wrath

Editorial – Great Wrath, Part I

by

When Jesus died, a voice was heard in heaven saying, “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10.

When the dragon was cast down, “he persecuted the woman which gave birth to the male [Child].” Revelation 12:13. The Holy Spirit foresaw this: “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12. This prophecy was fulfilled the first time after the resurrection of Christ. (See Early Writings, 191, 192.) The final fulfillment of this prophecy is in the last days, in our time.

“The great controversy between good and evil will increase in intensity to the very close of time. In all ages the wrath of Satan has been manifested against the church of Christ; and God has bestowed His grace and Spirit upon His people to strengthen them. . . . But as the church approaches her final deliverance, Satan is to work with greater power. . . . He will work ‘with all power and signs and lying wonders.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:9. For six thousand years that mastermind that once was highest among the angels of God has been wholly bent to the work of deception and ruin. And all the depths of satanic skill and subtlety acquired, all the cruelty developed, during these struggles of the ages, will be brought to bear against God’s people in the final conflict.” The Great Controversy, ix, x.

“Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. . . . As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ.” Ibid., 624.

“The adversary of our souls will approach us as a heavenly guest . . . .” Testimonies, vol. 3, 374.

“Christ is the only refuge in these perilous times. Satan is at work in secrecy and darkness. Cunningly he draws away the followers of Christ from the cross and brings them into self-indulgence and wickedness.” Ibid., vol. 4, 210.

“The more we learn in reference to the early days of the Christian church, and see with what subtlety Satan worked to weaken and destroy, the better we shall be prepared to resist his devices and meet coming perils. We are in the time when tribulations such as the world has never yet seen will prevail.” Ibid., vol. 5, 297.

“God is leading his people out from the abominations of the world, that they may keep his law; and because of this, the rage of ‘the accuser of our brethren’ knows no bounds. . . . There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. The light, frivolous spirit indulged by so many of professed Christians must be put away. There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery. The work of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Though all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet he will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth. Everyone must be tested, and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” The Gospel Herald, August 1, 1910.

Editorial – Great Wrath, Part II

by

We are living in the last days. “Jesus Christ is the only refuge in these perilous times. Satan is at work in secrecy and darkness. Cunningly he draws away the followers of Christ from the cross, and brings them into self-indulgence and wickedness.” Signs of the Times, April 20, 1876.

“Satan was determined to keep his hold on the land of Canaan, and when it was made the habitation of the children of Israel, and the law of God was made the law of the land, he hated Israel with a cruel and malignant hatred, and plotted their destruction. Strange gods were introduced through the agency of evil spirits; and because of transgression the chosen people were finally scattered from the land of promise.

“The same experience is repeating in the history of God’s people. God is leading them out from the abominations of the world to keep his law in the land of the enemy, and the rage of ‘the accuser of the brethren’ knows no bounds. . . .

“It is time to heed the Saviour’s injunction as never before: ‘Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.’ Trust in God, however perplexing may be your situation. Seek his counsel, and turn not after them that have familiar spirits to be defiled by them.” Ibid., August 26, 1889.

We see the truth of the above statements everywhere we look. The great mass of those professing the Adventist faith, in Western countries, is doing very little for the advancement of the three angels’ messages. If a person is not witnessing for his faith, if he is not genuinely converted, is he really a Christian? Is he really part of the body of Christ, if he has not the same spirit as his Master? (See Romans 8:9.) We hear constantly talk about the work being finished, while the great majority are doing almost nothing to help finish it, and there is unconfessed, open sin in the camp of the Lord’s professed people!

“If the youth could only awake to deeply feel their need of strength from God to resist the temptations of Satan, precious victories would be theirs, and they would obtain a valuable experience in the Christian warfare.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 373.

“The only safety for the young is in unceasing watchfulness and humble prayer. They need not flatter themselves that they can be Christians without these. Satan conceals his temptations and his devices under a cover of light.” Ibid., 374.

“I am filled with sadness when I think of our condition as a people. The Lord has not closed heaven to us, but our own course of continual backsliding has separated us from God. Pride, covetousness, and love of the world have lived in the heart without fear of banishment or condemnation. Grievous and presumptuous sins have dwelt among us. And yet the general opinion is that the church is flourishing and that peace and spiritual prosperity are in all her borders.” Ibid., vol. 5, 217.

“The time has come when all the differences must be put away fully and thoroughly; and now, without delay attempt a united, systematic effort for the one great object: sanctification through Jesus Christ to the obedience of the truth.” Atlantic Union Gleaner, January 8, 1902.

Are you willing, without delay, to attempt a united systematic effort for the one great object? Your decision will determine your eternal destiny.

