The Wrath of God
“Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning…” (Psalm 30:4-6)
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.…” (Psalm 103:8-10)
“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His loving kindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, for His loving kindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His loving kindness is everlasting. To Him who alone does great wonders, for His loving kindness is everlasting; To Him who made the heavens with skill, for His loving kindness is everlasting; To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His loving kindness is everlasting…” (Psalm 136)
Those of you who insist on believing God will consign anyone to a place where "their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" to be "tormented day and night forever and ever" should meditate on the above verses for a while. Then go to these and other verses of Scripture to which the Greek Mythological hell was applied by religious men to control their followers and “study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
Don't misunderstand me. The anger and wrath of God is real and it is addressed and applied to all mankind for “the wages of sin is death” and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and "each of us will give an account of ourselves to God". However, when I study all of the places where God’s wrath is poured out in the Bible I find that it is kindled slowly, lasts but for a moment, and then His love trumps His wrath. Joy and blessing follows as the morning comes and a new day begins, or "this present evil age" ends in a new age, or when the "former things" are past and the “new heaven and a new earth" arrives. When the plan of God is finished, He will not have lost even one of those He loves...which is the whole World! So forget the past and be confident that the best is yet to come...
“Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field will glorify Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I have given waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people. The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.” (Isaiah 43:18-21)
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, WRITE, for these words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.…” (Psalm 103:8-10)
“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His loving kindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, for His loving kindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His loving kindness is everlasting. To Him who alone does great wonders, for His loving kindness is everlasting; To Him who made the heavens with skill, for His loving kindness is everlasting; To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His loving kindness is everlasting…” (Psalm 136)
Those of you who insist on believing God will consign anyone to a place where "their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" to be "tormented day and night forever and ever" should meditate on the above verses for a while. Then go to these and other verses of Scripture to which the Greek Mythological hell was applied by religious men to control their followers and “study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
Don't misunderstand me. The anger and wrath of God is real and it is addressed and applied to all mankind for “the wages of sin is death” and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and "each of us will give an account of ourselves to God". However, when I study all of the places where God’s wrath is poured out in the Bible I find that it is kindled slowly, lasts but for a moment, and then His love trumps His wrath. Joy and blessing follows as the morning comes and a new day begins, or "this present evil age" ends in a new age, or when the "former things" are past and the “new heaven and a new earth" arrives. When the plan of God is finished, He will not have lost even one of those He loves...which is the whole World! So forget the past and be confident that the best is yet to come...
“Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field will glorify Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I have given waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people. The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.” (Isaiah 43:18-21)
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, WRITE, for these words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)