The judgment of God

The last few verses of chapter 7 end with a few poignant words.

Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.

Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth.

Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. (Genesis 7:21–23)

A lot of people wonder how God could do such a thing. How could God just wipe out all those people and animals?

Throughout the Old Testament, you see God bringing judgment on people, even commanding that entire races of people get wiped out.

Some people say, “I don’t like the God of the Old Testament. He seems so cruel and unmerciful. I like the God of the New Testament much better. He’s much more filled with love and grace.”

But that’s not really true. There are many instances of the love and grace of God in the Old Testament, while there are many instances of the judgment of God in the New Testament as well.

The Bible ends with a revelation of God’s judgment before the heavens and earth are made new again.

Why does God command such things? I think there are two misconceptions that people have about God.

One is that God is only a God of love. And so they say, “How can a God of love do these things?”

But what they don’t understand is that God is a holy God too. He is so pure, he cannot look on evil.

And he is a God of justice. He cannot allow evil to go unpunished forever. Sooner or later, he must bring judgment. Otherwise God can no longer be called a God of justice.

The other misconception people have is that God must take great delight in bringing this kind of judgment. But that’s not true either.

In Ezekiel 18:23, he says,

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD.

Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

Later in Ezekiel 33:11, he says,

Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.

Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’

The truth is that while there is the justice of God, there is also the patience of God. That patience sometimes frustrates the very same people who complain about the judgment of God.

They say, “If God is really just, why does he allow evil on this earth now? Why doesn’t he just wipe out all of the evil people on earth?”

I wonder when people ask this if they realize they’re including themselves among those evil people. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

If God were to bring instantaneous judgment on all the evil in the world, there would be no one left on this earth.

But back to the patience of God. Throughout history, you see God’s patience before judgment. You see him waiting and waiting, hoping for repentance, before passing judgment.

He waited 120 years between sending the warning and sending the flood.

He waited four generations of people before sending the Israelites to pass judgment on the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:16).

When the Israelites sinned, he sent prophet after prophet with warnings to turn.

And now, God says this:

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.

He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (II Peter 3:3–9)

Yes, God is a God of love. But God is a God of justice.

Yes, he is a God of justice. But he is a patient God who wants all to be saved.

Yes, he is a patient God, but his patience won’t last forever.

So remember the words of the Lord Jesus:

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.

That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (Matthew 24:37–42)