[All Emphasis Supplied.]

The Wrath of God, Part I

by

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake.” Revelation 6:12. In fulfillment of this prophecy, there occurred, in the year 1755, the most terrible earthquake that has ever been recorded. Though commonly known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, it extended to the greater part of Europe and Africa. Its shock waves pervaded an area of 1,300,000 square miles, and a vast tsunami wave stretched over the coasts of Spain and Africa, engulfing cities and causing great destruction.

It was in Spain and Portugal that the shock manifested itself in extreme violence. At Cadais, the in-flowing waves were said to be 60 feet high. Mountains, some of the largest in Portugal, were impetuously shaken, as it were, from their very foundations, and some of them opened at their summits, which were split and rent in a wonderful manner, huge masses of them being throw down into the adjacent valleys. Flames are related to have issued from these mountains. One survivor reported that a sound of thunder was heard under the ground, and, immediately afterwards, a violent shock threw down the great part of his city. In the course of about six minutes, 60,000 persons perished. The sea first retired and laid the bar dry; it then rolled in, rising 50 feet or more above its ordinary level.

Among other extraordinary events related to have occurred during the catastrophe was the subsistence of a new harbor built entirely of marble at immense expense. A great concourse of people had collected there for safety, that they might be beyond the reach of fallen ruins. But suddenly the harbor sank down with all the people on it, and not one of the bodies ever floated to the surface.

The shock of the earthquake was instantly followed by the fall of every church and convent, almost all the large, public buildings, and more than one-fourth of the houses. In about two hours after the shock, fires broke out in different quarters of the city and raged with such violence for the space of nearly three days that the city was completely desolated.

The earthquake happened on a holiday when the churches and convents were full of people, very few of whom escaped. The terror of the people was beyond description. Nobody wept; they were beyond tears. Yes, they ran hither and thither delirious with horror and astonishment, beating their faces and breasts saying, Miserecordia meu Dios!¾the world is at an end. Mothers forgot their children and ran about loaded with crucified images. Unfortunately, many ran to the churches for protection, but in vain was the sacrament exposed, in vain did the poor preachers embrace the altar images, and priests and people where buried in one common ruin. It has been estimated that 90,000 persons lost their lives on that fatal day.

Wrath

My question, considering the horrors described above, is, What is the wrath of God? In the Old Testament, the Hebrew hema is identified in Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary as denoting heat, rage, fury, hot displeasure, or indignation. This noun occurs in somatic language with the meaning of heat, wrath, poison, or venom. The noun as well as the verb denotes a strong emotional state. The noun is used 120 times in the Scriptures, predominately in the poetic and prophetic literature, especially Ezekiel.

The first use of hema takes place in the story of Esau and Jacob. Jacob is advised to go to Harmon with the hope that Esau’s rage will dissipate. We read in Genesis 27:41-45: “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, [purposing] to kill thee. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away; Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget [that] which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?”

Now, notice that Esau’s fury and anger is a stage of anger and fury that causes an angry person to desire or to bring about destruction and death on the person or persons involved. This is the same word used to denote God’s wrath, God’s fury, and God’s anger.

Regarding this situation, Ellen White wrote: “Threatened with death by the wrath of Esau, Jacob went out from his father’s home a fugitive.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 183.

The anger and the fury that Esau felt for his brother Jacob are the same as wrath. Understanding the words anger and fury used in Genesis 27:41-45, which is also wrath and which, as was stated earlier, is the Hebrew word hema, helps to identify the definition for the wrath that God displays toward unrepentant, rebellious sinners.

In the New Testament, the Greek word orge means wrath; it means anger. Synonyms are indignation and vengeance. Orge is similar in meaning to hema and carries the same understanding. Orge suggests the abiding condition of the mind, frequently with a view to take in revenge. It is less sudden in its lies but more lasting in its nature. Orge expresses active emotion.

So, what is the wrath of God? It is that active emotion embedded in God’s righteousness and love that is reattributed in nature, which leads to the destruction and death of every unrepentant sinner that rebels against God.

Bible Defines Wrath

The Bible provides definitions concerning the wrath of God. In Romans 1, we read: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.” “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.” “And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Verses 18, 21, 24, 26, 28.

So, the biblical definition of the wrath of God is that action in which God gives the sinner over to sin and its results.

David prayed for God’s mercy in the hour of His anger. Read what he says in Psalm 6:1: “O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.” What a beautiful passage! David is not saying that God should not rebuke him, but that He would please not allow His wrath to come with the rebuke. David knew that to allow God’s wrath to be mixed with it would mean certain death. It must be understood that there is a basic difference, which confuses many Christians. There is a basic difference between God’s retributive judgment, or what we call His wrath, and His rebuke or chastening.

