Applied Christianity - Walter Martin

The Voice of Retribution:

"For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." -- Part of the Second Commandment, Exodus 20:5-6.

If you are one of those who belong to a Protestant Christian Church, and yet rail at God here revealed, may we suggest that you make haste and delay not to have your name rubbed off the rolls -- if it may be a lengthening of your tranquility!

History makes some singular developments in respect tc the retributive justice of God. Nations, communities, families, individuals, furnish fearful illustrations that "the wicked is snared in the work of his own hand," and that "the way of the transgressor is hard!" Wrong doing, oppression, crime, are, by no means reserved only for a future retribution. They draw after them an almost certain retribution in this world. "There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God!" He may seem to prosper -- riches may increase -- he may revel in pleasures, and shine in honors, and seem to have all that heart can wish; yet there is a canker-worm somewhere gnawing at the very vitals of happiness -- a blight somewhere upon all that he possesses. History bears at least an incidental yet decisive testimony on this point.

Perilous it is indeed to a man's well being in this life -- to his peace, his reputation, his best interest -- to do wrong. Possibly the wrong doer may not suffer himself, yet most certainly his children, and his children's children will pay the penalty of his misdeeds. Man is undoubtedly so constituted, whether regard be had to his physical, social, intellectual, and moral nature, as to make him a happy being. The right, the unperverted use of all his powers and susceptibilities would not fail to secure to him a high an(t continual state of earthly happiness and prosperity. And not only is the human machine itself so fitted up as to accomplish such an end, but the whole external world, the theatre in which man has to live, act, and enjoy, is fitted up in beautiful harmony with the same benevolent end. Every jar of human happiness, every arrest or curtailment or extinction of it, is the fruit of transgression or perversion. The violation of a natural law is as sure to be followed by retribution as the violation of a Divine Law. The history of individuals, families, communities, nations, is full of such retributions!

"Be sure your sin will find you out" Numbers 32:23.

"It shall not be well with the wicked." Ecclesiastes 8:13.

"As I have done, so God hath requited me." Judges 1:7.

"Oh, that they would consider their latter end." Deut. 32:29.

The domestic peace and prosperity of the good old patriarch Jacob was sadly marred. He is compelled to become at an early age, an exile from his father's house -- to flee before the aroused wrath of his brother -- to suffer a long oppression and wrong in the family of Laban, his kinsman; and no sooner is he relieved from these domestic afflictions, than suddenly he is bereaved of his favorite wife -- Joseph is violently torn from his embrace by his own sons -- and at length Benjamin, the only object on which the affections of the aged father seemed to repose, must be yielded up to an uncertain destiny, and his cry is heard: "All these things are against me!"

Pharaoh defied the God of heaven and raised his hand to oppress the chosen people, and he perished miserably amid the ruins of his own kingdom. Egypt never recovered from the sock of Pharaoh's sin, but since has been the "basest of kingdoms."

David was a good man, yet he sinned a great sin. And his sin was of a domestic character. And how grievously was be afterward afflicted in his domestic relations, his subsequent history remains the sad memorial: The Voice of God announced, "The sword shall never depart from your house!" His son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. Absalom, her brother, killed Ammon! Later on Absalom usurped his father's throne and drove him out, etc., etc. Yet David was a "man after God's heart" -- a man after God's heart in the way he repented and accepted the severe judgment of God, reminding one of the words of Job: "Yea, though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!"

Adonibezek, who had conquered 70 kings, and having cut off their thumbs and big toes, made them eat under his table, is at length conquered by the invading Israelites, who in turn cut off his thumbs and big toes. He acknowledged the retributive justice of the act when he said, "As I have done, so God hath requited me."

Examples crowd upon us from every quarter; every neighborhood furnishes them! Haman was hung on the gallows he built for Mordecai. Dogs ate the carcass of Queen Jezebel, and licked up the blood of her husband, King Ahab. The Herods furnish fearful examples. But consider Pontius Pilate: many of us quote his name every Sunday in public worship: "Suffered under Pontius Pilate!"

"Pilate, vacillating between the monitions of conscience and a miserable time serving policy, delivered up Jesus to be crucified. He believed him to be innocent; yet that his own loyalty to Caesar might not be suspected, he did violence to his conscience and condemned the innocent. He must secure his friendship of Caesar, though it be fit the expense of the most appalling crime. But how miserably he failed; and there was in the retribution which followed a striking fitness of the punishment to the crime. He hesitated at nothing to please his imperial master at Rome. Yet but two years afterward he was banished by this same emperor into a distant province, where, in disgrace and abandonment, and with a burden on his conscience which was as the burning steel, he put an end to an existence which was too wretched to be borne!" "Be sure your sin will find you out!" "He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy."


OCTOBER 30, 1965