The Wrath Of A Righteous God
THE WRATH OF A RIGHTEOUS GOD
When attempting to know God, believers are sometimes confronted with attributes and aspects of His character that challenge our finite minds. If it were up to us, we would get to know God by the traits and qualities we enjoy most, such as His grace, mercy, and love. But what about when we are confronted with other attributes wholly central to understanding who He is that chafe a bit more against the soul? What are we to think then? Today, I would like to discuss an aspect of God's character that many, including weak-kneed preachers, totally avoid. That is His perfect, all-consuming, and righteous fury.
THE NATURE OF GOD'S ANGER
God's divine wrath, as the psalmist declares, is neither capricious nor born of the frailties that often mar human emotions. He is a righteous judge (Psalm 7:11) whose holiness is demonstrated in all He does (Isaiah 5:16). As Habakkuk so aptly testifies, God's anger emanates from the pure and undefiled nature. His eyes are too pure to approve of evil or to look favorably upon the wicked (Habakkuk 1:13). When His anger does break out, it is not quick-tempered or wreckless (Nahum 1:3). It emanates, instead, from a long-suffering, compassionate, and gracious countenance that demonstrates His lovingkindness to thousands but who will by no means leave the guilty unscathed (Exodus 34:6-7).
In His sovereign and holy displeasure, God responds with terrifying fury upon the ones who provoke Him with their sin and idolatry (Deuteronomy 9:7-8). Indeed, God is endlessly enraged over all ungodliness (Romans 1:18-23), covenant disloyalty (Joshua 7:1), religious hypocrisy (Matthew 23:27-28), and social injustices (Zechariah 7:9-12). Yet, as fearsome as His anger is, it perfectly accomplishes the will of God (Jeremiah 23:20) and is ever in harmony with His unfathomable holiness and love (Psalm 85:10). The Scriptures, particularly in Romans 2:4, reveal the redemptive purpose behind God's wrath, which is not solely punitive, but also restorative, leading the sinner to repentance. For those who harden their hearts against Him, His vehement opposition towards them will consume them for His own glory (Deuteronomy 32:16-17). For those who repent and turn back to the Lord, His anger is only for a night, with new joys and mercies coming in the morning (Psalm 30:5).
In the Scriptures, the redemptive arc of God's anger spans from the very first moments of history (in the fall of man) to the eschatological future when everything that provokes the anger of God will either fall into destruction or find perfect healing in the eternal state. His wrath encompasses the coming judgments upon all nations who oppose His reign, as Jeremiah 4:7 and Psalm 2 reveal, and also extends to the cosmic consequences of sin leveled onto the wicked individual, as Colossians 3:6 so solemnly warns. Yet, in this wrath, there lies a protective purpose for His chosen people (Exodus 32:10), an impartiality that transcends human notions of fairness (Romans 2:11), and an inevitability that marks the certainty of His justice (Nahum 1:2-3), which ought to lead us to repentance. God's wrath stored up for believers is not a trumpet call for God to blisteringly wage war against them (as He does against the wicked) but a clarion call for our repentance, an invitation to return to the paths of righteousness, as echoed in Revelation 3:19.
Most profoundly, the anger of God reveals His relational nature and the way He unswervingly loves His people (Hosea 11:9). God's wrath is not a forsaking of His people but a manifestation of His unfailing commitment to them. It is paternal, as a father's discipline (Proverbs 3:12), instructive (Psalm 119:71), and rooted in the covenant He has graciously established with His people (Deuteronomy 4:24). It is fearsome in its manifestation to the apostate and the wicked (Hebrews 10:31). Yet, it is an integral aspect of His goodness and kindness to the ones He loves (Romans 11:22), displaying His wondrous and glorious perfections (Matthew 5:48).
THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING DIVINE ANGER
In our journey of faith, it is essential to recognize the loving and merciful aspects of God's character and His righteous anger. This understanding is not to frighten us but to deepen our appreciation of the seriousness of sin and the justice of God. Sin, in its essence, is a rebellion against the very nature of God, and His anger against sin highlights its destructiveness and the disruption it causes in our relationship with Him.
Here lies the beauty of Christ's work on the cross. Jesus Christ, in His sacrifice, took upon Himself the wrath that rightfully belonged to us because of our sins. In understanding the depth and seriousness of God's anger against sin, we begin to grasp the immense love and mercy demonstrated in Christ's atonement. It's like realizing the depth of a debt and then discovering that it has been fully paid on your behalf.
This Christ-centered understanding transforms our view of the cross. It is a symbol of love and a profound demonstration of divine justice that has been satisfied. Through Christ, God's justice and mercy meet. Justice - because the punishment for our sin was entirely borne by Him, taking the wrath of God that should have been poured out on us; and mercy - because it is Christ, not us, who bears it. This leads us to a more profound gratitude and awe for Christ's actions, knowing we could never do this. It also heightens our appreciation for the grace we have received – an unearned favor, freeing us from the grip of sin and the wrath it incurs.
Therefore, by comprehending God's righteous anger, we come to a fuller understanding of the gospel message. It's about seeing the whole picture of God's plan for redemption, centered on Christ, who turns divine wrath into salvation for all God's people. In this light, every believer is invited to reflect on the cross not just as a symbol of love but as the ultimate testament to how far God went to reconcile us to Himself, showcasing the incredible depth of His love and the profound seriousness of His anger all in one beautiful and awful event.
CONCLUSION: A CALL TO REVERENT WORSHIP
In contemplating the anger of God, we are drawn into a more profound and reverent worship of Him. It is a solemn reminder of our sinfulness, the holiness of God, and the incredible gift of salvation through
Jesus Christ. This doctrine, integral to the Reformed faith, beckons us not to a mere intellectual assent but to a heartfelt recognition of the seriousness of sin and the majesty of God's justice.
As we reflect on these truths, let us approach God with renewed awe and gratitude. May our understanding of His righteous anger deepen our love for Him, our commitment to His ways, and our appreciation for the grace and mercy found in Christ. In the shadow of God's wrath, we find the brilliant light of His love, a love so profound that it absorbed the wrath we deserved and offered us peace and reconciliation.
Let this exploration of divine anger inform our minds and reform our hearts, leading us to live in the light of the gospel that reveals the full extent of God's holiness, anger, justice, and love.