The apostle Paul records for our benefit these words in Hebrews 12:5–11: “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son,” (of course, that is generic and means daughters too) “despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Paul evidently was quoting portions of King Solomon’s book, Proverbs 3:11, 12, where the wisest man said: “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.”

Chastening

From these passages, we can conclude that God’s chastening and rebuking are messages to provide correction. The word chastening, as used by Paul and Solomon, literally means disciplinary correction—chastisement, destruction, nurture, education, and to train up a child, to teach. This is the meaning of the word chasten as used by Paul and by the wise man Solomon. Therefore, we can say that the chastening and the rebuke of the Lord are designed to bring about change in the sinner’s attitude and behavior. They are designed for character development, not death and destruction. The psalmist confirmed this fact in Psalm 118:18: “The Lord hath chastened me sore.” Ellen White says that God brings His workmen to bitter disappointment: “Christ’s true disciples follow Him through sore conflicts, enduring self-denial and experiencing bitter disappointment.” The Acts of the Apostles, 590. It is a thought about which David is passionate: “The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.” Because His chastisement, His rebuke, is not towards death; it is correction.

This thought is brought out clearly also in these words: “Our sorrows do not spring out of the ground. God ‘doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.’ Lamentations 3:33. When He permits trials and afflictions, it is ‘for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.’ Hebrews 12:10. If received in faith, the trial that seems so bitter and hard to bear will prove a blessing. The cruel blow that blights the joys of earth will be the means of turning our eyes to heaven. How many there are who would never have known Jesus had not sorrow led them to seek comfort in Him!

“The trials of life are God’s workmen, to remove the impurities and roughness from our character. Their hewing, squaring, and chiseling, their burnishing and polishing, is a painful process; it is hard to be pressed down to the grinding wheel. But the stone is brought forth prepared to fill its place in the heavenly temple. Upon no useless material does the Master bestow such careful, thorough work. Only His precious stones are polished after the similitude of a palace.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 10.

So, the wrath of God or His anger or retributive judgment is totally different. God’s wrath is towards destruction and death. It is not for instruction, nor is it corrective. God’s retributive justice relates to the infliction of penalties. It is an expression of the divine wrath; while, in a sinless world, there would be no place to exercise it, it necessarily holds a very prominent place in a world full of sin. On the whole, the Bible stresses the reward of the righteous more than the punishment of the wicked, but even the latter is sufficiently prominent. Read such verses as Romans 1:22; 2:9; 12:19; 11 Thessalonians 1:8, and many other passages. It should be noted that while man does not merit reward, which he receives, he does merit the punishment, which is meted out to him. Divine justice is originally and necessarily obliged to punish evil, but not to reward good. (See Luke 17:10; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Job 41:11.) Many deny the strict, punitive justice of God and claim that God punishes sinners to reform them or to deter others from sin, but these positions are not tenable.

Does God Kill?

The primary purpose of the punishment of sin is the maintenance of right and justice. Of course, it may incidentally serve and may even secondarily be intended to reform the sinner and to deter others from sin. Having stated that, the question that is now bothering many Seventh-day Adventists and that is dividing the Adventist Church is, Does God kill? Is it in His loving nature to kill or destroy human beings whom He has made in His own image? There are a fraction of Adventists who say that God does not kill, and there are those who say that God does kill. It was the great artist Leonardo da Vinci who said, “The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.”

In an attempt to answer this question as to whether or not God kills, I would like to point out that God’s retributive judgment or wrath is based on the amount of knowledge and opportunity to which a person is exposed in order to know God, and what is done with the knowledge and opportunity.

God’s messenger, Ellen White, states: “God will judge all according to the light which has been presented to them, whether it is plain to them or not.” Sketches From the Life of Paul, 87. Whether it is plain or not! So long as it is presented to you and to me, we are responsible. “It is their duty to investigate as did the Bereans. The Lord says through the prophet Hosea: ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.’ [Hosea 4:6.]” Ibid., 87, 88.

Some people stay away from church because they do not want to hear, because they do not want to be responsible. Even taking that position, it means that you know; that is why you stay away.

No Turning

Read of the experience of the Amalekites and God’s wrath that had befallen them: “Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember . . .” God does not forget like we do! We do not talk about it, especially when we do not repent. But God says, “I remember. Acknowledge, do not apologize, and take the necessary steps to correct it; we need to talk about it; I will not forget it.” “I remember [that] which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid [wait] for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” 1 Samuel 15:1-3. Everything! Everybody and everything! Wipe them out!

