Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell last week. The 66-year-old multi-millionaire had a notorious reputation of using his enormous wealth to entice under-aged girls to be his sex slaves. For years he allegedly recruited scores of young women, not just for his own perverted pleasure, but for the self-gratification of famous and wealthy deviants all around the world.

Several weeks ago, Jeffrey Epstein was arrested and scheduled to stand trial. But on August 10 he was found dead in his cell, either by hanging or from strangulation. Jennifer Araoz, who claimed to be one of Epstein’s many victims when she was just 14 years old, told NBC News: “I am angry Epstein won’t have to face the survivors of his abuse in court. We have to live with the scars of his actions for the rest of our lives, while he will never face the consequences of the crimes he committed.”

Ms. Araoz is furious at the apparent injustice of it all. She wanted to see Jeffrey Epstein experience commensurate suffering for the pain he had inflicted on her. However, the man who had brought a lifetime of misery and self-loathing to numerous teenage girls and their families, experienced just a few seconds of discomfort and then his life was over. It doesn’t seem fair that Epstein suffered very little punishment for a lifetime of atrocious behavior.

That’s one of the reasons I believe in the Biblical doctrine of hell. Some reject what the Scripture teaches about hell as irrational. They can embrace the idea of a loving God who saves people to live with Him for eternity, but they can’t imagine a God capable of consigning anyone to be punished in hell. However, if there is no hell, then there is no justice, and this life is totally unfair.

R.G. Lee, a well-known preacher during his time, had a famous sermon titled, “Payday Someday.” The Bible teaches God is a God of love, but He’s also a God of justice. He does not suffer fools gladly. Someday He will hold the disobedient accountable for their sin. The Bible says, “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism” (Colossians 3:25).

We’re not well-acquainted with justice in this era of unsolved crimes, delayed trials, plea bargaining, suspended sentences, early releases, and favoritism to the privileged. But God is a God of justice. Sin must be paid for. If not paid for by Jesus’ atoning death on the cross, then the debt will be paid by the individual offender.  “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).

God is still in charge of His world, and He will administer justice in the end. “…people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Take a moment to read these Bible passages about God’s divine retribution.

“The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom, everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:41-42).

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you….This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Revelation 20:12).

If Jeffrey Epstein was guilty of committing the crimes he is accused of, and if he never repented of those offenses before God, he is facing the consequences now…and will for a long time. “But don’t be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). 

.

Follow BobRussellKY on Twitter and LIKE the Bob Russell page on Facebook