The topic of Biblical judgment is highly controversial at this time in the Church.  Pastors and ministry leaders in America have drifted away from Biblical truth, opting to preach “Jesus is love” which is only part of the truth the Scriptures teach.  Similar to the heresy of Cessationism that proposes that the Lord doesn’t move in power today, even though this simple fact of Christianity is taught throughout the Old Testament, the Gospels, Paul’s writings and in the Book of Revelation, the Church has embraced the lie that the Lord doesn’t move in judgment today – another foundational truth of Christianity clearly set forth in the Bible from cover to cover.

The arrogance of the Cessationist that believes that we are exempt from the need of the power of God today, denying Paul’s teaching that “…the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power” (I Cor 4:20) is at the root of the lie that God doesn’t move in judgment today.  Many Christians simply cannot tolerate the idea that they need to be corrected (disciplined, judged), forgetting the fact that they are disciples of Christ.  This demonstrates the need to lay the foundation of foundational truth again, revisiting the unfolding of the topic of judgment in the Old Testament, while remembering that the Apostle Peter said the following –

1 Peter 4:17–19 (NASB95)

¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? ¹⁹ Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Peter’s words may be difficult to accept, but his teaching is foundational for us to understand, embrace and teach.

The revelation, or unfolding of the topic of judgment in the Old Testament, is interesting in that it begins in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve believed the lie of the serpent and made their decision not to obey the Lord’s simple and uncomplicated instructions that they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:15-17).  He also revealed that if they disobeyed and ate of this tree they would surely die (vs. 17) – simple, straightforward truth.  This truth is confirmed in James –

James 1:15 (NASB95; emphasis mine)

¹⁵ Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

The truth of the Lord’s warning came into immediate effect when Adam and Eve, believing a lie, chose to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Immediately, their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked and they proceeded to cover themselves (Gen 3:7).  We must remember that the Lord watches over His word to perform it (Jer 1:12; Is 55:11).  In the very next verse, they heard sound of the Lord walking in the garden (vs. 8), setting the stage for the Lord to confront them of their sin and to pronounce detailed and painful judgment (Gen 3:9-19) that we are still reaping today.  It is odd that Christians today scoff at the idea that the Lord judges today when they are, in fact, still experiencing the judgments pronounced by the Lord against Adam and Eve.  The Devil is still about his business of causing the children of God not to believe what the Lord Himself has said in the Bible.  What a tragedy it is that pastors and other so-called leaders choose not to preach this simple truth, becoming the blind leading the blind.

Soon after the above account, we find Cain judged for his sin of murdering his own brother Abel (Gen 4:8).  Again, the consequences of sin and the pronouncement of judgments were immediate, beginning in verse nine –

Genesis 4:9–13 (NASB95)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰ He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. ¹¹ “Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² “When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” ¹³ Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear!

Next, we come to Noah who lived in the day when the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth (Gen 6:5).  So great was the sin of man, that the Lord was “sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (vs. 6).  In contrast, Noah found favor in the sight of God and He announces that His judgment will be released upon the entire earth in the form of a flood.  Everyone, with the exception of Noah and his family, will be destroyed.  And so it came to pass, leaving Noah and his family with the experiential knowledge that the Lord’s judgment for sin is certain when people do not repent, but those that hear the voice of the Spirit of God and take refuge in Him by obeying His commands/instructions, they are protected from His wrath expressed in judgments.  We would do well to follow the example of Noah and his family.

The danger of presumptive sin in the form of plans and strategies that come from the mind of man, rather than revelation from the Lord, is clearly illustrated in the story of the tower of Babel (Gen 11).  The people gathered together and decided to make a name for themselves, a sure sign of pride and arrogance.  Having agreed upon their plan (vs. 4) it is notable to observe that, again, in the very next verse the Lord responds and comes down to observe the city and the tower (vs. 5).  Judgment was released in the form of confusion of their language, coupled together with the Lord “scattering them abroad from there over the whole earth” (Gen 11:6-9).  The result being that the people stopped building the city (vs. 8).  The Lord reveals through the prophet Isaiah that people who make plans without His Holy Spirit are rebellious, worthy of judgment (Is 30:1, cf. 29:15).

