Fearful Judgments Of God.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”—Hebrews 10:31.
All men, strictly speaking, are in the hands of God. He has created all, He upholds and sustains all by the word of his power, and He supplies the wants of all by his own bountiful hand. He scatters blessings along our pathway, and the arms of his everlasting love are continually about us. If all now are in his hands, how can it be said to be “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God?”
In different senses, people are said to be in the “hands of God.” Speaking after the manner of men, “to fall into the hands of the living God,” was to suffer the merited retribution which his hands inflict. As every transgression and disobedience received from the hands of God a just recompense of reward, the judgments thus inflicted are said to be “fearful.” And as these judgments for disobedience and iniquity come from the hands of the Almighty, it is said to be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God, or under the divine judgments; or, in other words, to experience the fearful retributions for sin which God inflicts on the transgressor.
Hence we read that “the hand of the Lord was against them to destroy them.” Deut. 2:15. Of the disobedient Israelites it was said that “the hand of the Lord was against them for evil.” Judges 2:15. That is, the Lord punished them for their iniquity. When the Lord smote the people of Ashdod with disease, or punished them for their sins, it is said the “hand of the Lord was heavy upon them.” 1 Samuel 5:6. And again, at the 9th verse, we read that “the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction.” The people suffered fearful judgments. When the Israelites gained a signal victory over the Philistines by the help of the Lord, it is said “the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.” 1 Samuel 7:13. When the children of Israel had suffered an adequate punishment for their iniquity, it was said that “they received of the Lord’s hand double for all their sins.” Isaiah 40:2.
The judgments which came upon Jerusalem, upon Sodom and Gomorrah, upon Tyre and Sidon, were all fearful, and all regarded as coming from the hand of God; hence, it was said to be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. When the people had filled up the measure of their iniquity, it was a fearful thing to suffer for their transgressions. Cain found the retributions of God fearful indeed, when he went out a vagabond in the earth, stung by remorse as the voice of his brother’s blood cried from the ground, and in the intensity of his suffering he was constrained to cry out, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!” The antediluvians found the judgments of God fearful, when they were swept away by the waters of the sea. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah found that it was a “fearful thing” to fall under the divine judgments. When Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans, and the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, came upon that ill-fated city, and the people were visited with famine, pestilence and war, then they found, by a mournful experience, that it was a fearful thing to fall beneath the judgments of the Almighty, or into the hands of the living God.
The context shows that the apostle referred to the divine judgments to come upon Jerusalem. They saw “the day approaching.” (Verse 25.) They saw the fearful judgments of God approaching—the day of judgment to that nation. Dr. Clarke comments on “that day” thus: “The time in which God would come and pour out his judgments on the Jewish nation.” Those who willfully rejected Christ after they received the knowledge of the truth, and turned back again to Judaism, would be overwhelmed in the divine judgments that should devour the adversaries. (Verse 27.) Upon this Dr. Clarke remarks:
“Probably the apostle here refers to the case of the unbelieving Jews in general, as in chapter vi., to the dreadful judgment that was coming upon them, and the burning up of their temple and city with fire.”
The apostle refers to those persecuting Jews who had trodden under foot the Son of God, and persecuted his followers. They had filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were to experience merited retribution. “For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.” And again: “The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” This day of vengeance and recompense alluded to the fearful judgments which were to come upon the rebellious house of Israel, when Jerusalem should be destroyed. The day of vengeance was when these severe national judgments and calamities came upon the Jewish people. “For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” Luke 21:22.
God punished man for his iniquity. The judgments that came upon him for sin, came from the hand of God; hence it was said to be a “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Yet, God punishes not in revenge. “He will not cast off forever.” Lam. 3:31. “He hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.” Rom. 11:32.
God A Consuming Fire.
“For our God is a consuming fire.”—Hebrews 12:29.
The term fire was employed in different senses by the ancient Hebrews, and was a very common figure chosen to represent severe national calamities and judgments, coming upon the sinful and disobedient in this life, but never employed to set forth the retributive justice of God in the immortal world. The people were represented as being consumed with fire, and the land as being devoured with fire, and the inhabitants in a furnace of fire.
