A CALL TO REPENTANCE

The Wrath (ὀργή) of God by General James Green ———— Part 1 ———— ( INTRODUCTION ) W E APPROACH this vast subject with the “fear of God Almighty.” As Proverbs 1:7 declares: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This is the King James Version rendering. I really love the way (James) Moffatt puts it: “Reverence for the Eternal is the first thing in knowledge, but the impious scorn sagacity and intelligence.” That Hebrew word yir’ah, translated “fear,” means “reverence,” as Moffatt has it. This, my friends, is our BIG SIN these days, the Church and the world have practically no reverence for or fear of the LORD. Thus, they are DUMB and scornful, hubris and rebellious…this leads into my article at hand: God’s WRATH being poured out upon this perverse generation. Now we have a great rebellion in the land called America. The Church has been backslid for many years now, in turn, she has covered her own SINS and the SINS of the world. We have “mega” Church leaders who chide us about being too pessimistic concerning God’s WRATH, His anger, His punishments. They want us to tone down our warnings, our anti-SIN hype etc.. They try to convince us that in the dispensation of “grace” God does not get angry, He only “loves” and “blesses.” HA! Talk to those who have been under His WRATH, His Fury, His Indignation. You can’t very well talk to those who have DIED under the same. In this article, broken up into parts, I will show my readers, by Scripture, that since SIN is in the world, so, too, is Divine WRATH ! This is only half of it, the Divine Mercy is also at work. Mercy—WRATH THE DIVINE MERCY and the Divine WRATH have their respective places in God’s plan. God’s mercy/love is the basis of His Divine Anger/WRATH. He is patient, longsuffering and has compassion upon both the saved/redeemed and upon the unsaved/damned. The New Testament (NT) points this out for us: “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). The same is said of His WRATH—He sends it (when needed) upon His very own people and upon those who are not His (redeemed) people. This will be the crux of this article. The LORD’S Mercy is towards sinners too…but this does not mean that He accepts or loves them the same way He does His true people. NO! The Bible states this: “God is ANGRY every day with the wicked” (Ps. 7:11; see also Rom. 1:18-32). God HATES all workers of iniquity as Ps. 5:5, 6 tells us, (see also Hosea 9:15; Ps. 11:5; Jer. 12:8; Rom. 9:11, 13; Lev. 20:23; 26:30; Ps. 78:59; 106:40; Prov. 22:14 etc.). I could quote dozens and dozens of verses that prove to us that the LORD Kills—Hates—is Angry—sends people to Hell—Judges—brings disasters, which I’ll deal with in this article—He mocks,—He Curses etc.. Cotton Candy Churchianity OH, HOW SWEET! Everyone wants to hear “God loves you!,” this is true to an extent. God gets fed up with men’s sins, as He is NOW !! His mercy has lifted from the world, especially from America—now she will REAP what she has sown, and this is A LOT !! The LORD has blessed this land, this nation. His Word and Spirit were here, for both saint and sinner. Sadly, both have now rejected His love, His law, His standard, now America will experience His WRATH !! Sissies like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren dodge the issue of punishment. These cotton candy pushers of the “good life” are leading millions straight into Hell…and getting rich and famous to boot!! But their reign of power and glory is about to end. Their “religious hubris” will be judged by the Judge of ALL, no exceptions. All one has to do is read Matt. 23:1-39 to see what Jesus thought of the “religious” of His day. Matthew 23 begins with a scorching criticism of the “scribes and Pharisees” (vv. 1-12). This is followed by “7 WOES” (vv. 13-33), which remind us of a litany of curses, (vv. 34-39). Have things changed today? NO! We still have such hubris leaders who ACT oh, so humble, compassionate, loving; but inwardly they are full of filth and Hell! These perverts, who side with the homosexual “feelings,” are a DISGRACE to the human race. Both Osteen and Warren claim to have MANY homosexual friends. What? To be friends with the world is to be an ENEMY of God. Note this: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses (Osteen’s wife agrees with hubby Joel), know ye not that the FRIENDSHIP of the world is ENMITY with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the ENEMY of God” (James 4:4). Jesus’ criticism of Israel’s religious leaders aroused bitter opposition that led to His DEATH! But to be fair here, Jesus did agree with the Scribes/Pharisees on certain issues (see 22:15-22); and not all of His criticism applied to them. Sometimes he denounced individual Pharisees, but not the whole party. Nonetheless, Jesus’ overall denunciation of Israel was just—that nation ended in DESTRUCTION !!! (66 A.D.-72 A.D.). To this very day their house is desolate because of His WRATH against them (see Matt. 23:38). The Gk. word “desolate”= (ἔϱημος, eremos) “waste, solitary, empty religion” etc. To this very day, Israel has NO temple or Priesthood, which in Jesus’ day was the CENTER of their lives Hebrew Term for WRATH WE KNOW that in Roman thought, and in Greek thought, both had their gods/goddesses (cults) that came after the pre-Roman/Greek “WRATHFUL deities”— WRATH was their nature (see Pausanias, the Periegete (of Magnesia), author under the emperor Commodus, concerning his Journey thru Greece, in 10 books, ed. J. Schubart, 1881, 1903, Vol. VIII, p. 25, 5 — explains the Arcadian word). In their literature, divine beings and human seers constantly refer to “WRATH” of the “heavenly ones” or “WRATHFUL ones.” Now, let us proceed with a. thru j. that are rich in terms for “WRATH,” each of which originally denotes a specific aspect of “anger:” a. The most common of these words [for WRATH], the Hebrew word wrath--hebrew--text--1.gif , derives from wrath--hebrew--text--2.gif , which = “to be angry”; originally, “to snort” (see L. Kohler, Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti libros, 1948, pp. 70, 75). So, the meaning is clearly “nose” or “nasal cavity.” Scholars say (and I found this to be so) that in the O.T., the nose is less the organ of smell than that of WRATH! When the LORD’S anger waxes HOT, there comes smoke from His nose/nostrils, as in Ps. 18:8 — “There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it” (read all of chap. 18 to see how the elements are spoken of). In this remarkable literary passage, we get a striking description of a severe thunderstorm, brought about by God’s MAJESTY of POWER! They are still brought forth in this manner today. Yet men refuse to admit, for the most part, that God controls the weather — ESPECIALLY DISASTERS !! Men admit to a Divinely God-ordered world, but then say nature (OR THE DEVIL!) causes all these disasters? God’s elements, at His command, can be both a blessing and a curse: which side are we on — the BLESSING side or CURSE side? While it is true that catastrophes fall upon both saint and sinner, they are directed upon the wicked (WHETHER WICKED SINNER OR WICKED PROFESSING CHRISTIAN!!!). Noah was preserved in the world’s most severe catastrophe—the Worldwide Flood that KILLED ALL who were OUTSIDE the Ark of God. Beware America, world, God is WRATHFUL, His natural forces have a terrible (like in “terrorism”) reserve of power which, when He targets, will unleash WRATH to OBLITERATE. All this is done as a retributive payback for men’s sins. If men will not REPENT, God will punish, and nature challenges us to grapple with our destiny—Heaven or Hell. We can rightly say that God has an Army of Nature, which when sent forth as a “terrorizing force,” uttering its Words of judgment, will have the last say so!! Let us turn to Exodus (Ex) 15; here we find the first reference to the nostrils of God (v. 8), in reference to the WRATH of God (v. 7). Let me quote part of v. 7 and all of v. 8: “…thou sendest forth thy WRATH, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.” This was God’s “ra” WRATH against the Egyptians at the Red Sea. wrath--hebrew--text--5.gif That word “blast” (Ex. 15:8) = Heb. “ruwach,” which = “wind, breath (violent), anger, (whirlwind).” The word wrath--hebrew--text--3.gif used here for WRATH (“nostrils”; see Proverbs 30:33, et al.) is much more rare than wrath--hebrew--text--11.gif , and is used for WRATH in the Scriptures especially in the expressions wrath--hebrew--text--4.gif and . b. The most common synonym of the Heb. words for “WRATH” (from the root) = ”to be hot,” “passionate.” It can be used also of natural things, but is most commonly used of God’s WRATH (115 times), which denotes the “rage” of God (90 times). c. Exclusively for the LORD’S “WRATH” the Masora has used it 33 of 39 occurrences (Ps. 58:9= “…He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in His WRATH.” Note the following verse (10): “The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.” Wow! To tell people these days to REJOICE in God’s vengeance is like committing the unpardonable sin! Verse 11 ends with “…there is a reward for the righteous: verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth.” So it is NOW! I don’t care who believes it or not, God IS JUDGING this wicked and evil generation. Get used to it !!! In Jeremiah (Jer.) 25:38 we run across “His fierce anger.” In Psalms (Ps.) 88:16 we run across “Thy fierce WRATH.” The derived stems of wrath--hebrew--text--6.gif can have the sense “to be zealous,” “to act with zeal.” Heb. scholars think that the basic sense is probably “to burn,” “to grow.” Hence, the nouns denote the “burning of WRATH,” the “fire of anger.” d. wrath--hebrew--text--7.gif — This Heb. word, in the sense of “anger,” does not come from the common root wrath--hebrew--text--8.gif I “to overflow,” “to go over,” with Arabic ‘Ajin, but from the less common root wrath--hebrew--text--81.gif II, Arabic gabira, which seems to mean “to be angry,” “to be full of rage.” e. The verb wrath--hebrew--text--9.gif means “to provoke to anger,” and perhaps has the basic sense of “to break out” from which it points to “to fly out,” “to be angry.” We’ve all heard the sayings, (in ref. to anger/WRATH) “fly off the handle,” “flying into a rage.” f. The verb wrath--hebrew--text--10.gif , used in the OT 12 times, means “to address angrily,” “to scold,” “to chide,” and also “to curse.” Kohlers rendering “to curse,” “to berate” (p. 262) is too restricted, as some complain. The same is true of his translation of wrath--hebrew--text--111.gif “cursing.” One might want to check out Isa. 10:5 where God calls the Assyrians His “rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation”—to “curse” Israel with His “WRATH.” He lets us know in v. 6 that He is sending the Assyrian king “against an hypocritical nation (Israel), and against the PEOPLE OF MY WRATH will I give him a charge (command), to take spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like mire (filth) of the street.” This is going to happen right here, in the good ol’ “Christian” USA! He is sending forth His “RA” Army — to CURSE, not BLESS ! God has called Amerika “The Great Whore,” “The Magnificent Hypocrite,” “Sodom,” etc. Furthermore, this verb and noun are used in apocalyptic writings, where they can mean “time of WRATH” (see Isa. 26:20: “…until the indignation be overpast;” “…in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be” (Dan. 8:19); “…till the indignation be accomplished: for that is determined shall be done” (Dan. 11:36). These texts show apocalyptic insight that there IS A TIME OF WRATH which must run, will run, its course when the time of grace is used up. The verbal adj. “cross,” “angry,” is found in 1 Kings 20:43; 21:4. g. wrath--hebrew--text--12.gif This Heb. word expresses the sense “to be annoyed,” “to be reluctant,” “to be angry”; the causative sense “to anger,” “to annoy,” “to provoke to WRATH,” almost always with the LORD as object. We’re all too familiar with the fact that ancient Israel provoked God to anger/WRATH/fury/ indignation by her apostasy and idolatry. Don’t you think that Amerika has done the same? h. Habakkuk’s (3:2) prayer reveals his fear, “…I have heard thy speech, and was afraid,” and God’s WRATH, “…in WRATH ( wrath--hebrew--text--14.gif ) remember mercy.” The verb wrath--hebrew--text--13.gif means “to be disturbed,” “unsettled,” “to provoke to WRATH”; the less common noun wrath--hebrew--text--141.gif (in Hab. 3:2 above) means “raging,” “unrest”; also “anger.” I. wrath--hebrew--text--15.gif is not a true term for WRATH, though in the nuance “snort” (a.) it comes very close. “He that is slow to WRATH is of great understanding…” Back to a. — “snort.” In Isaiah 30:1 God pronounces WOE upon “the rebellious children (of Israel, read down to vv. 27, 28): “Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, BURNING with ANGER, and the burden thereof is heavy: His lips are FULL OF INDIGNATION, and His tongue as A DEVOURING FIRE: And His breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity…” Here God is “SNORTING” MAD ! This WRATHFUL ANGER mounts up: “And the LORD shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His ANGER, and with the FLAME of a DEVOURING FIRE, with scattering, and TEMPEST, and HAILSTONES.” Cpt. 30 ends with “the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle…” So… GOD ALMIGHTY USES THE FORCES of nature coupled with human forces as His Weapons. So, when we see His destructive forces at work in the earth, don’t believe that they act by themselves—NO! God commands them at His Will. Most churchites today don’t believe this; they believe what the “weathermen” say, the scientists, the media; and hence, in their minds, rebellion and WRATH are directed against those proclaiming His judgment (like us here) and against God Himself. Men are ANGRY against God these days. TOO BAD!!!! HE IS DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. Amen. Man’s anger/displeasure against God is increasing. “These forces (nature coupled with human forces) are not,” say the unbelievers, “from God.” But God’s dealings with the wicked go back to the very beginning of time, folks. Moreover, we as humans can’t allow our anger to provoke God to REVERSE that anger towards us (INVOKING YET MORE WRATH UPON US !!!), yet this is what is going on as I write this article. “His dealings seem to be enigmatic and incomprehensible,” the critics exclaim (in an angry tone!); “they cannot be brought into harmony with His love and righteousness.” Really? Your SINS can’t be brought into harmony with His righteousness. Evaluation WHY? Why? Why? Men have always tried to evaluate WHY God does what He does. If you folks would read your Bibles C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y, you would find out WHY!! Instead of listening to “pastor” Joel Osteen’s cotton candy sermonettes, get your Bibles and study them. Proverbs is a good place to start, for it attempts a true evaluation of human anger, sins of all sorts, that anger the LORD. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 26:2, “The curse causeless shall not come.” There is a reason WHY God unleashes His curses upon humankind. Find out WHY. Both Psalms and Proverbs give many passages on “anger.” Human anger and God’s anger are far apart (although a righteous man can be angry and sin not). I’m not going into all that can be said of human anger, but here are a few verses for you: Prov. 6:34; 15:1; 16:14; 19:19; 27:4; 15:18; 22:24; 29:8, 11 etc. A Biblical/spiritual man/woman will be aware that the WRATH of man leads to injustice (Prov. 14:17; 29:22). You may check out the book of James (NT) which is very close in content to the Wisdom Literature (start with Jam. 1:20 — “For the WRATH of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”) Here we have an antithesis: angry man vs. righteousness of God. In Egyptian wisdom the “fool” is called “hot-headed.” Even righteous Job got angry against God, thereby damaging himself (18:4). In doing so, he also undermined the fear of God (15:4). We’ve all done this, haven’t we? I have! This, of course, leads one into attacking the justice of God (8:2; 11:2 etc.). Thank God we can repent as did Job for being a “fool” (42:6). This foolery is in operation right now, in politics, in religions, this political and religious HUBRIS endangers those who are guilty. Miracle WRATH / Plagues Wonderful GOD HAS TOLD US in years past, and now He has brought it up again (since the Sandy Hurricane) that He is going to show forth His miracle WRATH and wonderful plagues. We’ve all seen (over the last dozen years) nature utter her many words, show her grandeur, power, her awesome loveliness, her destroying majesty and beauty. We’ve seen God using nature’s WRATH—fury—indignation—in smashing, crashing, dashing to pieces the works of men’s hands and minds. O how small we really are in the wake of His anger revealed, His FIST OF FURY. NOTE: Traditional modern Judaism began to take shape in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70 (the Romans spent months utterly destroying Jerusalem’s fortifications after this date). Actually there were two major wars with Rome: 1) AD 66-70; 2) AD 132-35; which resulted in the destruction of the Jewish state and banning of Jews from Jerusalem. The Bar Kokhba defeat ended Israel’s nationhood—the Jewish people became a “dispersed people” (Diaspora). The context of Jewish worship and Torah study was thereby done in the synagogue. And to this very day, the “Jewish nation” has no Temple or priesthood, etc. All this was the direct result of RELIGIOUS HUBRIS. America could end like ancient Israel, too !! ATTENTION: THE SCRIPTURES are VERY IMPORTANT to us, and we try hard to be accurate in our citing of references; however, we know human error, and at times we know a typo or misquote may occur. If you find such a mistake in our writings, please let us know and we will do our best to correct it. Thank you. Also, please be aware that references in one translation may not be exactly the same as another: translations may differ in where they begin and end verses. Furthermore, realize that the Septuagint (the LXX, the Greek translation of the Old Testament) has verses that are not found in the Hebrew Old Testament, and hence, the traditional English translations. WRATH OF GOD #2 The Wrath (ὀργή) of God by General James Green ———— Part 2 ———— J ONATHAN EDWARDS (1703-1758) penned his best-known sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” which many (including myself) feel is the best sermon ever preached (on this subject). This famous sermon (I first read it in 1981) was the result of Edward’s congregation having grown apa-thetic and unconcerned about spiritual matters, just like the condition of the American Church as a whole. During the preaching of this sermon it was reported (and recorded) that a minister sitting behind Edwards became so overcome with distress at its severity of wrathful judgment that this minister tugged upon his coat and cried, and I quote, “Mr. Edwards! Mr. Edwards! Is not God merciful?” (The History of Christian Preaching, Philadelphia: Am. Baptist Pub. Soc., 1903, p. 357). God is merciful; this is why He both warns and punishes, hoping for repentance. There are times, and we’re in