What other scriptures highlight the suddenness of God's coming judgment? Luke 17:37—A Snapshot of Swift Judgment “‘Where there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.’” (Luke 17:37) Jesus’ terse picture reminds us that when judgment falls, it does so with the same inevitable speed that draws carrion birds to a fallen body. Scripture repeatedly presses that point. Old-Testament Scenes That Fell in an Instant • The Flood: “All the fountains of the great deep burst forth… and the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.” (Genesis 7:11-12) • Sodom and Gomorrah: “Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire… Thus He destroyed those cities.” (Genesis 19:24-25) • Korah’s Rebellion: “The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them… and they vanished from the assembly.” (Numbers 16:31-33) • Belshazzar’s Fall: “That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain.” (Daniel 5:30) • Babylon Foretold: “Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly.” (Isaiah 47:11) • Prophetic Warnings – “Disaster after disaster… an end has come!” (Ezekiel 7:5-6) – “In an instant, suddenly, the LORD Almighty will come.” (Isaiah 29:5-6) – “The great Day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly.” (Zephaniah 1:14) – “Then the Lord… will suddenly come to His temple.” (Malachi 3:1) New-Testament Echoes—“Like a Thief in the Night” • Days of Noah & Lot: “They were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away.” (Matthew 24:39; cf. Luke 17:26-30) • Lightning Illustration: “As lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27) • House-Breaker Warning: “The Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:43-44; Luke 12:40) • Paul to Thessalonica: – “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” – “Destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains… and they will not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3) • Peter’s Reminder: “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief.” (2 Peter 3:10) • Risen Christ to Churches: – “I will come like a thief.” (Revelation 3:3) – “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake.” (Revelation 16:15) • Fall of Future Babylon: – “In one day her plagues will overtake her.” (Revelation 18:8) – “In a single hour your judgment has come.” (Revelation 18:10) Key Threads to Notice • Ordinary life goes on—right until judgment hits. • Divine warnings are clear, but timing is withheld; readiness, therefore, is constant. • When God moves, the interval between warning and fulfillment can shrink to zero. • Past acts of sudden judgment guarantee the certainty of the final one Jesus foretells. Living in Light of These Truths • Stay spiritually awake; complacency invites surprise. • Trust the reliability of God’s Word—every prophecy of sudden judgment already fulfilled stands as a pledge for those yet to occur. • Let the certainty of Christ’s swift return shape priorities, conversations, and pursuits today. |
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