In those ancient times, God ordered people to utterly slay all members of that wicked, unbelieving nation, the Amalekites, including infants and sucklings. Sometimes people wonder why God would order the killing of those innocent little toddlers. They declare that God is unmerciful, that God is wicked. Is He? Did God know that those infants, if preserved, would perpetuate the evils of their parents? As a nation, the Amalekites had closed the door of their probation for themselves and for their children, even for the infants and sucklings.

God’s servant points out that, “Some parents allow Satan to control their children, and their children are not restrained, but are allowed to have wicked tempers, to be passionate, selfish, and disobedient. Should they die these children would not be taken to heaven. The parent’s course of action is determining the future welfare of their children.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 314, 315.

The Amalekites had been the first to make war upon Israel in the wilderness, and for this sin, together with their defiance of God and their debasing idolatry, the Lord, through Moses, had pronounced sentence upon them. By divine direction, the history of their cruelty towards Israel had been recorded with the command, “Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget [it].” Deuteronomy 25:19. God gave them time for 400 years. For 400 years the execution of this sentence had been deferred, but the Amalekites were not turning from their sins. That was the point—to give them time, to give them an opportunity, to give them privileges—but there was no turning.

The Lord knew that this wicked people would, if it were possible, blot His people and His worship from the earth. For each one of us who takes a position against God continually, God knows that if He allows us to continue, we will at some time cause problems for Him and for His people.

The time had come for the sentence so long delayed to be executed. The forbearance that God had exercised toward the wicked embodies men in transgression, but their punishment will be nonetheless certain and terrible for being long delayed.

A Strange Act

Look now to the area that we need to understand: “For the Lord shall rise up as [in] mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” Isaiah 28:21. Note that phrase, “His strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” To our merciful God, the act of punishment is a strange act.

“[As] I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezekiel 33:11. The Lord is merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. Yet He will by no means clear the guilty. While He does not delight in vengeance, He will execute judgment upon the transgressors of His law. He is forced to do this to preserve the inhabitants of the earth from utter depravity and ruin. In order to save some, he must cut off those who have become hardened in sin. “The Lord [is] slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit [the wicked].” Nahum 1:3. By terrible things in righteousness, He will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law.

The very fact of His reluctance to execute justice testifies to the enormity of the sins that call forth His judgment and to the severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor. No, God does not delight in destroying His creatures, but He will. If we take a path that is a path of rebellion and ongoing stubbornness, God will destroy us. That is a strange act.

Within the experience of the Amalekites, we see the wrath of God that was visited upon them. 1 Samuel 15:1–3 clearly shows that God was the One who ordered the death and destruction of this people. That is the reason why I cannot subscribe or hold to the idea that God does not kill, as some teach.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

The Wrath of God, Part II

by

In the early days of Seventh-day Adventism, some influential writers were quite explicit that the atonement did not refer to Christ’s death on the cross, but only to His work in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary since October 22, 1844. The atonement involves Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary as well as His death on the cross. This is what is known as the Moral Influence Theory. This theory has, in recent years, grown in popularity among Seventh-day Adventists. In fact, this view has become so compelling for many that they have tried to make it the dominant, controlling view in Ellen White’s presentation on the atonement. The moral influence advocate lays great emphasis on Christ’s death as a manifestation of God’s love to a lost world. In its most extreme form, it has been proclaimed that Christ’s death was a requirement of God’s justice. These advocates hold that Christ’s death was only to demonstrate God’s love, which emanates a moral influence to an alienated world.

What are we to make of this theory? It is certainly true that it teaches that Christ’s death was designed to greatly impress mankind with a sense of God’s love, and it certainly shows the cross as the supreme manifestation of God’s love. These elements of moral influence are communicated to both sinners and to the unfallen beings of the universe. Through the cross, man is drawn to God’s love and from the strong hold of sin. The cross speaks to the world of His great love wherewith He has loved us and is the unanswerable argument as to the changeless character of the Law of Jehovah. But it speaks to more than mercy. Among other things, it speaks of a powerful condemnation of sin by the holy love of a holy God.

Ellen White makes it clear that moral influence was always connected with this convicting holiness of God, not just a general expression of forgiving love that excludes the satisfaction of divine justice.

God’s wrath must be understood as different from God’s chastening, for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (Hebrews 12:6), and God’s chastening or rebuke is specifically geared toward a correction for character development, but God’s wrath is toward punishment. It is toward death. There is a significant difference between the chastening of God and the wrath of God. God wants to take out of us things that are not wholesome, that are not toward His character, so we can become like Him in character and can be saved eternally.