one, when God’s mercy is lifted and His severe punishments are displayed. One minister who analyzed Edward’s sermon wrote, “The severity of the judgment of the critics upon its one-sided presentation of God is entirely justified. There are points at which Edwards seems satisfied that the last drop of love has gone out of God” (20 Centuries of Great Preaching, vol. 3, p. 52). America is going to experience this kind of displeasure. Terms that Edwards used (and they are in your Bible if you DARE to read them!) in his sermon were the “pit,” “the flames of Hell,” and “everlasting punishment.” In his day, as in ours, because of the backslidden state of the American Church, those terms scared the people. HA ! Jesus Himself spoke those terms. Take note of the following texts on Hell: place of torment, Matt. 11:23; 13:42; 25:41, 46; Lk. 16:23; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 14:10; 20:10, 15; for whom reserved, Ps. 9:17; Prov. 5:5; 7:27; 9:15; Matt. 5:22; 23:15; 25:41; Lk. 16:23, (see also Isa. 5:14; 14:9; 33:14); Matt. 3:12. Not one of these texts mean annihilation (write for our 6 booklets on Hell). Before we pass on into part two word study, let me point out that Edwards motive or principal concern was not in describing the fate of the wicked as is usually supposed, but in urging the unconverted to accept God’s mercy. Friends, I would dare to say that most churchites are not born-again Christians—they are “religious pagans” who go to Church. And some who are barely “saved” have almost zero concern for their spiritual lives and for those of the world. Do we need to hear a HELL sermon today? O, but we’ve got the Mega-Church slime telling us that God would NEVER, EVER punish anyone, He is a God of LOVE. True, He is “love” but within that “love” is wrath, fury, indignation—the very things we’re seeing displayed all over this sinful and wicked world. A true minister of God will show real sympathy with those who are about to receive God’s just outpourings of His righteous anger. It is a SIN to hold back on what God’s Word declares, DAMNATION for the unrepentant. But not so in this hubris and rebellious generation. The entire subject of judgment/punishment in general, and especially any suggestion of Hell or ETERNAL DAMNATION, has fallen into gross disfavor. Today’s contemporary Church (and today’s Political Correctness) goes out of it’s way to accommodate known sin and sinners, the GLBTQ sickos are a case-in-point. Jonathan Edwards, in his day, sought to convict/convince the congregation (Enfield, Massachusetts, July 8, 1741) that salvation was urgently at hand. He had sinners in attendance as well as his “saved” congregation. Edwards preached “Their foot shall slide in due time” (Deut. 32:35). This text needs to be preached LOUD and CLEAR in every Church in the USA. His text, Dt. 32:35, threatened the VENGEANCE of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under the means of GRACE; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works towards them, remained void of counsel (Dt. 32:28), having no understanding in them. Today’s Church is in this very same condition, only WORSE !! So, as I write this article, we here are at WAR against the false shepherds/prophets in this land, who are telling any and all, “all is well, eat, drink and marry (same-sex of course!)” But I’m telling you and them that it is the FIERCENESS of His WRATH that you are exposed to (see Isa. 59:18; 66:15 and Rev. 19:15). If this nation continues to mock and scoff God’s warnings, when punishment strikes He will have zero pity for you ! In fact, He will laugh at and mock you (Prov. 1:25, 26). Consider Isa. 63:3. How awful ! Edwards ends his sermon with these words: “The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain (of the Lord), lest you be consumed.” God vs. gods THE IDEA of the LORD’S wrath in the OT (and NT) is particularly characterized by the fact that in Israel there was basically only ONE God (The pagans had their false gods/goddesses. In II Kings 23:13, Chemosh, god of the Moabites, is mentioned specifically along with Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Zidonians; Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. In fact, Israel made altars unto other/strange gods, and built high places. Read all of 2 Kgs. 23; see how the “people of God” PROVOKED GOD TO WRATH !!). The pagans in the land had a pantheon of demons to worship and fear. Also, Israel was a special covenant people, therefore, the source of the ONE TRUE GOD’S Wrath was known by them—His Wrath/power was unequivocally distinct and Divine. The pagans had no knowledge of this ONE TRUE GOD, nevertheless, they were still judged and punished (see Lev. 18, espec. vv. 24, 27). Please read this whole chapter—this is the Holiness Code Chapter, which is STILL BINDING upon ALL today. Make no mistake, unlawful sex-sins are an abomination, especially same-sex ones (see also Rom. 1 and 1 Cor. 6). Yet, the Church today not only accepts such sinful conduct, but invites it into their midst. Wait and see how God plagues these Churches for this SIN !! Anthropopathic ANCIENT ISRAEL, as well as the early Church, (and we today) was visited by God’s power—for blessing or cursing. The personal element in the OT view of God shaped in a very special way the anthropopathic form of what is said about wrath. It is pointed out by Bible scholars that the OT Word of God is not identical with the depiction of His judicial acts. The Word of God does embody itself in judgment, e.g., wrath/judgment as in Ezek. 5:15b: “…when I shall execute judgments in thee, in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.” Note vv. 16, 17 where God will send “evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction,” and “evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.” This is what we find in Micah 7:9: “I will bear the indignation of the LORD…and execute judgment for me…,” and Ps. 7:6: “Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.” Going back to Ezek. (24:8) we read: “That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance…,” Nah. 1:2 reads thus: “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies.” Do we really believe that the OT God is not the NT God? God makes NO MISTAKES folks. He directs His judgments/punishments against the guilty (read Isa. 66:14-18). If you think the OT God is not the same as the NT God, read this, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on his vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:11-16). TARGET — Israel: “Non-Israelites” AT THE CONCLUDING of the covenant He made with Israel, He threatens them (Ex. 19:12) with death if one goes beyond the boundary set by God, (see also Ex. 32; Nu. 11:1, 10, 33; 12:9; 13:25-14:38; 25:3, 4), (see also Deut. 1:34, 37; 9:8, 19; Num. 17:11; 18:5; 25:7-13; 32:10-14; Lev. 10:6 etc.). Let us press this a bit further, where it is also a recurrent factor in Joshua 7; 22:20, all the way to the exile, 1 Sam. 6:19; 15; 28:18; 2 Sam. 6:7; 24:1 etc.. Now, for the record, the Deuteronomistic record of history portrays this period WHOLLY from the standpoint of CONTINUAL provocations of God’s Wrath. God Don’t Judge ! WE’RE SICK OF HEARING THIS from all you panty-waisted cowards. You wish ! God not only “judges,” He sends the unrepentant into everlasting flames. According to all Pentateuch sources and our NT gospels, epistles, God’s Wrath smites the people or groups of people who rebel against Him. In particular, the obvious apostasy of both ancient Israel and the new Israel (NT covenant people) was and is turning from the Living God unto dead gods, e.g., idolatry/spiritual adultery. We’re all familiar with Nadab and Abihu, who offered an improper burnt offering. They were DESTROYED by the fire of Yahweh’s Wrath (Lev. 10:1). All this modern “worship”/”sacrifice” in today’s Churches, the offering of strange fire, the sex/music/$$ idolatry provokes the Wrath of God. The desecration of His laws, standards, commands have reached Heaven, as did the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. All this golden calf worship, this Ba’al Pe’or stuff, this GLBTQ abomination will not be overlooked by Him. We find, without shame, the breadth and depth of Israel’s sins, so it is today. When we, the new Israel, the new Holy Nation/Priesthood, cast off His election and guidance, as we have done, nothing but judgment Wrath awaits us! There is no use in giving you hundreds of texts, you know they are there—read them and fear God. Guilty!!! BOTH CHURCH AND STATE are GUILTY of failing to execute God’s justice, His judgments. God expects this even of the non-Christian (Rom. 13). What has transpired is a social injustice. To call sin “sin” these days is to endanger one’s life. Americans have replaced God with America—American’s god…who trust in riches, in armaments and alliances with pagans—Americans have forsaken God and have become gods in themselves—the god of SELF! This is the deepest root of the concept of pride and rebellion: Apostasy, Adultery, a whoring. The OT chronicler left us with evidence that speaks loud and clear, e.g., 1 Chron. 13:10; 27:24; 2 Chron. 19:2; 24:18; 29:8 etc.. The historical psalms testify loud and clear also, e.g., 78:31; 106:32. Also the exhortations in Deut. 6:15; 7:4; 11:17; 29:19 and the corresponding sections of the Priestly Tradition in Lev. 26:28; Num. 1:53; Jas. 22:18; 2 Chron. 19:10. Leaders Are Not Immune I MUST BRING OUT that even God’s chosen leaders weren’t immune to His judgments if found guilty. I know, I’ve been punished by Him myself. Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Nadab, Abihu, also kings and prophets were judged. Individual acts of disobedience provoked His wrath (Achan’s theft in Joshua 7, David’s census in 2 Sam. 24, along with his murder/adultery). Gentiles were no exception, they were prophesied against, smitten/destroyed by God (see Amos, Isa., Jer., Ezek., Zeph., Ob., Nah., Hab., Jonah etc). Whole pagan nations were judged by God for their SINS. So, the God of the O.T. is the same God of the NT. Just as His Wrath SMOTE/killed men, women, boys, girls, even infants in primitive antiquity, so it is today. Better discard your “God don’t Judge !” stuff and align yourselves with Him…and FAST. Destruction Cometh! IT CAME UPON THE PEOPLE in Noah’s day—all but 8 perished in the great flood. It came time and time again thereafter, up until 70 A.D. when the Jewish nation was left desolate. It has come on and on as I write. The destructive POWER and irresistible FORCE of His Divine WRATH, FURY, INDIGNATION is portrayed (in the Bible) by metaphors and figurative expressions. “God’s Arm Revealed,” “His Fist Raised” etc. These metaphors have their out-working in concrete ways—we see them in action. Fire! Fire! A PREDOMINANT METAPHOR for God’s Wrath, which vividly expresses its destructive effect…His anger is kindled (we should serve the LORD with fear, lest He be angry—see Ps. 2:11, 12), smoke and fire comes forth out of His nose (see Isa. 65:5, “These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.” We may write all these O.T. passages off as “under the Law,” not “under grace.” Hold your horses, we’ll get deeper into the NT, then we’ll see if God has changed His mind about SIN. Fire Continued— JEREMIAH 15:14: “…for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you;” “…for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever” (Jer. 17:4); we’ve already read Isa. 65:5 and Ps. 18:8, “There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and a fire out of His mouth devoured…” In Deut. 29:19 (note: some Bible translations have not the same verse number, one theology book I looked at listed Deut. 29:19 as the text on “smoke” but the KJV has v. 20. So, if you find the texts I list throughout this article, check with several translations, I use many translations, not just the KJV). Now, Deut. 29:20 reads, “The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy shall smoke against that man…” (see also Ps. 74:1) “To smoke” in these two texts means “to chide.” Literal / Figurative “Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, BURNING with His ANGER,…His lips are full of INDIGNATION and His tongue as a DEVOURING FIRE. And His breath, as an overflowing stream…” (Isa. 30:27, 28).“His eyes were as a FLAME of FIRE; And His feet BURNED in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword…” (Rev. 1:14-16). Bible language consists of literal and figurative language. BURNING and CONSUMING FIRE can be both; God’s Holy/Divine anger and it can also portray its concrete operation. “The breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, will BURN in it (Tophet)” (Isa. 30:33); “For a Fire is kindled in mine ANGER, and shall BURN unto the lowest Hell, and shall CONSUME the earth with her increase, and set on FIRE the foundations of the mountains.” (Deut. 32:22); “Therefore have I poured out mine INDIGNATION upon them; I have CONSUMED them with the FIRE of My WRATH: their own way have I RECOMPENSED upon their head, saith the LORD God” (Ezek. 22:31). Watch out for YOUR OWN WAY! There are dozens of texts that combine both the lit. / fig., e.g., GOD’S HOT ANGER/THE OBJECTS of HIS WRATH. The fig. use and concrete depiction of the FIRE of WRATH may fuse directly into one another (see also Ezek. 21:36). What applies to FIRE applies no less to the storm, flood, wind, hail, drought, sword etc., all portray the power to Devastate! (Related: Jer. 30:23; Ps. 83:15; also Isa. 2:6-22 relates to the idea of the storm, Yahweh “snorting.”) Pouring OUT vs. Drinking IN FLOODS OF WATER, flowing brimstone=fluid. These terms, images, metaphors can be seen all through Scripture. Yahweh/God/the LORD POURS out His WRATH/ANGER/FURY/INDIGNATION etc. over both His sinning/rebellious/prideful people as well as the pagan Gentiles. Pour/Pouring ( Heb. shaphak ) : “To spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal) to expend life, cast up, gush out, pour out etc..” There are lots of texts along these lines; God pours out His anger over His people and the Gentiles like water (see Hosea 5:10; Jer. 10:25; Ps. 69:24; Ezek. 7:8; 14:19; 20:8 etc.) Pouring Forth Fire : “Who can stand before His indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? HIS FURY IS POURED OUT LIKE FIRE, and the rocks are thrown down by Him” (Nahum 1:6). Nahum goes on to make mention of “an overrunning flood” in v. 8. And Lamentations (2:4) has this to say: “He hath bent His bow like an enemy: He stood with His right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye…he POURED OUT HIS FURY LIKE FIRE...” In parallel verses such as Ezek. 21:31-32, we read: “I will POUR OUT MINE INDIGNATION upon thee, I will BLOW AGAINST THEE IN THE FIRE OF MY WRATH…Thou shalt be FUEL TO THE FIRE…;” “Therefore have I POURED OUT MINE INDIGNATION upon them; I have consumed them with THE FIRE OF MY WRATH…” (22:31). Fire and Brimstone : “…I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain (flood), and great hailstones, FIRE and BRIMSTONE.” (Isa. 30:33) “…the pile thereof is FIRE and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a STREAM of BRIMSTONE (like pitch), doth kindle it” (34:9). Streams of Pitch : “And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become BURNING PITCH.” On the other hand, the metaphor of “drinking wrath” is purely figurative. (see Job 21:20, “He shall drink of the WRATH of the Almighty.” In Jeremiah 25:15 we read: “…Take the wine cup of this FURY at My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it (v. 16). And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad (crazy), because of the sword that I will send among them” (see Rev. 17, 18). Cup of Wrath (FURY): There is much that could be written about God’s “cup of wrath”; you ought to study it out for yourselves. The Bible expresses very vividly the ineluctability of WRATH and its draining even to the dregs (Isa. 51:17= “Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the Cup of His FURY; thou hast drunken the DREGS of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.” Israel became drunk upon the WRATH of God poured out to them, “Therefore hear now this thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with (natural) wine” (v. 21). Verse 22 speaks of God’s “Cup of Fury” and “dregs”). When God’s prophets pass the “Cup of Wrath” onto individuals/nations, they will drink (Jer. 25:15-28), bringing judgment irrevocably on the same (see also Isa. 63:1-6). Weapons of Wrath WE SEE THIS ALL THROUGH SCRIPTURE, e.g., God’s armoury being opened: “The LORD hath opened His armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation…” (Jer. 50:25; see also Isa. 13:5). The LORD of Hosts goes so far as to call pagan kings “My Servant,” a title taken from God’s very own people: “Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art My servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me” (Isa. 44:21). God did not forget her, but when she backslid she was stripped of that title and it was given unto God’s Weapon to punish her! Now, if you’re in doubt, let’s just see if this be so: “Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, MY SERVANT, and will bring them against this land (Judah), and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them…” (Jer. 25:9). Take heed! God has been putting forth many prophetic Words of late and saying what He said back in Jeremiah’s day: “…I have spoken unto you (Josiah—Jehoiakim), rising early and speaking; but ye HAVE NOT HEARKENED. And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye HAVE NOT HEARKENED, nor inclined your ear TO HEAR. They said, ‘Turn ye again now every one from HIS EVIL WAY, and from the EVIL of YOUR DOINGS…And go not AFTER OTHER gods TO SERVE THEM, and TO WORSHIP THEM, and PROVOKE ME not to ANGER…yet ye HAVE NOT HARKENED UNTO ME, saith the LORD; that ye might PROVOKE ME TO ANGER’…Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts (armies, literally); Because ye HAVE NOT HEARD MY WORDS…” (Jer. 25:3-8). Some of you, MOST of you! still believe that God won’t judge/punish today. Wait and see what He will do to America—she will be turned up-side-down !! My point in all this is to point out that even though God may make a covenant with His people, they(the covenants) are CONDITIONAL. We’ve got liars, BIG LIARS in Churchland, telling us that God’s grace will always be over America. HA! It’s already been removed and they can’t perceive it. Sin Is In ! YES, GOD KNOWS . . . and you will PAY too. Here in Jer. 25:9 we find a transference of “MY SERVANT” from Israel to Babylon. A real slap-in-the-face to Israel. But this was not the only king to receive that title; Cyrus, king of the Persians (who God raised up to destroy Babylon, to set the captive Israelites free—after a very long prison term in Babylon). In Isa. 45:1 we see this title, “MY SERVANT” taking on “His Anointed,” e.g., God’s anointed. In fact, Cyrus was used of God, unbeknownst to him, in a redemptive way; Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon was used in a conquering way. Let me back up to Isa. 44:28: “…Cyrus, he is My (God’s) shepherd, and will perform all my pleasure…” God’s timing for Israel’s imprisonment had come to an end…to go back to Jerusalem, to rebuild the destroyed temple. So, Cyrus, a pagan king who