God's severe OT judgments are iconic examples of how extreme sin is, not normative patterns; wrath is mostly being delayed

Most sins do not receive direct divine punishment in this life. When they do, it is always severe — an intentional pattern. Examples: Sodom and Gomorrah, the flood, Achan (Joshua 7), Ananias and Sapphira, Revelation judgments. These are iconic demonstrations that sin has a terrible cost. God is not forgiving sin the rest of the time — he is delaying judgment (Romans). That delayed wrath accumulates unless covered by Christ. The standard of judgment is the same in both testaments.