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Judgment Delayed

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
I've been reading the Hebrew scriptures and what I've found is that, especially from reading 1 and 2 Kings, that judgment could only be put off or delayed, it couldn't be completely pacified. This can be demonstrated through many instances in the Bible but most notably to myself is Josiah (2 Kings 22). Josiah became king of Judah at 8 years old after the assassination of his father, king Amon and reigned for 31 years from about 641 to 610 BCE. He cleansed the land of idolatry and sin and humbled himself when he heard the law being read and took action to restore the worship of Yahweh in the land of Judah and he did an admirable job.

In 2 Kings 23:26 it says:
"However, Yahweh turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath with which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him"

Manasseh was Josiah's grandfather.

My question to all of you is this. Based on the Bible, judgment can be passed down. It can be delayed, but rarely is it completely pacified. Do you think this is righteousness or do you think this is wrong? I personally feel that the fact that judgment can be delayed shows the great mercy of Yahweh. Most human beings wouldn't have the patience to delay judgment, they would just judge right away. As a secondary question, do you think Yahweh should cancel the judgment.

Personally, I've been guilty of sin in my life and judgment could have been meted out straightaway but it wasn't. I'm grateful for this but I suspect judgment is coming in my life after reading about Josiah. Nonetheless, I'm grateful to be able to do righteousness while I can.

What are your thoughts?
 

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
I've been reading the Hebrew scriptures and what I've found is that, especially from reading 1 and 2 Kings, that judgment could only be put off or delayed, it couldn't be completely pacified. This can be demonstrated through many instances in the Bible but most notably to myself is Josiah (2 Kings 22). Josiah became king of Judah at 8 years old after the assassination of his father, king Amon and reigned for 31 years from about 641 to 610 BCE. He cleansed the land of idolatry and sin and humbled himself when he heard the law being read and took action to restore the worship of Yahweh in the land of Judah and he did an admirable job.

In 2 Kings 23:26 it says:
"However, Yahweh turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath with which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him"

Manasseh was Josiah's grandfather.

My question to all of you is this. Based on the Bible, judgment can be passed down. It can be delayed, but rarely is it completely pacified. Do you think this is righteousness or do you think this is wrong? I personally feel that the fact that judgment can be delayed shows the great mercy of Yahweh. Most human beings wouldn't have the patience to delay judgment, they would just judge right away. As a secondary question, do you think Yahweh should cancel the judgment.

Personally, I've been guilty of sin in my life and judgment could have been meted out straightaway but it wasn't. I'm grateful for this but I suspect judgment is coming in my life after reading about Josiah. Nonetheless, I'm grateful to be able to do righteousness while I can.

What are your thoughts?

The idea that the bad things that happen in your life are the result of a God's judgment for bad things you've done adds an unnecessary, unhelpful, superstitious layer of guilt and shame to our lives. We can't stomach the idea that sometimes bad things happen to good people, so we invent reasons to blame the victim. This exists in the concept of karma as well.

The truth is, life is often just unfair and bad things happen to us for reasons that are completely outside our control. We don't need to blame ourselves or our ancestors.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
...My question to all of you is this. Based on the Bible, judgment can be passed down. It can be delayed, but rarely is it completely pacified. Do you think this is righteousness or do you think this is wrong? ...

I think it is righteousness to give time. And I think it is righteous to give the judgment, if people continue in evil. I have understood that the judgment is delayed or removed, when people come back to righteousness. And if people turn back to sin, they gain new judgment.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
The idea that the bad things that happen in your life are the result of a God's judgment for bad things you've done adds an unnecessary, unhelpful, superstitious layer of guilt and shame to our lives. We can't stomach the idea that sometimes bad things happen to good people, so we invent reasons to blame the victim. This exists in the concept of karma as well.

The truth is, life is often just unfair and bad things happen to us for reasons that are completely outside our control. We don't need to blame ourselves or our ancestors.

In the Bible bad things usually happen for two reasons. The first is judgment, the second is testing and sometimes it's a mixture of the two as it was in the case of Job. I know that as the Bible states our 'sins will find us out' (Numbers 32:23). I'm under no illusion that I will be punished for what I've done but I'm also thankful that Yahweh has been gracious enough to allow me to change and do what is good and right in Yahweh's sight.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
I think it is righteousness to give time. And I think it is righteous to give the judgment, if people continue in evil. I have understood that the judgment is delayed or removed, when people come back to righteousness. And if people turn back to sin, they gain new judgment.
I agree. But rarely is it ever completely removed. King David was righteous, but he suffered a great deal for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. Samson also was a righteous person but he lusted after foreign women and his eyes were put out. Judgment happens to righteous people. Even Yahshua had to suffer yet he had done no sin, how much more then would a person suffer who has sinned in their life.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
My question to all of you is this. Based on the Bible, judgment can be passed down. It can be delayed, but rarely is it completely pacified. Do you think this is righteousness or do you think this is wrong?

Justice delayed is justice denied - Wikipedia

I personally feel that the fact that judgment can be delayed shows the great mercy of Yahweh. Most human beings wouldn't have the patience to delay judgment, they would just judge right away.
Your example wasn't so much delaying judgement as it was punishing the innocent. It's never just OR merciful to punish someone other than the person who committed the crime.
 

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm under no illusion that I will be punished for what I've done

That is odd then, because in your OP you said, "I suspect judgment is coming in my life after reading about Josiah." If you suspect God's judgment is coming for you, and you believe God's judgment is one of the two possible reasons bad things happen in your life, then I don't know you can now say you're, "under no illusion that you'll be punished for what you've done."
 

1213

Well-Known Member
I agree. But rarely is it ever completely removed. King David was righteous, but he suffered a great deal for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. Samson also was a righteous person but he lusted after foreign women and his eyes were put out. Judgment happens to righteous people. Even Yahshua had to suffer yet he had done no sin, how much more then would a person suffer who has sinned in their life.

Maybe the judgment was not entirely moved then, but It can now be.
 
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