served other gods, was, here in Isa. 44, 45 called “My shepherd,” “My anointed” (some Heb. scholars, like Kuenen, Stode, and Oort prefer “My friend” —same Heb. consonants). But I don’t know about this, the allusion to a “shepherd” has numerous analogies (see 2 Sam. 5:2; Jer. 3:15; 23:1; Ezek. 34:23; Mic. 5:5 etc.) I need to point out that the title, “shepherd” is common among the Sumerians, Akkadians, and Egyptians (also in Homer Iliad II. 243). Isa. 45:1 uses “My anointed” in the KJV, RSV and other translations (the LXX, Gk. OT; Latin Vulgate uses “Christo Meo,” “My Messiah”). The content of these terms is explained in Isa. 41:2, 3, 25; 46:11; 48:14, 15. Cyrus was also called “bird of prey” and “man of My Counsel” (46:11) and “he whom the LORD loves” (48:14). So, God even TRANSFERRED HIS LOVE FOR ISRAEL onto an idol worshipper. Why? Because Israel lost her love for God, became rebellious and disobedient . . . while Cyrus obeyed God ! Cyrus was the only king to receive such an ascription, e.g., “whom the LORD loves.” No king outside the covenant people was addressed so. I know that God told us before Obama became president of the USA, that he would be a “weapon of mass destruction;” and we’re seeing this criminal live up to that ascription. Wait and see how God uses him in his second term—a weapon that will punish this evil/wicked/apostate nation. While God called His kings, His prophets, His priests, patriarchs, even to the community of Israel, His “Shepherds,” His “Anointed,” etc., other foreign Monarchs were the agents, weapons, even saviors working for Yahweh God. The Assyrian monarch in Isa. 10:5, who was used to destroy the 10 northern Tribes of Israel, was addressed as “My servant.” Cyrus was so used of God that God grasped his hand (see 45:1; 41:13; 42:6). Cyrus’ Cylinder states that Marduk helped Cyrus in the defeat of Babylon, yet it was the One True Living God who did it (see Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 315). So, heathen kings were given the “Divine Commission” (44:28; 46:11) “to subdue nations” (44:2; 48:14). Should we be surprised if God uses evil men, pagans, even natural elements to PUNISH?? It is He who calls, commissions, sends, executes His Wrath—Fury—Indignation upon all those targeted. He uses earthly powers, as well as heavenly powers (angels), to work/war in His behalf. You had better trash all this “God don’t / won’t judge” stuff . . . AND FAST !!! Arm Metaphors IN OUR #54 ISSUE of Words of the Spirit/Bread for the Nations (photo below), I have an arm/fist slamming into the east coast, NY/NJ especially. “And the LORD shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones;” (Isa. 30:30) in reference to God’s anger against the Assyrian, the very nation that God called “My servant !” “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto ME; and My fury, it upheld me.” Here we have Yahweh alone acting, there was no Assyrians or Babylonians or Medes/Persians—no Nebuchadrezzar (“My servant”), no Sennacherib, no Cyrus; only the LORD of Hosts (Isa. 63:5). The word “to help” is a military term; no one supported the LORD God in His conflict against the nations. The Dead Sea Scroll uses “uphold,” (vv. 4-6 = the Day of Vengeance.) We’re looking at this Day Of Vengeance right now. It has come to America, and to the world. “And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath” (Jer. 21:5) —ANGER-FURY-WRATH !!! God may use men/ nations or He may act alone. “As I live, saith the LORD God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you” (Ezek. 20:33). Here in Isa. 9:11, 12, we see the note of doom looms menacingly as it goes on to say: “Yet His Wrath is not abated, His arm is stretched out still to strike (v. 12, see 17, 21 too). God has joined Israel’s enemies together for attack—“Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall DEVOUR Israel” (v. 12). Yet, further horror of judgment is yet to befall God’s sinning people Israel. Do you think that America is going to escape God’s Wrath?...all the 55 million pre-born MURDERED, the Homosexual Agenda in full operation, the military MURDER over decades, the sheer anti-Christ/Christian disposition within the Church and State? The list is L-O-N-G! America is going to REAP lots and lots of WRATH-FURY-INDIGNATION. Expressions THERE ARE, in the expressions for the beginning/ending of the LORD’S WRATH, something of the ambiguity of the terms for “wrath.” If the reference is to the “emotion,” one reads for the most part of the “kindling” or “rising” of anger resulting in WRATH, FURY, INDIGNATION; e.g., Ezek. 5:13 reads: “Thus shall Mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause My Fury to rest upon them (Israel), and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in My zeal, when I have accomplished My fury in them.” Here we see His emotions: anger, fury, comfort(ed), zeal. God boils, erupts, then cools off so to speak. “So will I stretch out My hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness…” (Ezek. 6:14). In Lamentations 4:11 we run across this principle—building up, blowing up, accomplishing: “The LORD hath accomplished His fury; He hath poured out His fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured…” This same principle can be stated thus: “bringing,” “sending,” “executing.” “Bringing”: 2 Chron. 36:15-17, v. 17 reads, “Therefore He brought upon them the King of the Chaldees…” Because Israel did not hearken to God’s sent messengers, to warn them of impending judgment, His anger grew into wrath/fury/bloodshed “who slew their (Israel’s) young men with the sword…had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: He gave them all into his (Neb.) hand.” Friends, God is at this point of expression/emotion with America. You will see some drastic-horrible-pitiful-ugly things executed upon the peoples of this land...because of their SINS !! Wait and see. “Sending”: Job 20:23 teaches us that God sends or “shall cast the fury of His wrath upon him…” “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring (or send) their fears upon them” (Isa. 66:4). We find this principle in the NT as well: “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 Thess. 2:11). Verse 12 is more BLUNT: “That they all might be damned who believe not in the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Would a “loving, non-judgmental” God do that? YES! And He is still doing it. When you have those who HATE God’s RIGHTEOUS TRUTH—as Americans, for the most part, DO !—GOD WILL (MUST !) SEND THEM STRONG DELUSIONS... AND DAMN THEM. You’ll never hear this preached/taught in today’s Church. Oh, no, only love, love, love, forgiveness, mercy etc. Forgive me if I rant a bit here. “Love,” as taught and expressed today, has a false occult existential meaning—in the Church, in society at large. It has become a touchy-feely thing. One old time minister I know, recently wrote and said that “love” has become “emotion.” While this is true to a degree, Agape love, the “God love” has within it, yes, emotion, but that emotion is WRATH, Fury, Indignation! Actually, “emotion has no right or wrong by itself. Remember that old Debby Boone song, “How can it be so wrong when it feels so good?” This my friend, is dangerous…this deceitful seed, delusion has entered the Church ages ago…and has grown, contaminating this hedonistic society called America. So, your existential experiential hedonism has no meaning except to fall into a false catharsis from your delusion. Church folks today believe in just about everything that God’s Word condemns. You’ve got your mythical, effeminate Jesus who winks at sin and blesses bastards, even PINK FLAMINGO FAGGOTS. Is God/Jesus/Holy Spirit emotionally affectionate to all these hedonistic reprobates? According to most, YES! It has gone so far now that one can be “saved” without being “saved.” Or, for you Arminian-Jesuit (as some call it) folks, you can be “saved” by knowing you are a sinner, you can’t save yourself, know Jesus paid for your sins, know you can trust God. These are all true, BUT — the most important factor is missing — REPENTANCE. We MUST confess and repent of our sins. Jesus died, shed His blood! He did His part, we must do ours — REPENT and LIVE godly lives (e.g. Rom. 6:11). It is a shame and disgrace that today’s Church is riddled with occult heresies and doctrines of devils. And, I must add, you folks that see no need for the do’s and don’t’s, which you call ad nauseam, are scary. I know well meaning men of God, sincere, educated, yet they mock the idea of Puritanism, e.g., abstaining from worldly things. Well, to be Biblically correct, the Bible does WARN us, over and over, not to partake of worldliness. Here is an example I just received by mail: “The Bible word ‘sanctification’ only means ‘God saved us for His purpose and to do it, Ephesians 2:10.’ But in theology, each Church and denomination have a long list of legalism of do’s and don’ts that one must keep if any one wants to be saved and stay saved in order to merit Heaven. AAHH!! Our purpose is to please the Lord and not ourselves. 2 Corinthians 5:7-9, ‘We live by means of trusting and not by sight . . . So we make it our goal and purpose to please Him.’ See also Col. 3:17. How many miserable hours and discussions have I been in that argument over: don’t drink the wrong beverages, don’t go to the movies, don’t play that game, don’t dance, don’t miss prayer meeting, don’t dress that way, don’t eat certain foods, don’t _____, ad nauseam.” While I think one can carry “legalism” too far, one can underestimate the world-flesh-devil (these are Scriptural!) to the point of backsliding or going into apostasy. I feel it is totally uncalled for for ministers to downgrade the sin issue. Turning Aside; Ceases AS YAHWEH BRINGS/SENDS WRATH, He also causes his WRATH to cease (see Ex. 32;12; 2 Kings 23:26; Jonah 3:9.) Jonah 3:9 is a very plain verse: “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?” Repentance, dear ones, will cause God’s WRATH to turn aside, turn away as in the case of Jonah going to Nineveh to prophesy judgment; the people believed and repented (chap. 3). Even when God smites, some will repent causing God’s WRATH to cease. It is better to live upright than to cause God’s WRATH to wax HOT. The time is at hand that He is going to SMITE fortified cities here in America. He already started with New York City (&NJ), NY being an exceedingly PROUD, REBELLIOUS and SODOMITE city. See how they fare in the aftermath (He is not through with NYC either!). Other cities will be devastated, some will be left as a reminder of His WRATH, but will never regain their glory (you need to hear Word #4886 where God speaks about this—write for it or see it up on Youtube with live footage). So, God’s WRATH can be diverted (Jer. 18:20; Job 9:13; Ezra 10:14), turned aside (Jer. 4:8; Isa. 5:25; Joshua 7:26). This last ref. can mean that the anger has abated (not merely that judgment has ceased), so that caution is required in relation to the usage of terms/words. There are weaker expressions in the Heb. language. Operation WRATH! GOD HAS DECLARED WAR upon America, (and the world in general). He has declared WAR upon America’s fortified cities of pride and sodomy. In its “radical operation,” the WRATH of Yahweh, aims at both destruction and construction: to tear down in order to build up (on His foundation of righteousness). The prophets of old prophesied judgment, destruction, full extirpation (“to uproot or cut out, destroy wholly”; see Deut. 7:4; 9:8, 19, 25, etc.). The Psalms certainly speak of this, so also in Numbers, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Both Israel and the Gentiles were told of the all-destructive WRATH of Almighty God. (see Ezek. 22:31; 43:8; Isa. 30:28; 34:2, 5; 63:1-3; Jer. 50:13 etc.). One historian (Biblical) puts it this way: “It should be noted in this connection that the prophets do not merely depict God’s anger in powerful images of cosmic proportions, impressing all creation into service to this end, but also set it in concrete relation to historical occurrence and its magnitudes” (Fichtner, TDNT, p. 400). One can go back and read the Deuteronomistic interpretation of history. Isaiah 13:13 is a case-in-point of God’s all-destructive WRATH: “Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the WRATH of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.” This seems to point to the future (history). Isa. 30:30 is another one (used before). Isa. 34:2-4 is another “utterly destroyed” (v. 2), “host of Heaven shall be rolled together as a scroll” (v. 4). Isa. 66:15 seems to be future. Ezek. 38:22 is a very destructive verse. So, reading both Old and New Testaments we see God’s all-destructive force working—past, present, future— individuals, groups of people, and whole nations receiving BLOWS of destruction. God had, in times past, delivered up His very own covenant people to the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans. Why is it hard to believe that He has stopped judging? All of you who hold to this “hopeful myth” will receive His WRATH upon you! This is not the time to LIE to the public, we need to proclaim LOUD and CLEAR His JUDGMENTS. Stop covering the lost in LIES!Another Form of WRATH BANISHMENT FROM THE LAND (passim) was also a form of WRATH for Israel. In the predictive (future) and retrospective (past) preaching of God’s prophets, the exile was the main example of His WRATH; they were taken captive into foreign lands. Also, famine/drought/pestilence were used against both Israel and the Gentiles. These WRATHFUL/destructive forces yielded high mortality; deliverance up to enemies was a cruel punishment (Num. 11:1, 10, 33; 12:9; 17:11; 1 Sam. 6:19; 2 Sam. 24 etc.). Nations against nations were also instruments of His WRATH, the destruction of whole armies, cities, nations (Jer. 50:25). Elemental power kills millions. Plagues and diseases kill MILLIONS. Israel lost 24,000 to a plague in Num. 25:9; 1 Sam. 6:19 speaks of 50,070 men smote by God for looking into the Ark of God, calling it “a great slaughter.” In 2 Samuel 24:15, as many as 70,000 Israelites died when God sent a pestilence upon them. Individuals were warned in Ex. 19:12, “…Whosoever toucheth the mount (Sinai) shall be surely put to death” (v. 13 also). Uzzah was smitten (killed!) by God for touching the Ark (2 Sam. 6:6, 7). Now! WHY ARE WE to believe that the God of the OT is not the same in the NT? Who says? When did all this change? The first to die at the hand of God in the NT were Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5); KILLED dear ones, KILLED, for lying to the Holy Spirit (v. 3, 9, 10). We are living in a time/generation when God has HAD ENOUGH of SIN! Call this the long expected/awaited eschatological advent/event; I don’t personally care what we would call it, but I can assure you, you will see God’s WRATH-Fury- Indignation revealed upon this nation and the whole world. He has spoken it: “I AM at WAR with America!” Amen. Yet, for the remnant’s sake, He will have mercy—this is our time to preach, teach, warn so that the repentant can come into the Ark. But for the rebellious, proud (hubrisly so), the sexually loose, there will be great WRATH; there is NO ESCAPING IT! Some will be sheltered by timely conversion (as in Zeph. 2:1-3, read that please— there is yet hope if one heeds instruction). This the Lord has spoken to us when he declared Oct. 30, 2012, that His mercy has been lifted from America; for those who will repent (under judgment), His love and covenant grace will cover them, His fully executed WRATH will be diverted. We don’t know who these souls will be. Post-Exilic FOR THIS PERIOD, and in later Judaism, the coming of WRATH is to be primarily on the Gentiles (see Ps. 9:16; 56:7; 79:6-8 etc.) and on the wicked and ungodly in the congregation (Ps. 7:6; 11:5; 28:4; 94:2 etc.), while the righteous within God’s people believe they are protected from approaching WRATH by experienced forgiveness of sins (see Ps. 30:5; 65:3; 103:3). But salvation, then and now, is CONDITIONAL! There is no such thing as “once saved, always saved” (write for our Trilogy on this vital subject). All you fools that think you can live like Hell and go to Heaven only deceive yourselves. I challenge any and all to prove—from Scripture— “once in grace, always in grace.” There is NO ASSURANCE of eternal salvation, of solid confidence that coming WRATH will be escaped—ONLY to be in Christ totally, holy, wholly! There will be NO RAPTURE for all you “Left Behind” freaks—get a life! (write for our in-depth teaching on the BIG LIE of a pre-tribulation rapture—we have 4 booklets in print plus lots of DVD teachings. See how this 1830/31 LIE/DECEPTION has led to spiritual apostasy!). Post-Exile Prophets AGAIN, THE EARLIER PROPHETS, the ones before the Babylonian captivity/Assyrian captivity, could speak of the “day of Yahweh,” the “day of His WRATH,” as an eschatological event (Amos 5:18-20; Isa. 2:6-21; Zeph. 1:15, 18). The same holds true for us today. We can speak of THE END in an eschatological way, but before THE END comes, there will be, ARE!, JUDGMENTS. Amos 3:6 “IS A TRUMPET BLOWN in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does distress (Heb., “ra”) come to a city, unless YHWH has done it?” God sends, brings, judgments. Oh, men may blame the devil or global warming (this is a good one these days!) or what have you, but God is still Sovereign over ALL events of the world, including dear ol’ USA!! We’re hearing so many complaints these days coming mostly from concerned “Christians” for what we are posting up on Youtube (under “Operation Devastation”). Boy are they mad! They usually always throw Matthew 7:1 at us: “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” that is it! Hey, O wise ones, read the context, please—vv. 2-5. We’re yet to receive these verses. Why? Because these frightful critics would have nothing to stand upon if they presented what Jesus was presenting: a hypocritical judgment. Ah, that makes a BIG difference; does it not? Try this one: “Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good?”