Friday: Further Thought – The Wrath of Divine Love
Daily Lesson for Friday 31st of January 2025
Read Ellen G. White, “Idolatry at Sinai,” Pages 315–330, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
In the context of the sin of the golden calf, Ellen G. White wrote: “The Israelites had been guilty of treason, and that against a King who had loaded them with benefits and whose authority they had voluntarily pledged themselves to obey. That the divine government might be maintained justice must be visited upon the traitors. Yet even here God’s mercy was displayed. While He maintained His law, He granted freedom of choice and opportunity for repentance to all. Only those were cut off who persisted in rebellion.
“It was necessary that this sin should be punished, as a testimony to surrounding nations of God’s displeasure against idolatry. By executing justice upon the guilty, Moses, as God’s instrument, must leave on record a solemn and public protest against their crime. As the Israelites should hereafter condemn the idolatry of the neighboring tribes, their enemies would throw back upon them the charge that the people who claimed Jehovah as their God had made a calf and worshiped it in Horeb. Then though compelled to acknowledge the disgraceful truth, Israel could point to the terrible fate of the transgressors, as evidence that their sin had not been sanctioned or excused.
“Love no less than justice demanded that for this sin judgment should be inflicted. . . . It was the mercy of God that thousands should suffer, to prevent the necessity of visiting judgments upon millions. In order to save the many, He must punish the few.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, Pages 324, 325.
Discussion Questions
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The concept of divine wrath, on the surface seems contradictory to a God of love, however, it's in perfect harmony with the character of God. How so? I'm glad you ask? Let me try to give you my opinion of why there is no disparity between a God of love and divine wrath.
A perfectly holy, and righteous God must have wrath against evil and sin in order to be holy and righteous. On the surface it seems to be circular reasoning but it's not. How can God be holy and righteous while being accommodating to all that is unrighteous and unholy? It is totally antithetical to his character. There must be a standard of righteousness set by God. His character demands it.
Now there is a time when God "winks" (Acts 17:30-31) at our unrighteousness in our time of ignorance. Thank God that he did, else we would be hopelessly lost.
Jesus is the standard of righteousness, being that he lived his life in human flesh, totally dependent upon his Father for the miracles as well as his victory over every known temptation (in principle) that mankind would ever face. This same righteousness is the only righteousness that will qualify any sinner, from the uttermost, to the "guttermost," to enter heaven.
Sin and evil disrupted God’s perfect universe, first in heaven, then on earth. God cannot and will not accommodate it, or allow it to enter back into heaven. His wrath is directed at the sin and evil. If we choose to hold onto it we will be rightfully destroyed by his righteous holy wrath.
Jesus as the Great Physician is conducting the most delicate of surgeries, a "sin-odectomy", in trying to separate us sinners from our sin without losing the patient, us. May we cooperate with him and let him successfully complete the surgery of separating us from our sin.