1/17/25

Lamentations 4:22 NASB95 The punishment of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion; He will exile you no longer. But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins!

People often ask the question of why bad things happen to good people. The reality is that no one is good. Psalm 14:3 NASB95.They have all turned aside; together, they have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.

As our text reveals punishment comes on iniquity. However, there is good news for the daughters of Zion (the people of the Lord). The text says the punishment for their iniquity has been completed. This reveals that there will be a day when the bad that happens to followers of Jesus will come to an end. The punishment for our sins happens in time while we are on the earth. Because Jesus paid the price for our sins there is no eternal death. Which is the full punishment due (the wages).

So the answer to the question, why do bad things happen to good people would be. Bad things happen to followers of God because, we receive punishment for our iniquity on this side of eternity. We then spend eternity in the glorious presence of the Lord.

Then the next question is why is it bad people seem to have it good? We also see in the text that Edom (people who have refused God) have punishment coming. Because they will not receive the mercy and grace given through Jesus' death and resurrection (substitutionary payment), they will receive punishment for their iniquity for all eternity. The punishment is separation from God in an eternal lake of fire.

It is great news to know for Christians earth is as bad as we get. Yet it is awful to know for those who die lost, earth is as good as they will ever get.

Praying earth is as bad as you will ever see through Jesus.

Love Bro. Scott