(Lam. 3:38). And I might add this to Lam. 3:38, God’s mouth is His true prophets. All of you “God don’t judge” freaks out there in Church la-la land had better read your Bibles. “For the inhabitants of Maroth wait anxiously for good, because disaster (“ra”) has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem (“Jer-USA-lem”)” (Micah 1:12). “Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.” What a strange verse (Isa. 41:23). Verse 22 “show us” = ”foretell,” “predict,” “declare,” “make known.” All these prophetic word-warnings and future predictions—were (are) meaningful for history as it is understood in the outcome. Events are not capricious. They move toward a goal and are involved in a destiny. They have an aharith, an end or an outcome. Going back even further—Isa. 41:20—“that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it” (speaking of v. 19). We all rejoice in God’s creative force, His wonders, His beauty, His blessings, BUT men despise His creative negative force at work—His “ra” work. But doesn’t God, a few chapters ahead (45) speak of creating darkness, evil (v. 7)? Yes! Then why are we so afraid of this aspect of His creation? Our sins may be? We don’t want our sins judged? YES !!! We ought to be TERRIFIED at His WRATHFUL anger, be dismayed at His fury, His indignation. Do you think He has stopped speaking forth WARNING and executing His displeasure upon sinful men, cities, nations? He HAS NOT. Sicknesses/Persecutions/etc. THESE ARE FORMS of His WRATH. The Psalmist said in 89:16, “Thy fierce WRATH goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.” “We are consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy WRATH are we troubled” (Ps. 90:7). The following verse (8) says “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our SECRET SINS in the light…” Ah, men think they get by, oh, no! Verse 11 continues, “Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy WRATH.” God was persecuting those whom hid their iniquities/secret sins. Many times He afflicts with sickness, disease, plague etc. in order to get men to repent or die. Job was smitten by God (through His agent, satan). The whole book is a long drawn out horror; Job is even stripped of his good health—to near death. God was working on Job in order for him to be more fruitful. We’ve all experienced a bit of “Job displeasure.” Mold / Mildew THOSE WHOM GOD SHOWED His great displeasure to (NY, NJ etc.) are experiencing the black mold right now. This too (mildew), is another form of His judgment according to Haggai 2:17: “I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with boil in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.” Have those on the East coast turned unto the LORD? NO! They reach out to this wicked government for help! So, God works in mysterious ways, overt/covert ways, in soft ways (snowforce)…in primal force. He works in death—dealing force, in quiet but deadly ways (black mold, diseases, plagues etc.). Poor righteous Job accuses God, “His WRATH teareth me and attacketh me, He gnasheth upon me with His teeth” (Job 16:9, see also 19:11). “The Bully God !” THIS IS WHAT Brian McLaren, Emergent Church’s arch heretic calls God. He goes so far as to hint that God has a demonic element in Himself. No. We’ve just been taught the Mr. Rogers God/Jesus, the harmless Lamb of God who would never, ever harm a hair on one’s head. A God/Son who winks at the most gross sin, even partakes of such (like these vile and filthy “gay” parades and same-sex marriages etc.). No. You folks just don’t know the real God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. A deep and sincere investigation into this matter will prove shocking. This is why I am taking the time to dig out for you all the “negative” aspects of God and the Son. I know you won’t bother. Well, at least study out what I hereby present (ad hoc). The Pentateuch and the Gospels/epistles are replete with warning. The failure of the mockers in Noah’s day to heed warnings landed them in a watery grave. The failure of Israelite Achan to observe the “ban” (Joshua 7:1; 22:20) terminated in his death by stoning. The sparing of pagan king Agag (of the Amalekites) by king Saul (1 Sam. 15), resulted in Saul’s death . . . along with thousands of his army. Take time you critics and read the Bible, not picking out your favorite “love,” “forgiveness,” “tolerance” texts, as you so love to do. Be good Bible students, study His Word. You’ll see that ol’ Generals Jim and Deborah Green are not so far off the mark. Genesis / The Beginning LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT once and for all: God makes the rules, men obey them ! The genesis of man’s existence is the rule of God over man and His whole creation. From the fall of man until the final restoration, God is the Judge over ALL. The more humans rebel, the more severe His judgments. Human GUILT must be dealt with, PERIOD! And all you “God can’t do that!” rebels, will end up in Hell! Human life, being sinful, stands under the CONSTANT OPERATION of the WRATH of GOD!! It is man’s pride, rebellion, self-love that causes God’s “outbreak” of divine WRATH. It is man’s attitude of ingratitude, his failure to repent that determines the “duration” of God’s WRATH. It is (hopefully) man’s turning around, correcting his/her sin habits that causes God’s “turning aside.” Outbreak WHEN GOD GETS “fed up” (idiom) with the sin of men, expect an outbreak of events called judgments. He smites like lightning those who are guilty. But before this, He warns. The rattlesnake warns before striking (I used to catch these things as a kid, having been bitten twice by a diamondback rattler, I grew more cautious when approaching them. Don’t try this, ok?). LONGSUFFERING THE BIBLE DOES TELL US that God is longsuffering and patient BUT these do run out if men persist and insist on sinning. This example is found in the NT friends (see Rev. 18). Verse 5 says that “her (spiritual Babylon) sins have reached unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Her cup was filled (v. 6), or, another way of putting it, “her time was up!” God’s longsuffering and patience came to an end, “show time” arrived—her “reward” for her sins was to be “doubled.” Read that whole chapter. Now, tell me, does God/the Son judge/punish?? You can’t lay this stuff on me, “that’s Old Testament stuff—God don’t judge today.” Sorry about that. So Far… WE’VE LEARNED that God will only take so much sin before He acts. We’ve learned even when He acts He can either strike quickly or little-by-little. His duration can be short or long, depending upon the situation. There are times He does not give free reign to His anger, but restrains Himself, and waits (Ex. 34:6, 7; Num. 14:18; Nah. 1:3; Isa. 48:9; Ps. 103:8). He gave moderate blows of warning and admonishes the guilty to turn before His WRATH turns into FURY. The Biblical prophetic writings all bear witness to this both in WRATH—sayings (see Amos 4:6-11; Isa. 9:11 and Jer. 4:4; Jeremiah 4:4 is particularly revealing: “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem (JerUSAlem): lest my FURY come forth like FIRE, and BURN that none can quench it, because of the EVIL of your doings.”) I fear that the USA will experience this FURY FIRE ! So, in Yahweh’s TURNING to Israel, He either refrains from giving effect to His WRATH (esp. Hosea 11:9 = “I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger…; for I am God, and not man; a Holy One in the midst of thee; I do not come to destroy.”), or exercises clemency towards His people (see Ex. 34:6; Num. 14:18; Nah. 1:3 “and leave not wholly unpunished”). In God’s longsuffering, He gives Israel (Gentiles) space for repentance and conversion. On the other hand He “tears into them” (modern idiom). Jeremiah 3:5 puts forth this question: “Will He reserve His anger for ever? Will He keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil (“ra”) things as thou couldest.” Go back to v. 2 and catch the content of this discussion: “…thou hast POLLUTED the land with thy WHOREDOMS and with thy WICKEDNESS.” Catch v. 3: “Therefore the showers have been withholden (drought), and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a WHORE’S forehead, thou REFUSEDST to be ASHAMED.” Hello America, Americans, “Christians”!!! Going on, Jeremiah 3:12: “…RETURN, thou BACKSLIDING Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will NOT KEEP ANGER for ever.” But you see, that statement was (is) conditional: “only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God…” (v. 13). Okay America, will you acknowledge thine iniquities? If not, DESTRUCTION without mercy!! Exile’s End AFTER ISRAEL WAS SENT to Babylon for imprisonment (because of their Pride/Rebellion etc.), in the exile there awakens the hope that the LORD’S ANGER is at an end (Isa. 40:2; Ps. 103:9). Now let’s hear what Isa. 54:8-10 has to say: “In a little WRATH I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” Cyrus set the exiles free—as we’ve already seen. And yet, as Ps. 79:5; 85:5; 89:46 reads, even after the exile, the question of the duration of WRATH recurs. Also, we find Hag. 1:5-11 and Zech. 1:3, 12 (prophetic sayings) questioning this. Hide Thyself! “COME MY PEOPLE, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast” (Isa. 26:20). Some believe this to be during the Great Tribulation, but whatever is meant, it is an apocalyptic saying, an insight, that there is a time of WRATH which MUST RUN its course before peace can come down. Prophet Daniel echoes this: “And he (Gabriel) said, ‘Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the LAST END of the indignation: for at the time appointed the END shall be” (Dan. 8:19, see also 11:36). I think we’re yet to see AND feel God’s Holy ANGER/WRATH/FURY — especially here in America. He is telling us that He HAS DECLARED WAR on America. He has tolerated untold sins from the peoples who occupy this land—“Christians” also! He only takes so much, then He punishes. America has lived under the blessings of God so long that SHOCK WAVES of His Anger will literally SHOCK some back into reality; others will die in their rebellion and pride. Please read Nahum 1:2-7: terror for the ungodly (vv. 2-6), stability for the righteous (v. 7). God has two sides to Him: LOVE, and HATRED. There is NO WAY we can get around this FACT. Ineluctable WRATH “INELUCTABLE” SIMPLY MEANS “not to be avoided or overcome; inevitable.” So, even the proclamation of ineluctable WRATH always includes an appeal for repentance and conversion, in which alone there is HOPE of being preserved in the day of judgment. God’s mercy has lifted from America, His WRATH is inevitable, but for those who will repent during this WRATHFUL storm, God will save. Deut. 6:14 tells Israel (and ALL): “Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.” This is EXACTLY what ancient Israel did! This is EXACTLY what “Christian” America has done and IS DOING—with GUSTO ! Well, GET READY FOR HELL ON EARTH—it will come !! Verse 15 goes on to say, “…lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and DESTROY thee from off the face of the earth.” Recall Israel’s history—millions and millions destroyed! Even today, those calling themselves “Jews” are in constant danger of sudden death at the hands of Muslims. Where is their peace?, their safety? No Placating ONE PROFESSOR wrote: “When the WRATH of Yahweh strikes, the people have no such means to placate it as are known and used in the world around. There are no magical practices wherewith to conjure the deity” [M. Fastrow, Die Religion Babylonians...I (1905), c. 16]. I would like to point out for my readers that THERE WAS a way to stay God’s WRATH (at times). Numbers 16:45-50 is a good example: “Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is WRATH gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.” Verse 16 speaks of “an atonement.” So, these verses contain a rite of atonement prescribed by Moses. With all this said and done, let’s end part 2. WRATH OF GOD #3 The Wrath (ὀργή) of God ——Part 3—— General James Green Averting / Mitigating WRATH F HEILER’S DAS GEBET (1920, p. 87) speaks of prayer for an averting or mitigation of WRATH is addressed to the mercy of Yahweh. While it is true that prayers can be offered up by others to avert God’s impending WRATH, other times their prayers are in vain. I know the Bible gives examples, “When the children of Israel cried (prayed) unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel,” (Judges 3:9, etc.) The REASON for the CRY was that God turned Israel’s enemies loose against them because of their laxness toward Him. The book of Judges contains both gladness and sadness. Israel’s deliverance did not last long before they fell back into sin. So, history is repeated! Moses Questions God In Exodus 32:11, “Moses besought the LORD… ‘Why doth Thy WRATH wax hot (fire) against thy people, which Thou brought forth out of the land of Egypt?...’” In v. 12 he asks God to “turn from Thy fierce WRATH, and repent of this evil (‘ra’) against Thy people”; it says in v. 14 that “The LORD repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people.” There are times when men can make intercession on the behalf of sinning peoples and God will hearken; other times He will not! Now, dear ones, take note of what Moses says in v. 31: “And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, ‘Oh, this people (the same people in v. 11) have SINNED a GREAT SIN, and have made them gods of gold.’” Moses again pleaded with God (v. 32) to forgive Israel’s SIN, this time He did not heed Moses’ prayer, but eventually “plagued the people, because they made the (golden) calf…” (v. 35). The story continued with SINNING, rebellious Israel (see Num. 11:1 where “the LORD’S anger was kindled and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them…”). Check out Num. 14:11-13 where God speaks to Moses about His sinning people. In v. 12 God was so MAD that He said, “I will smite them with the pestilence, and DISINHERIT them…” Hearing this, Moses pled with God (vv. 13-19), God once again hearkened to Moses and pardoned them (v. 20). Moses, in Deut. 9, is recalling what he and God had said and done in years past. He recalls their sinfulness and his fear of God’s anger to destroy the people (v. 19). He recalls to this sinful people in v. 26 that he prayed for them and God turned aside (but not all the way, for many died at the hand of the LORD in the wilderness). Psalms 106 recalls all these events, verse 40 states, “…the WRATH of the LORD kindled against His people, insomuch that He ABHORRED His own inheritance” (see how Amos prays for backsliding Israel, 7:2, 5 and in v. 6 the LORD repented; see how Jeremiah prays for Judah in 14:7-9; see how the LORD responds: “…therefore the LORD doth NOT ACCEPT them; He will now remember their iniquities, and visit their sins” (v. 10). Verse 11 goes on to say “Then the LORD said, ‘Pray NOT for this people for their GOOD…I will consume them by the sword…famine… pestilence” (v. 12). Over in cpt. 18 Jeremiah beseeches God, “Give heed to me, O LORD, and harken to the voice of them that contend with me” (v. 19). He goes on to say, “Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away Thy WRATH from them” (v. 20). Verse 21, Jeremiah realizes that backslid Israel isn’t going to change their ways, so he prays a prayer of revenge (v. 21-23). So, here we are ➝ 2012/2013. We have prayed thousands of prayers for this nation (literally!), we have fasted for this nation/individuals, dozens and dozens of times (literally), we have preached, pled, begged for people to return unto the LORD (literally) NOW we pray not for America’s good (only for the small remnant) any more! To Pray or Not to Pray? THERE IS A TIME and season for everything. We’re in a season that God is giving out what men/women have earned. Their sins have stacked up unto Heaven, their sins are many, they will NOW REAP what they have sown. Intercession is needed but even this comes to an end when individuals/nations REFUSE to change. We are in a season when God will not heed to intercession. He will execute His FURY. God told Jeremiah (who was a weeping prophet!) “Therefore PRAY NOT thou for this people (Israel), neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to ME: for I will NOT HEAR THEE” (Jer. 7:16). Read why God was wroth (vv. 17-18 = worship of other gods—hello USA!!). Will Not HEAR! THIS IS WHERE America is NOW! God told Jeremiah that He sent prophets unto His sinning people (7:25), “Yet they HEARKENED NOT unto Me, nor inclined their ear, but HARDENED their neck (or will): they did worse THAN their fathers” (v. 26). God continues, “Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they WILL NOT HARKEN to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they WILL NOT ANSWER thee” (v. 27). Read the rest of this chapter to see what happens. God ACTS! WHEN HE HAS HAD ENOUGH, WATCH OUT ! See what He does to this apostate, rebellious, sin-loving, “pink” perverted, sick nation that loves to LIE and shed blood…all this will (is) come back upon her (USA). When He reaches the FURY stage—and He has!—nothing can avert His WRATH, and it is exercised relentlessly and irresistibly (see Ez. 8:18; 14:14, these texts give us insight to His out-workings). Read Ezek. 9:1-11, which is His out-workings of 8:18. Is this what you want America? Put TO DEATH! IN NUMBERS 25 (vv. 1-5) we find Moses, the prophet of God, slaying those apostate Israelites who, “turned aside” to the worship of Ba’al Pe’or—their heads were to be displayed (v. 4) in the sun, “…that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.” I’ll tell you one thing, if this practice was done today, 90 percent of the Church would be beheaded! And catch this one in 25:6-11, where Phinehas set an example, “and took a javelin in his hand (v. 7); And he went after the man of Israel (v. 6) into the tent, and thrust both of them (the Midianitish woman whom he was having sex with) through…the belly” (v. 8). Verse 9 gives the number at 24,000 who died of plague for committing WHOREDOMS (v. 1). And we can guess how many would die this way in today’s WHORISH Church, can’t we? Where, O, where are the men of God today that will judge the Church?...to point out their SIN? Why, MOST are committing gross Sin themselves. If men would even preach Hell (as of, say, 40 years ago!) and the WRATH of God, perhaps God’s WRATH (now falling) could/would be averted. Many “sinning saints” and “Hell-bound sinners” could/would turn from the Broadway (that leads to destruction), get saved, and get on the straight and narrow (that leads to eternal life), (see Jer. 4:4, 8; 36:7; Dan. 9:16; Matt. 7:13 speaks of the two ways). Reserved WRATH SOME THINK THAT GOD WILL always be tolerant of their sins. We hear it all the time, from, especially, preachers. Well, I got some BAD NEWS for both you and them: “God is jealous (in a righteous sense), and the LORD REVENGETH; the LORD REVENGETH, and is FURIOUS; the LORD will take VENGEANCE on His adversaries, and He RESERVETH WRATH for His enemies” (Nahum 1:2). Note the following verse: “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm…He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, drieth up all the rivers…the mountains quake at Him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at His presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before His indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him” (vv. 2-7). Verse 7 is our “HOPE” verse: “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” Following this “hope” verse, WRATH continues, “But with an overrunning flood He will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue His enemies.” Nahum the prophet spoke against the Gentile city of Nineveh—you see, God is WRATHFUL against those who do not know or serve Him, how much more for those who do know Him, but have turned aside (like America?). “The indissoluble link between the proclamation of God’s WRATH and the whole message of the OT…the WRATH of God is the onslaught of the Holy God asserting and establishing His absolute claim of dominion. If, linguistically, the Holiness of God is comparatively seldom brought into direct combination with His WRATH” (Ps. 78:38-41). (Cr.