Night: God Frequently: Executed his Judgments In
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In the biblical narrative, the night often serves as a backdrop for the execution of God's judgments, symbolizing both the literal and metaphorical darkness that accompanies divine intervention. Throughout Scripture, the night is depicted as a time when God acts decisively, often catching His adversaries unprepared and demonstrating His sovereignty over creation.

The Passover in Egypt

One of the most significant instances of God executing judgment at night is the Passover event in Egypt. In Exodus 12:29-30 , it is recorded: "Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock as well. During the night, Pharaoh got up, he and all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was no house without someone dead." This event marks the culmination of the plagues and the liberation of the Israelites, highlighting God's power and judgment against the oppressors.

The Assyrian Army Defeated

Another notable instance is found in 2 Kings 19:35 , where God delivers Jerusalem from the Assyrian army: "And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!" This miraculous intervention underscores God's protection over His people and His ability to bring about deliverance through His judgments.

The Fall of Babylon

The fall of Babylon is another example where night plays a crucial role in divine judgment. In Daniel 5:30 , it is written: "That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain." The suddenness of Babylon's fall during the night serves as a reminder of the unpredictability and inevitability of God's judgments against those who defy Him.

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

In the New Testament, the night of Jesus' betrayal and arrest is a pivotal moment in the execution of God's redemptive plan. In John 13:30 , after Judas Iscariot receives the piece of bread from Jesus, it is noted, "As soon as he had received the piece of bread, Judas went out into the night." The darkness of the night symbolizes the spiritual darkness of the betrayal, yet it also sets the stage for the ultimate judgment against sin through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

Symbolism of Night in Judgment

Throughout Scripture, the night is often associated with judgment, serving as a time when God acts with precision and authority. The darkness of night can symbolize the hiddenness and suddenness of God's actions, as well as the moral and spiritual darkness that necessitates divine intervention. In these moments, the night becomes a canvas for God's justice, revealing His power and righteousness in the unfolding of His divine will.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Exodus 12:12
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 19:35
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 27:20
Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest steals him away in the night.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Daniel 5:30
In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

From Jezreel to Horeb
... That night a messenger aroused the weary prophet and ... hoped that after this display
of God's power, Jezebel ... But a reaction such as frequently follows high faith ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 12 from jezreel to.htm

The Infallibility of God's Purpose
... very advantageous to the Christian mind frequently to consider ... the eye is eclipsed
in perpetual night; our mind ... riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/the infallibility of gods purpose.htm

God.
... history both of nations and individuals has frequently illustrated, there ... with as
firm assurance as of God's control of ... and the moon and stars by night, of His ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/1 god.htm

The Scope of the Apocalypse is Indicated by Its Place in the ...
... the sea." In Scripture, the troubled "sea" is frequently a figure ... do to His Son: "
"I saw in the night visions, and ... sea of glass having the harps of God," etc ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/the scope of the apocalypse.htm

The Shaking of the Heavens and the Earth
... for ages in the darkness of night, though they ... with Him, in times of extremity they
frequently offered the ... preserved by the wonderful Providence of God, as a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon iii the shaking of.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... 4. The judgments that sometimes God hath executed upon men for their want of godly
fear, while they have been in his worship and service, put fear and dread ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
... mouth, but meditate in it day and night, that thou ... are yet admitted within the secret
chamber of God. ... most expedient it is, that we be frequently exercised in ...
/.../knox/the pulpit of the reformation nos 1 2 and 3 /a sermon on isaiah xxvi.htm

Precious Deaths
... utterly alone in the dead of night, surprised, unable to ... Precious are the deaths
of God's saints next, because ... graces are in death very frequently tested, and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/precious deaths.htm

Book 5 Footnotes
... lying down naked all that day, and all that night, 1 Samuel 19 ... to be remarked, that
Saul very rarely, and David very frequently, consulted God by Urim ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

The First vision "On Earth"
... sinneth it shall die." The word "soul" is frequently used of ... avenge his own elect,
which cry day and night unto him ... it not better for us to believe what God says ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the first vision on earth.htm

Resources
What is the witching hour, and is it in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What happened in the Garden of Gethsemane? | GotQuestions.org

How could there be light on the first day of Creation if the sun was not created until the fourth day? | GotQuestions.org

