Calvinist revenge?

by Ben

I read 1 Kings 1-2.

Solomon is appointed as the new king of Israel over his brother Adonijah. There is a neat little exchange between David and his son Solomon in Chapter 2, verses 1-9:

"I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God and follow all his ways. Keep each of the laws, commands, regulations, and stipulations written in the law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me: 'If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.'

"And there is something else. You know that Joab son of Zeruiah murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with the blood of war. Do with him what you think best, but don't let him die in peace.

"Be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. make them permanent guests of the king, for they took care of me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

"And remember Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the Lord that I would not kill him. But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him."


Whoa! A very powerful part of Scripture here. David has basically said three things: 1) Follow God; 2) Keep my friends; 3) Get my enemies.

Now, parts one and two make sense to me, but part three seems to leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. We're not used to the idea of revenge being promoted (particularly by a man of God). Mind you, we can certainly understand the justification for David's feelings toward those who have betrayed his (and by association, God's) loyalty, but aren't we supposed to let God dole out the justice?

I don't pretend to have the answer here, but maybe we can learn from the rest of Chapter 2. Solomon doesn't go out seeking these enemies of his father. He doesn't go out of his way to pay them back. They in different ways come to betray him, and he gets to enact his father's justice. Perhaps this was orchestrated by God?