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No matter how many children you have, don't look on them with pride unless they fear the Lord.
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Don't put much hope in their future or expect them to live a long time. One child who does the Lord's will is better than a thousand who do not. It is better to go to your grave with no children at all than to have children who are godless.
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A city's population may grow because of the wisdom of one person, while a whole tribe of lawless people disappears.
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I have seen such things many times and have heard of even more striking examples.
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The Lord's flaming anger will break out against a small gathering of sinners or a disobedient nation.
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He did not forgive those ancient giants who rebelled against him, confident of their own strength.
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He detested the arrogance of the people among whom Lot lived, and he did not spare them.
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He showed no mercy on that nation which he doomed to destruction for its sins,
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nor on those 600,000 people on the march through the wilderness who gathered together in stubborn rebellion.
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Even if there had been only one stubborn person, it would have been a miracle if he had escaped punishment. The Lord is merciful, but he can also become angry. He can be overwhelming in his forgiveness or in his anger.
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His punishment is as severe as his mercy is great. He judges people by what they have done.