-kö., 810; holiness stands opposed to WRATH in Hosea 11:9.) Theophany THE REASON the Word of God is constantly presenting in expressions and metaphors which are related to those of theophany (see Ps. 18; Ezek. 19; Isa. 30; Hab. 3 etc.), is for the readers to group the meanings better. His WRATH, fury, indignation are presented (to understand), not as the work of an objective power of fate, but as that of a personal subjective will—“fate” has no part in God’s Will, for when He plans something, He executes it. Listen, God acts/reacts (in time) to our acts/reactions. God can either be our WRATHFUL judge, or our attorney that defends and vindicates us. Men of old, covenant men, were aware of the irrationality, incalculability and subjectivity of the Divine WRATH, in relation to the LORD’S justice. Not so today. We have a “DUMBED-DOWN” Church that is Biblically illiterate, spiritually bankrupt ! Ps. 77:8, 9 asks: “Is His mercy clean gone for ever? doth His promise fail for evermore?” (v. 8). The psalmist was aware of both WRATH and mercy. “Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” (v. 9). Habakkuk 3:2 = “…in WRATH remember mercy.” WRATH is the reverse side of His love, with which it is very closely associated in the concept of His zeal, (see Ps. 69:9 which reads: “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up…” Ps. 119:139; Isa. 9:7; 37:32; Ezek. 5:13; Joshua 2:17 and Ps. 69:9 state the same; see also zealous/zealously). “Zeal” burns like “jealousy.” when the Word speaks of God being jealous over His people, two things can be said: 1—His jealousy burns. This finds expression in WRATH (Deut. 32:20; Ps. 78:58; 79:5), and it CAST OUT Israel, the whorish unfaithful wife (see Ezek. 16:23 for good examples); 2—His jealousy denotes His “zeal” for His people, in which He interposes Himself as a “loving husband” when Israel is threatened by hostile nations (as in Isa. 42; 59; 63), and “zealously” in His “WRATH” destroys nations, but brings salvation to His own people (Zech. 1; 8; Nah. 1). America used to be on God’s “zealous” side, but not any longer. She, like adulterous ancient Israel (and modern Israel!) has provoked God to be zealous to CAST her OUT!! God’s mercy (for the bigger part) has been lifted from America—mark how fast this nation is going down, down, down, down. LXX Greek WE’VE BEEN LOOKING at the many Hebrew words for WRATH, anger, fury, indignation etc. Now, I want to look at how the OT Greek uses certain words, especially ὀργή and θυμός. The first is mentioned over 200 times (WRATH), the second also is mentioned 200 times. The LXX θυμός is used so often for God’s WRATH, and is synonymous with ὀργή; in profane Gk., the word does not denote God’s WRATH. θυμός denotes the “emotion,” ὀργή its manifestation and expression, θυμός the WRATH which “boils up,” ὀργή the WRATH which “breaks forth.” The same two words are used for the WRATH of man. In Deut. 9:19 we find both of these Gk. words together: “For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you…” (ὀργήν / θυμόν) in Hebrew we find their counterparts. In parallelism the two terms are used interchangeably in half-verses according to the laws of Hebrew poetry: “I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in My WRATH” (Hosea 13:11, see also 34:2; Ezek. 7:5; 22:31; Prov. 15:1 = “A soft answer turneth away WRATH: but grievous words stir up anger.”) There are dozens of verses I could quote, look them up for yourselves. Quite astonishing is, in accordance with the Hebrew original, the number of expressions with ὀργή or θυμός—they are almost complete equivalents. The Scriptural constructions with Gk./Heb. terms is considerable; some occur only once though. But, one has to beware, there is a surprising alteration between the words in the LXX MSS than in the Heb. MSS; scholars don’t know why (see Isa. 10:4; Jer. 10:25; Lam. 4:11; 2 Chron. 29:8 etc.). Actually, the LXX reads a bit longer as a whole. Apocrypha / Pseudepigrapha IN LATER JUDAISM, post-canonical Jewish literature continues with this idea of the WRATH of God as found in the OT era. According to Professor Erik Sjöberg (Sweden) and Professor Gustov Stählin (Mainz), in the Heb. originals [Jesus Sirach and The Damascus Document, a Hebrew work discovered in 1910 (partly admonitory and partly legal— Halacha—in content)] the words for “WRATH” (of God) are wrath--hebrew--text--1.gif — Sir. 5:6; Damasc. 1:21 (1:17) etc.; wrath--hebrew--text--16.gif — Sir. 16:6, 11; 36:6; Dam. 2:5 [2:4]; wrath--hebrew--text--11.gif — Sir. 5:7; 39:23; and wr9ecc~1.gif — Sir. 5:6. In the Gk. text, the WRATH of God is usually denoted by ὀργή and derivatives (as already stated), such as: ὀργίζομαι (Ps. Sol. 7:5; Gk. En. 18:16; Gr. Bar. 4:8; 9:7; Apc. Mos. 8, 16, 18, 21); ἀποργίζομαι (2 Macc. 5:17); ἐποργίζομαι (2 Macc. 7, 33); παροργίζω (Jdt. 8:14; 11:11; Test. L. 3:10 etc.); παροργισμός (Ps. Sol. 8:9); διοργίζομαι (3 Macc. 3:1; 4:13). Also, there are no essential differences in the meaning between these Greek derivatives and another equivalent for the same Hebrew words—θυμός [see R. Smend, Gr.-syr.-hbr. Index zur Weisheit d. Jesus Sirach (1907), s.v. ὀργή and θυμός ]. As already stated, ὀργή denotes the effects of God’s “anger” in the judgment which smites men, i.e., God’s “WRATHFUL judgment,” e.g., when His “great WRATH” in the apocalypse of Moses 14 is explained to be the DEATH which rules over the whole human race, or when in Vita Adea et Evae, 49 (Latin work from the Jewish-Christian group of writings on Adam, see Schurer, III, 396, ed. W. Meyer, 1878), it refers to the disasters of “fire” and “flood” which come on the posterity of Adam and Eve. Also, as already stated beforehand, God’s WRATH is personified in different ways, “being sent,” “going forth,” “bringing.” In some texts I’ve found out that these personifications serve to detach the “reactions of anger” from God Himself (the Spirit of His anger; the angel of destruction). ὀργή can also be the occasion as well as the effect of WRATH (see Sir. 16:8; 25:22). Theodicy THIS THEODICY concept bothers a lot of people (God’s anger/goodness, bad/good existing together). Again, we find in Sir. 5:6 and 16:11 links “WRATH” and “mercy” as a unity in tension in the nature of God. I personally have no problem with theodicy. Look at it this way, God’s WRATH can be regarded as an outworking of His chiding mercy and love. Most Christians can’t grasp this though. They think that God’s love/mercy is to last forever, even when they commit gross sins (which MOST DO!). This view can be found in 2 Macc. 5:17, 20; 7:33; Wisdom 11:9; 16:5; 18:20-25 (see also Psalms of Solomon (Pharisaic collection of the 1st cent. BC, consisting of 18 songs, ed. O. Gebhardt, 1895). God is balanced: His restraint of “anger” (see Sir. 7:16 where we find μνήσθητι ὅτι ὀργή οὐ χρονε) is also a sign of the LORD’S patience, longsuffering (see S. Bar. 59:6; also Rom. 9:22 = “What if God, willing to shew His WRATH, and to make His power known, endured with much LONGSUFFERING the vessels of WRATH fitted to destruction.” ) What exactly does that mean? For sure v. 22 is obscure; there’s no certainty as to how we might interpret it. Paul, in v. 23, then speaks of “vessels of mercy.” Does Paul mean, “because He desired” or “although He desired”? Many good scholars adopt the second (e.g., Moffatt, Goodspeed, Sanday, Headlam, Krik, and Dodd are the commentators). It’s put this way: “God, although His righteous anger might naturally lead to His making His power known, has, through His kindness (or mercy), delayed and borne with those who had become objects that deserved His WRATH.” (I first heard this text preached in a tiny Kentucky town in 1973.) The motive of God’s delay and patience was in order to make known the riches of His glory for the “vessels of mercy.” (Sounds interesting, but I myself am not too sure what Rom. 9:22-23 meant!) I Do Know This… GOD’S DIVINE WRATH kindled by the SINS of the transgressors can certainly be viewed as in full accord with His righteousness. In fact, sinning necessitates judgment—avoid it and we’ve got what we’ve got today—ONE HELL of a REBELLIOUS, PRIDEFUL, MURDEROUS nation. So, have we really gained anything by allowing sin/sinners to go unjudged?, uncorrected? NO! In 4 Macc. 4:21; 9:32 it (“kindled WRATH”) can be called a function of the “divine Righteousness.” Professor Sjöberg and Stählin both agree that only for apocalyptists does God’s righteousness and mercy exclude the work of His WRATH. They cite 4 Esdras (Jewish apocalypse which originated at the end of the 1st cent. A.D.), whose view of God is that He is controlled by passionate righteousness on the one side and unlimited mercy on the other (8:30); this, along with the ἄγνοια of the masses who are like cattle, and universal sinfulness, seems to make “anger” pointless and unjust (8:34 and 35). A note here: 4 Esr. 4:29 is not relevant on whether one prefers the reading “comminatio” or “indignatio,” because what is meant is the LORD’S working in cosmic catastrophes (there is no suggestion that these are a form of God’s WRATHFUL judgment; but we do know certain Biblical texts make it very plain they are, as already studied). So, the question of the LORD’S righteousness also lies behind the Apocalypse of Abraham: Why is God angry at the evil which He Himself has subordinated to His own counsel? We’ll cover a bit of this when we get into the NT tension between WRATH and righteousness. After studying many views, from many scholars, and from the Bible itself (in prep. for this article (or articles), I’ve come to the realization that I don’t know WHY God does certain things...WHY He allows evil/bad things to happen to good people...and good things to happen to evil/bad people. Historical / Eschatological HIS WRATH BREAKS FORTH in 2 phases as my subtitle states: Historical/Eschatological, (we’re still under Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha in later Judaism). There is so much to dig out, so many books to consult. One thing is sure though, there are written accounts out there. WRATH befalls individuals; the first victim of God’s WRATH (besides the “driving out” of Adam/Eve from the Garden in Gen.) was Cain, the murderer of his brother [Gen. 4; see also Sibyllines (Oracles in 14 books!! collected in the 5th or 6th cent. AD for the propagation of Judaism or Christianity, composed at various periods; ref. = Sib. 3, 309). Apoc. Moses 3 speaks of the Cain/Abel thing and Adam/Eve; Rev. of Moses 8f; Vita Adae et Evae 3, 34—all these speak of individuals under God’s WRATH. Now we proceed to individual groups and nations, which the OT lists many; Wisdom 1:1; Damasc. 1:21; 5:16, 17; 8:13. Israel, of course, is the main object or selected target for God’s WRATH because of her adultery/idolatry/bloodshed etc. (see Apc. Abr. passim; while His WRATH remains on Gentile nations/groups (Wis. 19:1), it is limited to Israel. The reason being is to get backsliding Israel to return to her husband—God—the goal is conversion, which we’ve already seen this in the OT. (see also Gr. En. 5:9; S. Bar. 64:4 and esp. Jub. 15:34), which even speaks of an “eternal WRATH” on Israel. Other Objects… SUCH AS CREATURES, plants/trees, moon, stars, the devil (see Vit. Ad 15; Jub. 3:23; etc.) are objects of God’s WRATH. Even Jesus CURSED the fig tree! All historical WRATH points forward to eschatological; all historical periods of WRATH (Sir. 44:17; Damasc. 1:5) are types of the “day of WRATH” (e.g. Jub. 24:28; 30; 36:10; Sir. 36:8; 39:28 etc.). In Wisdom 5:22 there is here described a remarkable “arming” of the “WRATHFUL God.” Again, in Sir. 48:10 we find ὀργή and θυμός together. What we find in all this is the question of how God’s WRATH can be overcome and averted. We find various suggestions, e.g., “prayer” (Apc. Abr. 20); “worship” (Slov. En. 18:8A; cf. Wis. 18:20), “righteousness” (Sir. 44:7), “substitutionary intercession” of Moses/Elijah (Wis. 18:21; Sir. 48:10), “vicarious suffering” (2 Macc. 7:38). “WRATH of the elements” (Sir. 39:28), “God’s own saving advocacy” (Wis. 16:5; Nu. 21). Well, our NT plainly tells us to REPENT (which means to turn “from” sin and turn “to” God/Jesus…and live righteously!). So far we’ve learned this: if sin is in the world, so, too, is Divine WRATH. Both Philo and Josephus wrote of God’s WRATH and man’s WRATH. Philo sees the outworking of God’s WRATH in earthly events (Vit. Mos., I, 6 = bad harvests in Egypt) and human destiny (Som., II. 179). As distinct from Philo, Josephus is highly influenced by the OT/Rabbinism. B. Brüne’s Flavius Josephus (1913) is a good book to catch his views (pp. 151-153). In Josephus’ Ant., 15, 243; 15, 299 he uses ὀργή for both Divine and human anger/WRATH. He takes the Gk. ὀργή θεο from the OT—where it is connected with transgression and violation of the Law—and uses it in Ant. 11, 141; 11, 127; and 15, 376: according to a popular view, the house of Herod was under the DIVINE WRATH. WRATH OF GOD #4 The WRATH (ὀργή) of God —— Part 4 —— General James Green NT WRATH / Liberation from IT ! MEN HAVE ALWAYS DESIRED to escape God’s WRATH. We know exactly how to do this from the NT’s point of view: repentance, and afterwards, baptism (baptism = proof that you’re part of God’s Ekklesia). John the Baptist and Jesus, Himself, spoke of this. John the Baptist started out preaching: “Repent ye” (Matt. 3:1). In verse 7, John the Baptist chided the Pharisees and Sadducees for coming out to his water baptism: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the WRATH to come?” Before Jesus’ death, repentance/baptism pacified God’s WRATH (see Vit. Ad., 6-11 where legend has Adam/Eve undertake baptism in the Jordan or the Tigris, with this view in mind (not repentance, but water baptism). Also, pacifying of WRATH by baptism or judgment by fire are stated in Sibyllines (Sib.) IV, 165, 169, 173. Here “baptism” in rivers is equated with open prayer for forgiveness (as in 1 Pet. 3:21), whereas Adam and Eve, it says, mutually asked for deliverance (in Vit. Ad.). So far, accordingly, as the Biblical representations are concerned, the Divine anger/WRATH is not to be weakened down, or explained away, as the fashion is among modern liberal theologians and pseudo-preachers like these panty-waisted cowards we have today (if they don’t weaken it, they won’t even talk about it). But this is not new. Origen, Augustine, Turretin, and others thereafter, did this. Many just downplayed the whole thing (were they hiding some secret sins?). God’s WRATH is not a mere anthropomorphism or a general expression for His aversion to sin, rather, it is a very real and awful affection of His Divine nature, fitted to AWAKEN fear in the minds/hearts of men (see Ps. 2:11; Heb. 10:31). When we look to the historical development of this doctrine in Scripture, we find nothing to modify materially the representation given thus far. The OT descriptions of anger, WRATH, fury, indignation are also found in the NT. From sinful man’s expulsion from Eden (Genesis) to man being plagued by God (Rev. 22), we find God’s righteousness versus man’s unrighteousness. There are no instances in Scripture which suggest an angry/WRATHFUL outburst of destructive force (energy) apart from Holy moral considerations; where individuals/groups of peoples/nations are smitten with no justification on God’s part. Finally, when we pass from the OT to the NT, we find that the fact of God’s anger/WRATH is not essentially altered, though the revelation of His love/grace fills more space, putting anger/WRATH comparatively in the background—but they are there! The Marcionite view, which would represent the contrast between the OT God and the NT God, e.g., “a WRATHFUL avenging Deity” opposed to “a loving Father who is almost incapable of anger/WRATH.” As I have shown thus far, the “loving,” “pitying,” “fatherly” character of God is not at all absent from the OT (see Ex. 34:6, 7; Ps. 103:13 etc.), but, even there it is rather the primary basis of His self-revelation, to which the manifestation of anger/WRATH/judgment is subordinate. As already shown, He is “slow to anger” (Ps. 103:8 et al.), and “fury” is dealt with in Isa. 27:4. On the other hand, for our “God is only love” folks, the fatherly love of God in the NT DOES NOT EXCLUDE the aspect of Him as “judge” (1 Pet. 1:17), and “a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), whose WRATH is a TERRIBLE (like in TERRORISM) reality, from which Jesus Christ alone can save us (Jn. 3:36; Rom. 1:16-18; 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10 etc.). Back To The Gospels WHEN JOHN THE BAPTIST called Israel’s religious leaders a “brood of the serpent” (as one trans. has it) and “children of the devil” (Jn. 8:44), they ARE, let me repeat, THEY ARE destined for eternal fire (see also Mt. 25:41), unless they repent and change their conduct ! This goes for ALL today. The mere opus operatum of baptism does not save. Everything depends on the genuine (person)— μετάνοια—who accepts the verdict of God and whose genuineness is demonstrated in the καρπόϛ (Matt. 25:8-12). Jesus HE CAME to dwell among the earth’s people, (Matt. 2:23 = “God with us”) so as to “save His people from their sins” (Mt. 2:21), and by believing in Him (Jn. 3:16), repenting of our sins (Acts 3:19 = “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…”); this, my friends, is the ONLY LEGITIMATE and HOPEFUL WAY of flight from judgment, no one is debarred from it—it is for the WHOLE FALLEN HUMAN RACE. John’s baptism (like the Jewish Passover), was a genuine pre-Christian sacrament in which the operation is related to God’s command and the external fulfillment to the assent of the recipient. But preceding John’s call for water baptism, was the call “REPENT YE” (3:2). The apostolic “kerygma” relates deliverance from God’s WRATH inseparably to Jesus. Jesus is the Holy One who already saves (1 Thess. 1:10). It is He who will then deliver us from the WRATH to come (Rom. 5:9). ONLY through Him can we have assurance that we are not destined for WRATH/Hell (1 Thess. 5:9)…that is, IF we faithfully REMAIN IN Him. The Bible never teaches, “once saved, always saved;” which is SO POPULAR today (write for our trilogy on this subject). When justified by Jesus’ blood, reconciled by His death (Rom. 5:9), we are no longer under condemnation (Rom. 8:1), no longer his enemy (Rom. 5:10). Of course all the above is CONDITIONAL—we must endure to the end ! If there is deliverance (e.g., salvation) from eternal WRATH (e.g., eternal damnation) in Christ alone, then everything depends on whether a man REJECTS or APPROPRIATES Him, or more correctly, lets himself/herself be appropriated to what Christ Jesus is and brings. TO reject Him is to choose eternal damnation; to accept Him is to choose eternal salvation (e.g., life). So, liberation/salvation from God’s WRATH is bound up with one’s faith and fruitfulness in Christ (fruit first, fruit bearing follows—Jesus cursed the fig tree because it bore no fruit!). Eschatological? MANY BIBLE SCHOLARS labor hard to prove that the NT “WRATH” is eschatological only, and does not apply to the present NT grace period, HA! Wishful thinking! Look around NOW—WRATH, fury, indignation everywhere…brought on by God!! One professor stated: “The notion of the affection of WRATH in God has no religious worth for Christians, but is an unfixed and formless theologoumenon.” I’ve got news for this liberal professor, God’s WRATH SMOTE (killed !) two early Ekklesia disciples in the book of Acts, chapter 5. This stance of thinking that God has no WRATH, is what has brought upon the world God’s WRATH (at least a part). Liberals have covered any and all in their sickly, unBiblical teachings. Ritschl was way before the likes of cute-boy-wonder Joel Osteen came aboard. That above quote can be found in his (Recht. und ver. ii, p. 154). While it is true that the eschatological aspect of WRATH is prominent in the NT, and His WRATH is in the background, and His grace/mercy is in the forefront of the Ekklesia’s movement, His WRATH is still there. How many MILLIONS/BILLIONS have died under His “WRATH” since the founding of the NT Ekklesia? How many will be destroyed in this present generation? Reserve THEREFORE, many verses in our NT put forth WARNINGS (as did the OT that His W/F/I is only in reserve, and that is still there in their UNCHANGED character, and, when needed, will be called forth upon the disobedient (Jn. 3:36; Eph. 2:2, 3.) Ephesians 2:3 uses the words “children of WRATH.” Then verse 4 tells us that God is “rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us.” This, in no wise, abrogates His ANGER— WRATH—FURY—INDIGNATION. Paul warns us in Rom. 1:21-32 of God’s WRATH (that disliked discourse against gay men/lesbians, perverts et al). Acts 5:1-11, already mentioned, is a warning not to sin against the Holy Ghost (Spirit). And let us not forget Matt. 23:35-38. In here, Jesus foretells the DESTRUCTION of Israel’s temple/people—which was executed in NT days (66 A.D.