The divine judgments were threatened upon Israel in the following language: “For a Fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, [sheol] and shall consume the earth, with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains, etc. They shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction.” Deut. 32:22-24. The judgments of God in the earth, are referred to under the figure of fire, and the people being burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat.
Dr. Adam Clarke, the Methodist commentator, says:
“All this was fulfilled in a most remarkable manner, in the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, so that, of the fortifications of the city, not one stone was left on another.”
Severe temporal judgments are spoken of under the figure of fire in the following passage: “For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.” Num. 21:28. Similar phraseology is employed by David to represent the judgments of God upon the wicked in this life. “A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about.” Psalms 97:3.
In this sense God is spoken of as a “consuming fire,” because He brought judgments upon the disobedient and sinful. In the prophecy of Isaiah, the destruction of Babylon is spoken of under the same figure: “Behold they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them: they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame.” Isaiah 47:14. That is, they shall not escape the judgments of God; for verily, “He is a God that judgeth in the earth.” Psalms 58:11.
In the passage under consideration, Paul uses nearly the same language which Moses had employed when addressing the children of Israel, as recorded in Deut. 4:24: “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” Moses exhorts the Israelites to observe God’s commandments and walk in his ways, and warns them against idolatry as a sin; God has forbidden and would justly punish, hence He was said to be a consuming fire. The apostle in the context is speaking of things pertaining to the new dispensation, and of Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. If those living under the old economy, did not escape a merited retribution, “much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaketh from heaven.” Verse 25. God is still a consuming fire; He still maintains a moral government and punishes iniquity. He is said to be a consuming fire, because He is the author of those judgments which came upon the disobedient Jews, and destroyed their national existence, or consumed their national life. God punishes iniquity under the new economy as He did under the old dispensation. When the divine judgments came upon the Jewish nation, and the people were visited with famine, war and destruction, God was said to consume them, inasmuch as his judgments were upon them. In this sense He was spoken of as consuming the sinful because He punished them; thus: “I will send a sword after them till I have consumed them.” Jer. 9:16. “God consumed the wicked by the sword, by famine and by pestilence.” Jer. 14:12.
When, in the course of Providence, famine, pestilence and war came upon the Jewish nation, and they were overwhelmed in destruction, God was again called a consuming fire. This is the meaning of Paul’s language, as we understand it. It had reference to the judgments of God in the earth, and not to the endless ruin of a single member of the human family.
We present the following concurring testimony from Dr. Clarke:
“Not to the earth only, but also heaven: probably referring to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, and the total abolition of the political and ecclesiastical constitution of the Jews, the one being signified by the earth, the other by heaven; for the Jewish state and worship are frequently thus termed in the prophetic writings.
For our God is a consuming fire: the apostle quotes Deut. 4:24, and by doing so he teaches us this great truth—that sin under the gospel is as abominable in God’s sight, as it was under the law, and that the man who does not labor to serve God with the principle, and in the way already prescribed, will find that fire to consume him which would otherwise have consumed his sins.”—Com. in loc.
Impossible To Renew Them.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”—Hebrews 6:4-6.
The chief difficulty to a correct understanding of this language of the apostle, has arisen from the supposition that he intended to teach that it was absolutely impossible to renew those to repentance, who had once tasted of the joys of Christian salvation, and afterwards turned away from the truth. Divine truth and grace were given especially to enlighten the mind and purify the heart, and man, therefore, cannot become so lost in sin and blinded by error, that God’s grace cannot enlighten and save him — that it is absolutely impossible for God to restore his moral perceptions, quicken his understanding and reclaim him from his iniquity. The disciples of Christ, even after they had been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift, fell away from the truth, and yet they were renewed again to repentance. One denied the Savior, and another betrayed him, and all forsook him and fled; they became faithless and unbelieving, and Jesus upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. But they were again renewed unto repentance and received their Lord and Master again. Judas repented that he had betrayed innocent blood, and Peter that he had denied his Lord.
