the gods aren't angry
Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean "the God" isn't!
I personally have not heard Rob Bell's talk on this (he is currently doing a speaking tour entitled "the gods aren't angry" which you can learn more about at http://www.godsarentangrytour.com/ or http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/11/heresy_on_tour.html), so I'm not here to discuss what Rob Bell has said or has not said and whether or not I agree with it.
However, based on the blog at Christianity Today I was compelled to do some research on just what the Bible has to say about the anger of God.
I HAD A BLAST! That may sound bizarre but oh how I absolute delight in learning and discovering more about our awesome Father. Let me fill you in on some of what I found...
In Exodus 32:1-10 God had anger towards His people for making an idol and being so quick to turn from Him (He had just recently delivered them from the Egyptians).
In Exodus 32:6 and 1 Corinthians 13:5 we are told that God is slow to anger. So, He does get angry, but He's slow to it - and don't forget, He is also compassionate and abounding in love and faithfulness.
In Deuteronomy 29:16-29 The Lord warns the Israelites that He will be angry with them if they forsake Him and follow other gods. He also warned that He would allow destruction to befall them so other people would know that THE GOD was angry.
In 2 Kings 22:1-20 His anger burns against His people again for forsaking Him and building idols with their own hands.
Seeing a trend yet?
God gets angry when His people forsake Him and worship other gods (or create idols).
Thankfully according to Psalm 30:5 His anger only lasts a moment, but His favor (once we have it through Christ), FOREVER!
The New Testament continues to speak of God's anger, wrath, etc.
In 2 Thessalonians (see 1:7-10) and Romans (all over, but 13:4-5; 5:20; 7:7-13; 1:8) it is towards His enemies - those who don't know God, who have not obeyed His gospel.
We often don't like to think of God as getting angry because we think He gets angry as we humans do. Not true. It's always a righteous anger.
His anger, says J.I. Packer in the stellar book "Knowing God" (can you tell I highly recommend it?), always:
1. Administers justice (which is why God allowed destruction on those He was angry with!)
2. Is chosen by us (we provoke it and have been warned of it)
3. Is a reaction to our sin
What's the good news? In the words of the beloved JI, "If we are Christ's, through faith, then we are justified through his cross and the wrath will never touch us, neither here nor hereafter. Jesus 'delivers us from the wrath to come' (1 Thess 1:10 RSV).
PRAISE GOD!!!!!!
He is righteously angry with His enemies and is a jealous God who does not like us forsaking Him to follow after other gods. I am SO thankful He disciplines us, according to Hebrews, to keep us close to Him!
I am also so thankful for this study because it has caused me hate my sin more (though still not enough), to fear and pray to not forsake or disobey, and to be so, so, SOOOO thankful for the justification I have through Christ.
"Since we have now been justified by [Jesus], how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him." Romans 5:9
I personally have not heard Rob Bell's talk on this (he is currently doing a speaking tour entitled "the gods aren't angry" which you can learn more about at http://www.godsarentangrytour.com/ or http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/11/heresy_on_tour.html), so I'm not here to discuss what Rob Bell has said or has not said and whether or not I agree with it.
However, based on the blog at Christianity Today I was compelled to do some research on just what the Bible has to say about the anger of God.
I HAD A BLAST! That may sound bizarre but oh how I absolute delight in learning and discovering more about our awesome Father. Let me fill you in on some of what I found...
In Exodus 32:1-10 God had anger towards His people for making an idol and being so quick to turn from Him (He had just recently delivered them from the Egyptians).
In Exodus 32:6 and 1 Corinthians 13:5 we are told that God is slow to anger. So, He does get angry, but He's slow to it - and don't forget, He is also compassionate and abounding in love and faithfulness.
In Deuteronomy 29:16-29 The Lord warns the Israelites that He will be angry with them if they forsake Him and follow other gods. He also warned that He would allow destruction to befall them so other people would know that THE GOD was angry.
In 2 Kings 22:1-20 His anger burns against His people again for forsaking Him and building idols with their own hands.
Seeing a trend yet?
God gets angry when His people forsake Him and worship other gods (or create idols).
Thankfully according to Psalm 30:5 His anger only lasts a moment, but His favor (once we have it through Christ), FOREVER!
The New Testament continues to speak of God's anger, wrath, etc.
In 2 Thessalonians (see 1:7-10) and Romans (all over, but 13:4-5; 5:20; 7:7-13; 1:8) it is towards His enemies - those who don't know God, who have not obeyed His gospel.
We often don't like to think of God as getting angry because we think He gets angry as we humans do. Not true. It's always a righteous anger.
His anger, says J.I. Packer in the stellar book "Knowing God" (can you tell I highly recommend it?), always:
1. Administers justice (which is why God allowed destruction on those He was angry with!)
2. Is chosen by us (we provoke it and have been warned of it)
3. Is a reaction to our sin
What's the good news? In the words of the beloved JI, "If we are Christ's, through faith, then we are justified through his cross and the wrath will never touch us, neither here nor hereafter. Jesus 'delivers us from the wrath to come' (1 Thess 1:10 RSV).
PRAISE GOD!!!!!!
He is righteously angry with His enemies and is a jealous God who does not like us forsaking Him to follow after other gods. I am SO thankful He disciplines us, according to Hebrews, to keep us close to Him!
I am also so thankful for this study because it has caused me hate my sin more (though still not enough), to fear and pray to not forsake or disobey, and to be so, so, SOOOO thankful for the justification I have through Christ.
"Since we have now been justified by [Jesus], how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him." Romans 5:9
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