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Isaiah 13:15 "Whoever is found will be thrust through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword."

 

This is part of Isaiah's oracle against Babylon, which God promises to utterly destroy and make "like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them." (Isaiah 13:19)

 

Note that in order to be "thrust through", one has to be caught; in order to be caught, one has to be found; and in order to be found, one has to be in the place being destroyed. There is always to option to get out ahead of time; to see the writing on the wall and choose to leave, and thus be saved from the destruction.

 

We can think about this spiritually, and I think we are meant to. When we find ourselves in a bad place, whether it is among people who are doing wrong, or entrapped by our own sin, we can choose to get out before it is too late. We know God is just, but we also know He is patient, kind, and merciful. He wants us, and the Bible reminds us consistently, to remember that He will have His justice at some point, but until that time we can always escape to Him and throw ourselves on His mercy. He will give it abundantly.

 

If we turn to God before His time of justice, we will not be found and "thrust through". We will not fall by the spiritual sword, because we will have gotten out of the wrong place at the right time.