The apostle designed to teach no more than this: that when persons had been once enlightened by the truth, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, and had been convinced of the nature and divinity of Christ’s mission; if such should “fall away,” it would be more difficult to reclaim or renew them again unto repentance, than to convince them first of the excellency of the gospel — not because the testimony in favor of the truth would be insufficient, but because the mind would be full of prejudice, and such would be in a position unfavorable to examine testimony and weigh evidence impartially — having apostatized, they would have no disposition to receive the word and be renewed again to repentance. If it is absolutely impossible for an individual to repent, of course, he is relieved from all moral obligation to make any effort in that direction.
This scripture was originally addressed to those who were in danger of apostatizing from the faith they had embraced. They were in danger of “falling away” from the truth, and returning to the beggarly elements of Judaism. This language was addressed to believing Jews in and about Jerusalem, a very few years previous to the destruction of that city by the Romans. Paul exhorted the brethren to be faithful unto the end, to remain steadfast and immovable. He had witnessed the apostacy of some and the coldness and indifference of others; hence, he exhorted the Hebrew brethren, “not to forsake the assembling of themselves together,” after the manner of some, but to be true disciples of the cross, and never swerve from the truth, so much the more as they saw the day approaching. The brethren were exhorted to fidelity in the good work, inasmuch as it would be very difficult to renew again to repentance such as should fall away. It would be nearly impossible for any human being to present convincing testimony to the minds of such, and bring them back again to the faith of the gospel. It is more difficult to create renewed interest in the heart of a man, after he had abandoned the truth and lost all interest in the religious themes and institutions, and “fallen away” from his first love, than to bring him to the knowledge of the truth at first.
This is what Paul teaches in relation to Christianity. When a man has embraced the gospel, and tasted the joys of the world to come, if he should abandon the truth, apostatize from the faith and go back to Judaism — called the beggarly elements of the world — it would be far more difficult to renew him again to repentance, than to convince him of the truth at first.
The passage before us shows how hard it is to regain a good position when once abandoned; how difficult it is to be brought back to the way of truth and right, when once forsaken, not that it is absolutely impossible for God to change the mind and convert the soul, but that it is extremely difficult for man to present any argument which will turn such from their errors. In addition to what we have said, we ask the reader’s attention to the following, from eminent orthodox divines, in corroboration of what we have said. Dr. Macknight comments as follows:
“The apostle does not mean that it is impossible for God to renew a second time by repentance, an apostate; but that it is impossible for the ministers of Christ to convert a second time to the faith of the gospel, one who, after being made acquainted with all the proofs by which God has thought fit to establish Christ’s mission, shall allow himself to think him an impostor, and renounce the gospel. The apostle, knowing this, was anxious to give the Hebrews just views of the ancient oracles, in the hope that it would prevent them from apostatizing.”
Rosenmuller, a celebrated German theologian, says:
“Adhínaton [ἀδύνατον], in this place, does not mean absolutely impossible, but rather a thing so difficult, that it may be nearly impossible; thus we are accustomed to say of very many things, in common conversation.”
Wrath Of God.
“For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.”—Colossians3:6.
In the Scriptures frequent reference is made to the “wrath of God.” “Thou sendest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble.” Exod. 15:7. “My wrath shall wax hot.” Exod. 22:24. “The day of the Lord cometh with wrath.” Rev. 6:17. Such language has been misunderstood and so falsely interpreted, as to give to God the character of a merciless tyrant. Our heavenly Father has been represented as imbibing a hatred towards his own erring offspring more terrible than ever dwelt in the bosom of the most depraved mortal that ever walked the earth. Hence, much of the worship and religious service in which people have engaged, has been designed to affect God, to placate his wrath, secure his favor and reconcile Him to man. Such views of God and religion have done great harm to Christianity and turned many away in disgust from the Father of mercies, the God of our salvation. God cannot be angry, malignant, revengeful, and full of wrath, in any sense in which man is angry and wrathful for “anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” Eccles. 7:9. And we are commanded to “cease from anger and forsake wrath.” Psalms 37:8. Therefore God cannot indulge in any such sinful emotion himself.
