806. And He hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand, signifies retribution on account of the injuries and violence offered to the souls of the worshipers of the Lord. That by "He hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand," is signified retribution on account of the injuries and violence offered to the souls of the worshipers of the Lord, because by "He avenged" is signified retribution. By "shedding blood" is signified to offer violence to the Lord's Divinity and to the Word (n. 327, 684); here to the worshipers of the Lord, who are meant by "His servants." They offered injuries and violence to the souls of these by transferring to themselves the Divine worship of the Lord, and by prohibiting the reading of the Word. It is said of the Lord, that He avenged or revenged the blood of His servants, as if He did this from vengeance or revenge; but still it is not from vengeance or revenge, as it is not from anger and wrath, which however are attributed to the Lord in many places in the Word, see above (n. 525, 635, 658, 673). Anger and vengeance are said of the Lord, when the evil separated from the good are cast into hell, which is done at the day of the Last Judgment; on which account that day is called "a day of anger," and likewise "anger;" also "a day of vengeance;" not that the Lord is angry and avenges, but that they are angry with the Lord, and breathe vengeance against Him. It is as when a malefactor, after sentence is passed, is angry at the law, and breathes vengeance against the judge; for the law is not angry, nor is the judge revengeful. [2] "Vengeance" is meant in this sense in the following passages:
The day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed is come (Isa. 63:4). Here it treats of the Lord and the last judgment:
The day of Jehovah's vengeance, the year of retributions for the controversy of Zion (Isa. 34:8). Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the retribution of God will He come, and He will save you (Isa. 35:4). These are the days of vengeance, that all things that are written may be fulfilled (Luke 21:22). Here it treats of the consummation of the age, when the Last Judgment comes:
The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me, to proclaim the day of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn (Isa. 61:1-2). Shall not My soul take vengeance for this (Jer. 5:9, 29)? I will take vengeance on Babel, nor will I make a man to intercede (Isa. 47:3). The thought is against Babel to destroy it, because this is the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengeance of His temple (Jer. 51:11, 36). Sing, ye nations, His people; for He hath avenged the blood of His servants, and He will render vengeance to His enemies, and will expiate His land, His people (Deut. 32:43).
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church