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Even the best of us have enemies. As believers, how should we rightfully deal with our foes? God has given us clear instructions in His Word. In our first two articles, we considered the following Biblical passages:

“Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” (Lk. 6: 27-28).
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12: 20-21).
“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him” (Prov. 24: 17-18).
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12: 19).
“The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh” (Prov. 11: 17).

In summary, we are to love our enemies, bless them and pray for them. We are to do good to them. We are not to rejoice at their calamities “lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.” We are not to avenge ourselves, but commit the wrong to the Lord Who is the best Judge. Meanwhile, we are to forgive the offender. By extending forgiveness, we do good to our soul.

To conclude our article, let us learn from two Biblical characters – David and Joseph - who returned good for evil:

David

David’s troubles began when he was highly honoured by the common people after his victory over the Philistines: “And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (I Sam. 18: 6-7). Full of wrath and envy, “Saul eyed David from that day and forward” (vv. 8-9), with the evil intention of killing him. “And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice” (I Sam. 18: 11).

The following chapters of I Samuel tell us that Saul continued his relentless pursuit of David. We are told that “Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand” (I Sam. 23: 14). However, David graciously spared the life of his murderous pursuer twice. On one occasion, divine providence brought Saul into the same cave wherein David and his men had hidden themselves. David refused to avenge himself, though strongly urged by his men to take advantage of the opportunity: “Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way” (I Sam. 24: 4-7).

Note that David “would not only not do this evil thing himself, but he would not suffer those about him to do it. Thus did he render good for evil to him from whom he had received evil for good, and was herein both a type of Christ, who saved his persecutors, and an example to all Christians not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good” – Matthew Henry.

As we have learnt earlier, we must not gloat over the calamities of our enemies. We must “weep with them that weep” (Rom. 12: 15). This David did when he heard of the deaths of both Saul and his son, Jonathan. Lamenting over their loss with a moving eulogy (II Sam. 1: 17-27), David rent his clothes, “mourned, and wept, and fasted until even” (II Sam. 1: 12). Note in particular, David’s initial statement in verse 19: “… the beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen.”

“David’s thoroughly patriotic and unselfish character is strongly marked here. He looked upon the death of Saul, and the defeat of Israel by a pagan foe, with unmixed sorrow, though it opened to him the way to the throne, and removed his mortal enemy out of the way” – Albert Barnes.

May we learn from David’s gracious example. Let us return good for evil. Jesus’ words were instructively clear: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5: 44).
(… to be concluded next week)

- Pastor