This frightful trio of judgments appear together numerous times in scripture, mostly in the old testament (references are provided at the bottom of this post). If you think about it, these are perhaps the three primary ways that God judges men in this life:
1. Sword (trouble from other men)
2. Famine (trouble from the elements)
3. Pestilence (trouble from other creatures, "pests")
In other words, I'm saying that these three judgments represent full judgment, since they cover the three primary sources of trouble we face in this life (other men, the elements, and other creatures). Something to think about AND....comment on if you wish.
Remember when David foolishly numbered the children of Israel in 2 Sam. 24:10-14 and 1 Chron. 21:9-13? How did the LORD respond? He sent the prophet Gad to David and let him choose his own judgment. Remember what the three choices were? You guessed it--the three judgments listed above. David said that the LORD's mercies were "very great" (2 Sam. 24:14; 1 Chron. 21:13), and that is proven not only by the limited losses in the subsequent pestilence, but also in God only inflicting one of these three judgments on Israel. God could have hit David with all three of these things, couldn't he have?! Ps. 116:5, "...yea, our God is merciful."
References:
Lev. 26:25-26
2 Sam. 24:13
1 Kings 8:37
1 Chron. 21:12
2 Chron. 6:28; 20:9
Jer. 14:12; 21:7, 9; 24:10; 27:8, 13; 29:17-18; 32:24, 36; 34:17; 38:2; 42:17, 22; 44:13 [most--15!]
Ezek. 5:12, 17; 6:11-12; 7:15; 12:16; 14:21;
Amos 4:6-10
Mt. 24:7
Luke 21:10-11
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