Wrath. 

It is sad to find so many people who misunderstand the wrath of God. Some people actually want to apologize for God. It is as though they wish this part of God was not there. It is like they see it as a blemish on his divine character. They are far from regarding it with delight. 

 May I tell you this part of God like all other parts, is his divine perfection. Yes ~it is terrifying. Some go so far as to say his wrath is not consistent with his goodness. God’s wrath is not a blotch on his divine character. They say things like “how can a God of love turn people into hell?” 

God has made no attempt to conceal the fact of his wrath. He is not one bit ashamed to make it known that vengeance and fury belong to him. Listen to his word on himself; “see now that I even I and he and there is no God with me: I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand….If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold on judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me”. Deut 32.39-41 

There are more references in scripture to the anger, fury, and wrath of God than there are his love and tenderness. God is holy, he hates sin, therefore his anger burns against the sinner every day. The wrath of God is just as much a divine perfection as faithfulness or power or mercy, for God has no blemish, and he is perfect in all his ways. If in fact God were indifferent to sin, that would be a blemish and wrong. 

God is the sum of all excellence therefore he cannot look on sin and not feel the fury of wrath. How could he who is infinitely holy ignore sin and its horror. The very nature of God makes hell a necessity just like it makes heaven a necessity. A holy God detests sin and unrighteousness. 

It is the holiness of God that is stirred into action against sin. What kind of God would he be if he did not react to sin. What kind of parent would you be if you never corrected your child? Sin is rebellion against God. It is rebellion against his authority in our life. Sin opposes his sovereignty in our life. 

The divine wrath is one of the perfections of God. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven. Rom 1.18. That is why you see judgment at the garden of Eden, Noah’s flood, Sodom and Gomorrah and death upon every person who has ever lived. The whole creation groans and travails because God is holy and sin is rampant. 

Calvary showed the wrath of God more vivid than all those other tokens. Christ sufferings and death were more awful than all those moments. God’s hatred of sin was in full view on that hill outside Jerusalem in April of AD29. Right now wrath and grace stand like sentinels waiting for your choice. 

We must remember God hates sin. We gloss it over and pooh-pooh it, but God sees it as hideous and horrible and heinous. Thus your Bible says let us have grace…for our God is a consuming fire. Heb 12.28. In Psalm 50.21 God says thou thougtest that I was altogether as thyself. Deut 32.43 God does not see sin like we do. God hates it. Rejoice..for he will avenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful to his people. Rev 19-true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great whore… 

 When you see him for the first time, he will be wearing a vesture dipped in blood. Make no mistake the wrath of God is real. God will vindicate his majesty, he will magnify his justice, and overthrow every one of the proud rebels who dare to defy him. Our great God who could speak every rebel into hell tonight is patient. Today he offers mercy and grace, tomorrow he offers wrath. 

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.