As we progress with our survey, we come to the persons of Abram and Sarai.  Abram has his first encounter with the Lord, where he is instructed to leave Haran and set out for Canaan, settling in Egypt due to the severe famine in Canaan (Gen 12:1-10).  The Pharoah of Egypt, thinking that Sarai was Abram’s sister and not his wife (which is the lie Abram and Sarai conspired to set forth), takes Sarai for his own (vss 11-16).  Again, the judgment from the Lord came swiftly with severity starting in the very next verse –

Genesis 12:17–20 (NASB95; emphasis mine)

¹⁷ But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸ Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? ¹⁹ “Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go.” ²⁰ Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.

It is important to note that the Lord released not just plagues, but great plagues against Pharaoh and his house.  We dare not miss the consistency with which the Lord levies judgment in the first book of the Bible.  They are judgments set forth as precedents revealing how the Lord works.

Years later, the Lord visits Abraham and prophesies that Isaac, the heir He had promised, will be born to Sarah a year later (Gen 18:10).  The Lord then begins an internal dialogue concerning the importance of revealing to Abraham that He plans to bring judgment to Sodom and Gomorrah because their “outcry is indeed great and their sin is exceedingly grave” (Gen 18:20 NASB95).  We should pause here to notice that the primary purpose for the Lord to reveal His plan of judgment to Abraham was because, “I [the Lord] have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him” (Gen 18:19).  The foundational truth the Lord wanted to reveal to Abraham was that there are consequences for committing sin that includes serious judgment, up to and including destruction and death.  Abraham would then be able to instruct his family concerning this truth so that they would not practice the same sins that Sodom and Gomorrah did.  Implicit in the Lord’s decision for revealing His decision to Abraham was that it was for our benefit as well, so that we too would walk in righteousness and justice, walking in the fear of the Lord so that the Lord would bless us and NOT bring judgment.

Later, we again observe that Abraham is unwilling to tell the truth about Sarah his wife as he moves to Gerar (Gen 20:1).  King Abimelech will stumble in the same way that the Pharaoh of Egypt did, by taking Sarah as his wife, not knowing she was Abraham’s wife (vs 2).  Imme-diately in the next verse (note the consistency of how quickly the Lord chooses to move) God comes to Abimelech in a dream revealing that Sarah is married and that if he doesn’t restore her, he is a dead man (vs 3) and that he and his entire household would surely die (vs 7).

Moving on, we come to the narrative related to the children of Israel suffering cruel bondage in Egypt during the days of Moses.  The story and the details related to the judgments that fell upon Pharaoh and Egypt can be read in the book of Exodus and need not be recounted here.  However, we should note that Pharaoh would not listen to the voice of the Lord that came through Moses and Aaron; he hardened his heart against the Lord.  As the Lord continued to pour out judgment upon judgment, culminating in the death of all the first-born sons of Egypt, including that of Pharaoh’s own son, Pharaoh agreed to release the Hebrews.

It was the blood of the Passover lamb that was placed on the door posts of the dwellings of the Hebrews that protected them from the judgment of death from the Lord (Ex 12:12-13).  Moses and all of the Hebrews were witnesses of the truth that when an individual or nation refuses to hear the words of the Lord, repeatedly hardening their heart(s) against Him, He will move in judgment.  Certainly, it is true that mercy triumphs over judgment (Ja 2:13b), but the context of that verse is to remind Christians to move in mercy, “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy” (Ja 2:13a).  Again, we have an apostle’s warning of judgment to Christians!  The Lord will not show mercy to those who consistently sin against Him by grieving and resisting His Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51-53), to say nothing of how they live their lives in complete disregard of His Scripture, living in darkness.  He is a righteous judge and is prepared to judge when people refuse to hear and repent of their sins –

Psalm 7:11–13 (NASB95; emphasis mine)

¹¹ God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day. ¹² If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. ¹³ He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

It is amazing the types of mental gymnastics that are required to deny that the Lord moves in judgment today.  We are called to acknowledge our sin (Jer 3:13; Ps 38:18 & 32:5; Ja 5:16; 1 Jn 1:9) to be forgiven or guilt and mercy from the Lord.  Otherwise, judgment is sure to come.  Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul penned, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; as a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal 6:7 NASB95).  Unfortunately, much of the Church is deceived regarding the fact that judgment from Heaven is not only possible today but is being poured out like rain now – we appear to have eyes that will not see and ears that will not hear.  Unless we change, we will enter into greater judgments.  Many feel that the bad things that surround us are from Satan, however, it is the Lord that has allowed evil to rush in, bringing death, disease, chaos and destruction, the classic trifecta being pestilence, famine and war (De 32:24; I Kg 8:37//2 Chr 6:28; 2 Chr 20:9; Jer 14:12, 21:9; 24:10, 27:8,13, 29:17-18, 32:24, 36, 38:2, 42:22, 44:13; Eze 5:17, 6:11-12, 7:15, 12:16, 14:21).

