When faced with severe warnings of impending disaster, the natural response should be reflection or fear. Yet, those steeped in sin often react to prophetic rebukes with apathy, disbelief, and cynical mockery [ביאור שטיינזלץ, רד"ק]. The primary approach among commentators is that these individuals issue a direct, heretical challenge. They demand that God immediately bring about the promised punishment just to test if the warnings are real [רש"י, רד"ק]. They express this demand using language that mimics eager anticipation and desire, but it is pure mockery, rooted in a complete lack of belief that any disaster will actually occur [שד"ל].
Their insistence on immediate action carries a specific logic. While some view their demands for speed as simply using repetitive words for emphasis [מצודת ציון], a deeper distinction exists. One aspect of their challenge is about time, daring God to advance the date of the punishment. The other is about the swiftness of the act itself. The sinners argue that if a disaster occurs in the distant future or unfolds slowly, they could easily brush it off as mere coincidence. Therefore, they demand an immediate, rapid strike as the only acceptable proof of divine providence [מלבי"ם]. By demanding to witness the destruction firsthand, they are essentially testing who truly holds power, whether the prophet's words carry any weight, and if the prophecies contain any truth [רש"י, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא].
The mockery continues as the sinners dare God's master plan to approach so they might finally understand it. This plan refers to the specific disaster destined for them. They cynically invoke God's holy title during this taunt; since they do not view their own actions as wicked, they mockingly wonder how a holy God could possibly bring harm to them [רד"ק].
This divine plan is not a simple scheme, but the ultimate purpose behind God's actions. It can be compared to a king suppressing a rebellion: the physical battle is the action, while the ultimate plan is the goal of forcing the rebels to submit to his rule. The sinners demand that both the physical punishment and its final purpose arrive instantly, claiming that only then will their minds be convinced that God is orchestrating everything [מלבי"ם]. However, their entire challenge is built on falsehood and willful ignorance. They completely ignore the reality that God intentionally delays punishment. He holds back His judgment to preserve human free will, patiently waiting and leaving the door open for people to repent [מלבי"ם].