"God's punishment" is an inaccurate expression. The Bible repeats many times that sin inevitably brings about destructive consequences for a person...
"God's punishment" is an inaccurate expression. The Bible repeats many times that sin inevitably brings about destructive consequences for a person. Thus, the prophet Isaiah writes: "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God" ( 59:1-2). And the prophet Jeremiah writes regarding what we usually call "punishment": "Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way?" ( 2:17). The Apostle James says about the connection between sin and "punishment": "and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death" ( 1:15).
Sin, according to biblical teaching, carries its punishment within itself, because it separates a person from God and, as a violation of divine ordinances, inevitably leads a person to destruction; separation from God makes salvation from this destruction unattainable. Incidentally, the prophet Jeremiah conveys God's direct prohibition against using expressions like "God's punishment"…
Sin truly entails consequences that we did not anticipate, and which for this reason we consider a punishment. This can manifest itself in a wide variety of things, including the actions of other people.