What can we learn about divine justice from Acts 28:4? The Scene on Malta Acts 28:4: “When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘Surely this man is a murderer; though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.’” Paul survives a shipwreck, gathers sticks, and a viper fastens onto his hand. The locals assume instant retribution. Their comment opens a window into how people often imagine divine justice—and how Scripture actually presents it. Human Assumptions About Immediate Payback • The islanders personify “Justice” (Greek: Dikē) as an inexorable goddess who strikes swiftly. • They equate suffering with guilt: “Bad things happen only to bad people.” • Similar thinking appears in Job’s friends (Job 4:7-9) and in the disciples’ question about the blind man (John 9:2). Scripture’s Corrective: God’s Justice Is Real but Not Always Instant • Ecclesiastes 8:11: “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed swiftly, the heart of men is fully set to do evil.” • 2 Peter 3:9: God delays judgment out of patience, not indifference. • Deuteronomy 32:35-36: “Vengeance and retribution are Mine … the LORD will vindicate His people.” Justice belongs to God and arrives in His timing. Paul’s Vindication Highlights True Justice • Acts 28:5-6: Paul shakes off the viper and suffers no harm; the onlookers shift from condemning him as a murderer to hailing him as a god. • God publicly vindicates Paul, echoing Psalm 37:6—“He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn.” • The episode previews the final judgment where God will reveal every heart (Romans 2:5-6). Jesus on Undeserved Suffering • Luke 13:1-5: Tragedies (tower of Siloam, Galileans slain by Pilate) are not proof of greater sin; they are calls to repentance for all. • John 9:3: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Key Takeaways About Divine Justice • Justice is a divine attribute, not an impersonal force. • God’s justice is certain, yet often postponed to allow mercy and repentance. • External circumstances cannot always be read as a moral scorecard. • Final judgment will perfectly settle every account (Romans 12:19). Living in Light of True Justice • Resist snap judgments about others’ trials; leave verdicts to God. • Endure injustice with confidence in the Lord’s eventual vindication (1 Peter 2:23). • Extend grace, knowing we too rely on God’s patience (Psalm 103:8-10). • Maintain holy living, for “whatever a man sows, he will reap in due time” (Galatians 6:7-9). |
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