The world seems to be more evil every day. Increased control of our lives is sensed in every country. Truth is more difficult to obtain. Opinions are more difficult to address. Safety is more difficult to experience. Fear increases. Panic increases. Uncertainty increases. Mental health issues increase. Physical health declines. Financial comfort is beginning to disappear. Anxiety increases. Distrust increases. And the love of many grows cold. Why doesn’t God punish this evil NOW?
My opinion is
B1 God punishes peoples, nations, and individuals by allowing them to sin more and in greater ways.
C1 The downhill spiral to total and greatest depravity is found in Romans 1:21-32. It starts with rebellion, rejection, refusal of God’s truth. Note how many times there are words as God gave them over to. They sought evil as did our ancestors in Genesis 6:5.
C2 Psalms 81:12 NIV So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
B2 God reveals human depravity.
C1 Ecclesiastes 12:14 NLT God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
C2 1 Corinthians 4:5 NLT So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
B3 God hastens judgment.
C1 Deuteronomy 32:35 NASB95 Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.
C2 Ezekiel 22:3 ISV “You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “The city keeps on shedding blood within her, hastening her time to be judged. She crafts idols that defile her.
B4 God does these things because He is just. All His judgments are done with wisdom and righteousness.
C1 Wisdom in judgment See Isaiah 3:11, See Isaiah 66:18 (God knows everything), 2 Chronicles 1:10-12 (Solomon asking for wisdom to give true judgment), and from the wisdom chapter in the wisdom book we have Proverbs 8:14 NIV Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.
C2 Righteousness in judgment See Revelation 16:7, Psalm 72:2, Psalm 96:13, and Acts 17:31.
C3 No partiality. The rich and powerful cannot change or influence God’s justice. Ephesians 6:9 NRSV And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.
The hastening that we read of in 2 Peter 3:12 refers to our praying for God’s kingdom to arrive. This is the kingdom where there is justice, peace, righteousness, no evil, etc.
We may become discouraged at all the evil, the increase in evil, and the seemingly victories of evil, but the Day is coming.
2 Peter 3:9 Williams The Lord is not slow about His promise, in the sense in which some think of slowness, but He is really dealing patiently with you, because He is not willing for any to perish but for all to have an opportunity to repent?
Sin, Evil not punished, God’s judgment