In Part I, we also learned that the Moral Influence Theory being taught—that the death of Christ on the cross was specifically to reflect God’s love—is not so. It is not only to reflect God’s love; it is also to speak toward God’s justice. It is God’s justice that demanded the death of “a somebody” so that sin can be overcome.

Sin is Self-destructive

There are certain statements to the effect that sin is self-destructive. Some individuals who hold to the teaching that God does not kill will often refer to the following, asking, “What do you say about this?”

“The disobedient and unthankful have great reason for gratitude for God’s mercy and long-suffering in holding in check the cruel, malignant power of the evil one. But when men pass the limits of divine forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown.” The Great Controversy, 36.

In this statement, God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression, but He leads the rejecters of His mercy to themselves to reap that which they have sown. Some people say, regarding this teaching, that God does not really kill. But what God does is pull Himself away and allow the sinner, the rebellious person, to be destroyed by his or her own action.

Consider these questions: Is it not a fact that God is the source of all life? Is it not His restraining power that holds the force of evil, that gives us protection? Furthermore, is it not God who temporarily grants self-destructive sinners life in probationary time? The answer to each of these questions should be very clear to each one of us.

Does it not seem that God would be just as surely responsible for the death of sinners by the withdrawing of His life-giving power as He would by indirectly destroying them by the powers of hell? Since God is the source of all life, it is quite apparent that He is also ultimately the One who allows death.

We need to be very clear on this issue so that we are not sidetracked onto a path that the Bible does not support.

Let us consider some Scriptural references on this point.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 19 gives the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. “And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring [them] out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.” “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.” Verses 12, 13, 24, 25.

Was the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah simply the chance circumstance of atmospheric condition? Is it just that the atmosphere opened up and fire and brimstone rained down? Is that what the Bible says?

Ellen White states: “The Lord rained brimstone and fire out of heaven upon the cities and the fruitful plain; its palaces and temples, costly dwellings, gardens and vineyards, and the gay, pleasure-seeking throngs that only the night before had insulted the messengers of heaven—all were consumed.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 162. So, both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy make it abundantly clear that it was God who carried out His strange act.

Korah, Dathan, Abiram

You know, I am certain, the story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, but read quickly through it, so we can be clear what the Bible says on these issues: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; [then] the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that [was] under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods. They, and all that [appertained] to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that [were] round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up [also]. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.” Numbers 16:23−35.

Was the judgment of God on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram only a tragedy of a long dormant, Semitic, geographical fault line in the Sahara Desert? No, it was not. It was not an event that coincided with their behavior and just happened, whereby the earth opened up and the men fell in.

Commenting about this, Ellen White wrote: “When Moses was entreating Israel to flee from the coming destruction, the divine judgment might even then have been stayed, if Korah and his company had repented and sought forgiveness. But their stubborn persistence sealed their doom. The entire congregation were sharers in their guilt, for all had, to a greater or less degree, sympathized with them. Yet God in His great mercy made a distinction between the leaders in rebellion and those whom they had led.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 401.

This is so serious and so solemn for leaders to understand the part that they must play in the program of God. They must understand their position, because God will deal differently with them than even their followers.

“The people who had permitted themselves to be deceived were still granted space for repentance. Overwhelming evidence had been given that they were wrong, and that Moses was right. The signal manifestation of God’s power had removed all uncertainty.” Ibid.

Ellen White called their death the divine judgment and the signal manifestation of God’s power. It was not a geographical fault line that just opened, and they fell in and died. No, it was the divine wrath. Why? There was persistence in evil; failure to repent when evidence was given of wrong. Is that a message for us?

Uzzah

You perhaps have heard someone exclaim, “Uzzah was doing a good favor, yet God killed him. God is unkind.” Well, let us review the incident.

“Again, David gathered together all [the] chosen [men] of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all the people that [were] with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth [between] the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that [was] in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which [was] at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of [instruments made of] fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook [it]. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for [his] error; and there he died by the ark of God.” 11 Samuel 6:1−7.

Did Uzzah suddenly sustain an untimely cerebral vascular accident, commonly called a stroke, and die? Was that what happened? Was it just unfortunate that he died at that time, that God did not kill him?

God’s servant states: “Uzzah was angry with the oxen, because they stumbled. He showed a manifest distrust of God, as though He who had brought the ark from the land of the Philistines, could not take care of it. Angels who attended the ark struck down Uzzah for presuming impatiently to put his hand upon the ark of God.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 410. “The fate of Uzzah was a divine judgment upon the violation of a most explicit command.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 705.

