Tag: God’s Wrath

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The Wrath of God

Daily Reading

Nahum 1-3

Daily Thought

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a brutish people who crushed Israel. The city once repented briefly when warned by Jonah of God’s coming wrath, but returned again to evil and worse, “Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder–no end to the prey!” (Nahum 3:1). This time, there would be no prophetical warning, but a pronouncement of doom, and no nation would shed a tear over Nineveh’s demise, rather, “all who hear the news about you clap their hands over you” (Nahum 3:19). Imagine a funeral where everyone is happy you are gone.

Their doom is set–“the Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies” (Nahum 1:2). Such words seem ungodly to our ears, wrath and vengeance and jealousy, possibly because we like our soft-focused, air-brushed pictures of Jesus, or because we think God a watchmaker who merely wound up creation and turned her loose to run her course, but the true God is intimate and personal. His jealousy is not of the kind we favor, enviously desiring the possessions of others, but the jealousy of God is the loving desire to protect the people who belong to him, wrathfully if necessary, for one does not truly love if there is no anger kindled toward an enemy who brings harm. And where is justice if injustice is not avenged, and who better to trust vengeance to than the holy righteous God. 

Toward Nineveh is written, “Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts” (Nahum 3:5). This was welcome news to Judah in the face of her enemy. “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7). This is the God of heaven and earth, who is an intimate father and passionately protective of his people against evil.

Daily Prayer

Lord God, Maker of the heavens and the earth, God outside of time and space, Creator of time and space, Author of life, the beginning and the end, Eternal Father, Savior and Lord, Yahweh, I Am That I Am.

Thank You for loving me.

Amen

Daily Question

When is jealousy and good thing? Have you ever been jealous in a good way?

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God Is God

Daily Reading

Jeremiah 49-50

Daily Thought

God is God. That seems an obvious statement, yet humankind continually acts as if it has a choice in the matter. Edom believed her wisdom sufficient, Damascus its fame, and the possessions of Keder and Hazor gave them a false security. These nations built idols reflecting their passions and desires, trusting in things they hold rather than the One who holds them, rejecting the God who can and will determine their future. Each stood against God and, like the nation of Ammon, “trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?’” (Jeremiah 49:4). 

The question is a challenge and God will answer. 

Nation upon nation swaggered against the might of God and met his sword. At the end, even great Babylon fell, “for it is a land of images, and they are mad over idols” (Jeremiah 50:38). I am witnessing it right now in my home country. There is one reason, one reason above all, the United States is crumbling at its core. It has rejected its own national motto: “In God We Trust.”

God’s prophets tell of his judgment against the nations, “‘For I have sworn by myself,’ declares the Lord, ‘that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes’” (Jeremiah 49:13). If we cringe at the fierceness of God’s Word, we should. It has done its job. It is not God’s duty to accommodate our sensitivities, as if God should “play nice.” God’s justice reflects the truth of creation and Creator, “in the beginning, God created” (Genesis 1:1) and “behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). We make the world bad, then wonder at God when he picks up his sword. He is making it good again.

Daily Prayer

My heavenly Father, You deal with nations that, I admit, act the way I act. When things go well, I neglect You; when poorly, I complain. Sometimes, God, I am tempted to trust in things I can hold. I should rather trust in the One who holds me. Too often, You are the last to whom I turn. If You had not made Yourself known to me, I would have ignored You. Thank You for Your love and grace, which compel me to Your holiness.

You are God, that is the most wise word I can speak. Everything else comes after that. May my devotion reflect that truth and be displayed in everything I do.

Amen

Daily Question

Why do people reject God? What do they believe in instead?

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Chapters of Wrath

Daily Reading

Jeremiah 46-48

Daily Thought

God utilized the enemies of Israel to discipline his children, but that does not make their violence virtuous. These evil nations were all too willing to strike God’s chosen, and lest they glory in their victories, the Lord executes the promise of retribution he gave to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). The children of Israel aptly disciplined, God’s sword now turns toward justice against the Egyptians and the Philistines, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, and Babylon.

These nations assaulted Israel and, because of that, ought fear the looming wrath of God and run. And run they will, but “he who flees from the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare (Jeremiah 48:44). Out of the frying pan, into the fire, so to speak, and God’s judgment is sure. There will be no place to run, hide, or escape. 

God’s terror of righteousness against those opposed to righteousness creates an awful clamor, and Jeremiah cries, “Ah, sword of the Lord! How long till you are quiet? Put yourself into your scabbard; rest and be still!” (Jeremiah 47:6). The Bible is a book of love, yet there are chapters of wrath, and this must be. A holy love demands a holy hatred of evil–“How can it be quiet when the Lord has given it a charge?” (Jeremiah 47:7), responds the Almighty. These nations desired neither goodness nor God, but sought what was evil. This God’s holiness cannot abide, thus, the sword.

Daily Prayer

Righteous God of Justice, You are holy. Thank You for salvation, because I deserve Your wrath. My righteousness does not measure up–it is as filthy rags. And my unrighteousness, well, I’m good at that. You have covered my sin by the blood of Your Son who took my sins and, thus, bore Your wrath. There is, therefore, now no condemnation because Your justice is true and satisfied and the righteousness of Your Son is now mine. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Corinthians 5:21). Thank You.

Amen

Daily Question

Does the wrath of God frighten you?