When
discussing the subject of the Wrath of God, sometimes one imagines
some difficult questions that accompany the justice of it all. Of
course we are talking about the God of the Bible, and especially if
He is what He says He is in the Bible. For some starters, if He truly
is infinite in knowledge, then He knew before He created any one that
they were going to fall and come under His Wrath. If He truly is
infinite in Power and Wisdom, then He could have created man in such
a fashion he would not have fallen and lived in paradise for ever.
This would eradicate any need of Wrath toward mankind. But not only
did He choose not to do this, but He purposely placed a tree within
man's reach that would appeal to him and told him to leave it alone.
Then He let in the tempter to test him. If He is truly Omnipresent
(everywhere at all times) then He was there watching the tempter,
aware of every word and move, and did nothing. Nothing could be
happening that was not purposed and ordained in the mind and will of
God.
Much
more could be said about God and His plan that is revealed in
scripture, but I think this is sufficient to get the point. If all
these things are true, how is His Wrath justified? And how does He
remain free from fault?
Since
He is infinite in nature and all His attributes, we must concede
there are most likely an infinite number of reasons and ways that
have not occurred to us as fallen finite beings. So what ever
understanding we might have of the nature of things, it is highly
limited and extremely weak. This is not because He is keeping these
things from us. Our thoughts simply are not capable by nature to
comprehend such things in their fullness. But there are things in
scripture where we can glean some knowledge with our mind as He
reveals them to us. This is not offered as an excuse for poorly
answering the questions, it is as Will Sonnet would say, “No brag,
just fact”. (Surely you remember “The Guns of Will Sonnet”).
One
such place in scripture which might help us is the account of Moses
delivering Israel from Pharaoh. You will find the account in Exodus
chapter 7, and a brief commentary on it in Romans chapter 9. I would
recommend the reading of both before continuing here. Now that you
have read the scriptures, I'm sure you can see God had a plan. He
used Pharaoh as a means, even stating He had raised him up to power
for this very purpose. Then after completing those plans God kills
Pharaoh for the things he did in fulfilling the very purpose for
which he was raised up by God. If God caused Pharaoh to do all those
things, how can He then justly execute His Wrath upon him?
It is
here in this account we get a glimpse of what infinite Wisdom might
look like when flashed before us. Let me take a short side journey
for a moment. Do you remember the little animated movie “A Bugs
Life”? If not, you would do well to find it and give it a watch,
it's very funny. There is a scene in which in their journey they come
across a bug light. We all know what bugs lights are for! This little
bug sees it and heads for the light. The others are screaming for him
to stop, but he just flies on ahead. They start yelling, “Don't
look at it” but he replies back, “I can't help it” and we soon
hear the sound of frying. The point here that helps us, is no one
made the little bug go to the light. No one put anything into the
little bugs mind that made him go to the light. All that was done,
was someone simply set out a bug light, and because of the nature of
the bug he was compelled to go to it. That is why we put out bug
lights, we know and understand the nature of bugs.
I know
this is a weak analogy and I am in no way comparing us to bugs. But
it helps us understand Pharaoh a little better. God is said to harden
his heart and it is said he hardened his own heart. We must
understand, God put nothing in Pharaoh's heart that was not already
there. He presented him with circumstances that simply brought those
things to light. Since God is infinite in Wisdom and He is the
Creator, He has complete understanding of who and what we are. Even
in our fallen state He understands our nature entirely. He knew what
Pharaoh would do because he understood his nature. What Pharaoh did
he did of his own free will, his heart was hardened because of its
fallen condition. Therefore his actions against God were his own, and
the wrath he incurred was justified. In Romans Chapter 3 we find that
we are all in this state, and except God shows mercy, we by our
nature will not look for Him. We will deny His existence or condemn
Him for His injustice against us. Like the little bug, we will fly
into His Wrath.
This is
not an answer to God's Wrath, nor does it explain creation, the fall,
redemption, judgment, and consummation. But it opens our minds to the
great possibilities of Wisdom that is found all through scripture and
demonstrates to us that things are much more complicated and deep
than we might first imagine. God has so ordained His creation that
we, even as fallen beings have this life experience. We are born,
live, and die. During this time allotted to us, we all experience
varying degrees of sufferings, joys, hopes, successes, loves, and all
the things that make up this life experience for us. Depending on the
condition of our heart, we either find ourselves drawn to God or find
the idea of God obnoxious to our minds.
Pharaoh
died in the sea because of the things he did, but God's Wrath is upon
him in hell because of what he is. We will be judged by how we live
this life experience, but unless we receive God's Mercy and abide in
His Grace, we will experience the Wrath of God in hell because of
what we are. We are not fully told in scripture how the change
affected Adam in the fall and the changing of his nature. But we do
see a man in the beginning walking with God, looking for God and
enjoying his presence.
We then
see the same man hiding from God, dreading his presence, instead of
walking with Him we see him running from Him. We see a man that wants
to live in the garden, just not with God. He wants to be left alone,
to live by his own rules and understanding. If he could, he would
steal the earth from God, cast God out of his understanding and live
unto himself. If anyone came to him wondering about where he came
from, this man now if possible would deny there was a God. He would
look desperately for some other way to explain his origins. This is
the state of man. It is high treason and incurs God's Wrath. This
Wrath is infinite in duration because the crime is against an
infinite Being.
His
mercy provides a plan in redemption, His Wisdom again displayed.
Perfect justice cannot just pardon a crime. A crime gone unpunished
leaves an offense unpaid. An injustice is committed. When an infinite
Being pays an infinite debt, one is free. This is not an injustice,
justice has been met, the offense satisfied. Thus the Wisdom and
Power of Christ in the life of the Christian.
The
Bible tells us this will be foolishness to many, but to some it is
the Power of God unto Salvation. It is the joy and hope of the
Christian. Men to whom He is revealed fear Him because of His Wrath.
Those to whom He has shown mercy love Him because of His Grace. Those
who deny His existence hide from both.
You are
alive, does this mean anything to you. Your life and all your
experiences has been and is revealing the nature of your heart. Where
do you find yourself? Does your heart fear because of what you know
about yourself? Have you convinced yourself you are nothing, you came
from nothing and you will return to nothing? Your conscience is
hidden from any crime, for the only justice you might receive is from
man alone. Are you resting in the Grace of God, trusting His
Providential care, abiding in the peace of God. Like Adam at the
first, looking for Him, searching for Him, enjoying His presents!
May the Grace of God be upon each of you,
David
