The author beings by discussing the Psalms, and how many of them contain prayers of vengeance and petitions for God to destroy an enemy. As I watched AD:The Bible Continues last night, the episode with Ananias and Sapphira stirred my heart to think along these lines: have we lost the OT picture of a God of Justice? The dialogue chosen for Sapphira was particularly striking, because she simply begged the questioned - hadn't we done what was prudent?
In hedging their bets - and how many of us American Christian do this daily - they had disobeyed God. Have we lost praying for God to set things right?
Enter this excellent little column by Peter Leithart, which I quote in part here:
In hedging their bets - and how many of us American Christian do this daily - they had disobeyed God. Have we lost praying for God to set things right?
Enter this excellent little column by Peter Leithart, which I quote in part here:
Read: http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2015/04/teach-us-to-praySoon after John witnesses the martyrs under the altar, he sees incense smoke rising to heaven mixed with the “prayers of the saints,” that is, the prayers of the martyrs for vindication and vengeance. An angel fills the censer with fire and coals and throws it to the earth, causing thunder, lightning, and an earthquake (Revelation 8). We live in a world where ISIS warriors behead Christians and release the film. We need an earthquake, and we should pray for it: “How long, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging their blood? How long before you do some judging to proveyou are Judge?”