If someone steels then got caught and went to prison, would he say this is god punishment?
When does god punish human, and how?
The trial of Job
Satan said: Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (Job 1:10).
And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” (Job 1:12).
I really hope that I can convey this with my feelings rather than just words. Because if you truly understand this, not only will you love God more, but you will also find a reason to pray and hold tight to Him.
In the story of Job, Satan was jealous and furious, wanting to destroy Job because he was a righteous man. But he couldn’t succeed because God is in control.
Satan can’t just step into our lives and mess things up. If Satan did, that would mean He is more powerful than God, and we would be doomed. Thankfully, God has put a limit on Satan, preventing him from crossing it. God loves His people, just like in the story of Job. He forms a hedge around our lives, ensuring our safety within it. This hedge protects us from all the fiery arrows that Satan may send our way.
As long as we are inside our house with Jesus, we are safe. You see, there are two scenarios that can happen next.
- Temptations – (scenario number 1).
First, we may hear joyful sounds and see sparkling lights across that hedge, all as temptation. If we, with our own will, decide to go over the hedge, we allow ourselves to enter trials. We leave God’s arm, where love and safety live. He will keep knocking on your door, urging you to come back quickly. If you return, you will be saved. However, if you choose to stay over the hedge, then certain consequences will follow.
How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!. Behold, your house is forsaken. (Luke 13:34-35).
So, if you choose to stay outside the protective hedge that God has lovingly formed around you despite all the attempts that God has been trying to call you, it may be perceived as a betrayal of His kindness and love. In response, God might leave temporarily, causing the hedge to crumble. Your home will become vulnerable to Satan and his destructive arrows. This could cause your life echoing the sounds of chaos and despair.
Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit? The boar out of the woods uproots it, and the wild beast of the field devours it. (Psalms 80:12-13).
Yet, maybe some people don’t care about their houses. They are too focused on indulging in their desires, and that’s all they care about. Despite this, God tries to remind them to return to His safety, where He can protect them from harm and provide shelter. However, they stubbornly refuse. They no longer want to acknowledge God, as they are infatuated with the temporary pleasure that sin brings.
And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your lofty places. They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare.
They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. (Ezekiel 16:39-40).
Please note the repetition of the word They, you have vicious enemy which is satin and his soldiers, away from God, They will have no mercy on you. Before, God was a mighty warrior who could protect and defend us. But now, because of our love for darkness, our addiction to flesh and lust, he has become a stranger to us. He stands outside our door, constantly knocking, hoping that one day we will open it. Throughout all of this, he has not punished or tried to harm anyone.
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. (James 1:13).
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. (Romans 1:28).
Eventually, you will run out of something. It could be money, health, or even freedom if you get caught and jailed. You might also run out of friends if they no longer want you around, or even love of a spouse, or you may run out of peace in your heart and become more anxious and depressed feeling the need for change. We often think that all of this is God’s punishment, but in reality, He is innocent of causing any of it. It’s just that now you’re getting a taste of life without His protection. Once you come to your senses and ask for Him, He will come quickly. However, He won’t move until you ask. He has the power to perform countless miracles, but you have to let Him in first. Open the door.
- Testing your faith – (scenario number 2).
This applies to all Saints and who already walking down the path with god so they may give more fruits.
This is a common trait found in many godly individuals, such as Ibrahim, Joseph, David, and many others. They decided to remain within the protection of the hedge that God had formed for them. They loved God wholeheartedly, yet they still faced troubles. These challenges ultimately transformed their lives.
Ibrahim left his family and became a stranger in the wilderness. Despite hoping for a son, he had to wait for many years until old age before his prayers were answered. Eventually, he became the father of generations.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. Despite working honestly, he found himself imprisoned. However, he ultimately rose to become a prominent figure in Egypt and saved countless people from hunger.
David, knowing he would be king, respected the fact that Saul was still the anointed one of the Lord. This caused him to flee from Saul, but it also led to the creation of the psalms that we still use in our prayers today.
