But the Lord is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
Jeremiah 10:10 ESV
Spending the last couple of weeks in Jeremiah...
and before that... many weeks in Ezekiel...
you can't help but think about His wrath...
I learned something about it this week...
A Bible study lesson... on His wrath...
showed how different His wrath is... than man's...
"The word 'wrath' (orgé) means anger, but it is not the outburst of anger that quickly blazes up, not the anger that arises solely from emotion. Rather, it is a decisive and deliberate anger."
---Beth Moore, Children of the DayThe same study also quoted another resource... "Aristotle says that orgé anger is desire with grief..."
These definitions... made me see God's wrath as thoughtful... not uncontrollably explosive... His wrath comes with grief... sorrow... and a desire for something better...
I went to my own set of resources and found...
The OT presents the concept of the wrath of God in balance with three other doctrines: his forbearance, his love, and his readiness to forgive. First, God is patient. The Hebrew word for "patient" is related to the word for "wrath" and means "length of wrath"' that is, God does not quickly become angry. He is longsuffering (Ex 34:6). Second, God is full of compassion and love. He is always faithful to his children. Third, he is ready to forgive those who sin against him when they atone for and are cleansed for their sins (Ex 34:6). The pleasure of his love is so much greater than his wrath (Ps 30:5).
---Tyndale Bible DictionaryGod is slow to anger...
His anger only unleashed with purpose...
His wrath intertwined with a desire for transformation...
You see it over and over in the prophets...
His wrath poured out...
famine... war... plague...
with the express purpose of turning hearts back to Him...
Today is Easter...
the celebration of Jesus's resurrection...
after having the full cup of God's wrath...
toward all the sins of mankind...
past... present... future...
poured out on Him... on the cross...
Wrath... that makes the earth quake... and no nation can endure...
Wrath... poured out on the Sinless Lamb...
on behalf... of a broken... rebellious... corrupt... creation...
Wrath poured out...
with desire...
for all to return to the Father...
through the Son...
by way of the Spirit...
His wrath... poured out... in love...
Do you see it...?
Do you know it...?
Do you recognize the heart of the Good News in it...?
Through faith in Jesus's work and love...
we have access to perfect atonement...
and the Way to return to the Creator of our souls...
who loves us... and desires us...
Do you desire Him...?
Seek Him... prayerfully... in His Word...
This week's readings...
Monday Jeremiah 16-17
Tuesday Jeremiah 18-19
Wednesday Jeremiah 20-22
Thursday Jeremiah 23
Friday Jeremiah 24-25
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