-72 A.D.). And the rebellious Jews, to this very day, won’t let the world forget about Hitler’s campaign against them—all in the NT times. The Rev. James Orr, M.A., D.D. (Prof. of Church History at the United Presb. Hall, Edinburgh) critiques those liberals of his day (1880-1911) with: “…that in a most real sense its (WRATH’S) effects are manifest in the terrible retribution for sin exacted from men even here (Matt. 23:35, 36; Rom. 1:21-32; Acts 5:1-11; etc.). And if the objection of wrath or anger to God is an unworthy mode of conception, and derogates from the divine perfection, it may at least with equal justice be replied that a Ruler of the universe who was incapable of being moved with an intense moral indignation at sin, and of putting forth, when occasion required, a destroying energy against it, would be lacking in an essential element of moral perfection” (J. Orr, Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, 1911, pp. 98, 99). Differentiation PROFESSOR STÄHLIN writes: “In distinction from Josephus, though in the train of the LXX, the NT never uses the terms of Gk. poetry for the implacable wrath of the gods, μνις (the LXX also uses the verb μηνίζω (μηνίω) for God) and χόλος (notably in Sib., VIII, 93 = pitiless), but employs for God’s WRATH only ὀργή and θυμός, and the latter only in Rom. 2:8 and Rev. 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19; 19:15 (there are derivatives as I’ve already shown). He continues: “Whether in choice of the word by the apostle Paul or John the Divine there is some sense of a qualitative distinction between θυμός and ὀργή it is hard to decide…one might very well say that θυμός, to which there clings the concept of ‘passionate outburst,’ was well adapted for describing the visions of the seer, but not for delineating Paul’s concept of the WRATH of God.” This may all be Greek to most out there, but Gk. scholars know what Stählin is trying to convey. The same can be said of material differentiation. Both John the Beloved and Jesus the Christ bring a Gospel which includes the preaching of ὀργἡ θεο (Matt. 3:7 and Lk. 21:23). Similarly Paul and John’s Revelation declare a message which proclaims both “grace” and “WRATH” (Rom. 1:18; Jn. 3:36; Rev. 14:10 etc.). GET A LIFE! you “non- judgmental” “Christians” ! The NT in no sense regards the “WRATH of God” as inconsistent with the OT; OT = “WRATH” / NT = “love.” This is what you people are wrong on. Both OT/NT hold the very same view. Profound Reason PRIDE, dear ones, PRIDE was, and is, a profound reason for the WRATH OF GOD—human hubris, which basically despises God and seeks to live without Him (see Rom. 2:4 and 5—read these two texts please!). If that isn’t proof enough, try Rom. 1:18, 21, 28 etc.; READ THESE TEXTS! In the pagan world there is HOSTILITY between gods and men, in the NT there stands alongside and above God’s WRATH, His love, whose violation is an ever new occasion of His WRATH. Yet, we never find God’s WRATH portrayed as physical or natural passion, without a cause. We never find in either OT/NT enigmatic and irrational outbursts of anger without a cause. But, since “pride” is an ugly human trait, He does deal with ALL humans. Check out your Heb./Gk. concordance for all the places, “pride” can be found. Since… SINCE “PRIDE” IS an undeniable and humanistic fact, “WRATH” is an essential and inalienable trait in the Biblical OT/NT view of God. Hebrews 10:31 reads: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.” This is NT folks. Backing up to v. 30: “For we know Him that hath said, ‘vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense’ saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge His people.” Now, “God don’t judge” promoters, let us look into these two verses a bit. Background THE BACKGROUND of these two verses is found in vv. 26-29, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Verse 26 trashes your “once saved, always saved” LIE!!! The RSV uses “if we sin DELIBERATELY (KJV = “willfully”). Going back even further, v. 25 = “…as ye see the day approaching.” What day? The “day” means a fearful prospect of judgment for deliberate sinners, “saved” or “unsaved”—His WRATH will fall upon either one/both. Although the writer of Hebrews had prepared his readers for this aspect of thought (2:2-3; 6:4-8), and he will emphasize it again in 12:25-29, the note of PUNISHMENT is sharper here (chap. 10) than elsewhere. Some dumb-dumbs use our above texts as referring to the non-saved, but throw that out, these texts were written as a warning to the believers who sin deliberately after salvation. The SIN Hebrews addresses is apostasy (ref. to Deut. 17:2-7) = turning away from the worship/service of the LORD to the worship/service of other gods. Note: the tense of the word “sin” means “if we keep sinning,” “willfully”/”deliberately.” The “knowledge” (v. 26) is complete knowledge. The meaning of this SIN is traced out in v. 29. There is, dear ones, a STERN and INEVITABLE LOGIC IN THIS PASSAGE. If we despise Christ’s sacrifices (as many today do!) “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (v. 26). Jesus was, and is, the FINAL sacrifice; THERE IS NO OTHER WAY (or name to call upon; see Acts 2:38; 4:12; Rom. 10:13). The “WRATH” and “FIERY INDIGNATION” may come in one’s lifetime. So, verse 31 is the conclusion of vv. 25-30. Beyond God/Jesus there is NO APPEAL! And, I might add here, from Him there is NO ESCAPE! We cannot minimize this; we dare not neglect it. The WARNING is in your NT, folks. If, and since, men/women were punished/killed for deliberate offenses in the OT (Dt. 17:2-6), how much worse the penalty for deliberate rejection of the new order, grace? Sinners who deliberately reject salvation, and “Christian” believers who reject His law/standards/ethics etc. in the NT, will be punished as well. If a Christian rejects the Lord (as did Peter in his great test of faith), repentance can bring one back unto God’s grace. But, apostasy is never returning. So Far— WE’VE LEARNED that God/Jesus has power to save and to destroy (James 4:12). He has power to destroy both body and soul in Hell (Lk. 12:5; Mt. 10:28; JESUS SAID THIS!). Again, Divine WRATH as an irrational “mysterium tremendum” finds no place in the OT/NT. Both the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit display HOLY WRATH when provoked long enough. First Thessalonians 2:16 proves this: “…to fill up their (Gentiles) sins always: for the WRATH is come upon them to the uttermost.” “Fill up their sins?” God waits till committed sins mount up till He punishes—they may be few or many. Devil!/Demons! THIS IS WHAT I’M HEARING today concerning all these disasters. NO ! They are sent by God ! One Bible teacher put it this way: “…to be sure, the WRATH of God, even in the NT seems, as it were, to be detached from God as an independently operating force, personified, almost, as a terrible demon.” Well, it is worth noting that in 15 out of 18 verses Paul has ὀργή without the qualifying (το) θεο. In Greek language, on the basis of this and other observations, the thesis have been advanced that in Paul, as in Judaism, ὀργή is an autonomous entity alongside God. As already noted in this article, ὀργή is the personification of the “instruments of WRATH” (Isa. 13:5; Jer. 50:25 speaks of “the weapons of His indignation”). (See also Jer. 27:25 in the LXX. Jer. 27 ends with v. 22 in the KJV but in the Gk OT it ends with v. 46). Let me quote the LXX Jer. 27:25: “The LORD has opened His treasury, and brought forth the weapons of His anger…” (keep in mind the LXX has many more verses than the Heb.). The Masora (50:25 = σκεύη ὀργς) shows weapons which God takes from His armoury (θησαυρός). In Jer. 13:5 (we’ve seen the Heb.) the Gk uses ὁπλομάχοι which symbolize God’s host at the judgment of the world. As already shown, there are many figurative references to the “sending,” “coming,” or “bringing” and “passing” of WRATH (e.g., Isa. 10:6; 26:20 etc.). Isa. 63:5 reads: “…therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and MY FURY, it upheld Me” (read v. 6 also). Angels WE FIND ANGELIC BEINGS in both OT/NT that are use in warfare/punishment. Scholars will tell us that Rabbinical Judaism believed that WRATH is on the one side of the two basic powers (middoth) in God, while on the other are independent angels of destruction (this is a whole study in itself). Besides Rabbinical Judaism, the Bible speaks of angels used by and on the behalf of God (Jesus also). There is quite a bit along these lines. Some take the “absolute” view that the NT is thought to be, on the one hand, a continuation of Rabbinism, but on the other, a form of the fatalism of antiquity, a counterpart to Greek (Εἱμαρμένη) and Roman fate, though it is allowed that in distinction from the gods of fate NT ὀργή always stands under the LORD and is directed by Him. But over against these prefigurations and counterparts of NT ὀργή, it must be affirmed: (a.) that the idea of transcendent embodiments of WRATH (like the prophetic instruments of WRATH e.g., natural forces, disease/sickness etc./human agents/angelic forces) are less written about, but still there. The book of Rev. has angelic beings seen as messengers and executors of God’s divine Will; (b.) that the NT speaks of the “coming WRATH,” His WRATH or anger is spoken of in warnings and some executions, though not as strong as in the OT; ©.) that the NT does not share the two basic motifs of fatalism and dualism, since it can be shown that NOWHERE in the NT is ὀργή a principle which operates rigidly and independently of God. No. ὀργή is very much connected to God—He uses it or withholds it at will. No NT writer believed that this Gk. word (for anger/WRATH) was an independent hypostasis. It should be noted that ὀργή corresponds fully to the use of χάρις in Paul’s writings (see Rom. 5:20 where we have “grace”/χάρις vs. “sin”). In most NT verses, ὀργή is without a doubt the Divine work of WRATH. “God Is Love” vs. “God Is WRATHFUL” ON PAGE 425 of TDNT, Vol. V., I quote: “objections are continually [note this word used] raised against the thesis that the ὀργή θεο is an integral part of Biblical proclamation. They are chiefly based on belief in God’s love. ‘If God is truly love, He cannot be angry’ (this was the conclusion of, e.g., Marcion in respect of his ‘good God’).” This objection has grown into a major doctrine in these times; but look around and see all the WRATH, FURY, and INDIGNATION of God upon this world!!! What these crybabies fail to realize is that God’s nature/character is both “LOVE” and “WRATH.” WE NEED TO, WE MUST REALIZE THAT WRATH AND LOVE ARE MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE, NOT EXCLUSIVE, IN GOD. It is BEYOND ME how anyone reading either OT or NT CANNOT see this! Not that we are on a witch hunt here, but Scripture bears me out that LOVE and WRATH are part of God’s nature. In the NT (as the OT), in Christ, as in the prophets, as in the apostles, and Rabbis, the preaching of God’s mercy was/is accompanied by the proclamation of His anger/WRATH. It is sheer DENIAL to see otherwise. Both love and mercy run all through the Scriptures; love becomes WRATH as well as WRATH can become love/forgiveness. Two Classes THE BIBLE IS CLEAR on this issue: either we are saved and free from His WRATH (if we live right !) or we’re damned and His WRATH abides on us. What did Simeon, the just and devout man in Jerusalem (Lk. 2:25), have to say when Jesus was brought into the temple as an infant? Verse 34 repeats what he said to Mary, “Behold, this child is set for the FALL and RISING again of many in Israel.” Fall? Rising? And what are we to make of Matt. 3:12?, “Whose fan is in His (Jesus) hand, and He will thoroughly PURGE His floor (Israel), and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will BURN UP the chaff (those who reject Jesus) with unquenchable (eternal) FIRE.” This happened in 70 A.D. He had mercy on those, His disciples/followers, and had WRATH on those who despised Him—this is NT people! Another way of putting it is found in Luke 20:18: “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Verse 19 explains this. Here is another way to view this: “That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them” (Mk. 4:12). This was in reference to the parable of the sower. Overflowing Love IT IS ASKED: “What is the relation of God’s ὀργή to His μάκροθυμία?” How does “WRATH” and “saving grace” work together? I’ve covered this issue a bit, but some find Rom. 9:22 (its exegesis) hard to grasp. Quite literally the Gk. Bible translates the Hebrew into understandable language. The Divine attitude (His dealings with men), have become the content indissolubly linked with μακροθυμία, e.g., “to delay His WRATH, i.e., its outbreak,” “to be longsuffering,” “to draw out at length.” Take Exodus 34:61, “…The LORD GOD, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and Truth.” Look at this text, rich in positive words, uplifting words. μακροθυμία of God is displayed in His saving work for Israel and thus finds soteriological confirmation (see also Wisdom 15:1, 2, esp. 16:1-19:12) Soteriology is the doctrine of salvation thru Jesus Christ. Wisdom 15:1, 2 (apocrypha) reads: “But you, our God, are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy (v. 1). For even if we sin we are yours, knowing your power; but we will not sin, because we know that you acknowledge us as yours” (v. 2). But the Israelites did sin and brought God’s ὀργή upon them. God’s WRATH and His love can both be His servants. Actually His WRATH is an overflowing of love (see 1 Cor. 13:4: “Love suffereth long, and is kind…” ) So, when love suffers long enough, WRATH takes over, it flows from love. Punishment is a form of His love—He wants ALL to be SAVED and judgment/punishment sometimes brings this about when all else fails. God’s Pity TRUE! He does have pity upon men because they ARE men, fallen men. In post-exilic Judaism, the μακροθυμα of God is based more on the general consideration as to the shortness of human life, their weakness because of their fallenness. For this reason,—man’s weaknesses—the mercy of God is affirmed more so (see Sir. 18:8, 11, 13). His longsuffering consists in His forgiveness, for He sees the misery of man’s FINAL END ! On the other hand, God withheld His pity when thoroughly provoked. Look up the word “pity” and see how many times God withheld it and caused Israel’s enemies to have NO PITY when He was punishing His own. Ps. 106 is a great psalm to see all these things under discussion—God’s great salvation for His people, even when they sinned, yet His mercy ran out from time to time insomuch that “the WRATH of the LORD kindled against His people… that He abhorred His own inheritance,” (v. 40). When He gave them over to their enemies, and they were punished, He eventually “regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry” (v. 44). Verse 46 says: “He made them also TO BE PITIED of all those that carried them captives” (v. 46). At other times, “The LORD hath swallowed up all the inhabitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: He hath thrown down in His WRATH…He hath cut off in His fierce anger…He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire…He stood with His right hand as an adversary…He poured out His fury like fire…He hath thrown down, and hath not pitied…The young and the old lie on the ground in the street: virgins and young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied” (Lamentations 2:1-22). I now warn you, America, this is the stage that God is at with you, because of your GREAT SINS!! Your MURDER OF THE UNBORN (approx. 