How should believers respond when witnessing God's judgment, as seen in 2 Chronicles 36:6?

The Scene in View

“King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against him, bound him with bronze shackles, and carried him to Babylon.” — 2 Chronicles 36:6

Judah watched her king hauled away in chains. What looked like Babylonian power was, in truth, God’s hand of judgment for covenant rebellion (vv. 15-17).

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What God’s Judgment Reminds Us

• His sovereignty is unquestioned (Psalm 115:3).

• His warnings are never empty (Leviticus 26:14-17; 2 Chronicles 36:15-16).

• His holiness demands a response (Hebrews 12:28-29).

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Heart Responses That Honor the Lord

• Awe and reverence

– “Let all the earth fear the LORD” (Psalm 33:8).

• Humble self-examination

– “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23-24).

• Repentance and realignment

– Jesus: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

• Submission to His righteous ways

– “The judgments of the LORD are true and altogether righteous” (Psalm 19:9).

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Practical Steps for Today

1. Remember the lesson

• 1 Corinthians 10:11-12—Old-Testament judgments “were written for our admonition… therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

2. Repent quickly

• Proverbs 28:13—“He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

3. Intercede for others

• Ezekiel 22:30—God seeks those who “stand in the gap.”

4. Warn graciously

• Jude 23—“Save others by snatching them from the fire.”

5. Cling to hope

• Lamentations 3:22-23—Even amid judgment, “His compassions never fail… great is Your faithfulness.”

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Living in Light of His Discipline

• Accept discipline as fatherly love (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-11).

• Walk obediently, fearing the consequences of drift (Romans 11:22).

• Testify to His justice and mercy, pointing people to the cross where ultimate judgment and grace met (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Witnessing judgment is sobering, yet it resets our hearts to cherish God’s holiness, embrace repentance, and herald His saving mercy while there is still time.