Topical Bible: Judgments: No Escape From

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In the biblical narrative, the concept of divine judgment is a recurring theme, emphasizing the sovereignty and righteousness of God. The Scriptures affirm that God's judgments are inescapable, serving as a reminder of His holiness and justice. This entry explores the biblical understanding of judgments from which there is no escape, highlighting key passages and theological insights.

Divine Sovereignty and Justice

The Bible consistently portrays God as the ultimate judge, whose decrees are final and unassailable. In the book of Hebrews, it is written, "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). This verse underscores the inevitability of divine judgment, affirming that every individual will stand before God to account for their lives.

The Certainty of Judgment

Throughout Scripture, various passages illustrate the certainty and inescapability of God's judgments. In the Old Testament, the prophet Amos declares, "I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?" (Amos 3:2-3). Here, the prophet emphasizes that God's people cannot escape the consequences of their disobedience.

Similarly, the book of Proverbs warns, "Though they dig into Sheol, from there My hand will take them; though they ascend to heaven, from there I will bring them down" (Proverbs 9:17). This imagery conveys the futility of attempting to evade God's judgment, as His reach extends beyond the physical and spiritual realms.

Judgment on Nations and Individuals

The Bible records numerous instances where both nations and individuals face inescapable judgments due to their actions. The account of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a poignant example. Despite Abraham's intercession, the cities were destroyed because of their pervasive wickedness (Genesis 19:24-25). This account illustrates that divine judgment is not only inevitable but also impartial, affecting all who persist in sin.

In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of the final judgment, where all nations will be gathered before Him. He will separate the righteous from the unrighteous, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-33). This passage highlights the comprehensive nature of God's judgment, encompassing all humanity.

The Role of Repentance

While God's judgments are inescapable, the Bible also emphasizes the opportunity for repentance. The prophet Ezekiel conveys God's desire for repentance, stating, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live" (Ezekiel 33:11). This reveals that, although judgment is certain, God offers a path to redemption through repentance and faith.

Eternal Consequences

The New Testament further elaborates on the eternal consequences of divine judgment. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John describes the final judgment, where the dead are judged according to their deeds, and those not found in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15). This imagery serves as a sobering reminder of the eternal nature of God's judgments.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of judgments from which there is no escape serves as a powerful testament to God's holiness and justice. Through these judgments, Scripture calls individuals and nations to accountability, urging them to seek repentance and align their lives with God's righteous standards.

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Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.
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Exodus 34:7
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children's children, to the third and to the fourth generation.
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Isaiah 2:10,12-19,21
Enter into the rock, and hide you in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
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Ezekiel 14:13,14
Son of man, when the land sins against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand on it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine on it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
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Amos 5:16-20
Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD, said thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the farmer to mourning, and such as are skillful of lamentation to wailing.
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Amos 9:1-4
I saw the LORD standing on the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that flees of them shall not flee away, and he that escapes of them shall not be delivered.
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Matthew 23:33
You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?
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Hebrews 2:1-3
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
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Hebrews 10:28,29
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
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Hebrews 12:25
See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven:
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Revelation 6:16,17
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
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Library

The one Escape.
... THE ONE ESCAPE. ... His flesh, he said, trembled for fear of God; and he was afraid of
God's judgments. ... to delight in what is good, that the proud do me no wrong. ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xiii the one escape.htm

The Thirty-Sixth Chapter: the Vain Judgments of Men
... CONSOLATION The Thirty-Sixth Chapter: The Vain Judgments of Men. ... He hurts himself
rather than you, and no matter who he may be he cannot escape the judgment ...
/.../kempis/the imitation of christ/the thirty-sixth chapter the vain.htm

Preparation for Advent
... his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him." There will be no escape for those ... may
behave in all things else as if there was no God, and no judgments of God. ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon ii preparation for advent.htm

Agree with Thine Adversary
... by it, in a prison from which there is no escape. ... simple, honest, and truthful"could
not escape from the ... habit of forming harsh and cruel judgments of his ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xxvii agree with thine.htm

Repentance
... him filled him with terror, but there was no deep, heartbreaking ... Pharaoh, when suffering
under the judgments of God ... his sin in order to escape further punishment ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 3 repentance.htm

Of the Miseries and Ills to which the Human Race is Justly Exposed ...
... the innocent, calumnies, plots, falsehoods, false witnessings, unrighteous judgments,
violent deeds ... From this hell upon earth there is no escape, save through ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 22 of the miseries and.htm

Acts iv. 36, 37
... saying, "The Lord is known by executing judgments." (Psalm 9:16 ... whether he will or
not; and no perjurer can ... heed to ourselves, that we may escape the punishment ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xii acts iv 36.htm

The Signs of the Times. (Luke, xii. , 54. )
... nature, they could discern the approaching judgments of God ... in their heedless folly
they gave no thought to ... 589] and make it impossible to escape the penalty ...
/.../section 217 the signs of.htm

Accidents, not Punishments
... to make of these accidents; this is the wisest way to apply the judgments of God ...
the judgment." There is no discharge in this way; there is no escape for any ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/accidents not punishments.htm

God the Teacher.
... and do exactly the same thing himself; as if there were no living God; no judgments
of God; as if all was accident and chance; as if he was to escape scot-free ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xi god the teacher.htm