On Friday, May 15, 2015, a jury sentenced the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, to die. Many of the victims felt vindicated.  Many said he got what he deserved.   At least one family , though, did not want the death penalty for him.

Over the years, I have struggled with the issue of capital punishment.  What IS its real purpose?  Supposedly it is to deter crime.  However, does it?  I doubt it.  How many criminals think about dying when they are committing a crime?  I would guess very few.  I am not going to spout a bunch of statistics.  You can google those yourself.

So if capital punishment isn't a deterrent, then what is its purpose?  That's where the struggle is.  Many in this case, and most capital punishment cases, tout justice needs to be served.  One family of the bombing, said now they can now move on. Unfortunately, this case is going to haggle on in the media for years to come so I am skeptical about their ability to leave this case behind.

So if it's not for a deterrent, and not for justice, then isn't the death penalty really just for revenge? If it were my family members that were harmed, wouldn't revenge be what I would want?  I understand how the families would want the perpetrator to suffer as their families have suffered.  I get that.  Especially if it were my child that was hurt or killed.  But what does the Bible say about revenge?

Deuteronomy 32:35 "It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them." 
 Romans 12:19 "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Genesis 4:15 "So the Lord said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold."And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, So that no one finding him would kill him.

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

Proverbs 24:29 " Do not say Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

You get the picture.  There are more verses in the Bible that speak to vengeance . God will deal with them in do time.  The Bible also says,  Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.  Isn't that what we do when we sentence someone to die.  Yes, they killed someone.  Possibly alot of people.  But I see no where in the Bible where it says, well okay you can kill someone if they killed someone else.  Isn't that the Lord's job of judgement?

I am not saying the perpetrator should not be punished.  He/she should.  But death?  What exactly does that accomplish?

I know, many if not most of you will disagree with this.  It is okay.  I have struggled for a long time with it.

Does Tsarnaev deserve death?  Of course he does.  But what about us? In God's eyes, don't we all deserve death?   Romans 6:23 " For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  And yet we have been extended grace.  Psalm 103:10 "He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve."   Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

These are just my thoughts.  Please feel free to comment and leave your own.

Proverbs 24:29

Verse Concepts

Do not say, "Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf

So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold " And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Revenge,-And-Retaliation#sthash.oGi8Wf1J.dpuf