The Bible certainly contains plenty of stories about evil people getting what they deserve. Although God is longsuffering and merciful, there are limits to His tolerance, and unrepentant wrongdoers eventually reap what they’ve sown. When God’s mercy ends, His judgment begins.

I must confess that I enjoy reading Bible stories that feature bad guys getting what they deserve. (Don’t we all love justice—when it applies to other people?)  On the other hand, I’ve found myself concerned when I read biblical stories that seemingly portray God as unjust, when, for example, His judgment falls on the entire family of one wicked man. Why do children and spouses sometimes suffer for the sins of their ungodly family members? If you read the books of 1 and 2 Kings, for example, you’ll discover at least three such incidents. God’s wrath fell upon some families of evil men to the degree that, not only were their sons annihilated, but also other members of their extended families.

So how is that just? As Abraham said to Lord while he interceded for the people of Sodom: “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” (Gen. 18:25).

Let’s take a closer look at three kings of Israel—Jeroboam, Baasha, and Ahab, who all suffered familial judgment, to see if there is anything we can learn.

Have you ever observed a fly trapped behind your car’s windshield, fighting futilely to find an escape? All of your car’s side windows might be wide open, but it never occurs to that frustrated fly to try anything different than continuing to search for a way through an invisible, impenetrable barrier.

You can’t help but feel sorry for such a fly and, if you are bent towards mercy, you might try to swish him towards an open side window. Most flies, however, will resist your effort to help them, and your attempts only make them more determined to do the impossible. Eventually, they’re lying dead on your dashboard.

The pity we all feel for such frustrated flies is analogous to what followers of Christ feel every day for everyone else. We observe people’s recurring misery and frustration, and we know full well that so many of their problems could be resolved if they would only submit to Jesus. He would forgive them, open their eyes and set them free, fill them with His Spirit, and teach them His ways.

If there is one word that defines humanity at the present time, it would be “fearful.” The novel coronavirus is currently terrorizing the entire world. Nearly half of humanity is confined within their homes and apartments, hoping they won’t be added to the statistics that are tracking the deadly wake of COVID-19. As I’m writing this, there have been about 1.5 million confirmed cases worldwide. 85,000 people have died so far. There will undoubtedly be tens of thousands of additional deaths.

Of course, we all know we’re going to die someday. Most of us, however, don’t want to die soon. Life is good enough to want to preserve it. And what happens after death is a big question mark for many. So, is there a sure way to escape the threat of the coronavirus?

As I’m writing this, the novel coronavirus has brought the world to a standstill. Nearly half of humanity is confined within their homes and apartments; streets and public places are empty, businesses have been shuttered for weeks; and governments are trying to cope with medical and economic disaster. So far, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of about 70,000 people. It appears that tens of thousands more will ultimately be left in its fatal wake. This virus is obviously designed to spread, and there is no stopping it.