When we read of the “wrath of God,” we understand the language to be used in a figurative sense, to denote God’s disapprobation of sin, his aversion to transgression, and his retributive justice. In the Scriptures, God is spoken of as a man, having the organization and passions of mortal beings; but all such language should be understood figuratively. We read of the “arm,” and “hand,” and “fingers” of the Almighty; of the “right arm” of the Lord, and of his “heart” and “breath;” that he “sits,” and “rides,” and “walks;” but these are all figurative expressions, adapted to the condition and circumstances of the ancient Hebrews, indicating the poverty of language in which ideas adapted to the comprehension of the people were conveyed, and were never designed to be understood literally.
To express the divine approbation of any course of action, expressions similar to those employed by the people for a like purpose, must have been introduced, and therefore to represent God’s disapproval of sin and its merited retribution, He is spoken of as being “angry” with the sinner, and exercised by wrathful emotions. Merited retribution indicated to their undeveloped and uncultivated minds, “anger” and “wrath” in God. When nations and individuals brought upon themselves swift destruction, pestilence, famine and war, such punishment was spoken of as a display of God’s anger and wrath. It was so with Babylon, Sodom and Gomorrah, with Tyre and Sidon. Hence, says Paul, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.”
Macknight has the following:
“Thus, many words of the primitive language of mankind must have a twofold signification. According to the one signification, they denote ideas of sense, and according to the other they denote ideas of intellect. So that although these words were the same in respect of their sound, they were really different words in respect of their signification; and to mark that difference, after the nature of language came to be accurately investigated, the words which denoted the ideas of sense, when used to express the ideas of intellect, were called by critics metaphors, from a Greek word which signifies to transfer; because these words so used, were carried away from their original meaning to a different one, which, however, had some resemblance to it.
Having in the Scriptures these and many other examples of bold metaphors, the natural effect of the poverty of the ancient language of the Hebrews, why should we be either surprised or offended with the bold figurative language in which the Hebrews expressed their conceptions of the divine nature and government? Theirs was not a philosophical language, but the primitive speech of an uncultivated race of men, who by words and phrases taken from objects of sense, endeavored to express their notions of matters which cannot be distinctly conceived by the human mind, and far less expressed in human language. Wherefore they injure the Hebrews who affirm, that they believed the Deity to have a body, consisting of members of the human body, because in their sacred writings, the eyes, the ears, the hands, and the feet of God, are spoken of; and because He is represented as acting with these members after the manner of man.
‘The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden.’ Gen. 3:8. ‘The Lord is a man of war;’ ‘Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed,’ etc.; ‘The blast of thy nostrils.’ Exod. 15:3-6-8. ‘Smoke out of his nostrils;’ ‘Fire out of his mouth;’ ‘Darkness under his feet;’ ‘He rode;’ and ‘Did fly.’ Psalms 18:8, 9, 10.
In like manner they injure the Hebrews who affirm they thought God was moved by anger, jealousy, hatred, revenge, grief, and other human passions, because in their Scriptures it is said: ‘It repented the Lord;’ ‘It grieved Him.’ Gen. 6:6. ‘A jealous God.’ Exod. 20:5. ‘The wrath of the Lord.’ Num. 11:33. ‘I hate.’ Prov. 8:13. ‘The indignation of the Lord;’ ‘His fury;’ Isa. 34:2. ‘God is jealous;’ ‘Revengeth and is furious;’ ‘Will take vengeance;’ and ‘He reserveth wrath.’ Nahum 1:2.
They also injure the Hebrews who affirm that they believe the Deity subject to human infirmity, because it is said, ‘God rested.’ Gen. 2:2. ‘The Lord smelled.’ 8:21. ‘I will go down and see,’ and ‘if not, I will know.’ 18:20. ‘He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh;’ ‘Shall have them in derision.’ Psalms 2:4. ‘The Lord awaked,’ etc. 78:65.