Finally, we come to the end of our survey as we read the account of Moses and the Hebrews as they stand as witnesses of the Lord’s complete destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Ex 14:13-31).  This was the final consequence of Pharaoh and the Egyptians not heeding the word of the Lord that was backed up in the plagues they had experienced.  They refused to listen.  The Bible records that “…when Israel saw the great power which the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses (Ex 14:31 NASB95).  The plagues levied against the Egyptians, followed by the complete destruction of Pharaoh’s army was a message not only the Egyptians that were left, but to the Hebrews and the entire world as well, including us today.  That message is the Lord moves in judgment when we do not listen to His voice.

We find a significant statement by the Lord below:

Exodus 15:26 (NASB95; emphasis mine)

²⁶ And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

Progressing to Mt. Sinai, the Lord repeats His statement from above –

Exodus 19:4–6 (NASB95; emphasis mine)

⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. ⁵ ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; ⁶ and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

When all of Israel agreed to the conditions the Lord had spoken above (Ex 19:8), I would submit that they had no idea that they would suffer the same fate of the Egyptians if they did not listen to the Lord’s voice and keep His covenant.

 A hint of what was coming was the fact that the Lord had Moses set a boundary for the people around Mt. Sinai to prevent them from going up on the mountain or touching the border of it (Ex 19:12).  Sinful behavior in this case would result in something we have seen before – swift and terrible judgment in the form of their own people stoning the offender to death.  The Lord was preparing to reveal Himself to His people, starting with a stern warning coupled with a threat.

As more of the Lord’s covenant was revealed, more of the potential for judgment was made plain.  Leviticus 26 outlines the prerequisites for receiving the blessing of the Lord, followed by the warning, “if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, etc., (Lev 26:14-45) that includes a list of judgments separated into phases, each seven times worse than the phase before it.  Blessings and cursing are a distinctive part of the Old Covenant.  The Hebrews could not choose the blessings and not be concerned with the cursing and the certainty of judgment.

The Hebrews had come face to face with the truth – the Lord’s judgment designed for the wicked, could fall upon them.  The same judgment the Lord is bringing to the nations will fall upon us, His Church, if we do not listen and obey His voice.  Even now the storm of judgment has begun, but who is it that has recognized what the Lord is doing?  I’ve heard pundits say words to the effect, “Isn’t there something ominous behind all of this?” or “Don’t you think there is a conspiracy regarding this?”  Having eyes, they do not see, nor do they perceive.

The Lord has conspired against America and the nations of the world.  We dare not be deceived to believe otherwise, something Paul warned the Christians in Galatia.  Yes, Jesus came to save us from our sins, which is made possible by His sacrifice and His shed blood on the Cross.  But the New Covenant of the Spirit also contains the same elements of judgment for those who claim to be Christians, which was noted in I Pt 4:17.

In addition, the Apostle John’s letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor were written for our benefit as well.  In these prophetic messages, the Lord threatens to remove the church of Ephesus’ lampstand, threatening to close their assembly (Re 2:5); threatens judgment in the form of warring against the church in Pergamum with the sword of His mouth (Rev 2:16); He promises sickness and great tribulation, including killing a false teacher’s followers, for those in the church at Thyatira that are complicit in committing sins of immorality (Re 2:20-23).  To the church in Sardis, He promises that they won’t be aware of His coming judgment if they do not repent (Rev 3:3) – suggesting He will give them over to spiritual blindness.  Finally, to the church in Laodicea, He promises to spit them out of His mouth if they don’t repent of their lukewarmness (Rev 3:15-16).

When it comes to judgment, it is taught in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  The wickedness of America, the Church and the nations have come up before the Lord.  He is observing the level of wickedness rising in our day in North America.  Without repentance, we will not escape His wrath.  Why would we think the Lord cannot judge us?  To think otherwise is to duplicate the deadly error of Adam and Eve who were deceived by Satan into believing that they would not be judged.  We must repent, for the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8).  We are doomed to judgment, if we do not hear the voice of the Spirit of Christ and obey it.

 

Mark C. Biteler