At first blush your reaction to this topic might be negative, but follow along as we take a look at Chastisement and see how it really is in the long run a positive action by God on our behalf. Really! You need this information!
SHOW NOTES
Websters 1828 Dictionary Online
Introduction
There are many references in the Bible to chastisement, chastening, etc. It is a very important subject for the Christian to understand.
1. What is Chastisement?
According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, to chastise, is “To correct by punishing”. The Christian’s chastening has been referred to as spiritual spankings. There are times when God deems it necessary to correct His children in such a manner to get their attention. In such cases God pulls out a spiritual rod and gives His child a spiritual spanking.
These punishments may come in different forms for different occasions for different people. That is to say God does not always chasten the same way.
God told David that if Solomon were to “commit iniquity” then He would “chasten him with the rod of men” (II Sam. 7:14).
Job 33:19 refers to another type of chastisement saying, “He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:”
In still another case, God told Jeremiah to inform Israel of the following “All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.” Jeremiah 30:14
By definition, chastisement includes “pain inflicted for punishment and correction” (Webster’s 1828). Each of these examples shows an illustration of this definition.
2. Why Does God Chasten?