These and the like expressions are highly metaphorical, and imply nothing more but that in the divine mind and conduct, [to human perception,] there is somewhat analogous to, and resembling the sensible objects and the human affections, on which these metaphorical expressions are founded. If from the passages of Scripture in which the members of the human body are ascribed to the Deity, it is inferred that the ancient Hebrews believed the Deity hath a body of the same form with the human body, we must conclude they believed the Deity to be a tree, with spreading branches and leaves which afforded an agreeable shade; and a great fowl, with feathers and wings; and even a rock, because He is so called. Deut. 32:15; Psalms 17:8; 18:2-31; and 91:4.”—Macknight on the Epistle, Essay viii., Sec. 1.
We should remember that the sentiments of the ancient Hebrews come to us clothed in oriental costume, and bold metaphorical expressions are employed to communicate their ideas. We read of the floods clapping their hands, and the hills skipping like lambs. This, of course, was highly figurative language. And so when we read of the wrath of God, we understand the language to be used in a figurative sense, to set forth the righteous retribution of God in the earth. Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. The antediluvian world was swept away by a flood. Jerusalem was sacked by the Romans. Pharaoh and his hosts were swallowed up in the sea, and the cities of the plain were destroyed by divine judgments; and thus was the wrath of God revealed against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.
The Judgment Day.
“It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for that city.”—Matthew 10:15. “It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.”—Matthew 11:22.
Many erroneous ideas obtain in the Christian world in regard to the “day of judgment” referred to in these passages. It has been long taught that there will be a day of general judgment in the future, immortal world, when all men will receive their final sentence from the Almighty, and some will be acquitted and pronounced worthy of everlasting bliss, and others will be condemned to regions of despair, where they will suffer as long as the pillars of God’s throne shall stand. But the Scriptures, we are happy to say, furnish no evidence in support of such a sentiment. The Bible speaks of a judgment, but not in eternity. We nowhere read in the Scriptures that God will judge man in the resurrection world, but that He judges him in the earth. We never read of mankind going into the future world to be judged; but that that God and Christ come to this world to judge man. (Ps. 96:13.) “Verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth.” Ps. 58:11. Again: “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth.” Isa. 42:4. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” John 5:22. Hence, Jesus said: “For judgment I am come into this world.” John 9:39. Jesus came to establish his kingdom of truth and righteousness in the earth; and more than eighteen hundred years ago it was said: “Now is the judgment of this world.” John 12:31. “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of his judgment is come.”
In all these passage, not the least hint is given that God judges man in eternity. In what sense then shall we understand the language, “It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgment than for you.” It means simply that the divine judgments which came upon Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, severe as they were, were more tolerable, or, less severe, than the judgments which came upon the Jewish people, after they had filled up the measure of their iniquity. In this way, Jesus sought to impress upon the people a sense of their guilt, and indicated the severity of the divine judgments about to come upon the rebellious house of Israel. The judgments which came upon Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, were more tolerable than those that came upon Jerusalem. Greater calamity came upon the Jewish people for their sins, than came upon Tyre and Sidon. Hence, we read as follows, in Lamentations 4:6: “For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown in a moment and no hand stayed on her.” Here a comparison is instituted between the punishment of Sodom and Jerusalem; the punishment of the Jewish people was greater; the calamity which came upon Tyre and Sidon was more tolerable, or less severe.
This has regard to national judgments and temporal ruin. It cannot refer to endless punishment, as human creeds teach, for no punishment could be greater than that. If Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah suffered endlessly, then the punishment of the daughter of my people could not be greater. But no reference was made to endless punishment. When Jerusalem was destroyed, there was a time of trouble such as never been before nor ever should be again. (Matt. 24:21.) All other judgments, compared with this, were less severe, or more tolerable. We are able to confirm and sustain this interpretation by learned orthodox commentators.
Hammond.— “I assure you, the punishment or destruction that will light upon that city will be such, that the destruction of Sodom shall appear to have been more tolerable than that.”—See Note on Matt. iii. 2.
