In
his book, The God Delusion, Richard
Dawkins describes the God of the Jewish and Christian faith as,
…Arguably
the most unpleasant character in all fiction; jealous and proud of it; a petty,
unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser;
a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal,
pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.[1]
Using the wrath of God, enacted against
a plethora of peoples, Dawkins argues that the actions of God, particularly the
God of the Old Testament, illustrate the attributes of a fictitious, unjust
villain. Essentially, because of his
anger and wrath, God is portrayed as a controlling, unloving bully. Furthermore, Dawkins is not alone in his
philosophy regarding the Judeo-Christian God.
Paul Copan unpacks what he calls “New atheism” in, Is God a Moral Monster?
Copan describes the philosophy of new atheists as inquisitive to, “…Questions about strange and harsh Old
Testament laws, a God of jealousy and anger, slavery, and the killing of the
Canaanites.”[2] Included in this brotherhood of educated
skeptics are the likes of Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and
the previously mentioned Richard Dawkins.
These men, brilliant if only in their particular fields (biology,
evolutionary theory, etc.), are using difficult questions to argue against the
existence of God. Brilliant as they may
be however, they are far from pioneers on the subject. Marcion suggested the rejection of the Old
Testament entirely, Volz came to the conclusion that God had a demonic, evil
alter-ego[3],
and notable twenty-first century pastor and author Rob Bell tip toed around the
subject of wrath in his book, Love Wins,
carefully brushing past any in-depth look at the wrath of God which might seem
offensive.[4] Certainly the wrath of God has always been
ammunition for the skeptic and shame for those who attempt to defend the
faith.
In
addition to the obvious advantage of silencing the skeptic and defending the
faith, an appropriate understanding of God’s wrath gives the believer a more
complete portrait of their Creator and a better grasp of His overall plan for
humanity. For these reasons, it is
crucial that the Christian be educated about all of the attributes of
God, including His wrath. Difficult as
the task may be, it is essential to a healthy Christian theology. In a study on first and second Peter, author
David Faust presents that,
[some] fears are irrational---unhealthy
phobias and unwarranted anxieties that paralyze, agonize, and immobilize
us. Ironically, it’s not uncommon to
find that Christians are afraid to talk about their faith with others---even
though we possess the good news that Jesus came to set us free from fear and
death.[5]
The unfortunate reality is that many
Christians shy away from topics like the wrath of God out of fear. However, in allowing that fear to overcome
the believer, it is impossible to present the fullness of the Christian Gospel.
Prior
to forming any type of defense for this particular attribute, a solid
definition must be developed. Questions
involving the forms in which God’s wrath becomes manifested (what it looks
like), the catalyst for God’s wrath (what causes it), and the recipients of
God’s wrath (who gets it), are vital to defining the attribute. In order to do so, both the Old and New
Testament Scriptures must be employed.
Additional commentary may also be beneficial as a sub-text, to provide a
look at some human understanding and interpretation of God’s wrath; what it
looks like, what causes it, and who gets to experience it.
Certainly,
square one for defining characteristics of God is to examine them as they have
been recorded in Scripture. For purposes
of consistency, examination will be given to four particular passages
concerning the wrath of God. Each
passage serves as a representative for one of four canonical sections. These include the Torah, the Writings, the Prophets,
and the New Testament. Beginning with
the Torah, a contextual survey of Exodus
chapter 4 shines some light on the wrath of God. Verse 14 reads, “So the anger of the Lord was
kindled against Moses and He said: ‘Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet
you. When he sees you, he will be glad
in his heart’.”[6] In unpacking this verse, several things must
be considered. First, God is appearing
to Moses in the form of a flaming bush.
He is addressing Moses as His chosen vessel to bring the Israelites out
of Egypt, and God has previously promised and illustrated to Moses that great
power would be executed through Moses.[7]
Now
to the task of defining this anger kindled against Moses. First, there is no tangible illustration of
God’s wrath in this example. Perhaps it
is best likened to a very strong scolding in which the very flames that are
representing God are kindled against Moses.
It must be acknowledged that at the very least, this display of wrath
was enough to cause Moses to change his mind and cooperate. Secondly, the text presents that God’s wrath
is kindled in response to Moses’ excuses.
