Sabbath: The Wrath of Divine Love
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 25th of January 2025
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Psalms 78:1-72; Jonah 4:1-4; Matthew 10:8; Matthew 21:12-13; Jeremiah 51:24-25; Romans 12:17-21.
Memory Text:
“But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath” (Psalms 78:38, NKJV).
Though God’s compassion is often celebrated, many find the idea of His wrath disturbing. If God is love, they think He should never express wrath. That notion, however, is false. His wrath arises directly from His love.
Some claim that the Old Testament God is a God of wrath and that the New Testament God is a God of love. But there is only one God, and He is revealed as the same in both Testaments. The God who is love does become angry at evil—but precisely because He is love. Jesus Himself expressed profound anger against evil, and the New Testament teaches numerous times about the righteous and appropriate wrath of God.
God’s anger is always His righteous and loving response against evil and injustice. Divine wrath is righteous indignation motivated by perfect goodness and love, and it seeks the flourishing of all creation. God’s wrath is simply the appropriate response of love to evil and injustice. Accordingly, evil provokes God to passion in favor of the victims of evil and against its perpetrators. Divine wrath, then, is another expression of divine love.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 1.
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One of our human characteristics is that we like to see the bad guys get their “comeuppance”. We were driving the inland highway between Brisbane and Newcastle on one of our trips when a P-plater (A person who had had his licence for less than 3 years) tailgated me though one of the narrower sections of road and flashed his lights to indicate that I was going too slow. When it was safe to do so, I pulled over to let him pass – which he did with a long blast on the horn and a rude sign with his fingers, then speeding off well above the speed limit. He must have stopped for fuel somewhere because a couple of hours later we had a repeat performance. And after he roared away from us, we said to one another, “I wish the cops would catch him!” Three minutes later we came around a sweeping bend in the road to see the red and blue flashing lights of the traffic constabulary lighting up the highway and parked neatly in front of the cop car was out errant P-plater.
The guy was in for a hefty fine and he was going to lose his licence – and his P-plate was going to be extended for 3 years. It felt so good – it was like eating chocolate when Carmel is not watching!
Now, how would I feel if it was my grandson? He has just received his drivers licence. I was there with him wehn he sat his test and collected his P-plates. I have a photograph of him with a cheeky grin standing in front of his car holding up his P-plates. What if it was him driving that car? Would I have the same feeling of elation and satisfaction at seeing him get his comeuppance? It is easy to have such feelings behind the shield of anonymity but when it is someone you love, that feeling is replaced with sorrow, and a desire to help.
Just a thought to think about as we study the wrath of divine love.
Well, Maurice, that experience was really an ironic one - a time to enjoy the humor. 😉 It would be just as ironic if it were your grandson. I'm hoping your grandson would behave better! 😊
(Maybe we shouldn't rejoice too much in such situations, but surely a little chuckle is called for? And the police intervention was necessary for the safety of other motorists - so not a bad thing, even for the driver. It would also be necessary for your grandson, if he drove like that - necessary to ensure he wouldn't kill himself!!)
Thank you Maurice for connecting your experience with Ezekiel 33:11. I think it shows God`s saving love in the context of judgement. Idolatry was centered even within the sanctuary (Ezekiel 8:5-6). Six angels entered the sanctuary with weapons of slaughter in their hands. One of them had a case of writing on his side setting a mark on the foreheads of those who were sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there. The other angels had to execute judgemant on all those who were committing these abominations --- except those who had that mark on their foreheads (Ezelien 9:1-6).
This reminds me of the followers of the Lamb on Zion. They had the name of the Lamb and the name of the Father written on their foreheads (Revelation 14:1), which indicated that they were reflecting the character of the Father and of the Son (2 Corinthians 3:18). These are the saved ones over against the rejectors of the Three Angel`s Messages warning against the abominations of Babylon in the end of time (Revelation 14:6-11).
God`s love does not force people into salvation. Every one has free choice. As to the Old Testament and the New Testament: The same God who has spoken through the Prophets of the Old Testament, has also spoken through his Son in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1). One God speaking. And as to the church: The Old Testament Church and the New Testament Church is one Church (Hebrews 11:39-40).
By grace alone we belong to that one church. One Saviour and one Church.
Winfried Stolpmann
Winfried, thank you for sharing such profound insight into God’s Love, rooted in His Justice and expressed through His Compassion toward us.
After reflecting on your post, I am compelled to recognize how often we fail to truly comprehend or appreciate the seriousness of sin, particularly when considering its consequences — such as not receiving His mark in our foreheads. This tendency to engage in careless sinning, believing we are beyond the law and perpetually covered by His compassionate forgiveness, can lead to insensitivity and even callousness toward 'sinning'.
