In the biblical narrative, divine judgment upon individuals serves as a significant theme, illustrating God's righteousness, justice, and sovereignty. These judgments often come as a response to sin, disobedience, or rebellion against God's commands. The following are notable instances of judgments inflicted upon individuals as recorded in the Scriptures:

1. Adam and Eve: The first instance of divine judgment upon individuals is found in Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they faced several consequences. God pronounced judgment upon them, resulting in expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the introduction of pain in childbirth for Eve, and a life of toil for Adam. Genesis 3:17-19 states, "To Adam He said, 'Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.'"

2. Cain: In Genesis 4, Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, committed the first murder by killing his brother Abel. As a result, God pronounced a curse upon Cain, making him a restless wanderer on the earth. Genesis 4:11-12 records, "Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."

3. Lot's Wife: In Genesis 19, as God was destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to their wickedness, Lot's wife disobeyed the command not to look back at the city. As a result, she was turned into a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26 states, "But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."

4. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram: In Numbers 16, these men led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, challenging their leadership. God's judgment was swift and severe. The earth opened up and swallowed them, along with their households and all their possessions. Numbers 16:32-33 describes, "And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s men and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly."

5. Achan: In Joshua 7, Achan disobeyed God's command by taking some of the devoted things from Jericho, leading to Israel's defeat at Ai. When his sin was discovered, Achan and his family were stoned and burned as a judgment from God. Joshua 7:25 records, "And Joshua said, 'Why have you brought this trouble upon us? The LORD will bring trouble upon you this day.' Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the others, they burned them."

6. Saul: The first king of Israel, Saul, faced divine judgment due to his disobedience and failure to fully carry out God's commands. In 1 Samuel 15, God rejected Saul as king, and the prophet Samuel declared, "Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king over Israel" (1 Samuel 15:23).

7. Uzzah: In 2 Samuel 6, Uzzah was struck dead by God for touching the Ark of the Covenant, which was against God's command. This judgment served as a reminder of the holiness of God and the importance of reverence for His commands. 2 Samuel 6:7 states, "And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."

8. Ananias and Sapphira: In the New Testament, Acts 5 recounts the account of Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds from the sale of their property. As a result, both were struck dead as a judgment from God. Acts 5:5 states, "On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened."

These instances of divine judgment upon individuals underscore the seriousness with which God views sin and disobedience, as well as His commitment to justice and holiness.Deuteronomy 29:20
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie on him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 23:34
And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his house.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
... My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they ... to pour oil into the wounds then inflicted
is visible. The whole announcement is based upon the supposition that ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessing of jacob upon.htm

CHAP. II. 4-25 (2-23).
... a reform is necessary if the threatened judgments are to ... it, and no punishment which
is inflicted solely on ... multiplied unto her, and gold which upon Baal they ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap ii 25-apr 2-23.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... we can think of Him only who, throughout, executes God's judgments upon the enemies ...
of the Lord was kindled against them, it was He who inflicted the punishment ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm

Ananias and Sapphira.
... The stroke was inflicted by the hand of ... those visible and alarming judgments, which,
contrary ... procedure, he sometimes executes upon distinguished transgressors ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture vi ananias and sapphira.htm

Whether the Judicial Precepts were Suitably Framed as to the ...
... called upon Him from heaven, Who made the law concerning ... that the Law should not
have inflicted the two ... like manner to every nation; and His judgments He hath ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the judicial precepts were 3.htm

A Song of Deliverance
... a picture of the utter, swift, God-inflicted destruction which ... Judah be glad because
of Thy judgments.' Yes, even ... loving-kindness, are now called upon to come ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a song of deliverance.htm

The Resemblance Between the Old Testament and the New.
... know that the Jews, on whom the Lord inflicted his severest judgments, possessed
similar ... liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 10 the resemblance between.htm

Treatise v. An Address to Demetrianus.
... to receive correction." [3416] Lo, stripes are inflicted from God ... of diminution shall
not be upon you when I ... may at least be acknowledged through His judgments. ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise v an address to.htm

The Eighth Book
... laughed me to scorn, they gnashed upon me with ... of the barbarians, when they themselves
inflicted barbarous treatment ... God is just and his judgments are righteous ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the eighth book.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... parts, were not reformed by the judgments inflicted on the ... when they made known the
fiery judgments predicted in ... of frenzied festivity which seized upon France ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm

What are the seven trumpets of Revelation? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Great White Throne Judgment? | GotQuestions.org

Is Richard Dawkins' caricature of the God of the Old Testament accurate? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus