“These things that happened to them were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.— 1 Corinthians 10:11

From historian Tom Holland’s masterpiece, Dominion.

“Not even the gift of the Promised Land had been able to keep Israel from idolatry. ‘They chose new gods.’  In book after book the same cycle was repeated: apostasy, punishment, repentance. Jews, reading of how their forebears had been seduced by the gods of neighbouring peoples—the Canaanites, the Syrians, the Phoenicians—knew as well what the ultimate, the crowning, chastisements had been: Israel enslaved; Jerusalem sacked; the Temple destroyed. These were the traumas that haunted every Jew.

Why had God permitted them to happen? Such was the question, in the wake of the Babylonian exile, that had done more than anything to inspire the compilation of the Jewish scriptures. Jews who read the scrolls that told of their people’s history could be in no doubt as to the retribution that might again be visited on them were they ever to abandon the worship of God; but there was hope in their scriptures as well as warning.

Even if ruin were to be visited on Jerusalem again, and the Jews dispersed to the ends of the earth, and salt and brimstone rained down upon their fields, God’s love would endure. Repentance, as it ever did, would see them forgiven. ‘And the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.’”

Hebrews 12

My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord; neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked by him.

⁶ For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth; and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

⁷ Persevere under chastisement. God dealeth with you as with his sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct?

⁸ But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons.

⁹ Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh, for instructors, and we reverenced them: shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰ And they indeed for a few days, according to their own pleasure, instructed us: but he, for our profit, that we might receive his sanctification.

¹¹ Now all chastisement for the present indeed seemeth not to bring with it joy, but sorrow: but afterwards it will yield, to them that are exercised by it, the most peaceable fruit of justice.

¹² Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,

¹³ And make straight steps with your feet: that no one, halting, may go out of the way; but rather be healed.

¹⁴ Follow peace with all men, and holiness: without which no man shall see God.