The concept of divine judgment is a central theme throughout the Bible, and it is particularly significant in the context of the fate of the wicked. The dread of judgment is a recurring motif, reflecting the fear and anxiety that the unrighteous experience in anticipation of God's righteous verdict.

Old Testament Foundations

The Old Testament lays the groundwork for understanding the dread of judgment among the wicked. In the book of Psalms, the psalmist frequently contrasts the fate of the righteous with that of the wicked. Psalm 1:4-5 states, "Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous." Here, the imagery of chaff blown away by the wind underscores the instability and ultimate downfall of the wicked when faced with divine judgment.

The prophets also speak to the fear of judgment. In Isaiah 13:6-9 , the prophet warns of the day of the Lord: "Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every heart will melt with fear. Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another, their faces aflame. Behold, the day of the LORD is coming—cruel, with fury and burning anger—to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners within it." This passage vividly describes the terror and dread that will grip the wicked on the day of judgment.

New Testament Revelation

The New Testament further develops the theme of the wicked's dread of judgment, emphasizing the finality and severity of God's righteous judgment. In the Gospels, Jesus frequently speaks of the coming judgment and the fate of the unrighteous. In Matthew 13:41-42 , Jesus explains, "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The imagery of weeping and gnashing of teeth conveys the anguish and regret of those who face judgment unprepared.

The apostle Paul also addresses the dread of judgment in his epistles. In Romans 2:5-6 , he writes, "But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. God 'will repay each one according to his deeds.'" This passage highlights the inevitability of judgment and the personal accountability each individual will face.

The Book of Revelation

The book of Revelation provides a dramatic portrayal of the final judgment and the dread it inspires among the wicked. Revelation 6:15-17 describes the reaction of the unrighteous at the opening of the sixth seal: "Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?'" This passage captures the universal dread and desperation of those who realize the inescapability of divine judgment.

Theological Implications

The dread of judgment among the wicked serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness and justice of God. It underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. The Bible consistently warns that those who reject God's grace and persist in wickedness will face a fearful expectation of judgment. As Hebrews 10:26-27 warns, "If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries."

The dread of judgment is not merely a future concern but a present reality that calls individuals to examine their lives and turn to God in repentance and faith.Acts 24:25
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go your way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 10:27
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

When God for Judgment Sets his Throne,
... the Judgment bear,. That finds the sinner everywhere? V. O Christ, Thou Judge, on
that dread day,. When sinners shun thy face,. Join not my soul with wicked men ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the apostolic church/when god for judgment sets.htm

A Strain of the Judgment of the Lord.
... S. Thelwall.] 4. A Strain of the Judgment of the Lord. ... Wicked ill-stains contracted;
and appease. Dread God by prayers eternal; and let all. ...
/.../unknown/fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/4 a strain of the.htm

Sermon xxvii.
... and his truth,"while he examines, before his dread tribunal, the ... the righteous are
finally acquitted at the judgment, so are the wicked finally condemned ...
/.../leland/the national preacher vol 2 no 7 dec 1827/sermon xxvii.htm

Epistle xxxiv. To Venantius, Ex-Monk, Patrician of Syracuse .
... not from his iniquity and from his wicked way, he ... then, thy fault while there is
time; dread, while thou ... for perverse doing, if in its judgment it reprobates ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xxxiv to venantius ex-monk.htm

The Wicked Husbandmen.
... his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold ... vineyard cometh he will
destroy those wicked men, and ... Ah, my country, I dread the punishment of thy ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xi the wicked husbandmen.htm

Coming Judgment of the Secrets of Men
... he shall pronounce sentence upon the wicked, and execute ... never be a cavil raised
concerning that judgment. ... to all intelligences that however dread his sentences ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 31 1885/coming judgment of the secrets.htm

And Why Should we Add Many Words Concerning those who are Sisted ...
... and to taste immortal joys; and the wicked, to be ... confess Him who comes to judge
righteous judgment, the mighty ... man, shall be revealed upon His dread and lofty ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/piece xxxix and why should.htm

The Knowledge of God Stifled or Corrupted, Ignorantly or ...
... meaning, when he says elsewhere, the wicked has "no ... fear which divine Judgment extorts
Judgment which, from ... of escape, they are compelled to dread, but which ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 4 the knowledge of.htm

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and ...
... things spiritual with spiritual, apprehendeth judgment coming on ... worldlings go on
headlong, and dread nothing, and ... of unhappiness encumbereth their wicked life ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section v scriptures showing the.htm

The Resurrection of the Dead, and Eternal Judgment:
... the world, when the wicked world are raised. The saints shall judge the world; they
shall judge angels; yea, they shall sit upon the thrones of judgment to do ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the resurrection of the dead.htm

What is Judgment Day? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Great White Throne Judgment? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that judgment begins at the house of God? | GotQuestions.org

Judgment: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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