God judges the world by identifying and condemning sin and by vindicating and rewarding the righteous. God exercises temporal judgment on the world and on his people; final judgment will take place when Jesus Christ returns.
The nature of God's judgment
Its certainty
Ecclesiastes 12:14 See also Psalm 7:11; Ecclesiastes 3:17, Ecclesiastes 11:9; James 5:9
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Its righteousness
Genesis 18:25 See also Psalm 9:7–8, Psalm 50:6, Psalm 96:13 parallel 1 Chronicles 16:33
Far be it from You to do such a thing — to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
Its impartiality
2 Chronicles 19:7 See also Deuteronomy 10:17; Job 34:19; Psalm 98:9; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9
And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
The purpose of God's judgment
To display his glory
Isaiah 5:16 See also Exodus 14:4; Isaiah 59:18–19; Ezekiel 7:27, Ezekiel 38:23; Revelation 14:7
But the LORD of Hosts will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.
To vindicate the righteous
1 Samuel 24:12–15 See also Psalm 7:8–9; Isaiah 34:8; Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 51:9–10; Revelation 16:5–7
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you. As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you. Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
To defend the weak
Psalm 140:12 See also Psalm 82:1–4; Isaiah 11:4; Ezekiel 34:16–22
I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy.
To bring salvation to his people
Isaiah 30:18 See also Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 76:8–9, Psalm 105:5–7 parallel 1 Chronicles 16:12–14; Isaiah 33:22
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.
To punish sin
Romans 2:12 See also Psalm 1:4–6; John 12:48; Romans 5:16; Hebrews 10:26–30, Hebrews 13:4
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
To turn people to God
Isaiah 19:22 Temporal judgments may turn people to God and so save them from eternal judgment. See also 1 Kings 8:33 parallel 2 Chronicles 6:24; 2 Chronicles 7:13–14; Daniel 4:33–34; Hosea 2:5–7; 1 Corinthians 11:29–32
And the LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them but heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and He will hear their prayers and heal them.
God's judgment may be delayed
Job 24:1–4; 2 Peter 3:9 See also Psalm 74:10–11, Psalm 94:2–3; Habakkuk 1:2–4, Habakkuk 1:13; Acts 17:30; Romans 3:25; Revelation 6:10
“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days? Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks. They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge. They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding.
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
Examples of God's judgment
Judgment on ungodly individuals
Acts 12:23 See also 2 Chronicles 21:18–19 Jehoram; Daniel 5:26–28 Belshazzar; Revelation 2:22 Jezebel, the false prophetess
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
Judgment following particular sins
Genesis 4:10–14 Cain's murder of Abel; Numbers 20:12 Moses' and Aaron's disobedience; Leviticus 10:1–2 Nadab's and Abihu's disobedience; 1 Samuel 25:38–39 Nabal's contemptuous treatment of David; 2 Samuel 6:6–8 Uzzah's handling of the ark; 2 Kings 2:23–24 youths jeering at Elisha; 2 Kings 5:27 Gehazi's greed; 2 Chronicles 26:19–20 Uzziah's pride and unfaithfulness; Acts 5:1–10 Ananias' and Sapphira's lies
Judgment on peoples and nations
Joel 3:12–13 See also Genesis 6:17, Genesis 19:24–25EXO Genesis 7:4–5; Numbers 33:4 1 Samuel 2:10, 1 Samuel 5:6ISA 1 Samuel 10:12, Isaiah 37:36 parallel 2 Kings 19:35 Isaiah 34:5JER Isaiah 25:12, Jeremiah 51:56 Jeremiah 25:31–33
Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.
God's judgment on his enemies
Deuteronomy 32:41–43 See also Psalm 45:3–6; Isaiah 1:24; Ezekiel 38:21–22; John 12:31; Revelation 20:7–10
when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh— the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.” Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries and repay those who hate Him; He will cleanse His land and His people.
God's judgment on Israel
God's warning of judgment
Deuteronomy 28:15–24; Jeremiah 1:16 See also Leviticus 26:15–20, Leviticus 26:33; Jeremiah 11:7–8
I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me, and they have burned incense to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.
Plagues
Numbers 16:46–47, Numbers 21:5–9; 2 Samuel 24:15 parallel 1 Chronicles 21:14
Drought and famine
Defeat by enemies
Joshua 7:1–7; Judges 2:11–16 The cycle of sin, defeat and deliverance is repeated several times in Judges; 2 Chronicles 28:4–5
Exile
2 Kings 17:23; Jeremiah 11:17; Lamentations 1:5; Ezekiel 39:23–24
God's final judgment on the whole earth
Acts 17:31 See also Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:31–32; John 12:48; Romans 2:16, Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:11–15
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.