Despite the illustration of power in turning the staff into a snake and
a healthy hand to a leprous one and then back[8],
and despite God’s assurance that He is in control and will be with Moses, the
soon to be servant of God is reluctant and full of excuses. Let it not be confused however, that God’s
wrath is not kindled out of mere frustration.
Moses’ repeated reluctance illustrates a deeper fear coupled with a lack
of faith, despite being in the presence of God.
As far as the recipient of God’s wrath, it is an unlikely
candidate. Further readings in the Torah
show Moses becoming a great leader of the Israelite nation. Serving as liberator, miracle worker, and
advocate, Moses will soon solidify himself as one of the greatest men of God to
ever live. Frank Mead emphatically
praises Moses as a man who “…left his mark on the social structure, thinking,
ethics, and religion of all humanity.”[9] Consequently, it is a bit disheartening to
discover that God does not withhold His wrath from those whom He sets aside to
perform His service. Perhaps it is even for this reason that God would show His
wrath to Moses; as a form of Divine discipline in order to strengthen His
chosen vessel.
Moving
on to the prophecies of the Old Testament,
Isaiah chapter 5 shines new light on the complex subject of God’s
wrath. Verse 25 reads,
Therefore the anger of the Lord is
aroused against His peoples; He has stretched out His hand against them and
stricken them, and the hills trembled.
Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away,
but His hand is stretched out still.[10]
In this passage a more visual account
of God’s wrath is presented. Again, some
contextual aspects must be considered.
As a prophetic writing, Isaiah is foretelling the future of Judah. Under the rule of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
and Hezekiah, the people of Judah have continued to stray from God and ignore
the teachings of His Law.[11] Despite the deeds of several good kings (Uzziah
and Jotham), the people of Judah have offered sacrifices to animals along with
an arsenal of other offenses. God’s
response is not only stern, but also violent.
In
this depiction of God’s wrath the hills shake and the hand of God strikes down
the people of Judah. Isaiah is
prophesying that when God enacts His wrath, it will result in death! The bodies of the people of Judah will lay
desolate in the streets and God will refuse to draw back His anger. This time, it is not due to a lack of faith,
but due to disobedience that God calls upon His mighty Hand. The Scripture leaves no room for debate; the
people of Judah will be punished because of their disobedience in worshiping
idols, offering sacrifices to other gods, and participating in other deeds
contrary to the Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Again, it is frightening to learn that God is
making His own people the victims of His wrath.
At this point God has already lead the people out of Egypt, given them
territories in the Promised Land, blessed the people under the period of
judges, and even allowed a monarchy to be established according to the request
of the people. He has been with His
people and servants like Joshua, Caleb, David, Solomon, and Samson have
received the blessing of God, the discipline of God in some cases, but in every
case have been used by God to further His purposes. Despite stumbling several times along the
way, the previously mentioned characters had remained loyal to God and had been
obedient to His requests by and large.
Unfortunately, the people of Judah have not followed suite and the
consequence is the unleashing of Divine wrath.
Turning
now to the writings of the Old Testament, David calls upon the wrath of God in
the 7th Psalm,
Arise,
O Lord, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise
up for me to the judgment You have commanded!
So the congregations of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes,
therefore return on high. The Lord shall
judge the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and
according to my integrity within me.[12]
According to tradition, this Psalm was
recorded in response to Cush, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who had wronged
King David. In this passage, God’s wrath
is presented in the form of a judgment.
Although it is not clear what the inaction of God’s wrath will look
like, it is expected in the form of Divine justice. Furthermore, in this case, God’s wrath is
presented as a resource to be called upon by those who have been treated
unjustly. Derek Kidner brilliantly
explains the role of God in Psalm 7 when he writes, “It is one of several
passages showing God’s exaltation as judge, victor and lawgiver”.[13] The implication is that because David has
been mistreated, God will employ His wrath by judging the unjust and presumably
restoring justice to David. In this
case, the recipient of God’s wrath is a member of the tribe of Benjamin, the
youngest son of Israel. Unfortunately
however, Cush has positioned himself as an opponent of King David, a man after
God’s own heart and the chosen King of Israel.
Therefore, although Cush is one of God’s chosen people, he is also an
enemy of God’s chosen king. Therefore it
must be concluded that Cush serves as both a child of God and an opponent of
God. Here, God’s wrath against those who
oppose Him, rather than simply disobey Him, is given some attention.
