(ThyBlackMan.com)
Romans 9:22 NIV
What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?
I believe the wrath of God gets a bad break in this day and time, especially from non-Christians. It could possibly be the least understood doctrine as it pertains to God. Men from various walks of life from higher educational backgrounds misunderstand the justice within God’s wrath as presented in Scripture and, as such, mistake God as an ogre of vindictiveness. I agree that some of the images and instances of God’s wrath in the Bible are pretty shocking; however, what I find interesting is God’s resilience and ability to exercise restraint instead of quickly knocking off anyone that seemingly gets in His way. This makes God’s judgment so intriguing; His ability to exercise it while tempered by mercy, grace, and forbearance. Sadly, this is not how the world, and sometimes “the church,” see it.
They witness singular incidents and claim that God is unbearable, a monster, wholly unhinged, and couldn’t possibly have any degree of love for humanity because of how He treats them. “Look at poor Job, who lost everything and the sort of game God plays with the devil,” they say. Based on this “understanding” of God, some interpret the Scriptures bizarrely, even seeing the devil as a victim and the Almighty as the real enemy. Of course, satan, in his typical opportunist manner, uses this occasion to run roughshod over the truth in the Scriptures to lead both Believers and non-believers in a state of distrust towards God, projecting an image of Him being a ruthless tyrant.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. God isn’t some despot watching over you, waiting to punish you for failure, or a dictator gleefully wishing for your demise. In Ezekiel 18:23, God asks, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” This verse reveals that God would rather a person turn from the ways causing judgment. The Holy One is more interested in your salvation than your destruction. If there is any further doubt about that, He says later in that same chapter of Ezekiel, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” Here He speaks; He has no pleasure, no delight in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn, or repent, and live. Additionally, the New Testament rings true with the same sentiments. God isn’t some oppressor rushing to rain down fire and brimstone upon the inhabitants of the earth, but rather as 2 Peter 3:9 states, “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” So, God would instead save than condemn you, and being that this is the tenor of Scripture across two Testaments, the pertinent question is why does God execute His wrath?
I will begin to answer it this way; while many marvel at the wrath God has poured out throughout history, I wonder why many don’t marvel at God’s patience before this happens. As humans, we can quickly identify with someone doing wrong towards us and mistreating us and wanting revenge for mistreatment; however, we don’t see this with God. As the saying goes, “humanum est errare, dimittere divinam,” that is, “to err is human, to forgive divine.” There are probably more instances of God’s longsuffering than there are acts of wrath. When you look at the number of centuries before God flooded the earth for forty days and nights, it’s a wonder no one accuses The Divine of being too nice. Think about it; why doesn’t God punish humanity’s sin in the first decade or second century? Why does He wait for ten generations after Adam’s boot from the garden to wipe the earth clean of wickedness?
Look at the nation of Israel; their record is replete with failings; even after their exodus from Egypt, they provoke God constantly with their rebellion and lack of faith, but God spares them. Look at your own life! How many times have you been spared the wrath of God on account of His mercy?! It doesn’t matter whether you are a Believer or a non-believer; none of us qualify to point an indicting finger at God when His record is full of acts of grace and forgiveness towards us. We count God as short-tempered as we are; we falsely project our hastiness upon Him. I don’t know any who complains of His longsuffering, but I’ve met many who have abused it.
So why wrath? Because after all the days and years spent in rebellion, God must prove faithful to His word. He places on the record of Time His displeasure of sin, but this is usually not before days and years of warning and pleading. And here’s another catch, some don’t experience this wrath against their behavior until after they die. They’ve lived and done whatever they desired and seemingly escaped judgment, only to find that God, the Righteous Judge, who keeps accurate books, holds them accountable in Eternity, not only for their misdeeds but also for the mercy they ignored in Time. Instead of being triggered by God’s justice, appreciate His forbearance, and use it as an opportunity to get in the right standing with the Almighty rather than seek to accuse God falsely. “Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.” Romans 2:4-5.
Staff Writer; C. E. Davis
This man of God can also be found online over at; InfiniteTruth Devotion.
One may also drop an email: CEDavis@ThyBlackMan.com.