THE WRATH OF GOD

The issue of cruelty and brutality throughout much of the scriptures is often defined as a pouring out of divine wrath. People throughout the centuries have known and accepted the Lord’s battle requirements and harsh outcomes in Old Testament history and New Testament revelation, but these ways of his are now under suspicion, leading to questions and doubts about him and his existence. What changed? We did!

A generation has arisen that views life as victims. A victimhood culture is becoming embedded in America and adopting a victim worldview, a perspective built more on the platform of sensitivity and empathy than on truth and righteousness. Greater attention is often given to human feelings rather than logical thinking. People are victims of cruel circumstances and biological makeup. Everyone should be seen with sympathy and accepted as they are, even when their concepts are shaky, will crumble under pressure, and end in catastrophe. Unwarranted respect and tolerance are now thought to be the new standard for compassion. Is it?

Gaining a more accurate conclusion about wrath.

Basic Logic: To come to a solid conclusion requires trustworthy premises. Premises cannot be proved; they are assumed, based on reliable evidence; they are simply believed. True premises establish reliable conclusions but conclusions cannot prove premises.

What are the premises that place the wrath of God, as recorded in scripture, in an accurate context? What must be believed about his nature so a person can understand his actions? With the right premises come more exacting conclusions.

There are many words used to describe God’s nature: eternal, transcendent, holy, all-knowing, ever-present, almighty, but one word overshadows them all: “God is love” (1 John 4). It surpasses every other description; it is the premiere quality of God. And those who believe in him are to respond to his love with a love for him and for everyone else. So, when examining any of God’s actions, the question must be asked: What dimension of his love is manifested?

In our victimization culture, most Americans do not love God but fear him. One way to arrest fear is to deny its source. “There is no God!” (Psalms 14 and 53), an unreliable premise for building a solid conclusion, a faulty and foolish belief system. People today are encouraged by scholars to place their trust in a science that tests, measures, and determines probable solutions, yet is designed to exclude the trustworthy Lord.

When harsh circumstances become attributed to God, many consider him mean and vindictive—actions done by a bully. The problem is not so much with the actions but with the lens used to determine them. Until people view his actions through the lens of his love, more than their fright, they will come to a faulty conclusion about the true meaning.

What moves a person away from fearing God? “Perfect love cast out fear.” (1 John 4) Only God possesses perfect love and the cross of Christ, the Son of God, is the manifestation of a pure, sacrificial love. (John 3:16) When we embrace his righteous love, fear subsides and his acts of righteousness are more clearly grasped.

A flawless love for him in this lifetime is impossible. However, the more perfect our love becomes for him, the more clearly his actions will be seen as they really are.

Consider the role of parenting. If you were to ask my four children if I was ever harsh with them, they would say, “Yes!” If they feared me, they would have misunderstood my less-than-perfect actions. Yet, amid the occasional harsh moments was an abundance of hugging, kissing, and expressions of love. The lens of mutual love helped them to see my actions, although unpleasant, as beneficial, even critical. (Hebrews 12:7-11)

Nineveh!

Jonah, 8^th century BC prophet

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah…, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” …Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. …When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. …And [Jonah] prayed to the LORD and said, “…I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. …[God said] And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 [possibly young toddlers or people spiritually unaware] who do not know their right hand from their left…?” (Jonah 1:1–2, 3:4–5 , 3:10, 4:2, 4:11)

Nahum, 7^th century BC prophet

An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum…. The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. …Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. …Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder—no end to the prey! …I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, “Wasted is Nineveh….” (Nahum 1:1-3, 1:6–8, 3:1, 3:6–7)

Consider the following…

God always responds to repentance with forgiveness; he is gracious. The question about Nineveh’s remorse was: Will wrath be prevented or simply delayed? It depended on them having a permanent, thorough, life-changing turnaround. If only temporary, the confession is useless: “wasted”!

