God's Anger

The wrath of God is not just taught in the Bible, it is a prominent truth in the Scriptures.

Now the wrath of God is as much a Divine perfection as is His faithfulness, power, or mercy. It must be so, for there is no blemish whatever, not the slightest defect in the character of God; yet there would be if ‘wrath’ were absent from Him.

Propitiation means God’s wrath has been appeased for all who have trusted in Jesus Christ. The good news of the gospel is that those who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus as the “Lamb of God” are no longer under the sentence of divine wrath: Disaster is not necessarily a manifestation of divine wrath (unless specifically indicated as such), just as prosperity should not be interpreted as proof of piety. Men’s suffering in this life is not necessarily proportionate to their blessings or suffering in eternity as the story of the rich man and Lazarus makes clear in,  Luke (16:19-31).

John the Baptist warns of God's fiery judgment, Matthew (3:7). Jesus will execute God's wrath at his second coming, Revelation (6:15-17). While the wicked already stand under God's condemnation, John (3:36). Ephesians (2:3), by sinning, they continue to store up wrath ( Romans (2:5) ( 9:22). But God in his mercy sent Jesus to turn away his anger by a sacrifice of propitiation, Romans (3:25)  (5:9), 1 John (2:2) (4:10). God expresses his wrath every day" because he is a righteous judge, Psalm (7:11)

He says, "A fire is kindled in My anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell." Deuteronomy (32:22) "And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath." Jeremiah (21:5) In may seem that His anger is vicious, more than the offense would call for. One time the children of Israel were complaining, and "it displeased the Lord, and His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed" some of them, Numbers (11:1). In some cases His anger even seems to harm the innocent: "My wrath shall become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." Exodus (22:24).

In My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you." Isaiah (60:10). Now some people might try to explain this apparent contradiction by saying that the Lord is constantly merciful to good people, but that He takes vengeance on those who rebel against Him. But the fact is that the Lord is merciful to everyone, all the time, in everything He does. "He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil." Luke (6:35).

He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust." Matthew (5:45). The Lord is good to all and His tender mercies are over all His works." Psalm (145:7) It almost seems as if God's actions towards each of us depend on our actions toward God and others. If you forgive others, He will forgive you; if you do not forgive others, He will not forgive you. Matthew (6:15)  (18:35). If you draw near to God, He will draw near to you. James (4:8).

If you forget Him, He will forget you, Hosea (4:6) If you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 2 Chronicles (15:2). And, when people act with vengeance, they can expect vengeance from God. Ezekiel (25:15-16). It is as if each kind of person looks at God through differently tinted glasses. A person wearing blue glasses will see everything blue. "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled." Titus (1:15). A person who is himself vicious and vengeful will tend to see others, including God, as vicious and vengeful. "The children of your people say, `The way of the Lord is not fair.' But it is their way that is not fair!" Ezekiel (33:17)  (18:25). God has no desire to punish anyone. "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked." Ezekiel (33:11). When He does tolerate evil it is because He sees that good can come from it. As Joseph said after his brothers betrayed him, "You thought evil against me, but God meant it for good." Genesis (50:20).

What has seemed to mankind to be evidence of God's anger, then, has usually been not from God at all, but from the cruel influence of hell. We see for example, in the story of Job, that Satan was eager to torture Job, and it was only with reluctance that God allowed Satan to bring disaster on Job. Yet because Job did not know that the real source of his disaster was Satan, he supposed it was from God. Job (1:6-21)  (2:1-10)  (30:21).

In a similar situation, the Bible says (according to the appearance) that" the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, `Go number Israel, 2 Samuel (24:1) Another passage shows the real source of the trouble: "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chronicles( 21:1). God Himself would never send evil on anyone: "'I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the LORD, 'thoughts of peace, and not of evil. Jeremiah (29:11).

The wrath of God on the wicked is great. Men deserve it. And there is no escaping it. Men know that the outpouring of wrath is from God, a judgment on them for their sin. And yet not one person repents. The time for repentance is past. Those who chose to reject the sacrifice of Christ for their sins must now be judged according to their works. It is God’s wrath has been appeased for all who have trusted in Jesus Christ. The good news of the gospel is that those who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus as the “Lamb of God” are no longer under the sentence of divine wrath, a terrible fate, but one which sinners richly deserve. Divine wrath is not just a phenomenon of the Old Testament; it is a certainty of biblical prophecy. Men are urged to take heed and repent while there is still time to escape the wrath of God by faith in Christ.God’s wrath has been appeased for all who have trusted in Jesus Christ.

If men are to escape from the wrath of God, they must repent and trust in the One who bore God’s wrath on Mount Calvary. Those who reject God’s provision for forgiveness and salvation face the future outpouring of divine wrath, a judgment far greater than man has ever seen before. The wrath of God is a reminder of the holiness of God and a measure of God’s hatred of sin. God’s wrath is proportionate to the unrighteousness which provokes it. The immensity of God’s wrath toward sin is an indication of His holy hatred of sin. We should hate it as well.

The wrath of God should make us uncomfortable with sin. In addition, we should never forget that our sin resulted in the suffering and agony of our Savior on whom God’s wrath was poured out. To think lightly of sin is to take Christ’s suffering lightly. To sin willfully is to come dangerously close to crucifying afresh the Son of God, Hebrews (6:6).

The doctrine of the wrath of God instructs us not to fret over the wicked. While they may appear to be getting away with evil, they will come under the wrath of God. Let us take the doctrine of God’s wrath seriously. Let us neither neglect nor conceal it. Let us regard it as a part of the goodness and glory of God. May the doctrine of God’s wrath be an incentive to evangelism and the proclamation of a pure gospel, which includes sin, righteousness, and judgment. To the glory of God and our own good, may this doctrine be the basis for holy living for each of us.

Reverend William Bowers