When did the concept that God allows time before judging someone for his/ her sins take root in pre-Messianic era?

Question

We read in Wisdom of Solomon 21:23:

But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things, and you overlook people’s sins, so that they may repent.

Numbers 21:4-6 describes how snakes bite to death those people who rebelled against God and Moses. In fact, there was quick action on Israel's collective sin during the exodus. But in the case of David, he was given time to repent with the intervention of Prophet Nathan (2 Sam 12).

In Wisdom, King Solomon is exalting the infinite mercy of the Lord who overlooks his people's sin so that they may repent. So, we see a paradigm shift in relation to hope of respite from sin . My question is : When did the idea that God allows time before judging someone for his/ her sins take root in pre-Messianic era ?

Answer 1

In the Bible book of Proverbs, a wise man is one who is patient, and "it is to his glory to overlook an offence" (transgression, or sin, against him). Proverbs 19:11. However, the Bible is clear that God never 'overlooks' sin, for all sin is known to him, and is judged by him, but if it is truly repented of, God forgives and calls that sin no more to his remembrance (Isaiah 43:25 & 65:17). God's patience is involved, and he does give time for people to repent.

Yet, on the other hand, he is seen in Old Testament times to sometimes immediately strike down others. He judges thoughts, intentions of the heart, and knows all the circumstances involved. A great deal depends on what the particular sin is.

Take, as an example, the sin of Shimei in 2 Samuel chapter 16. He cursed king David who was fleeing from his son, Absalom, also pelting David and his entourage with stones. Shimei claimed God was giving the kingdom to Absalom. When Abishai sought David's permission to kill Shimei, David refused, trusting in God to be repaid with good for the cursing he was receiving that day. When Absalom died and David returned in triumph to Jerusalem, Shimei appeared again, grovelling this time (2 Samuel 19:18-23). Once more, Abishai wanted to kill Shimei, but David again refused. He promised Shimei that he would not kill him. But, before he died, he charged Solomon with remembering the sin of Shimei, that it would not go unpunished (1 Kings 2:8-9) for Shimei had not repented of his sin.

"And remember you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamanite from Behurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, 'I will not put you to death by the sword.' But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his grey head down to the grave in blood.' 1 Kings 2:8-9 N.I.V., 1987 ed. [Bold mine]

Solomon gave Shimei time, making a covenant with him, to stay in Jerusalem, but 'the day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be upon your own head." vss. 36-37

Three years later, Shimei broke that covenant by chasing after some servants who had run away, bringing them back. Solomon was told, and confronted him with the fact that he had broken his oath to the Lord. "Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing" vs. 44. Shimei was give plenty of time to repent. But he seemed to think getting his servants back was more important than getting God's forgiveness for cursing the Lord's anointed, and so he broke his covenant with God.

So, there is a biblical example of God allowing plenty of time for an individual to repent, but if they think lightly of their sin, and that they "have got off with it", they will discover God has not overlooked, far less forgotten their sin, no matter what time elapses. Repentance brings total forgiveness, and their sins no more being remembered by God (Psalm 103:12). Refusing to repent, no matter how much time is allowed, brings God's judgment. Such unrepented-of-sin is never overlooked by God.

As for when this concept took root, I would suggest Joseph freely forgiving his brothers (in Genesis, from chapter 37 to 45) is a very early lesson the Israelites would begin to grasp.

Answer 2

If by judgement is meant immediate death imposed, then the answer is in Gen. 3: 23-24 when He banished Adam & Eve from the garden, and in Gen.4:10-16 when God allowed Cain to live as a marked man for the rest of his natural life. God's judgment was not always immediate death, but some form of suffering was imposed.

Sometimes years would go by to allow time for repentance before YHVH would bring a foreign army against the people. Other times punishment was immediate death. Many times, and even today all God has to do to impose judgment is to remove His protective hand from a people and let them fall by their own actions into evil times.

He hath cut off in the heat of anger every horn of Israel, He hath turned backward His right hand From the face of the enemy, And He burneth against Jacob as a flaming fire, It hath devoured round about. (Lam. 2:3, YLT)

I have spread out My hands all the day Unto an apostate people, Who are going in the way not good after their own thoughts. (Isa. 65:2, YLT)

and unto Israel He saith, `All the day I did stretch out My hands unto a people unbelieving and gainsaying.' (Rom. 10:21, YLT)

But, when He uses His hand against them He brings destruction against a nation.

And their houses have been turned to others, Fields and wives together, For I stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land, An affirmation of Jehovah. (Jer. 6:12, YLT)

Thou -- thou hast left Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah, Backward thou goest, And I stretch out My hand against thee, And I destroy thee, I have been weary of repenting, (Jer. 15:6, YLT)

And stretched out My hand against Judah, And against all inhabiting Jerusalem, And cut off from this place the remnant of Baal, The name of the idolatrous priests, with the priests, (Zeph. 1:4, YLT)

So, God allowed time for repentance even from the beginning.