Mrs. White tells us also that Uzzah throughout his life had disregarded the Word of God. He never took God’s word seriously. “The fate of Uzzah was a divine judgment upon the violation of a most explicit command. Through Moses the Lord had given special instruction concerning the transportation of the ark. None but the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were to touch it, or even to look upon it uncovered. The divine direction was, ‘The sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.’ Numbers 4:15. . . .

“The Philistines, who had not a knowledge of God’s law, had placed the ark upon a cart when they returned it to Israel, and the Lord accepted the effort which they made. But the Israelites had in their hands a plain statement of the will of God in all these matters, and their neglect of these instructions was dishonoring to God. Upon Uzzah rested the greater guilt of presumption. Transgression of God’s law had lessened his sense of its sacredness, and with unconfessed sins upon him he had, in face of the divine prohibition, presumed to touch the symbol of God’s presence. God can accept no partial obedience, no lax way of treating His commandments. By the judgment upon Uzzah He designed to impress upon all Israel the importance of giving strict heed to His requirements. Thus the death of that one man, by leading the people to repentance, might prevent the necessity of inflicting judgments upon thousands.” Ibid., 705, 706.

Mrs. White tells us that the fate of Uzzah was a divine judgment. What does that say to us who are called the remnant people of God today? David, in Psalm 19:12, prayed, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” The question I would ask is, What are those secret faults in our lives that we practice over and over and over again in spite of instruction, in spite of information? What about those things that we rationalize, saying that God understands, that God knows we are struggling? But we have been struggling for years, and we keep on excusing our sinful lifestyle.

Godly Action

What God will do first of all is place us into an environment where we are rebuked and chastened. Sometimes God allows certain things to happen in our lives for which we are tempted to blame other people. When certain things happen to us, which is really the chastisement of God on us for our private sins about which no one else knows, we are tempted to blame other people. But if we stop and reflect honestly, we would conclude that it is out of the love and mercy of God that these circumstances happen to us.

Peradventure this chastisement, this rebuke, this trial, should bring us closer to God. But what do we do? We blame others; we fail to take responsibility; we fail to repent. As a result, God says, “You fail to repent, but in love, I am going to deal with you a little more.” So He turns up the heat, and He allows more affliction to come our way. He does this not because He hates us, not because He wants to hurt us, for the Bible says that the Lord does not willingly afflict the children of men (Lamentations 3:33), but because He sees in us vessels that can be made of honor to be placed in His palace.

So He allows other things to come our way to get our attention concerning those sins with which we are not yet ready to deal. Rather than blaming others, we should stop and honestly take responsibility for our sin problems and then resolve in our hearts that we are going to make a change. Until we do this, we are moving in a direction that may take us out of the environment of the chastening of God to the environment of the wrath of God.

That is what happened to Uzzah. For his lifetime, he kept on disregarding the Word of God. In spite of counsel and instruction, he kept on disregarding the Word of God, and one day, God drew the line. Yes, it was a simple situation. The ark rocked, and he was going to help the Lord. Not only did he die, but he lost eternity. He will not see us in heaven.

This is a counsel and a warning to all of God’s people. Let us be honest with ourselves. Let us search our hearts, and let us see if indeed there are secret sins in us that we have been denying for years, or for which we are blaming others, refusing to take responsibility. God has been going after us in love in order that He might save us.

Ananias and Sapphira

Do you remember the story of Ananias and Sapphira given in Acts 5:1–11? Were their deaths only timely coronaries? God’s messenger wrote:

“Infinite Wisdom saw that this signal manifestation of the wrath of God was necessary to guard the young church from becoming demoralized. Their numbers were rapidly increasing. The church would have been endangered if, in the rapid increase of converts, men and women had been added who, while professing to serve God, were worshiping mammon. This judgment testified that men cannot deceive God, that He detects the hidden sin of the heart, and that He will not be mocked. It was designed as a warning to the church, to lead them to avoid pretence and hypocrisy, and to beware of robbing God.” The Acts of the Apostles, 73, 74.

The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira were the signal manifestation of the wrath of God. Thus, Christians, as well as unbelievers, need to remember that the same God who punishes them today condemns all falsehood.

Hidden sins are destroying our church today—those sins that we have not learned to confess, that we have been hiding and denying, and for which we are not taking responsibility. God has been working on us, but we have become hardened as we continue denying that we have these problems. One of the most surprising things is that church members will blame other people for their behavior, even in the face of evidence. They do not realize that God wants to help them.

Divine Wrath

We need to understand this issue of God killing unjustly, so was the cross a manifestation of God’s holy wrath against sin, or was the cross only to demonstrate God’s love to us as sinners? It was not just a reflection of God’s love; it was also a reflection of God’s wrath.

“Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. . . . The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. . . . Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father’s reconciling face. . . .

“Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race.” The Desire of Ages, 753.

When Christ died on the cross, He did it for every human being, so that we can be set free, so we can escape the wrath of God. Whoever turns his or her back against the love and the wonderful service of Christ, however, will experience the full wrath of God. “It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” Ibid.

“He, the Sin Bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and for thy sake becomes sin itself.” Ibid., 756.

Active or Passive

Another question we need to have answered is, Is God’s wrath active or passive? Some people think God is such a wonderful God that He will not discipline.

“As Christ bore the sins of every transgressor so the sinner who will not believe in Christ as his personal Saviour, who rejects the light that comes to him, and refuses to respect and obey the commandments of God, will bear the penalty of his transgression.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 471. [Emphasis in original.] The choice is ours; we can accept the gift that is offered now and be delivered.

A Way of Escape

I am not talking about a God that does not love; I am talking about a God of love Who has provided a way of escape for all of us. We need to understand that if we despise the grace of God, as Paul says, in Hebrews 2:3, “How shall we escape?”

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation after we have received all of this information, knowledge, and nurturing? How shall we escape if we fail to take responsibility? Rejection of God’s offer of life through the justifying merits of Christ’s death will mean only eternal death. If we reject Christ, we are accepting death. Without Christ’s substitutional death, sinners will receive just retribution.

Therefore, we may ask, Will the lake of fire be merely a passive act on God’s part? David declares in Psalm 11:6, “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: [this shall be] the portion of their cup.” It is not an imagination; it is a reality.

The prophet Malachi prophesied of the future destruction of the despisers of God’s grace in Malachi 4:1, 2, and the apostle Peter confirms the destruction of the earth in 11 Peter 3:10.

John the revelator saw and wrote the following, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7–10.

Murmuring

Ellen White says, “God is to the wicked a consuming fire.” The Great Controversy, 673. The Israelites stand as a reminder of the awesome reality of the certainty of Jehovah’s wrath upon all those who reject the offer of salvation. They reached the borders of Canaan, the promised land, and the record declares, “Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred, and He could not fulfill His covenant with them.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 68.

What is the condition of our hearts? There are many private issues in our hearts. It is not the smile that you put on; it is not the nice talk; it is what is inside. It is how we treat each other. It is the issues and the private sins that are there—the murmuring, the complaining, the never satisfied attitude, the ingratitude.

For 40 years, unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. As Moses and the children of Israel stood on the promised land, Moses well remembered the words of judgment that Jehovah had pronounced sometime before to the children of Israel because of their rebellious attitude and being stiff necked. (See Numbers 14:29–32.)

For us who are living on the borders of the eternal Canaan, it would do us well to ponder the words of the prophet of Patmos: “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Revelation 7:1–3.

Are you being sealed? In other words, are you preparing yourself through character formation, working with God daily, and getting rid of those private sins in your life, so that the angel can do his job of sealing you so that you can be among the number that stand on the sea of glass? My prayer is that when it is all said and done, you and I will not experience the wrath of God, but that we will accept His chastening. As James says, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2), because they are designed for our benefit.

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

“In Wrath, Remember Mercy”

by

If you want to study the character of the children of Jacob, a good place to begin is in Genesis 49. That chapter begins, “And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, ‘Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father’ (Genesis 49:1, 2).”

Jacob then proceeds to relate the fate of all twelve of his children and of their descendants.

These depictions can be read simply as interesting stories, or they can serve as a basis for self-examination, using them as Paul suggested in I Corinthians 10:11: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Of particular note should be those character traits that are unchristlike in nature. If I am truly desirous of being among the 144,000, I need to be diligent to expunge these traits from myself and to “uproot every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted” (Matthew 15:13).

A quick scan of Genesis 49 reveals the following unchristlike character traits:

  • Instability
  • Incest
  • Cruelty
  • Murder
  • Anger
  • Wrath
  • Envy
  • Jealousy
  • Backbiting

A continuing study of these tribes through the Old Testament reveals even more barriers to salvation as the descendants of Jacob’s children multiply and spread.

It is not possible in this limited space to address each of these flaws. The one I would like to look at closely here is wrath—anger, and a hasty temper.

As I studied the character of Jacob’s children, I was particularly struck by what Jacob prophesied about Simeon and Levi: “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel (Genesis 49:7)!”

My study revealed that in Scripture, there are three depictions of wrath: man’s, God’s, and Satan’s. Each has definite characteristics and definite outcomes.

