“Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” Genesis 19:24-25 NKJV
Many times the subject of my weekly thoughts are in response to questions I receive. One that is occurring with greater frequency lately concerns the moral degeneration of our nation and the almost weekly events which illustrate just how far we have fallen. As a result, the question I seem to hear most often is when do I think God will judge America? I wrote this article just a couple of years ago but considering our current state of affairs, I thought it would bear repeating.
“Why hasn’t God judged America?” “If God doesn’t judge America, He owes an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah”. Have you or someone you know heard or said those words or something similar lately? As this nation’s moral compass continues to point downwards, and our society seems to be steadily and rapidly following in that direction, many are asking this question with greater frequency. If ever a country was spiritually and morally approaching bankruptcy, it would seem we are ripe for an event where God’s wrath is poured out in such a way as to demonstrate His righteous judgment on a society which has so obviously turned its back on God’s truth.
I am sure many of you have heard the expression “going Old Testament” referring to an event where judgment is meted out to a deserving entity for transgressions deemed to require some form of serious correction. Of course, any study of the events written about in the Old Testament reveal many instances where our God did in fact not only judge, but reveal His righteous wrath in ways that left no doubt that He was displeased with the actions He observed. Make no mistake, the God of the universe has revealed Himself to man and written in His Word exactly what He expects from us by revealing His laws and commandments.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, talks about God’s love for us, our need for redemption, the gospel as the way to salvation, and lastly God’s wrath upon those who turn their backs on Him.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 NKJV
I appreciate the fact that Paul gives us the good news before he gives us the bad news. He chooses to tell us of God’s love for us and the gift of eternal life available to all who believe in the Gospel of Christ before he broaches the subject of God’s wrath. That of course is the good news, but the bad news is that to those who reject and turn their backs on God put themselves in a position to receive judgment in the form of God’s wrath. While we as humans look at the word wrath and immediately think of anger, or an impulsive response such as losing one’s temper, in the Greek there are actually two words for wrath.
One does in fact mean a hot, burning, responsive anger, but there is another one which is what is used here referring to God’s wrath and it is the word “orgē”. This word describes an anger that grows slowly over time, building up to a point where the response is a result of contemplation and just determination. You could compare it to the judgment passed in a court of law, which is determined after all the evidence is presented and studied by the judge before he presents his ruling. God watches man over time, considers his actions, and when He believes judgment is necessary, delivers His wrath if the circumstances require it.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Romans 1:18-23 NKJV
In this passage Paul reveals God’s indictment of those who turn their back on Him, and the reasons behind His decision to pour out His wrath. God makes it perfectly clear that His wrath is reserved for those who know the truth, but deliberately ignore what God has revealed and choose to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”. In a recent conversation with a friend it was our conclusion that the words in this passage clearly describe what we can observe from a large segment of our society. They “became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools”.
So the evidence is presented and it clearly shows the guilt of those who choose to turn their backs on God and His revealed truth. God is aware of it, observed it over time, and has determined it requires judgment in the form of His wrath. All that remains is to observe the fire and brimstone coming down from Heaven. Or does it? While that might be what many of us would like to see, Paul reminds us that there is a form of God’s wrath that He has used in the past, and chooses to use here which might not be exactly what we expect, and that is something we can call God’s “permissible wrath”.
“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:24-32 NKJV
Three times Paul tells us that God gave these people what they so obviously want. While we might desire to see God’s direct punishment, what God chooses to do is to simply give them what they so obviously want. In God’s mind, these have already made the decision in their mind that they are going to abandon Him, so He simply allows them to do so knowing what lies at the end of the road. That, of course, will be the tribulation written about in great detail in the book of Revelation. So if you were to ask me the question, why hasn’t God judged America, my answer would be this.
He already has.
Keep watching.