Night: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Night

Night Hawk

Night Hawk: Forbidden As Food

Night used Figuratively

Night: Belongs to God

Night: Caused by God

Night: Commenced at Sunset

Night: Continued Until Sunrise

Night: Death

Night: Designed for Rest

Night: Divided Into Four Watches by the Romans

Night: Divided Into Hours

Night: Divided Into Watches

Night: Eastern Fishermen Continued Their Employment During

Night: Eastern Shepherds Watched Over Their Flocks During

Night: Favourable to the Purposes of the Wicked

Night: Frequently: Accompanied by Heavy Dew

Night: Frequently: Cold and Frosty

Night: Frequently: Exceeding Dark

Night: General Scriptures Concerning

Night: God Frequently: Executed his Judgments In

Night: God Frequently: Revealed his Will In

Night: God Frequently: Visited his People In

Night: Jesus Prays all Night

Night: Meditations In

Night: No Night in Heaven

Night: Originally Divided Into Three Watches

Night: Regular Succession of Established by Covenant

Night: Regular Succession of Ordained for the Glory of God

Night: Seasons of Severe Calamities

Night: Seasons of Spiritual Desertion

Night: Spiritual Darkness

Night: The Darkness First Called

Night: The Heavenly Bodies Designed to Separate Day From

Night: The Jews in Affliction Spent, in Prayer

Night: The Jews in Affliction Spent, in Sorrow and Humiliation

Night: The Jews: Forbidden to Allow Malefactors to Hang During

Night: The Jews: Forbidden to Keep the Wages of Servants During

Night: The Jews: Often Kept Lamps Burning During

Night: The Moon and Stars Designed to Rule and Give Light By

Night: Unsuitable for Labour

Night: Unsuitable for Travelling

Night: Wearisome to the Afflicted

Night: Wild Beasts Go Forth in Search of Prey During

Night: Worship In

Related Terms

Night-lodge (1 Occurrence)

Night-bird (1 Occurrence)

Night-time (1 Occurrence)

Night-monster

To-night (15 Occurrences)

Night (3322 Occurrences)

Night-watches (4 Occurrences)

Night-hawk (2 Occurrences)

Yesterday-night (1 Occurrence)

Night-watch

Night-visions (2 Occurrences)

Night-vision (2 Occurrences)

Watch-night (1 Occurrence)

Night-spirit (1 Occurrence)

Cock (12 Occurrences)

Yesternight (4 Occurrences)

Spend (54 Occurrences)

Vigil (2 Occurrences)

Bittern (4 Occurrences)

Surrounded (51 Occurrences)

Compassed (52 Occurrences)

Cock's (7 Occurrences)

Stopping (22 Occurrences)

Black (52 Occurrences)

Concubine (21 Occurrences)

Spent (76 Occurrences)

Sleeping (69 Occurrences)

Square (94 Occurrences)

Shine (62 Occurrences)

Quaternion

Blackness (13 Occurrences)

Ceasing (15 Occurrences)

Cock-crowing (3 Occurrences)

Armed (147 Occurrences)

Belshazzar (8 Occurrences)

Servant's (29 Occurrences)

Stretcheth (33 Occurrences)

Supplications (32 Occurrences)

Satyr

Asleep (50 Occurrences)

Seasons (43 Occurrences)

Yesterday (13 Occurrences)

Stolen (28 Occurrences)

Visions (43 Occurrences)

Cold (25 Occurrences)

Candle (16 Occurrences)

Borne (172 Occurrences)

Sleep (136 Occurrences)

Smite (230 Occurrences)

Steal (29 Occurrences)

Shining (115 Occurrences)

Starting (34 Occurrences)

Abode (112 Occurrences)

Abide (162 Occurrences)

Stumbled (47 Occurrences)

Soldiers (83 Occurrences)

Stayed (169 Occurrences)

Couch (55 Occurrences)

Apple (8 Occurrences)

Silence (80 Occurrences)

Astronomy

Vision (106 Occurrences)

Yeast (48 Occurrences)

Silas (22 Occurrences)

Younger (39 Occurrences)

Perceived (57 Occurrences)

Viewed (9 Occurrences)

Viewing (6 Occurrences)

Valley-gate (3 Occurrences)

Valour (66 Occurrences)

Keepers (78 Occurrences)

Preparations (16 Occurrences)

Betwixt (16 Occurrences)

Baker (11 Occurrences)

Blackest (5 Occurrences)

Beseeching (11 Occurrences)

Cockcrowing (1 Occurrence)

Chios (1 Occurrence)

Night: General Scriptures Concerning
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