With humility and care, we must walk in the Light of His Compassion, allowing it to guide us along the narrow road which leads us to pass through the narrow gate of Salvation.
How is it possible that a Holy, just and righteous God can express “negative” emotions that are associated with sin? The Bible says that God has got jealous, anger (wrath), hatred, grief, and displeasure. However, the Bible is quick to inform us that these emotions are expressed in divine love and hence they cannot be corrupted by sin. They are Holy as God is Holy. Why does God decide to use “negative emotions” to demonstrate his divine love? What lessons can we possibly learn from God who expresses “negative emotions” in holiness?
Let us remind ourselves that God alone is God. His ways and thoughts are infinitely far from our limited nature (Isaiah 55:8-9). Divinely, God expresses wrath (anger) What does the wrath of God mean (Romans 1:18, Exodus 22:24). A loving, just and righteous God will never turn a blind eye in the presence of evil, particularly on the pain inflicted by injustices and idolatry. God’s holiness and justice will bring evil to accountability. Evil will not have the last word. God’s love and justice with ultimately reign the heavens and the earth (Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 21:1-4). The wrath of God will finally vanquish sin from the face of the universe. Sin is repugnant to God’s holiness and justice and therefore His holy wrath is a natural response.
The Bible provides several incidences where God expressed His anger (wrath). Let us remind ourselves some of them:
1. God is “upset” with idolatry (Exodus 32:7-10). Humanly speaking, God “hates” idolatry (Psalm 78:58, Romans 1:21-24). God is provoked by idolatry.
2. God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:20-33, 19:24-25) – God is provoked by persistent sin. We cannot normalise and rationalise sin! Yes, the love of God is boundless but if we outrightly reject it, there will be no sacrifice for our sins.
3. God will not tolerate unbelief and rebellion (Numbers 14:26-35). The Children of Israel provoked God in the wilderness by unbelief and open rebellion. Hence, God destroyed many of them. Disobedience has eternal consequences even for God’s people. The Bible is very clear, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
4. God “hates” hypocrisy (Acts 5:1-11). The story of Ananias and Sapphira provoked God’s prompt response. This is an illustration showing that God does not like deceit and hypocrisy particularly from us who claim to know Him. God expects honesty in all our dealings with Him – our worship, our talk, our actions, our attitude and our walk.
5. Jesus cleansing the temple (Matthew 21:12-13, John 2:13-17). The house of God that is called by His name must be revered. We cannot treat the house of God with contempt. The holiness of God will be provoked to holy action. God is more than able to defend His holy sanctuary. Therefore, let us be extremely mindful how we treat anything called by the name of name of God.
What are the likely lessons to learn from the wrath of God?
1. God is holy and sin must be taken seriously.
2. The wrath of God is His is divine justice. Sin will never go unpunished.
3. God always provides opportunities for repentance before He executes His justice.
4. In his anger, God still exercises mercy. Sin will not have the last word.
5. We have a responsibility not to provide God to wrath. God expects his created beings to be obedient to His commands and statutes.
“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe” – Hebrews 12:28 (NLT)
Some are confused by the just wrath of God as much as they are confused by the protective wrath of a she-bear with her cubs. To us it seems irrational and excessive, however, both are outward manifestations of love, concern, and protection.
God's wrath and vengeance against evil and evil doers is slow, reluctant to manifest, and pure righteousness, when compared to our human counterpart expression.
Pure love manifests itself in pure jealousy, wrath, and vengeance, something that human minds have a difficult time understanding because our same expressions are tainted by our sinful nature. They are corrupted by our pride and selfishness. Ours are usually directed at the individual as opposed to the offending principle.
Good parenting requires that the offending behavior be disciplined. I learned early in life that certain behaviors and attitudes would not be tolerated for my own good and also the welfare of our family. Is man more just than God? I think not!
True compassion is rooted in justice, love, and forgiveness. Our Heavenly Father, in/by His perfect Justice, expresses compassion to His children; calling on those of us who love Him to extend this special compassion to others. Though He understands our frailty — that we are but flesh — He still expects us to respond with compassion – understanding - when faced with the weaknesses of others.
Is not compassion the clearest sign that God tempers His justice with His love, working through both to shape our hearts and minds? Through this divine balance, He seeks to save humanity from its rebellion — a rebellion born of our failure to grasp that righteousness is established only through the interplay of His justice and Love prompting Forgiveness.
God’s Justice, when combined with His Love, manifests as compassion for all humanity. Compassion is not merely a feeling; it is the humble acknowledgment of our place as created beings and the application of God’s laws by which life is sustained. As such, we see as Truth the statement: “Divine Wrath, then, is another expression of divine Love.”