Remember This When Punishing The Guilty

Joel 3:1
“In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,

Joel 3:2
I will gather all nations
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial
for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land.

Israelites belonged to God as a select group that God used to show what He does to those who obey Him, even though the whole world belongs to God, Exodus 19:5-6. Unfortunately, Israelites were not always faithful to their God. God would plead with them to stop sinning but sometimes they would not listen until God had to take the extreme action of allowing enemy nations to attack them and enslave them as punishment for sin, 2 Chronicles 36:15-17.

Other nations always wanted to attack Israel and destroy it, because of the envy and the expansionism of greedy nations. Those nations that always wanted to invade Israel never succeeded because God protected Israel. When Israelites sinned and caused God to withdraw His protection, they got exposed to nations that immediately attacked them. These nations in their greedy expansionism would unknowingly serve God’s purpose of disciplining Israel.

Joel gives a prophetic message that God will punish Israel because of their sins. Israel will be attacked and destroyed by other nations. Israel will be vulnerable. Israel will be exposed. Israel will suffer damage and loss of life.

Then Joel tells us in our text today that after some time, God will restore the fortunes of Israelites. Because God is gracious and forgiving. The losses Israel suffers will be restored. Our text tells us that God will restore the fortunes of Israel.

God will also punish all the nations that took advantage when God withdrew. God says that He will put all nations on trial for what they did to Israel at a time when God withdrew protection and they were weak and easy to attack. They may have served God’s purposes inadvertently but that does not exonerate them from responsibility for losses of life and property in Israel.

Has someone done wrong? Are you in a position to punish? Err on the side of mercy. God will someday restore that person and put you on trial for how you handled that person. Remember this when punishing the guilty!

Human beings punish the guilty with an intention to totally destroy or silence. God disciplines with a plan to restore. The person God allows you to punish today will be restored by the same God in the near future because that is how God works. He disciplines with an intention to restore. Remember this when punishing the guilty!

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

While seemingly you are acting on behalf of God to punish the guilty, remember He will put you on trial for everything and anything you do. Therefore, do not avoid doing what is your responsibility, but act fairly. God will eventually put you on trial so that your methods, the process, the intentions, the secret scheming, and conclusions or verdicts will be tested before God. Remember this when punishing the guilty!

The guilty may seem to be at your mercy today, but that is not a permanent situation, God will restore their fortunes. You as the punisher of guilt may seem to be in a high and safe position, but God will put you on trial, therefore, your current situation is not as secure as circumstances have made you believe. Therefore act as someone whose entire disciplinary process will be audited by a God who can’t be bribed or silenced. Remember this when punishing the guilty!

The guilty could be your spouse and children or parents or siblings. The guilty could be your neighbors, friends, and relatives. The guilty could be your bosses, colleagues, or juniors. The guilty could be your students or teachers. The guilty could be a church leader. We are in a position to one way or the other punish these guilty people. God will restore their fortunes, and put you on trial. Remember this when punishing the guilty!

Dear God, remind me this when I must punish the guilty, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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