Hebrews 10:31 Commentary and Bible Study

To fall into the hands of the living God is here a metaphor for facing God’s condemnation. We might use an expression like this describe the dreadful condition of someone who is completely overpowered by an enemy set on doing them harm. To fall into their hands is to have no ability to defend oneself and to be completely subject to their will. This is said because God will indeed show himself to be a cause of terror to those who have rejected him. They will learn with horror how greatly they have miscalculated in not submitting to the Lordship of Christ. God’s anger is not out of control as our anger often is, but when he decides to express it, it will be irresistible. It will be all the greater because of the long provocation of human sin. How many times conscience spoke and men brushed it aside! How they deceived themselves by telling themselves that God would not or could not judge them. How they fortified their unbelieving hearts against every approach of the gospel and the need for forgiveness. How they derided God’s most gracious and undeserved offers of mercy to their souls, and cursed the name of Christ when they needed him so badly. What has been held out to undeserving sinners is of incalculable value, and yet they despise it as nothing. That is the greatest insult that men and women could pay to God, and yet they do it so lightly. God remains silent for so long, and does not respond immediately to human pride. Do unbelievers think he will continue to do that forever? He will not. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. He will close the door, and the wicked will find themselves shut out. No cry for mercy will move him to pity ever again. Men foolishly joke about their fellowship together in hell, but this is another piece of self-delusion to remove the urgency of their situation.