Why Does God Punish?

I've read and heard many people say they could not worship a God who killed all those people in the Old Testament. They think God is cruel. I thought I'd start out with some verses where God speaks about how he feels.

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

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?

All these verses come from Ezekiel chapter 18.

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“If a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. 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?"

“But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die."

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?"

“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!"

What sins were these people committing?

God told Ezekiel, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice."

Murder, theft and injustice in the courts was widespread. God said, "Must they also fill the land with violence and continually arouse my anger?"

The worst sin was sacrificing their own babies and children to idols. They burned them alive.

 “ ‘And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols."   Chapter 16

Jeremiah, who lived at the same time spoke of this, 

"For they have forsaken me and made this a place of foreign gods; they have burned incense in it to gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind."  Chapter 19

The punishment for these people was God allowing the King of Babylon to come and take captives and then destroy their country. Those who were captive or those who defected to the King of Babylon were allowed to live. God told them that many times. He warned them over and over.

The result of this punishment was that Israel as a people never worshiped idols again. God returned them to their land and to their city of Jerusalem. God said many, many times in both Jeremiah and Ezekiel that this punishment would result in Israel knowing God as their God. He said that after their captivity in Babylon, "Then shall they know that I am the LORD." 

So, why does God punish people? I think many reasons. He wants them to wake up and realize what they are doing is wrong. They are hurting people. He wants them to live forever with him in heaven, but he cannot take them if they love doing evil. They would still want to do evil in heaven. He must sometimes rid the world of people who love violence. He does this to protect the other people of the world who love peace.

The Calling of Jeremiah.

http://www.dsmedia.org/resources/illustrations/sweet-publishing

Have you noticed how God usually chooses the young, uneducated and inexperienced to be his prophets? Most of Jesus' disciples were of this type.

Have you ever wished you were one of the disciples or a prophet? It is an amazing privilege and awesome responsibility - and if I can dare say it, no fun. 

A lot of people will want to kill you.

The Call of Jeremiah

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

After calling Jeremiah to be a prophet, God gave him a vision.

The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”

“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”

God explains the vision.

The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones

in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;

they will come against all her surrounding walls

and against all the towns of Judah.

I will pronounce my judgments on my people

because of their wickedness in forsaking me,

in burning incense to other gods

and in worshiping what their hands have made.

God gives Jeremiah his orders and promises to be with him.

“Get yourself ready! 

Stand up and say to them whatever I command you.

Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 

Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 

They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Well, all this would make me want to hide under my bed; but Jeremiah was made of sterner stuff. I love the book he wrote because it shows the love God has for people and how he pleads over and over for them to come to him.

Jeremiah - His Call From God.

Jeremiah was a young priest in the Land of Benjamin. Suddenly, the Lord appeared to him and said, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born I consecrated you a prophet to the nations."

Because God is all knowing and can see the future of  us all, he knew what kind of person Jeremiah would be and that he was a man God could use to speak to the world. He knew Jeremiah would be a mighty prophet for him 

Jeremiah was a humble person which is shown by his answer, "Alas, Lord God! I do not know how to speak because I am young."

But God said, "Don't say, 'I am young,' because everywhere I send you, you shall go. All I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them for I am with you to deliver you."

God would not accept Jeremiah's fear and dismay. He knew Jeremiah could do it with his help and strength.

"Then the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth..."

Age and experience means nothing to God. He often uses the very young to do his greatest work. But in order to speak for God we all need his hand to reach out and touch our mouths. May God help us and show us what to say to those who need him.