The pouring out of divine wrath on the city eventually came. However, the sins of the parents would not be held against the children. A century later, the new generation would experience wrath for reverting to the old beliefs and practices of the previous generation, which involved cruelty and harshness toward others. They were living a lie; they gave a hypocritical confession. Yet, the pronouncements of Nahum showed the grace of God amid his wrath; he knows those who continue to remain faithful to him.

In the message of both prophets are the testimonies of a “gracious” God, a “merciful” God, one who “pities”, one who is “slow to anger”, but will not “clear the guilty”. He is a God of “goodness” even amid the wrath, accurately knowing who is living with true integrity.

Searching for answers.

Belief in the love of God is a truthful premise to gauge his just actions. And by faith, a person gains the freedom to come to God and ask for a clearer understanding of the severe moments of life. But consider this: do you really need an answer? Not when you recognize that God is the epitome of true love.

There are times when you may come to a reasonable conclusion about a situation, but most of the time you will not. Faith gives you the liberty to question God, and faith gives you the freedom to not need a response. By faith, an answer, though desired, is not needed because you understand his actions are an extension of his tenderness and care.

When it comes right down to it, knowledge can never give inner peace about hurtful, wounding moments. I have heard most of the pious platitudes and none of them are good enough for the traumatized; there is something to find fault within all of them. What brings peace is the loving presence of God. He offers himself instead of insight. He gives his Spirit because knowledge will always come up short of satisfying curiosity. Answers from him rarely satisfy, while abiding in him always satisfies. In God’s kingdom, presence supersedes knowledge.

When commenting on Psalms 13, Eugene Peterson made this observation: Is it wrong to question God? Not according to the Psalmist. But note what happens. We don’t get answers to the “how long?” question; God doesn’t open his plan book to the curious eyes of impatient sinners. We get something better: the Lord himself, a “very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

The gospel writer Luke records a curious conversation, “There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? …Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?’” (Luke 13:1,2,4)

The disciples were pondering a gruesome tragedy that occurred to good, God-conscience people. Jesus did not give a reason for what happened, he simply asked contemplative questions and directed them to become planted in a vineyard of grace. (Luke 13:6-9) No one can give satisfactory answers to anyone basing life on faulty premises, not even Jesus.

What helps to gain peace in traumatic moments?

First, see the Heavenly Father as he really is—pure and perfect Love. Embrace the resurrected Jesus, the manifestation of God’s love and the perfector of human faith. (Hebrews 12) Let his presence cast a shadow over any and all confusion. The God of the Bible is the Lord of trust and triumph, not of tragedy and terror that victims prefer to promote.

Secondly, in his love, God always wars against anything and everyone that attacks our humanness—the beings made in his image and likeness, placed in the perfect Garden of Eden, now marred by sin and evil. He battles to restore the original portrait of humanity that will ultimately find its fulfillment in the soon-coming New Jerusalem (Revelation 21), the renewed Garden of Eden.

Thirdly, there is more in the scriptures about blessings and grace than there is about curses and judgment. When entering disturbing valleys of confusion, remember how the sovereign God prefers to abundantly forgive and build up. (Psalms 103)

“You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.” (Psalms 18:3) This verse may have been the backdrop of a bit of prose written by F.W. Faber: “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea; there’s a kindness in his justice, which is more than liberty. For the love of God is broader than the measures of man’s mind; and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.” He is the God that provides sure-footedness when living in turbulent times; this is the God that I came to love and embrace.

Instead of brooding on bewildering tragedies, give greater attention to the Psalms. They contain every aspect of human emotions, pleasant and unpleasant—love; fear; compassion; hate; peace; anger; contentment; bitterness. These recorded songs of the heart show the Lord lovingly caring about every truthful feeling and offering comfort to the oppressed.

By his Spirit!

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? …you shall become a plain. …[we] shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” (Zechariah 4:6–7)

When abiding in his Spirit, the erupting volcano of fear can crumble and be capped with the thunderous sounds of grace. (Ezra 4:23-5:2; 6:13-16)

“God is love” brings people to a more solid conclusion about the heart-wrenching moments of ruin that occasionally occur in life.