I’m sure it seems strange to some folks when they hear talk about rejoicing in God’s wrath— after all its awful. For those upon whom it comes it is painful beyond description. Yet I contend that even in this we have reason to rejoice— but not everyone would agree. It’s evident that some people, “Just don’t get it”. While preaching about the wrath of God last week, I closed the message with this fourth point–“Our Delight In It Is Defensible”. Then I mentioned three reasons why we ought to rejoice over God’s wrath: (1) The Deliverance we experience, (2) The Display of God’s perfection it expresses, and (3) The Destruction of God’s enemies. Unlike the Psalmist ( 21:8-13) it is evident that that some folks don’t get the picture. It’s as if they resent the thought of God’s judgement of evil-doers. So, maybe we need to think more deeply about this. I’m convinced that if we ever see the picture clearly we will see a reason to rejoice even in the dreadful thought of God’s wrath.
Should we not rejoice over the fact that God’s plan shall be carried out, His promises shall be fulfilled, and peace will be established? In that great day of His wrath, He shall right all wrongs, remove all wickedness, and restore all of creation to its former glory before sin brought Gods curse down upon us? Have we forgotten that that God is holy and just, which makes His wrath essential? Romans 11:22 tells us to, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God”. Our theology is to be balanced, so as to give consideration to God’s wrath as well as His love. Believe it or not, the better we understand the wrath of God the more we will appreciate the grace of God.
In these troublesome times in which we live we would do well to remember that God is sovereign– He does as He pleases and it is always perfect. Realizing that God causes or allows everything that happens enables us to keep things in their proper perspective. Contrary to the way things seem, God is in control. Nothing escapes His notice and nothing happens without His permission. It is thrilling to know that He who lacks no power and makes no mistake is running the universe. As up-side-down as it is, one day God will turn this world right-side-up. Between now and then there is no telling what horrible things will happen. But, although we can’t stop it , we know how it all shall end. And that’s the day we’re waiting for.
This present evil world is bad and getting worse. We can’t control it and we can’t change it, but we can “stay calm and carry on”, knowing God’s grace will keep us until the day that He delivers us entirely. Our hope is not in the promises of the politicians, the tools of technology, the efforts of ecology, the principles of psychology, or the might of our military. Our hope is in the righteous wrath of God who will stamp out all wickedness and establish an everlasting kingdom wherein all things are perfect. And because He is “just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26) we are a part of that glorious kingdom! How can you not rejoice in that? Should we not sing with the Psalmist, “Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power”(Psalm 21:13)? Think about it!
