It is true that Scripture speaks of the wrath of God. The Greek word is orge. It means anger or indignation. It does not mean blind anger, because for that there is another Greek word, thumos.
In fact, the references in Scripture to God’s wrath are also a form of figure of speech, known as condescension. God is described in human terms – as in this case, one who is angry at times, so we can be in awe of Him.
The absolute truth is that God is love and that His love for His creation, including every human being, is perfect and constant, no matter what happens. Divine love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things..” and “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:7-8).
God, even though He is described as sometimes wrathful, is still a happy God. It can be seen in Scripture, even where He seems to be in a destructive mood. A good example is God’s actions toward the inhabitants of Nineveh in the Book of Jonah. In Jonah 1:1-2, God commands Jonah to address the inhabitants of Nineveh, “for their wickedness has come up before Me.” Finally, the reluctant Jonah did what he had to, crying out in the city: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And miraculously, the people were alarmed, repented of their misdeeds, and fasted. Again with condescending figure of speech, we read: “Then God saw their works… and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (3:10). Jonah was angry because he considered the inhabitants of Nineveh to be the enemy of his people. Yet he had insight into God’s character…”a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness” (4:2). At the end of the book, God answers Jonah: “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left, and much livestock?”.
His wrath is only for a moment (Psalm 30:5; Isaiah 54:8). Even if He feels compelled to cause grief, it is with mercy and love (Lamentations 3:31-33). He disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). God loves His enemies – He is kind to the ungrateful and evil (Luke 6:35). He knows how weak people are (Psalm 103:14; 78:38-39). He overlooks transgressions (Acts 17:30). Yes, judgment comes for everyone, but it is not necessarily condemnation. The good news of justification and conciliation with God through Christ trumps all that is bad and wrong in this world,
God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all (Romans 11:32).
…. as through one’s [Adam’s] transgression, there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness [Christ’s willingness to face death on the stake] there resulted justification of life to all men… where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Rom. 5:18, 20b, NAS).
.. for it pleased the Father… by Him [Christ] to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Col. 1:19, 20)
…according to the glorious gospel of the blessed [happy] God… (1 Timothy 1:11).
… because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe (1 Timothy 4:10).
God’s wrath is different from the anger and bitterness of people. With God it is indignation over sin that stems from His character of love. Sin brings pain and suffering. Yet God, according to His plan, ordered it in such a way that man in this world would be sinful and suffer its consequences, so that in the coming dispensation of total conciliation with Him, the contrast of glory compared to the present, will always be appreciated by every human being, for the glory of God.
All glory to our Father, who is so wise, so loving and so gracious!
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