Can we identify God’s acts of judgment today or in recent history? (Part 2 of 3)

 

Can we identify God’s acts of judgment today or in recent history? (Part 2 of 3)

John 9:39 records "And Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.'"  He also told His disciples (John 5:22), "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son." Can we see Jesus exercising His authority the Father gave Him in making judgments in our time?

Part 1 of this blog looked at the passages in the New Testament that seem to me to be the clearest examples of God judging His people or His churches in real time.  This blog will consider additional New Testament passages, toward answering the question, “Can we identify God’s acts of judgment today or in recent history and if so, is there benefit in doing it?”

2. God’s judgment on nonbelievers or unspecified groups of people in passages in the New Testament

            2a. James 4:6 & I Peter 5:5 - God opposes (or resists) the proud

The verb [antitassomai] in this phrase in these two New Testament verses is in the present tense.  And the definition of the verb according to Strong’s concordance is: 1) to range in battle against or 2) to oppose one’s self, resist.  BibleHub adds that it means to reject the entire make-up of something, its whole arrangement, and was used for placing a soldier in a definite position to attack or resist an attack.  In other verses in which this verb is used (Acts 18:6, Romans 13:2, James 5:6) there is no sense that it is a passive attitude, but rather an active resistance. 

So how does God oppose the proud? Proverbs 16:18 and 18:12 suggest that God has so designed the world that pride results in destruction.  Sometimes we observe this, other times it seems very slow in coming, or is obscured by God’s patience and other factors.  Or our perspective is just not at a sufficient spiritual depth to see how God is opposing the proud.  

The word “pride” [huperephanos] is used in only three other verses in the New Testament besides these two.  One of these three is in Mary’s song in Luke 1, “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.”  As best as I can discern, Mary was not only reflecting on how God had honored her by choosing her over someone of higher status to bear the Savior but was grasping how through Jesus’ humility He would defeat Satan, who in his pride rebelled against God, and all who follow in Satan’s path.  

            2b. Romans 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

This verse immediately follows “The righteous will live by faith,” which is taken from Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Thus there is a connection between Romans 1:18 and God’s opposition to the proud. But Romans 1:18 is broader in scope – God opposes all ungodliness.  Again the verb is in the present tense, not the future tense.  So with the world so full of ungodliness and the unrighteous deeds of men who suppress the truth, how can we take this verse?   How is God’s wrath revealed?  What does God do to deal with ungodliness and unrighteousness and men who suppress the truth?  We can certainly see plenty of ungodliness and men’s defiance of the truth, but can we see God’s wrath behind it?  Can we call down fire from heaven upon the ungodly like Elijah did (II Kings 1:10-14) and the disciples wanted to do (Luke 9:54)? I don’t think so.

The context of Romans 1:18 first points to God’s creation which reveals God’s nature. Those that replace the knowledge of God that they see in creation with the lie that they need not worship Him, God “gives over…”:

            1:24 God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity…

            1:26 God gave them over to degrading passions…

            1:28 God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper…

So the evidence of God’s wrath is His abandonment of men who suppress the truth to lusts, degrading passions and depravity.  We certainly see a lot of that in our history and in our present times.  But I’m hesitant to think that I can see clearly enough to divide God’s actions giving men over to lusts and depravity from the resulting actions of these men.

And then continuing into the early verses of Romans chapter 2, Paul turns his focus to those who think they can judge others yet are blind to the things in their own hearts that bring God’s judgment:

And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

While we can certainly be aware of God’s judgment, the bottom line is not to look for it in others but to repent whenever we see in ourselves that which brings it.

            2c.  Luke 21:20 (and other verses in Luke 21 and Matthew 24)

Jesus initiates the conversation recorded in Luke 21 and Matthew 24 by telling the disciples that the temple in Jerusalem will be torn down.  In Luke 21:20 He tells them to flee when they see the city surrounded by armies. Like many other prophesies this has both an immediate and future fulfillment.  God judged Jerusalem when it was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 AD.  The Roman emperor at the time, Vespasian, documented that before the Roman army arrived at Jerusalem the city experienced an earthquake, accompanied by a violent storm with rain and continuous lightning and thunder, which he took as a sign of its coming destruction. So with our eyes on the Lord, we look for and see signs of His coming judgment and He expects us to act accordingly.

            2d. I Peter 4:17-18

After writing that the suffering believers are experiencing is a cause for joy though also evidence of God’s judgment (I Peter 4:12-16), Peter writes:

For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners?

What God will do to judge the ungodly is not specified but when it happens they will know.

            2f. II Thessalonians 1:6

For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you.

This verse suggests that God’s judgment on those who persecute His church will take the form of “affliction,” which can also be translated trouble, oppression, distress or tribulation.  While the verb “repay” in verse 6 is in aorist tense, verses 7-8 refer to the future time when Jesus is revealed from heaven. So God’s judgment on those who do not know God nor obey His gospel may be delayed.

            2g. Luke 13:1-5

Judgment is not explicit in this passage but presumed.  Some unidentified people tell Jesus about Pilate killing some Galileans when they were worshipping. From Jesus' reply, it seems the bearers of this news presume that these Galileans were sinners whom God judged worthy of death.  Jesus denies that presumption but tells them, "... unless you repent, you will all likewise perish," and then brings up another incident in which 18 people were killed when the tower of Siloam in Jerusalem fell on them. Jesus does not analyze the cause of the tragedy, whether poor construction, an aging building, an earthquake, weather related or whatever, but makes the same conclusion, that it was not God's judgment on those specific unfortunate individuals but a reminder to all to repent. So regardless of the cause, even what seems like evil acts of men, should be viewed as the Lord's warnings to repent.

Conclusion

In this age when God desires all men to come to repentance, both His patience and His judgments are evident.  There are certainly times we observe Him humbling the proud and giving the ungodly over to their lusts and depravity.  There may be cases of people we are close enough to that with gentleness we can help lead them to repentance by pointing out evidence of God’s judgment.  Luke 13 indicates that tragedies in which people are killed, by whatever cause, are reminders that all are in need of repentance and will face both death and judgment. However I think the basis for looking for ways God judges nations, cities and the population as a whole comes more from Old Testament passages than from these verses in the New Testament.