These individuals never abandoned God’s house. They remained within the protective hedge. Still, they endure some testing. These testing was not because they had done something wrong, but because God, in His love, did not want them to fall into the trap of pride and thinking they were superior to others. As stated in Proverbs 16:18,
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18).
Additionally, God wanted to bless them even more, as seen in the experiences of David and Joseph. Therefore, He allowed their faith to be tested, so that when they stood strong, they would receive the ultimate prize.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12).
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2).
David’s Punishment
To help you understand that what may appear as a punishment is actually a trouble created by humans, which God allows to happen. With His prior knowledge of it occurring, He utilizes it as a form of punishment. Let’s explore this concept further using the story of David.
David committed a sin, and God punished him with the following consequences.
Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. (2 Samuel 12:11).
during these days David has a strong consular who is Ahithophel,
Now, in those days, the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom. (2 Samuel 16:23).
Initially, Ahithophel served as David’s counselor, but he eventually turned against him and supported Absalom, David’s son, in his pursuit of the kingdom. When the conflict arose, Ahithophel advised Absalom with the following counsel.
Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” (2 Samuel 16:21).
You see, Ahithophel’s counsel to Absalom is God’s punishment to David. Absalom, who is David’s neighbor and son, publicly fulfills God’s punishment by going in to his father’s concubines. God allows this arrow to wound David, as it directly relates to David’s sins of taking a woman who does not belong to him. However, as Ahithophel continues to advise Absalom on ways to harm David, God, who is ultimately in control, rejects it.
Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king. (2 Samuel 17:1-2).
If Absalom had followed Ahithophel’s counsel and allowed him to chase after David that night, David’s life would have been taken. God sent a different advisor to Absalom to counsel him differently.
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom. (2 Samuel 17:14).
Punishment or Protections:
You may notice many arrows from Satan pointing towards you, bringing trouble from various sources such as work, school, friends, family, strangers, cops, lies, deceit, betrayal, adultery, anger, and many sins. However, God, in His love, protects us all, regardless of whether we are good or bad, from these arrows. When we fall into sin, God allows some arrows related to that sin to be released and hurt us, so that we may feel our weakness and run back to Him, avoiding further harm from more arrows. This is essentially the philosophy behind God’s punishment – He is not actively punishing anyone, but allowing things He would normally prevent from happening. Through these experiences, we feel crushed and seek refuge in Him. If you desire a peaceful life free from temptation, you must hold on tightly to God through prayers and a personal relationship with Him. This will save you from any temptation, as Jesus Himself taught His disciples.
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mark 14:38).
Sometimes, engaging in frequent masturbation and watching pornography can lead to diseases such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, infections, or other diseases. In these situations, we may believe that God is punishing us. If this were truly punishment from God, it could have happened from the very beginning knowing that we had been in this addiction for years. The reason it didn’t is that God loves you and has been kind to you. If you continue to reject Him, you give Him no choice but to leave you for a moment so you can taste a life without him.
How many times have you heard about people getting into trouble for downloading copyrighted materials, yet you have avoided such consequences? How many times have you worried about being discovered by friends and family, yet still maintained a positive image in their eyes? How many times have conflicts arisen in your home, potentially leading to divorce, yet God has kept your family together? How many times have friends or bosses used your computer without stumbling upon your library of pornographic material? All of this is God surrounding you with His protection, but if you persist in rejecting Him, He will withdraw His hand, and all the preceding consequences, and more, may befall you. We may perceive it as punishment, but in reality, God is innocent. He wants to save you. This is His goal. If you remain stubborn, He will allow Satan more freedom to harm you, as that is Satan’s nature.
you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:5).
With all the troubles Satan brings your way, God hopes you will awaken and repent in time. So, even if you have wasted your entire earthly life on sinful acts, you still can be saved and secure eternal life.
Win this battle.
