God's Wrath and Me

God is unleashing wrath on His creation out of necessity, not just because we’re bad, or because we need to learn a lesson, or because it was foretold, no it’s more: God’s wrath always contains the purpose to punish sin and preserve His righteousness. This wrath gives the illusion that God is wicked, but He isn’t because He gave us Jesus, the Lamb of God (wrath bearer).   This biblical teaching, that God is wrathful, is hard to believe if you reject Jesus.

Personally I see God as uncompromisingly holy because His wrath upholds His Word and affirms His non-compromise in judging sin. It’s fair because the righteousness required by God to be wrath-exempt is furnished free of charge by Jesus’ life crucified on the cross.

Even upon Christ’s Lordship in one’s heart, even after submission to God’s Word and even after many acts of service no saint stand exempt from God’s wrath. I go through God’s wrath though not as much as I once did. What can we make of this nasty wrath?

Historically God’s wrath is present via the plagues in Egypt, the flood, etc... It is also present in the future promise of the Lord’s Day when the whole earth is consumed in “the fire of My jealous anger.” But what does God’s wrath look like in this present time and day? An example of present wrath can be like a drinker who is given over to drunkenness. They seek after booze so much that God allows full-fledged alcoholism to reside and play out in devastating ways.

God does not call me to be an agent of wrath. Some like the police or military have that call on their life as permitted by God to uphold social order (which is a common grace to all). Then we can consider God’s wrath as it appears in nature like a natural disaster. It seems like only God is to blame for this destruction. My father died in an avalanche when I was a toddler and this misplaced feeling of anger toward God made me blame Him for the death of my father and made my childhood hard.

I think the right response in enduring the Lord’s wrath is humility mainly because of His omnipresence. Only a fool would say “I got this wrath.” God’s present wrath is an opportunity to open up to God “right then and there” and to give Jesus your burden. God’s wrath is too much to bear, or to handle solo. Ask for help, equipping, ask for time to pass, for the Holy Spirit to minister peace and wisdom through the suffering. Blaming God might feel good but it undermines His plan and purposes. We would be wise to fear God and depend on Jesus fully.

“Who understands the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear that is due You.” Psalm 90:11 HCSB (translated many interesting ways check it out)