Who are God’s “enemies”?

Question

Deuteronomy 32:41 NASB

If I sharpen my flashing Sword, and my hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on my adversaries, and I will repay those who hate me.

This is one out of many passages where God refers to adversaries/enemies that are human, not spiritual actors like Satan. Who are God’s enemies? And does it bring Him down to the human level in some way? I understand how mankind can be God’s children or His portion/people, but when they are described as His enemies, it seems like they are then peers to God in a way? Or are they just His enemies because they are Israel’s enemies (verse 43)? If so, is there a New Testament equivalent of God’s enemies (thinking Matthew 5:44)?

Answer 1

Who are God's enemies?

As mentioned in Kyle Johansen's answer, anyone in opposition to Jehovah God is considered his enemy. First and foremost in this category is Satan the Devil. He has been in direct opposition to God from early on. (see John 8:44)

But also notice that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) And if we become a friend of the world then we become an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

So both spiritual and human beings can be enemies of Jehovah God.

Does it bring Him down to the human level in some way?

Have you ever had a pebble get stuck in your shoe and position itself in a way that you have to stop what you are doing and remove it? At that moment, the pebble has become an adversary/enemy because it impeded your forward progress. Did you become an unfeeling, uncaring, mindless, little stone? Of course not.

Just because Jehovah God has human enemies does not lower him in any way.

Answer 2

Enemies of 'God':Eloah אֱלֹהַּ (YHVH) seek to distort לְעַוּוֹת justice by dismantling an established moral 'Choq' חֹק:Law. -Psalm 94:20. | Perpetrators of Injustice called 'Chiqqei-Aven' חִקְקֵי־אָוֶן = "Inscribers [of] Misfortune" were believed by the ancient Israeli prophet Yeshayahu to actually affect God YHVH emotionally in [Isaiah 10:1-4] by causing His anger.

In [Deuteronomy 32:20], the Israeli prophet Moshe calls God's adversaries בָּנִים לֹא־אֵמֻן:"children [of] no-faith". The Adversary (of YHVH) in [Deuteronomy 32:41] written צרי "Tzar-i" could potentially accomplish two things against Him: 1. Reject Him (as God), 2. Anger Him. -- Revealing YHVH can be affected by humans, emotionally.

Answer 3

God's enemies are all those in rebellion to His perfect way. They are distressing and oppressing His perfect world. As from the word "tsar" (which is a fun coincidence). God is love, and they are enemies of love. The quotes from this song that most relevant are:

32

Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are filled with poison, and their clusters with bitterness.

37

He will say: “Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in,

43

I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.

44a

Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants;

Does this imply an equality with God? Far from it.

31

For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede.

Once God sharpens His sword His enemies will be disposed of. They live because of His mercy, they succeed because of His will

30

How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?

They are not his peers. He is permitting them to do evil until He comes to destroy it. And when that happens it will not be a close-run battle, it will be an utter defeat of evil. Because He is the Rock, and the Lord.