One of the main charactoristics of unannointed preaching is that certain aspects of the gospel are left out or are treated with unimportance. Usually there is very little said about sin and coming judgment for the unrepentant. If sin is mentioned at all it is treated as something unfortunate that keeps you from reaching your true destiny. 

Sin is a direct assault on God himself and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23, Ezekiel 18:4, 20). When this is glossed over the message becomes an anemic gospel and it is not life-changing. 

It has been said that the gospel message is convicting but not condemning. Actually the gospel message is both. It is convicting to those who are being saved but it is condemning to those who are not being saved. As Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones said, "The gospel has a message to the unrepentant sinner -- judgment awaits."

If the message glosses over tthe unpleasant aspects of the gospel about judgment and the need to repent, then it is an un-annointed gospel.

Next I want to briefly mention two things that lead to un-annointed preaching and we must not allow ourselved to do or allow either one.

Compromise

I remember one time raising an objection about a teacher because he taught some completely unbiblical ideas about spiritual gifts. The response was, "We shouldn't dismiss someone simply because they may be off in an area." I would agree that may be true in areas where the Bible is unclear, such as specifics about end time prophecy. But when it is clear from scripture and the teacher persists in the error, then they should be called out. And if they expressed their false views publicly then it needs to be called out publicly.

Making excuses

Another time, regarding another leader, the response was, "But he has done a lot of good." 

I argued that this pastor had done a lot of damage and the leaders didn't disagree, but they were willing to overlook that because of the, at least perceived, good he had done.

Often compromise and excuse making come disguised as 'extending grace and mercy,' and 'striving for unity.' Jesus never commanded us to extend grace toward false doctrines and he commanded us to separate ourselves from that which is false. Read Jesus's words in Matthew 7:15-20;

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

It wouldn't be enough for a wolf to simply dress up like a sheep. They would have to put on a really good act and behave like a sheep,... for a little while at least. 

We must remember that the enemy is out to deceive. He is very clever and he does a really good impersonation of Jesus. 

A wolf in sheep's clothing.

And most of us have no idea that he is doing his work right under our noses because we are so naive.

Jesus said the deception would be so subtle that it might be possible to deceive the very elect. That means that the deception won't be obvious on the surface. Jesus also said we would know them by their fruit. Often it can take a while before you see the actual fruit. I remember when I lived in Florida we bought a house that had a number of citrus trees on the property. They all looked the same until the fruit started to mature. Then we realized that 2 of them were grapefruits, 2 were oranges, and one was a lemon. And even then, it wasn't until we opened the grapefruits up that we saw one was a pink grapefruit and the other a yellow grapefruit.

Don't be too quick to accept someone's teaching until you really know them. Sometimes that can take a while. We must be ever vigilant.

So here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Don't compromise with Biblical truth.

2. Don't make excuses for leaders.

Finally

Acts 17:11

"Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

If you are not doing as the Bereans did, it is not a question of whether you will be deceived, It is a question of when and to what extent.

Don't be deceived! 

And don't put up with anything but sound doctrine!