Topical Bible: The Punishment of the Wicked: On Account of Their: Evil Ways and Doings

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of divine retribution for the wicked is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the justice and holiness of God. The punishment of the wicked is portrayed as a direct consequence of their evil ways and doings, serving as a warning to all who turn away from righteousness.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible consistently affirms that God is just and will not overlook the sins of the wicked. In the Old Testament, the prophet Ezekiel declares, "But if a wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die" (Ezekiel 18:21). This passage highlights the possibility of repentance but also implies the certainty of punishment for those who persist in their wickedness.

Evil Ways and Doings

The "evil ways and doings" of the wicked are often described in terms of idolatry, injustice, violence, and immorality. The prophet Isaiah warns, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter" (Isaiah 5:20). Such actions are seen as a direct affront to God's order and righteousness.

Divine Retribution

The punishment of the wicked is depicted in various forms, including temporal judgments and eternal consequences. In the book of Proverbs, it is written, "The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous" (Proverbs 3:33). This illustrates the immediate repercussions of wickedness in one's life.

In the New Testament, the theme of eternal punishment is further developed. Jesus Himself speaks of the final judgment, stating, "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Matthew 25:46). This underscores the ultimate fate of the wicked as eternal separation from God.

Examples of Punishment

Throughout Scripture, there are numerous examples of individuals and nations who faced divine punishment due to their evil ways. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a stark reminder of God's judgment against rampant immorality and sin (Genesis 19:24-25). Similarly, the plagues of Egypt demonstrate God's power to punish a nation that defies His commands (Exodus 7-12).

The Role of Repentance

While the Bible is clear about the punishment of the wicked, it also emphasizes God's mercy and the opportunity for repentance. The prophet Joel calls out, "Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion" (Joel 2:13). This invitation to repentance highlights God's desire for the wicked to turn from their evil ways and be spared from judgment.

Conclusion

The punishment of the wicked is a testament to God's justice and the seriousness of sin. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's righteous path. Through the Scriptures, believers are called to live in obedience and righteousness, heeding the warnings given to those who choose the path of wickedness.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 21:14
But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, said the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 4:9
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
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Hosea 12:2
The LORD has also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Preparation for Advent
... and for four, the Lord would not turn away their punishment. ... the wicked world (for
it is a wicked world) than ... history, and all men shall give account for their ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon ii preparation for advent.htm

Of Evil-Speaking in General.
... he rendereth himself liable to a strict account, and to ... incur the calamities of sin
and of punishment, we must ... reason: "And it shall be, if the wicked man be ...
/.../barrow/sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/of evil-speaking in general.htm

Whether it was Lawful to Divorce a Wife under the Mosaic Law?
... The fourth is by omission of punishment, and in this ... law or the prophets: "Show My
people their wicked doings" (Is.58:1 ... to have only one wife, on account of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it was lawful to.htm

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and ...
... and of their ordinary speaking, and does not account a coined ... rain in harvest, a
reproach and punishment more becomes ... an errand or business to a wicked man and ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section v scriptures showing the.htm

The Seventh Book
... But, as befits the greatness of his punishment, wasted by ... lay in our own"a sacrilegious
and wicked conception that ... So whatever is done on account of sin is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the seventh book.htm

The Unclean Spirits.
... As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to ... 2:1-3. And Paul says of that
wicked: "Whose coming ... With them "the Bible account of creation is a very ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the unclean spirits.htm

Matt. xxvii. 11, 12
... them, and pronounces them to be worthy of extreme punishment. ... a result cometh of
the snares of that wicked one, he ... and saith we have to give an account of an ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxxvi matt xxvii 11.htm

The Prophets were Sent from one and the Same Father from whom the ...
... Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the wicked husbandmen cast ... among the Sodomites,
and who, on account of this ... on Him should have a more severe punishment in the ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxvi the prophets were sent.htm

The Sixth Book
... On this account, even if their lesser capacity accomplishes ... where are theaters, where
those other wicked vices that ... is the more worthy of punishment for this ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the sixth book.htm

An Exhortation to Theodore after his Fall. Letter I.
... For this reason also the wicked one dragged Judas ... former freedom, having considered
both the punishment arising from ... were desperate; so much more account do we ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/an exhortation to theodore after.htm