Taking Vengeance, Wow!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-10(NKJV)

3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 

4so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 

5which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 

6since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 

7and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 

8in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 

10when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who £believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

I've never noticed this before.  Jesus will be taking vengeance on those who do not know God.  He's not just sending them to Hell.  According to this Scripture, the purpose of sending them to hell is to take vengeance on them. 

As I read this I wondered what the exact definition is of vengeance.  Let's take a look:

venge·ance

1. infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge: But have you the right to vengeance?

2. an act or opportunity of inflicting such trouble: to take one's vengeance.

3. the desire for revenge: a man full of vengeance.

4. Obsolete . hurt; injury.

5. Obsolete . curse; imprecation.

Pasted from <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vengeance?s=t>

The infliction of harm on a person, by a person who was originally harmed by the first person.  In this case the harmed "person" is God.  As I've written in the past, it's not a simple live and let live thing for those that reject Jesus.  God doesn't just say "that's OK, whatever you want to believe is OK with me".

When someone rejects Christ, God is harmed, it hurts Him.  It's hard to imagine that we have the power to hurt God, maker of the know universe but that seems to be what this Scripture is saying. 

Now the good news is that whether you have to incur the vengeance of God is totally within your control.  All you have to do is accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  Just say a little pray and simply ask Jesus to come into your life today.  You'll be glad you did!