Finally
to the New Testament, where Paul gives writes on the wrath of God in his Letter to the Ephesians. Verse 6 of chapter 5 reads, “Let no one
deceive you with empty words, for because of these thing the wrath of God comes
upon the sons of disobedience.”[14] In context, Paul has just recorded a list of
habitual practices that disqualify one from the inheritance in the Kingdom of
Christ.[15] The list serves as a warning to the newly
converted Ephesians, Roman gentiles, to avoid any unholy or unrighteous deeds
for the sake of avoiding God’s wrath. It
is implied that the alternative to god’s wrath is an inheritance in the Kingdom
of Christ and therefore the reverse is also true. Here, God’s wrath is portrayed as Him
withholding the Kingdom of His Son from the “sons of disobedience”. While such wrath could entail other
consequences, at the very least it is illustrated as exclusion from the
Kingdom. Again, the cause is
disobedience but not necessarily to the Law of Moses or even the Ten
Commandments. Paul is corresponding with
a group of gentiles who would not have been familiar with the Old Testament
legalities. They are however familiar
with practices of fornication, idolatry, covetousness, and so on. Here, a universal standard of righteousness
is acknowledged. Despite lacking any
knowledge of the Old Testament, the gentiles are expected to avoid these unrighteous
acts. Disobedience is the catalyst for
the wrath of God being enacted. The fact
that the recipients of such wrath are Gentiles does give some new insight into
this attribute of the Divine however. At
the time Paul penned his letter to the Ephesians, the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and the subsequent movement of Christianity is being spread about both the
Jewish world and the Hellenistic Roman world.
Essentially, the God of the Old Testament is now completely open to all
peoples. Unfortunately, the consequence
of an all-inclusive God is that in opening Himself to everyone, God is allowing
the possibility of being rejected by anyone.
At this point in time, anyone could become a servant of God but in
ignoring His standard, anyone could now be found guilty of not only
disobedience, but also rejection of God.
In
summary, each of these four portions of the Cannon gives examples of God’s
wrath, what it looks like, what causes it, and who gets it. Using the whole of this investigation, a
Biblical definition of God’s wrath can be constructed. First, God’s wrath has many
manifestations. In some cases God shows
His wrath in a manner likened to a Divine scolding. In others, death, justice, and even exclusion
from the Kingdom of Christ are the manifestations of Divine wrath. Certainly other illustrations exist, some
tangible and others intangible, but no further research is necessary to
conclude that the wrath of God cannot be limited to any one response. Essentially, God has a multitude of options
in manifesting His wrath and throughout the Scriptures He illustrates that
regardless of how His wrath is enacted, it is always something to be feared and
avoided. Furthermore, as the passages
from Isaiah and Ephesians illustrate (and arguably Exodus and Psalms as well),
God’s wrath can be used as a warning to obey the One who formed creation.
Skipping
ahead for a moment, the wrath of God shows no favoritism. The recipients of this dreadful attribute
range from Jews to Gentiles, from servants to adversaries, from Old Testament
to New Testament, and from instructed Israelites to newly converted
Romans. There is no demographic that is
excluded from the wrath of God. At this
point, the definition of God’s wrath being constructed has little clarity. It has no specific form or mode and anyone is
susceptible to receiving it. Only in
reverting back to the catalyst for God’s wrath, is a clear and concise
definition of God’s wrath able to final come to fruition.
With
varying modes of action and a universally inclusive range of possible
recipients, the only common denominator pertaining to the wrath of God is the
catalyst for it. Whether it is
faithlessness, disobedience, or acting against the universal moral code, God’s
wrath is always triggered by rebellion.
If God is the perfect Creator, and humanity if His imperfect creation,
then the sheer impossibility of avoiding rebellion makes complete adherence to
God unfathomable. As Romans 3:23 reads,
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.[16] In one of the greatest sermons ever written,
Jonathan Edwards describes this unfortunate state when he pens, “The sword of
divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing
but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back”.[17] With this understanding, an even greater
difficulty arises. If God’s wrath can be
enacted in such a wide variety of forms; and if anyone is at risk of being on
the receiving end of such wrath; and if the only certainty regarding God’s wrath
is that it is the result of rebellion; then what does that say to a humanity
that is also informed that they stand no chance of living a completely loyal
life? The answer to that question is not
only the message of the Gospel, but the reason a healthy understanding of God’s
wrath must be taught, defended, and acquired.