55 MILLION since 1973!), the PROMOTION AND EXHIBITION OF SEXUAL PERVERSIONS, MILITARY MURDERS, and MURDERING OF THOSE WITHIN THIS NATION (911 a prime example of this—this was planned and executed by the Bush admin-istration—those also in secret powers). God is NOT going to overlook ANY of this. And I need to add here, “NATIONALISM” IS ALSO A BIG SIN!, for it is gross idolatry in His sight. Putting country above God. This SIN is extolled far above the TRUE worship and service TO God and FOR God. No Relaxing THERE IS NO RELAXING of the immanent (residing in nature, inherent) tension between WRATH and mercy. Even Ex. 34:6, which I’ve already written on, the declaration of μακρόθυμος does not mean the complete end of WRATH. NO! For v. 7 tells us that, “by no means clear the GUILTY.” There is NO OVERLOOKING this immanent tension. We can’t just pick out our favorite “love,” “forgiveness,” “mercy” texts and avoid the multitude of other texts that show God’s ANGER—WRATH —FURY—INDIGNATION—VEN-GEANCE—ETC. Some love to quote Ex. 34:6 as a proof text for God’s great mercy but fail to quote v. 7. Also, Numbers 14:18 repeats this same principle: “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression.” So far so good, but let us go on quoting the rest of this verse: “…and by no means clearing the GUILTY…” God did, at times, forgive Israel for their sins, even pardoning them at Moses’ request (Num. 14:19, 20). But God’s mercies ran out when men abused His mercies. In this same chap. we find this: “Your carcases shall fall in the wilderness;…your children shall wander in the wilderness 40 years, and bear your (fathers/mothers) whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted…(v. 33).” No matter where we go in Scripture we find this tension. Just where do these “God won’t punish,” “God is only love” folks get this idea? Give me a plain verse where God allows the “guilty” off the hook forever. In Biblical usage, μακροθυμεν does not imply renunciation of the grounds for WRATH. What it does mean, as Gk. scholars know, is that alongside this WRATH, there is a Divine restraint which postpones its operation until something takes place in man (like repentance) which justifies the postponement. The Masora reads: “God is a just judge, and a God who chides every day,” meaning He chides in order to get sinning men to change their course. But if this attitude does not eventuate (to result ultimately), then WRATH is fully justified. This needs to be understood, if not, we’re going to accuse God of being unfair and unjust (Sir. 5:4). Thus there can be no presuming on God’s patience for continuing in sin. Again, I urge you to reread Nahum 1:2. God is μετὰ θυμο (or θυμός) and μακρόθυμος. The deliberate echoing of θυμός (“WRATH”) in μακρόθυμος is to be noted. [You might want to check out Test. D. (= Testament of Dan.) 2:11.] WRATH OF GOD #5 The Wrath (ὀργή) of God Part 5 General James Green Beware! WHEN THE PATIENCE of the LORD is despised, used and abused (as in 1 Pet. 3:20), it serves to sharpen the WRATH of God and to confirm the destruction ordained for the σκεύη ὀργς (see Ignatius Epistula ad Ephesios 11, 1). America, right now, questions all this destruction coming down. This country is split—some think it is just natural disasters caused by cosmic problems; some believe they are the judgments of God; some just don’t know; SOME JUST DON’T CARE. From where we are coming from, we know God is sending all this upon the USA/World as punishment. Even this serves as a “wake up!” call, but as usual, most cannot connect the dots. Insight into the implications of the “causes and effects” of ὀργή forces us (or they should) to broaden the question: “Is God ANGRY with America/the world?;” “Does He have the right to be angry since He is love?;” “Does He have the right to punish men/women who have no understanding of Biblical principles?” Try this: GOD’S WRATH CONTINUALLY CAUSES NEW WRATH! How? Because when people are called into account for their sins, they get mad, hateful, even violent, this, in turn, necessitates His Wrath to deal with that! MAN’S REJECTION OF HIS CORRECTION PROVOKES HIS (GOD’s) WRATH. You see, either, we, as individuals, or as a nation, get it right with Him or His Wrath will continue to be “poured out.” He is not going to cover America’s SINS any longer. Judgment MOST PEOPLE ARE very confused over what “judgment,” “to judge,” actually means. There are, of course, human judgments, and there are righteous godly judgments. John Robbins of the Trinity Review states: “Because we are creatures with the gift of rationality, made in the image of the rational God, the Logos refusing to judge is impossible. All declarative statements—the cat is black, abortion is murder, chocolate is poison—are judgments. All our knowledge consists of such judgments. This is the sense in which Paul uses the term in 1 Corinthians 1:10, where he writes: “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Of course judge/judgment has several meanings. Psalm 119:7, 13 speaks of God’s judgments as being “righteous;” Ps. 19:9 as being “true and righteous;” Romans 11:33 as being “un-searchable.” Judge as a verb: “to distinguish;” the first derivative meaning is: “to evaluate according to a standard;” the second is: “to condemn,” and “to acquit.” Actually, Christianity is a collection of judgments, as Robbins later said, “a system of propositions such as ‘Jesus Christ is both God and man,’” e.g., Christian doctrine/theology. Moral Judgments THIS IS WHAT our study is all about, in one sense. As I’ve been writing, both “Christian” and secular liberals have attempted to separate “moral judgments” from “cognitive judgments;” as if “morality” were not a matter of knowledge, but a matter of FEELINGS, DESIRES, EMOTION etc. When God’s Word says homosexuality is an “ABOMINATION” (Lev. 18:22) and that “whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be CUT OFF from among their people” (v. 29). Those words “cut off” can mean “killed,” or “excommunicated.” But we’re not in the dark as to what the Holiness Code meant, for chap. 20:13 plainly says, “they shall surely be put to death.” And here we have a president of a nation promoting this ABOMINATION in every way possible! So, “moral judgments” are based upon God’s Truths. Judgments are made every day by just about everybody, but FEW THESE DAYS MAKE “MORAL JUDGMENTS” BASED UPON BIBLICAL TRUTH. Even you pathetic liberals who quote “Judge not!” are JUDGING US who make moral judgments!! As already said, quote vv. 2-5, not just v. 1a! Moral Agnosticism? MORAL/AGNOSTICISM, which says we cannot know what is right and wrong, true and false, in matters of ethics and morality, is, as Robbins says, “self-contradictory and antichristian as theological agnosticism.” The Gk. root of “agnostic” is “agnosis”= “without knowledge.” Its Latin equivalent is “ignoramus,” and we’ve got plenty of these in today’s backslid, Hell-bound Church! So, agnosticism is not a position; it is a CONFESSION of IGNORANCE… and what can we learn from ignorant people? HA! They need to be TAUGHT!!! and this is WHY this nation is on the skids, falling apart. Not only are Church/State leaders ignorant of righteous judgments, they are hubristic, devilish. All their chicanery may trick/deceive the masses, but not all of us believe in, or listen to, their political/religious verbiage. These overweening perverts will be JUDGED BY GOD! So, when “moral agnostics” teach that one must NEVER JUDGE others or their actions, they are attacking knowledge of Truth. Jn. 7:24 says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Now, turn to Isa. 11:1-4: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” We’re to judge, not according to the wrong standard, but according to His Standard of godliness. James’ warning against unlawful judging in the fourth chapter of his letter is the same: “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” James has in mind the judge who establishes his own opinion as his standard of judgment. By adopting a standard of judgment other than the Word of God, this sort of person judges the law itself. But James reminds us that there is only one Lawgiver, and no mere man (or group of men) has the competence to establish his own opinions as law. Judging ideas, men, and their actions is an extremely serious matter. Here is Christ’s statement about judging that is so often misquoted by religious moral agnostics: “Judge not, that you be not judged, for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck out of your eye;’ and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will clearly see to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs , nor cast your pearls before swing, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Matt. 7:1-6). Jesus’ Anger / Wrath SOME WOULD HAVE us to believe Jesus never got angry. Well, let’s see if this is true. Turn to Mark 3:1-6, note v. 5: “And when He had looked round about on them (Pharisees present when Jesus healed the man with the withered hand) WITH ANGER, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts…” this ANGER was not mere human anger, but righteous anger. Jesus demonstrated imperious ANGER against Satan in Matt. 4:10; 16:23=He addressed both Peter and Satan. He ANGRILY threatened demons in Mark 1:25; 9:25; Lk. 4:41. Disease ANGERED Him in Mark 1:41. It goes without saying that He was deeply incensed by the demonic nature of men in Jn. 8:44, esp. religious leaders (AMEN!); Matt. 12:34; Matt. 23:1-39; read this whole chapter please. Jesus wasn’t very nice here, no smile, no soft words, only righteous indignations (see Matt. 15:7)! He called His very own disciples “faithless and perverse” in Matt. 17:17. Dig into the Gospels yourself and see if Jesus fits the Mr. Rogers profile. There is a combination of grief and anger in Jos. Ant., 16, 200. How can we miss all this? There is thus mixed with “Holy anger”, “Divine pity.” Pity for all those so far from God, (see Lk. 14 where a great feast was made, many were called thereto, but made excuses why they could not attend. V. 21 says “the master (Jesus intended here) of the house BEING ANGRY.” In v. 24, it says, “That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of My supper.”) SO, JESUS DOES NOT ACCEPT ALL INTO HIS KINGDOM!! Read His parables carefully, see if He is what men profess Him to be…He casts some out into outer darkness, some He orders to be bound and thrown into the fire (Hell fire!). Just where did all this “Jesus is nice!” stuff come from? It never says Jesus was NICE ! He was, and is, love, but love requires Wrath, also. JESUS EVEN DEMONSTRATED ANGER against certain cities which refused the summons to conversion (Matt. 11:20-24). And that cutting remark in Matt. 10:38: “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me is not worthy of Me.” And what about v. 33?, and let me quote v. 34: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, BUT A SWORD.” A sword? That’s not the end of it, “For I am come to set a man at VARIANCE against his father, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (v. 35). He continues, “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (v. 36). Does this fit baby-boy Joel Osteen’s Jesus? And let me drive this a bit further: “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and CAST OUT ALL THEM that sold and bought” (Matt. 21:12). Try this one: “And when He had made a scourge…He DROVE THEM ALL OUT of the temple…and POURED OUT the changer’s money, and OVERTHREW the tables” (John 2:15). Does this sound like the “nice Jesus” today’s Church portrays? NO! The φραγέλλιον, of v. 15, is both the sign, and weapon, of the “Divine WRATH” which already, in the prophets, is directed against every commercialized cultus. YOU CAN NOW SEE WHY GOD’S ANGER IS KINDLED AGAINST ALL THIS BABYLONIAN CHURCHIANITY COMMERCIALIZATION ! Remember the parable of the talents (Lk. 19)? Jesus said, “Bring those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them (Jews), bring hither, and SLAY THEM BEFORE ME!!!” We all know that He was the central figure of that parable. Again, in a parabolic action (Mk. 11:14; Lk. 13:7) Jesus manifests His WRATH against those who withhold from Him the “fruits of repentance.” Do you think today’s churchites, who are mostly FRUITLESS!, will get by? Let’s look at the anger/WRATH of the “eschatological Judge” in Matt. 22:13: “Then said the King (Jesus) to the servants, bind him (the one without a wedding garment) hand and foot, and take him away, and CAST HIM into OUTER DARKNESS; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (see our 6 Hell booklets—free). Now, for you universalists, try this: “For many are called, but Few are chosen” (v. 14). Along these same lines, (in Matt. 25:30) the eschatological Jesus says, “And CAST YE the unprofitable servant INTO OUTER DARKNESS; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (because of eternal never-ending pain!!). Follow Jesus’ train of teaching, read vv. 31-46. He divides the sheep from the goats, the sheep inherit Heaven, the goats EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT (v. 46). So much for “Jesus is love only” stuff! (See Lk. 13:28 also. This chap. deals with the eschatological Jesus who “hath SHUT THE DOOR” of salvation (v. 25), THE ONES LEFT OUT WILL NOT GET IN!!! ). So, Jesus Christ, who is LOVE, also is angry and WRATHFUL; has the power to bring souls/sheep into eternal life, and the power to cast souls/goats into Hades/Hell…where they will forever BE retained. NO WAY OUT ! WRATH = Feature Picture FOR WHAT WE’VE STUDIED up until now, is that God’s WRATH and the Son’s WRATH, has been, and will always be, a feature of their natures. In the BIG picture, eschatologically speaking, WRATH will be the feature picture of the future. Jesus is the “provoked Lord” of the Last Judgment who repudiates all connection with those against whom He is angry (Mt. 7:23; 25:12; Lk. 13:27 etc.). Jesus acts in behalf of His Heavenly Father in all He does. For the historical judgment, as we’ve seen, the roles of “angry/WRATHFUL” Judge and “merciful Advocate” are attached to the Father, and the Son. In these days, in which we live, Jesus exercises His Judgeship, the judgment of the “WRATH of God.” He plays the role of both lamb and lion. Do we really pay any attention to Jesus’ parables? How about Matt. 18:34? “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.” “Delivered to the tormentors?” That’s not very “loving,” Jesus. In another parable (Mt. 22) Jesus said, “But when the king heard (v. 6), he was WROTH: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city” (v. 7). Now, if you’re just too dumb to connect the dots here, God was the “certain king” (v. 2) and Jesus was “his son” (v. 2), the “servants” (v. 3) were His prophets, ministers etc. that the Jews “SLEW” (v. 6). We know the fulfillment of this parable, don’t we? King of kings REVELATION 19:15 PORTRAYS the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who, in blood-drenched garments, and with a sword proceeding from His mouth, TREADS the winepress of the WRATH of ALMIGHTY God! And, in Rev. 6:16 there is this expression ὀργή το ἀρνίου, also 14:10, in speaking of the Lamb. The “WRATH of the Lamb” seems oxymoronic. But not so, for Christ Jesus is both Savior/Lamb and Judge, and that the day of judgment is the day of His (αὐτο) WRATH. Perplexed? Scholars are too! In relation to this “apparently impossible” mixture of images, we must realize that in distinction from the ἀμνός of John 1:29, e.g., “Lamb of God” (“which taketh away the SIN of the world”), the ἀρνίον can also denote the young and strong ram, and secondly, and supremely, that the same Jesus Christ who once as “Lamb” fell defenselessly victim to the judgment of men, will then, as “WRATHFUL Judge,” exercise terrible (terrorize!) judgment on men, as in Rev. 19:11, e.g., “…Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth JUDGE and MAKE WAR.” So, REBELS, GOD HATERS, CHRIST HATERS, your END will not end so nice! So, ὀργή is a concept which can have a distinctly eschatological, as well as a distinctly present, character. But we do have these religious darlings who try to tell us the ὀργή is ONLY for the End Time. They say, THEY SAY! that God’s/Son’s WRATH is not binding on Christian faith. WE’LL SEE, WON’T WE. For the case of ὀργή = Greek, WRATH = English, as of other terms, the present manifestations are provisional as compared with the eschatological. Both forms of manifestation occur in the NT, as we’ve seen. It is sheer DENIAL to believe otherwise. Antonyms / Images HAVING ὀργή AS OUR main Gk. word (we have the Heb. counterpart also). We have shown that there are other accompanying words, antonyms, and images. Also, an eschatological term used with ὀργή, is the verb ἔρχομαι (see 1 Thes. 1:10; Eph. 5:6 and Rev. 11:18). “WRATH” (ὀργή) “to come” (ἔρχομαι). The stem of the word (ἐρχ) stands in “superlative” connection with ἐλθ, ἐλυθ and ἰέναι. In classical Gk. the word (ἔρχομαι) has the senses of “to come” and “to go.” Prof. Johannes Schneider (Berlin) states, “Special relationships or nuances are given by prepositions or the context, e.g., “To come to or towards,” “to go away,” “to return,” “to sail.” This word is used of fateful happenings, or of the rise of states of mind” (TDNT, p. 666). So, when we read, “…Jesus, which delivered us from the WRATH to come” (1 Thess. 1:10), or “…cometh the WRATH of God upon the children of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6), or “And the nations were angry, and thy WRATH is come…” (Rev. 11:18 etc.). This Gk. word is actually the heart of the Christian message for salvation; HE CAME TO SET MEN FREE FROM SIN! Since Christ did “come” to bring salvation, this same Gk. word is used for His “coming to bring WRATH.” For the NT, as elsewhere in Gk. literature, the term has the basic sense of “coming” and “going.” The “coming” often has the sense of “appearing,” of coming forward publicly, of coming on the scene. It is often used of decisive events, of happenings, of natural phenomena, also of conditions etc. We see in Lk. 14:31 this example used in a HOSTILE sense, e.g., to go against someone in battle. Both meanings occur, then, in both a literal, and a figurative, sense. Other antonyms to eschatological ὀργή are ζωὴ αἰώνιος (see Rom. 2:5: “…treasurest up unto thyself WRATH against the day of WRATH…” and περιποίησις σωτηρίας (see 1 Thes. 5:9: “For God hath not appointed us WRATH, but to obtain salvation…” Of NT images for “WRATH of God” is the “fire” (Matt. 3:10-12), the cup (Rev. 14:10) and the winepress (Rev. 19:15). John the Baptist AS ALREADY STATED, John the Baptist sets the tone with his preaching of the “coming WRATH of God” in Matt. 3:7, 10-12. According to the account in the Gospel of John, the last words of the Baptist, as well as the first, speak of God’s WRATH (Jn. 3:36). The noun ὀργή occurs only once in Lucan form (21:23), and the verb ὀργίζομαι only twice (Mt. 22:7; Lk. 14:21). Eschatological judgment WRATH is the bigger part of the NT, but some of what we construe to be eschatological (i.e., end of the world) was fulfilled in the early church days, e.g., the saying of Jesus about the Temple to be destroyed, the slaying of the rejecters of the noble man in Lk. 19 ➝ these happened some years after Jesus’ death. WHEN JESUS SPOKE THESE WORDS THEY WERE ESCHATOLOGICAL IN NATURE, BUT FOR US, THEY ARE PAST EVENTS. Are You So Blind? THE DEBATE ABOUT ALL these disasters of today, in the USA, and the world in general, are not eschatological, but manifestations in the PRESENT “brought” and “sent” by God and the Son. Even though Jesus’ sayings may be eschatological, they can be, and are, WRATHFUL demonstrations in various generations in history. Are we so blind as to Their (God and the Son) WRATH today? Paul, too, in different connections, speaks unequivocally of a historical outworking of “the WRATH of God.” As already pointed out about Romans 1:18: “For the WRATH of God is (present tense) revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” There is NO WAY a sane person can say v. 18 is yet FUTURE. NO WAY! Romans one deals with the issue of unlawful/unnatural sex-sins. Verse 18 deals with ALL peoples, not just the Jews or Christians. By “the WRATH of God” is meant not mere emotions or anger in a human sense, but the inevitable issue of sin, the death which is God’s judgment upon it, and upon those who sin. Attention should be called to the ACTIVE meaning of the term, “revealed.” On page 397 of the Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 9 (1954) under exegesis we read: “We cannot ‘absolve’ God of responsibility for judgment without accepting, in effect, the Marcionite belief in two Gods—one of judgment, and the other of love. Sin, as we have seen, is bondage, but it is also transgression; and the death which follows upon it is not only the result of the bondage; it is also judgment upon the transgression. The WRATH, Paul says, is breaking forth from Heaven.” Note, “IS breaking forth,” PRESENT TENSE, not way-out-yonder-some-day stuff, but NOW, and TOMORROW !! Romans One also deals with idolatry; a gross sin, just as homosexuality and lesbianism are. Actually, “SIN” is not just an “act,” but also a “state.” NOT ONLY DO SEX PERVERTS COMMIT SEXUAL SINS, THEIR STATE OF BEING IS ONE OF WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE/REBELLION. I cover all this in our Gay Way series—free booklets. So, the “WRATH of God” (v. 18) is not just the attitude of God (anger) towards man, but also an