The Ultimate punishment is God’s giving a people up to the result of their wickedness.
Romans 1:24-28 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged he truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural functions of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent act and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.
This is just another way of saying: If you reject the Lord, you will reap whatever you sow. Having your eyes and desires set on things of this world can do nothing but destroy you. There is no eternity in earthly desires. “And the prosperity of fools shall destroy them:” Willful carelessness or lack of appropriate care is intended here.
Under Gods command 