Strong’s Concordance defines wrath as violent anger; vehement [passionate, heated, violent, intense] exasperation; indignation.

The first mention of wrath in Scripture occurs in the reference mentioned initially, when Jacob is prophesying about the future of his children:

Genesis 49:5–7: “Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.”

Throughout Scripture, examples of man’s wrath have similar outcomes as did that of Simeon and Levi—it is never good.

We are given much instruction and caution in the Scriptures, thankfully, about wrath and anger. Of particular note is James 1:19: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

Inspiration alludes to that text in Testimonies, vol. 4, 243: “That which is done in haste and anger is not excusable. … You may, by a single word spoken in haste and passion, leave a sting in the hearts of friends which may never be forgotten.”

James expands on this theme in several places as his letter continues.

“Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” James 3:5, 6.

The single Greek word that is translated into the English phrase “set on fire” means to inflame with passion. Clearly James understood that outbursts of wrath are provoked by Satan: “set on fire by hell.”

Solomon in his wisdom had earlier addressed this same issue several times in his proverbs.

“A quick-tempered man acts foolishly.” Proverbs 14:17.

“A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger allays [dispels, alleviates, relieves] contention.” Proverbs 15:18.

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32.

It was also on his mind when he wrote out his repentance for his grievous sins: “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9.

Paul also addresses this issue. Apparently anger, wrath, and a hasty temper were a significant problem in the early church.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul includes outbursts of wrath among the works of the flesh. (See Galatians 5:19–21.) He advised the Ephesians to “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31. To the Colossians, he wrote, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” Colossians 3:8.

Imagine what a peaceful world this would be if all the world’s professed Christians would follow Paul’s advice.

Inspiration addresses these issues very directly and very often.

“Meekness in the school of Christ is one of the marked fruits of the Spirit. It is a grace wrought by the Holy Spirit as a sanctifier, and enables its possessor at all times to control a rash and impetuous temper. When the grace of meekness is cherished by those who are naturally sour or hasty in disposition, they will put forth the most earnest efforts to subdue their unhappy temper. Every day they will gain self-control, until that which is unlovely and unlike Jesus is conquered. They become assimilated to the Divine Pattern, until they can obey the inspired injunction, ‘Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath’ (James 1:19).” The Sanctified Life, 15, 16.

It is interesting to note, by the way, that every one of the fruits of the spirit Paul gave to the Galatians—and subsequently to us—is the antithesis of anger.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22, 23 KJV.

Obviously, one whose heart is filled with love, joy, and peace, one who is longsuffering, gentle, meek, and temperate, will not be guilty of outbursts of wrath or anger.

Interestingly, there is only one instance in the New Testament in which it is specifically stated that Christ was angry. It occurred after He had been accused of Sabbath-breaking when He was about to perform another miracle that would result in the same charge.

“And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Step forward.’ Then He said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.” Mark 3:1–5.

Of all the references to wrath and anger in Scripture, by far the most frequent are to God. The words wrath and anger occur over 400 times. Of those, the majority refer to God’s, which, it should be noted, is always manifested toward sin and sinners. A study of these occurrences will give the serious Bible student a comprehensive understanding of what God deems to be sinful actions and character traits.

Paul and Isaiah give us two general examples among the many hundreds that occur in Scripture:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Romans 1:18.

“Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it.” Isaiah 13:9.

One of the most surprising revelations that resulted from the study of wrath and anger is that only one reference to Satan occurs. It is in a text that is familiar to all Adventists: “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12.

Obviously, that time is far shorter now than it was when John was inspired to write these words. Inspiration addressed this issue as follows:

“I have been shown that Satan has not been stupid and careless these many years since his fall, but has been learning. He has grown more artful. His plans are laid deeper and are more covered with a religious garment to hide their deformity. The power of Satan now to tempt and deceive is ten-fold greater than it was in the days of the apostles. His power has increased, and it will increase, until it is taken away. His wrath and hate grow stronger as his time to work draws near its close.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, 277.

Though we do indeed have an enemy, we also have a divine Redeemer, who has pledged to redeem those who turn their hearts to Him for salvation. The promises in Scripture that assure us of eternal life are too numerous to detail here. However, if we truly fear the Lord and hate evil, these promises are for us—His children by creation, by redemption, by adoption, by choice, and by faith.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
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 punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:8-13

“In wrath remember mercy.”

Habakkuk 3:2

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

John Pearson is the office manager and a board member of Steps to Life. After retiring as chief financial officer for the Grand Canyon Association, Grand Canyon, Arizona, he moved to Wichita, Kansas, to join the Steps team. He may be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.