Again he says:
“Shall be more tolerable for Sodom in that day: i.e., not in the day of judgment to come, for that belongs to each particular person, not whole cities together, but in that day of the kingdom of God, than for that refractory city. God’s dealing with Sodom in the day of their destruction with fire and brimstone, shall be acknowledged to have been more supportable, than his dealing with such contumacious, impenitent cities of Judea.”—Com. on Matt. iii. 2.
Pearce.— “That is, in the day of the destruction of the Jewish state, called the coming of the Son of man. (Verse 23.) The sense of this verse seems to be this: That, which formerly befell Sodom and Gomorrah, was more tolerable, than what shall befall this city. That the day of judgment here mentioned is to be thus understood, appears from what is said concerning Capernaum in chapter xi. 23, compared with verses 22-24, of the same chapter.”
Wakefield.— “In the day of vengeance, punishment, or trial. This is undoubtedly the genuine sense of the phrase, which has not the least reference to the day of general judgment. All that our Savior intends to say is, that when the temporal calamities of that place come upon it, they will be more severe than even those of Sodom and Gomorrah. See this phrase employed in precisely the same meaning by the LXX., in Prov. 6:34, where, instead of kríseos [κρίσεως], Aquila and Theodation have ekdhikíseos [ἐκδικήσεως]; Isa. 34:8, and my Commentary on this place. Our Savior, I apprehend, had Jerusalem principally in view in this declaration.”
Bring Thee Into Judgment.
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”—Matthew 12:36. “For all these things, God will bring thee into judgment.”—Ecclesiastes 11:9.
Those who misapprehend the true meaning of these passages, urge them in proof of the sentiment which teaches that all mankind will be assembled before the bar of God, in the resurrection life, there put upon trial, that every idle word will be recounted, and every deed, good and bad, brought forward and examined, and that in this way, the fate of every soul will be decided at the judgment day.
This doctrine, however, finds no support in the Word of God. The Bible nowhere teaches that man is going into the future state to be judged. It teaches a different sentiment. “Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.” Ps. 58:11. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” John 5:22. “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into the world.” John 12:31.
The expression, “the day of judgment,” found in the text before us, does not so read in the original. It does not mean a particular day in the immortal state of existence. It does not assert that the judgment is in the future life. This is assumed. Nothing is here said about the condition of man in the resurrection world. The passage does not say that the day of judgment is after death. This is taken for granted, not proved. The day of judgment here means a day of punishment or righteous retribution; the same as when it is said, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the (a) day of judgment than for that city. (Matt. 10:15.) Dr. Adam Clarke, commenting on this passage, says that this means a day in which God should send punishment on that particular city, or on that person for their crimes. So in the passage before us, the day of judgment means a day of punishment. The definite article the is not found in the original text; hence, it means a day of punishment, or a time when those referred to should receive a merited chastisement. The expression “idle words,” does not fully express the meaning. It is used in the sense of wicked, sinful, calumnious language.
The meaning is that such wickedness would receive merited retribution. A day of punishment awaited those who indulged in sinful, blasphemous language. Jesus had just before been speaking of those who had committed blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, by affirming that he had an unclean spirit, and performed his miracles through the agency of the prince of devils. This was the sin against the Holy Ghost. They had spoken falsely of Jesus. They had not simply uttered idle words, but bold blasphemy, which indicated great moral depravity, and for all this, a righteous retribution awaited them, a day of judgment, or punishment. That day of retribution came upon the people referred to, a day of tribulation and anguish, a time of swift destruction, when the judgments of God came upon that sinful and disobedient race. The sentiment taught is, that all sin will be punished — that there is a day of chastisement for all iniquity. The passage in Ecclesiastes teaches that if the young pass beyond the bounds of propriety, and indulge in unlawful and sinful ways, violate the laws of their natures, and transgress the laws of virtue and uprightness, then a day of retribution awaits them, they will be punished for all their evil ways and sinful indulgences and offenses; for all these things God will bring them to judgment. He will visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes, though his loving kindness He will not utterly take from them nor suffer his faithfulness to fail. The day of judgment is the day when sin is punished. “Verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth.” “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.” Prov. 11:31.