Further Study
The book of Revelation looks forward to a time of the final outpouring of God's wrath on this world, culminating in the great day of judgement when all evil is forever banished from God's presence:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
In the last study we saw how the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, here we see that what we need to be saved from is nothing less than the wrath of God against all sin. In recent times much objection has been raised against the concept of God's wrath, but we cannot ignore it nor should we try to lessen its reality, for if there is no such thing then the gospel is meaningless and our understanding of the cross is much diminished. In fact it is only as we grasp the truth of God's wrath that we can fully appreciate the wonder of the cross and all that God has done in order that through the gospel we might be given a way to escape His wrath.
Two scriptures highlight very clearly for us the link between the gospel and the wrath of God:
Jn.3:36
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
2Thess.1:7,8
We should also note those scriptures which talk of believers escaping the wrath of God:
...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom.5:9
Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
1Thess.1:9,10
It should be clear from such scriptures as the above that mankind in its natural state is under the condemnation of the wrath of God, and that the only means of escaping that wrath is to believe and obey the message of the gospel. In this respect we should also note those scriptures which remind believers that they too were once under the wrath of God:
For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Eph.2:1-3
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Col.3:5-7
We see that God's wrath is directed against all manner of sin, ungodliness, unbelief and evil desire, and by such definition must then be directed against every person who has ever lived, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23). The term used to describe the people of this world is "sons of disobedience" and again reminds us of the importance of the gospel, which as we saw in the previous study is God's instrument for turning unbelieving minds to belief in Christ, and emphasises for us again that it is those who believe and obey the gospel who are no longer under the wrath of God.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
The wrath of God can be described as "the settled and active opposition of God's holy nature to everything that is evil" and we should not fall into the mistake of comparing God's wrath with human anger. It is because God is of "purer eyes than to behold evil" and because He must be a righteous judge that He cannot allow sin and evil to go unpunished, nor can He in any way compromise His own holiness, His wrath is therefore an essential and necessary part of His very nature.
There is then a terrifying reality about the wrath of God, the New Testament warns many times of the awful future that awaits those who remain under the wrath of God at the final judgement (see: Mt.5:22; 18:8; Mk.9:48; Lk.12:5, Eph.5:5,6). As we grasp and understand the truth of this doctrine we ought to be more concerned than ever for the plight of unbelievers, we ought to gain a more fervent and urgent desire to see the gospel preached to every creature, and we ought to gain a greater wonder at the mercy of God in giving mankind the opportunity to escape His wrath through the gospel. God is perfectly righteous in being angry against sin, and His severe punishment of it should not surprise us, what does surprise us and fill us with awe and wonder is the truth that in His mercy He sent His Son to take the punishment for sin in our place. This is the heart of the gospel message, we see it in greater glory when we see it against the dark background of sin and its dire consequences for the sinner who without Jesus must eventually face the full wrath of God. And as we understand and accept the reality of the wrath of God against all sin, we too like Paul ought to be consumed with the desire to make known the remedy which is revealed in the preaching of the gospel.
In the Old Testament the history of Israel is full of occurences of the outpouring of God's wrath against their sin. The wrath of God was for the Israelites a very real and terrifying fact of life.
Some instances of divine wrath:
Ex.32:7ff; Lev.10:1ff; Nu.25; 2Kings13:1ff, 23:26,27; Neh.13:18.
The variety of punishments inflicted:
Nu.12:9,10; Deut.11:16,17; 2Sam.24:1ff; Ps.88:7; Ezk.5:7ff; Lam.4:11.
Set against the terror of God's wrath is the wonder of His mercy:
Ex.34:6; Nu.14:18; Ps.86:15; 103:8; Jer.15:5.
The divine wrath could be averted:
Nu.25:4; Ezra10:14; Jonah3:7ff; Jer.18:20; Ps.106:23.
14:10,19; 15:1; 16:1ff; 19:15; 20:11-15 - note that even at this time God in His mercy still gives people opportunity to repent, though they refuse it, 9:20,21; 16:9-11.
Wherever there is sin and evil there is also the wrath of God, in the new heavens and earth God will never again have to exercise that wrath!