In
investigating exactly what the Bible says in regards to the wrath of God, the
only conclusion that can be drawn is that Romans 3:23 is precisely correct and
that every creature throughout the history of mankind is not only susceptible,
but deserving of God’s wrath.
Ironically, it is not only the theologian or preacher who recognizes
this truth. This terrible state that man
finds himself in is the reason Dawkins, Harris, and the like argue that there
can be no God. Essentially, the focus of
God’s wrath given by the new atheist movement is to arrive at the conclusion
that if God is going to bully humanity by showering it with His wrath, then
science will refuse to accept Him. At the
same time, it is this great Biblical truth that forces authors like Bell to
over emphasize characteristics of God like love and mercy, in order to minimize
(or completely ignore) giving any attention to the difficult characteristic of
God’s wrath. Fortunately, God makes no
apologies for His being, and neither needs those who follow Him.
The
beauty of the Easter story is that Christ came to die for the depraved humanity
previously discussed. In His own words
Jesus confesses, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance”[18]. Given the definition of wrath previously
constructed, it is quite apparent that no one is exempt from the wrath of
God. Although it may not have a specific
form, and every member of humanity may be deserving of it, the wrath of God is
not to be ignored or minimized, but celebrated.
Paul presents why this is the case in his letter to the Romans. He writes, “…Having now been justified by His
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him”[19].
Certainly
the skeptics are correct in acknowledging the impossibility of appeasing a God
who is full of wrath. Additionally,
Christianity becomes a much easier product when sold in the package of love and
mercy. However, it is not only
unnecessary, but also irresponsible for the Christian to undercut the Gospel by
ignoring the consequence of rebellion that would be destined to humanity if it
were not for the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. What the new atheist portrays as Divine
injustice, the Christian must understand and present as the natural cause and
effect of human rebellion. Only then can
the sacrifice of Christ be understood completely for what it is. In the sermon The Wrath of God Against Ungodliness and Unrighteousness, Baptist
theologian John Piper recognizes that, “We need
the Gospel because the wrath of God is being revealed” (My emphasis added).[20]
Without
consequences for sins, the sacrifice of Christ is useless. Furthermore, if there was any possible way to
avoid these consequences, the sacrifice of Christ is not justifiable. However, with a complete understanding of
God’s wrath; how severe it is; why it happens; who is responsible; and the
ultimate conclusion that it is the destiny of anyone without the blood of Christ;
the Christian can counter the skeptic, encourage the timid believer, and share
the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a world who, whether they choose to believe or
not, is on a collision coarse with the wrath of Almighty God without the
sacrifice of Christ. The reality of
God’s wrath and the desperate need for Christ cannot be separated. In conclusion, the words of R.C. Sproul serve
not only as a plea to take seriously the wrath of God, but a warning to all
whom would ignore it.
The tragedy for us is that in spite of
the clear warnings of Scripture, and of the sober teaching of Jesus on this
subject, we continue to be at ease in Zion with respect to the future
punishment of the wicked. If God is to
be believed at all we must face the awful truth that someday His furious wrath
will be poured out.[21]
[3] P.
Volz, Das Damonische in Jahwe
(Tubingen: J.C.B. Mohr, 1924).
[4]
Rob Bell, Love Wins (New York:
HarperOne, 2011).
[5]
David Faust, Faith Under Fire:
Transforming Power from 1 and 2 Peter (Cincinnati, Ohio: The Standard
Publishing Company, 1997), 70.
[6]
Ex. 4:14 NKJV
[7]
Ex. 4:11-12
[8]
Ex. 4: 3-7
[9]
Frank Mead, Who’s Who in the Bible
(New York: Galahad Books, 1934), 47.
[10]
Isa. 5:25 NKJV
[11] 2
Chr. 26:1-32:21 NKJV
[12]
Ps. 7:6-8 NKJV
[13]
Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72: An
Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press,
1973), 64.
[14]
Eph. 5:6 NKJV
[15]
Eph. 5:3-5
[16] Rom.
3:23 NKJV
[17]
Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (Sermon presented in
Enfield Connecticut, July 8, 1741).
[18]
Mt. 9:13 NKJV
[19] Rom.
5:9
[20]
John Piper, “The Wrath of God Against Ungodliness and Unrighteousness” (Sermon presented at Bethel Baptist
Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 30, 1998).
[21]
R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God
(Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1985), 227.
No comments:
Post a Comment