inevitable process of “cause and effect” in a moral universe. Judgment Set! GOD HAS SET IN THE UNIVERSE certain Divine laws that are to govern the human race. Judgment against all unrighteousness and ungodliness is a SET law/principle in the earth, and is an inescapable part of the discipline of human life. If we are not at the mercy of chance, cause will inexorably lead to effect, and the turbulence of iniquity, will, in due season, bring its own retribution. Thank God, judgment on evil IS part of HIS moral government of the universe. The Bible, if you dare to study it, repeatedly affirms that history is the scene of God’s operation—He IS the “maker” and “master” of history; He oversees all. The qualities in human life which bring “the WRATH of God” are, I think, of two kinds: 1 — religious sins; for Rom. 1:18 points to “ungodliness;” 2 — moral offenses = unrighteousness. So, my dear “God don’t judge,” “Jesus is love only” folks in la-la land, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT SIN/SINS (SIN=A STATE OF BEING / SINS= COMMITTED TRANSGRESSIONS) WILL BE JUDGED. There can be not the slightest doubt that a PRESENT revelation of God’s WRATH is proclaimed in Romans One for the whole world. Paul was not writing about the end of the world judgment, but the historical judgment. Verse 17 speaks in present tense: “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Paul was writing about his present Christian faith (and the Ekklesia’s), so also v. 18 is in the NOW. Since Christ came into the world there takes place the eschatological judgment of the world, both pardon (justification) and the sentence of WRATH; both justification and WRATH are historical—as well as eschatological. Romans one gives insight to the abysmally deep sinfulness of the world—then and now. What I gather in all this, it depicts: proclamation of the present revelation of WRATH is always accompanied by that of future WRATH. IN REFERENCE TO IDOLATRY/SEX-SINS, GOD WILL, AND DOES, JUDGE, THOSE WICKED WHO DO SUCH THINGS. Romans 2:2 reaffirms Rom. 1:18: “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to TRUTH against them which COMMIT SUCH THINGS” (v. 2). Verse 8, 9 pretty well puts the spike in the guilty’s heart: “But unto them that are contentious, and DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, but obey unrighteousness, INDIGNATION and WRATH, TRIBULATION and ANGUISH, upon every soul of man that DOETH EVIL…” So, God’s WRATH falls upon the evil NOW, as well as in the future=HELL FIRE!! NO ONE ESCAPES!! Let’s do a little investigation here. Verse 8, for example, conveys the same meaning as v. 6 (“Who will render to every man according to his deeds”). “Works” (RSV), “deeds” (KJV). Yes. We can therefore see, as a natural consequence, how inevitable it is that WORKS/DEEDS SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF JUDGMENT. This, my friends, is not an idiosyncrasy of the apostle Paul; it is the consistent witness of God’s Holy Word (see Matt. 16:27; 25:31-46; Rev. 2:23; 20:12; 22:12; as well as II Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7; Eph. 6:8; Col. 3:24 etc.). LISTEN UP! We are not judged by the “opinions” we hold, or by the “form” of words we use. NO! We are judged by what WE DO and by the kind of lives we LIVE (see James 2:14-26). Rewards — Rewards VERSE 7 of Romans 2 tells us that the righteous will be rewarded with HONOR-IMMORTALITY- ETERNAL LIFE: the unrighteous with INDIGNATION-WRATH-TRIBULA-TION- ANGUISH. V. 11 tells us that “there is no respect of person with God.” The judgment which crowns/rewards the consistent pursuit of what pleases God works equally so with those who displease Him. The whole purpose of Romans one and two is to show that RIGHT DOING BRINGS GOOD THINGS; WRONG DOING BRINGS RETRIBUTION. For you out there who think you are getting by on God, HEY ! there is a payday someday! Time Delayed... TRUE, IN THE NT IT APPEARS SO, but not always (see Acts 5 for example). God is slow to anger, but anger does come. The motif of delay is found in many forms, even prior to the NT, among the Greeks (Homer, Solon etc.), in the OT, esp. in the many places as already seen. God even repents of the evil He planned at times. Note Jeremiah’s words: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; the daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor, it is time to thresh her: yet A LITTLE WHILE, and the time of her harvest shall come.” God delayed punishing, but, “her harvest shall come.” The Heb. wording denotes the span of time which God’s WRATH allows itself before “breaking forth” in judgment. Some believe Nahum 1:2 is the same. There is no doubt that there is the two-fold countenance of God, a “friendly” and an “angry”…He is slow in WRATH against the righteous, slow in WRATH against transgressors also. We’ve already seen Romans 9:22, “…endured with much longsuffering.” This delaying of WRATH serves, on the one side, to demonstrate the more forcefully the power of His WRATH on “the vessels of WRATH,” and on the other, to reveal the more gloriously His mercy on “the vessels of mercy” (v. 23). In Romans 12:19, man is warned not to anticipate the delayed WRATH of the LORD by taking the law into his/her own hands, “vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” The Bible Tells Me So GOD’S WORD SHOWS US that the history of mankind stands under ὀργή (WRATH) from the fall onwards. On the other hand, it shows herein, that world HISTORY IS AN ANTICIPATION OF WORLD JUDGMENT, and the coals/fuse which kindles ὀργή in the aeon of WRATH is the Law: “Because the Law worketh WRATH: for where no Law is, there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15). God’s WRATH is kindled by the transgression of His Law/laws. Hell or No Hell? THIS “HOTLY” DEBATED TOPIC is in full swing as I write. For your information, here is what we currently have in church: 1—life after death is unlikely=total denial; 2—everyone goes to Heaven = universalism; 3—unbelievers get another chance after death = postmortem evangelism; 4—unbelievers are ultimately destroyed = annihilationism; a very popular LIE!; 5—unbelievers go to Hell eternally=traditional orthodoxy, and I hold to this. This debate boils down to this: “Does WRATH remain to the end (eschatological) OR forever (eternally)?” I say both. WRATH has been, is, and shall be, a historical thing, and eventually—when all is said and done—historical WRATH will be swallowed up by μέλλουσα ὀργή. The SAME Greek Word used for “eternal”/”everlasting” life is the same Gk. word used for eternal/everlasting torment/Hell/Lake of Fire etc. (write for our 6 Hell booklets). There IS AN ETERNAL ὀργή! Some use Jeremiah 8:12 as their proof text against an eternal ὀργή: “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, thou backsliding Israel,’ saith the LORD: ‘and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful’, saith the LORD, ‘and I will not keep anger forever.’” But our opponents fail to read v. 13: “ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE THINE INIQUITY, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God…and ye have not obeyed My voice…” And to enforce v. 13 we go to v. 14: “TURN, O BACKSLIDING CHILDREN…” The “TURNING AWAY” of God’s WRATH was CONDITIONAL upon Israel “turning from sin” and “turning unto the LORD.” Psalms 103:9 is another “proof text” used to dismiss eternal anger/WRATH: “He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever.” Verse 8: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” What the psalmist is saying, is that the children of Israel had SINNED and SUFFERED, but the LORD had shown Himself merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Judaism sometimes speaks of eternal WRATH (see Sibyllines III, 309; Jochanan b. Zakkai (Ber., 28b): “The King of kings whose anger, when it flames forth, is an eternal anger.” According to Sanhedrin, 10, 6d the fire of WRATH will remain only so long on the world as there are transgressors in it. Stahlin remarks: “Sometimes in a way which is not tenable theologically, the Rabb. count on an abatement of WRATH, cf. the various sophisms on Ps. 95:11 whereby they apparently seek to evade the conclusions of Hb. 4:3ff.: Nu, r., 14 (177c) in Str.-B., III; 685; T. Sanh., 13, 10 f.; Midr. Qoh., 10, 20 (49b).” All this is, of course, theological talk, who wrote what, where to find it, when, etc. Other Jewish writers developed the view that though God is angry every day, His WRATH is only for a fleeting moment. Woe Unto Them! I HAD MENTIONED Jesus’ Words about the temple was to be destroyed (Matt. 24:1, 2), about the rebellious Jews that were to be slaughtered (Lk. 19:27), so, we do find in the NT certain passages which clearly LIMIT the duration of WRATH. (Lk. 21:23 strictly deals with fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction of the Temple/Jews under WRATH in 70 AD. V. 24 confirms this.) But this is NOT as those who preach the pre-trib. rapture, the appearing of Anti-Christ in Jerusalem blah, blah, blah, as the stupid “Left Behind” books/movies portray. Write for our anti-rapture teachings and see if their TAKEN/LEFT BEHIND spin is “Biblically Correct” (HA!). That even was fulfilled as Jesus predicted, it will not, NOT be repeated. Other passages seem to be envisage on “eternal burning of anger,” (Matt. 3:12 which speaks of “unquenchable fire,” which is the “Lake of Fire.” This fire WILL NOT be extinguished !!! ) These passages do not contradict each other, some are historical, some eschatological. Let me clarify that “WRATH” and “punishment” can mean the same, but also, at times, be distinguished. Some Scriptural references refer not to WRATH itself, but, to the punishment, which according to the main tenor of the NT is certainly of ETERNAL DURATION. Eternal WRATH, e.g., “Lake of Fire” is both “WRATH” and “punishment.” God can be “WRATHFUL” but not always punish, as already seen beforehand. NEVERTHELESS, HIS WRATH HAS SOMETHING OF A LASTING CHARACTER, SINCE IT IS NOT JUST A SWIFT PASSING EMOTION, BUT HIS HOLY RESISTANCE TO EVERYTHING UNHOLY. So, even when His anger/WRATH is not kindled, His intrinsic nature retains anger/WRATH. And, as long as unholy things oppose God, His anger/WRATH will always be. Both His “love” and “WRATH” (unified) will be exercised UNTIL every evil will opposed to Him, and His Kingdom, is overcome/overthrown. Go to the very end of the Bible, Rev. 20:10, 14. Here we find the devil being “cast into the lake of fire…where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented (not annihilated!) day and night, for ever and ever (or eternally, without END!).” Verse 12, 13 states that the lost sinners were rounded up for final judgment, v. 14 says death/Hell were cast into that burning lake, v. 15 says that those whose names were not found written in the Book of Life WERE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE !!! . . . without ESCAPE . . . TORMENTED ETERNALLY !!! Going on to chap. 21, v. 8 we find somewhat of a list of those who will BURN in that LAKE. Chapter 22, verse 15 also gives a short list of those that will be “left out” of the Kingdom of God → then begins the ENDLESS DURATION for the redeemed and damned. There are those who do not believe in eternal damnation. I do! I wish it wasn’t so, but SCRIPTURE IS PLAIN ON THIS SUBJECT, and to dismiss it is both foolish, and damning. The question of the eternity of the ὀργή θεο is posed directly in first Thessalonians 2:16: “…to fill up their sins always: for the WRATH is come upon them to the uttermost,” speaking about the rebellious Jews (“ὀργή εἰς τέλος”). What does “εἰς τέλος” mean? “To the end” (and then no longer) or “for ever?” (This is covered, at great length, in our Hell series—6 booklets.) The KJV has, “WRATH is come upon them to the uttermost,” whereas the RSV has, “WRATH has come upon them at last,” and in a foot note they have “completely, or forever.” There is, of course!, a debate about this last part of v. 16. And, here I am right in the middle of it. For me the text is clear; the hateful Jews (v. 14), who killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets (v. 15), without repentance, will be DAMNED ETERNALLY—this is Bible! No matter who commits murder, murderers will be left out of Heaven. 1 Cor. 6:9, 10 gives a short list also of those who will be denied Heaven. Although “murderers” is not explicitly listed, it is implicitly in the word “unrighteous” (v. 9). But in Jesus’ vice list (Mark 7:21) we do find the word “murders”). Also, Ex. 20:13 is in the 10 commandments: “Thou shalt not kill” (better and more accurate translation is “murder”). So, the fact was, and is, this: the Jews, in Jesus’ day/apostles’ day/Paul’s day, had repudiated the Gospel of God in Jesus. Jesus’ rebuke of the Jews in Matt. 23 is not very “nice.” These Jews were the worst kind of HYPOCRITES. They were CONTRARY to all men, they HATED all the other races, they FORBADE THE APOSTLES TO PREACH to the Gentiles, lest they should be saved from DAMNATION/Hell FIRE…the very same place they were going. So, is it any wonder that WRATH should come upon them?...to the uttermost? Now, look at the other side of this: because the apostles did continue to preach, many damned Jews/Gentiles did find salvation. God’s mercy and His WRATH worked together here. We don’t find God’s WRATH upon the whole Jewish race, only on those who rejected His love/mercy. He could have brought an utter end and final judgment upon that race…but His mercy did not allow that. STILL, HIS WRATH IS UPON THE JEWS/GENTILES, NOW, AND WILL BE FOREVER, IF REPENTANCE IS NOT FORTHCOMING. This is WHY we preach! WRATH will last forever, historically and eschatologically; eternally. Unless one is to close his/her eyes to honest Biblical exegesis, WRATH/Hell is eternal, no end! Children / children WE FIND IN SCRIPTURE, “children of God” and “children of the devil,” “children of WRATH,” “vessels of WRATH,” “vessels of honor.” God uses “vessels of dishonor” to pour out His WRATH/fury/indignation on others (like Pharaoh, king of Assyria/Babylon etc.). We find in Eph. 2:2 “children of disobedience,” converted to be “raised up…made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (v. 6). Romans 9:22 (as already viewed), no doubt, speaks of those who will not repent, who therefore are “vessels of WRATH fitted for destruction.” This phrase means the vessels on which He executes His WRATH. God uses “weapons” in His arsenal—the soldiers in His army at the judgment of the world (see Isa. 13:5). The vessel into which His anger is poured shall be wholly filled with WRATH and bound to fall victim to destruction. The opposites are vessels which are filled with mercy. ALTHOUGH, A CHANGE OF CONTENT IS POSSIBLE before the final execution of ὀργή, since Christians know that they themselves were once “vessels of WRATH” and now are “vessels of honor.” The change came about by, and through, repentance. Paul, in Eph. 2:5, says, “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made “alive”) together with Christ…” He tells us that “…ye (us!) were without Christ, being aliens…strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now, (after repenting of our sins) in Christ Jesus ye (we!) who sometimes were far off are made nigh (near) by the blood of Christ” (vv. 12, 13). Paul, in 1 Cor. 6:11 says: “And such were some of you: but ye are washed… sanctified… justified…” Of course he, too, was one of those mentioned in vv. 9, 10, only a “religious” one. SO, WE CAN BECOME “CHILDREN OF GOD,” “VESSELS OF HONOR” BY REPENTANCE. The Jews who were, at one time, “Children of God,” became “children of disobedience, the devil, WRATH”—by failing to repent! John 1:12 says, “But as many as receive (accept) Him (Christ Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” From being a son of the devil to becoming a son of God! ALSO, WHEN A MAN HAS A SHARE IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST, HE WILL ALSO SHARE IN HIS RESURRECTION (UNTO ETERNAL LIFE). Daniel 12:2 plainly tells us that “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth (being physically dead, yet their souls alive!) shall awake (physical body will be resurrected), some to everlasting (eternal) life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt;” that is, “eternally damned.” (See 1 Cor. chap. 15 for resurrection.) Punishes Sin with Sin! THE PRINCIPLE THAT GOD’S WRATH PUNISHES SIN WITH SIN IS EVIDENT AT THIS TIME. Even back in the 1990's, the Spirit told us that since America wants sin, He was going to punish her with sin. Since America lusts for violence and sex, lusts for $$ and entertainment etc., GOD is CRAMMING ALL THESE THINGS DOWN HER THROAT . . . till she vomits! America wanted sex, now He has released the homosexual agenda upon this nation—see what these SINFUL, PERVERTED DOGS (Rev. 22:15) have accomplished. They have INFECTED every aspect of this lustful, sex-obsessed nation, even changing marriage from “one man and one woman” to “same-sex” marriage . . . changing gender roles, names, design, etc. Since men will kill and die for $$, God has allowed this country to become (literally!) bankrupt, owing TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS with no end in sight by your current homo/abortion/spendthrift prez ! So, God is using SIN to punish SIN, He is making this apostate nation drink of the wine cup of His indignation, as we find in Rev. 14, 16, 19. America, along with other sinful nations, will NOW be MADE TO DRINK of the wine of WRATH, e.g., “the wine of their passionate ungodliness.” Americans wanted bloodshed (“let’s go to war!!), now, BLOOD WILL RUN IN THE STREETS OF AMERICA ! Americans wanted sex, sex, sex, now, HE WILL PLAGUE THIS NATION WITH SEX-DISEASES/SICKNESSES. Americans did not want God’s laws to rule over them, HE WILL RAISE UP EVIL MEN TO RULE—watch the next 4 years how the Government becomes more and more hateful; freedoms we’ve all enjoyed, being taken from us. And all you churchites who wanted to be like the world, YOU WILL BECOME A SLAVE TO THE WORLD, NO HELP FROM GOD IN THE DAY OF YOUR TROUBLE. NONE ! Store Up Treasure HERE IS HOW it all works: “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart (e.g., no repentance) treasurest up unto thyself WRATH against the day of WRATH and revelation of the righteousness judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds (or works)” (Rom. 2:5,6). “θησαυρίζειν ὀργην,” this paradoxical suggestion of the capital of WRATH heaped up in Heaven! The Rabbinic (e.g., j Pea, 1, 15d, b4)= “…four things for which a man is punished in this world, and the capital remains in the world: idolatry, adultery, incest, and calumny” (see also T. Pea 1, 2—W. Bauer on Pea 1, 1b; also G. Schlichting, Der Toseftatraktat Pea, Diss. Tubingen (1936), and loc). Now, take a look at the opposite of the above: “Jesus said unto him (rich young ruler), ‘If thou wilt be perfect (mature in Christ), go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow Me” (Matt. 19:21, see also 6:20; Lk. 12:33). While the INTEREST on this capital (wealth etc.), according to the Jewish view, is already enjoyed on earth in the form of merit and reward, and only the capital will be paid back at the end. The CAPITAL of WRATH…which grows until the Last Judgment, will then be PAID with COMPOUND INTEREST; hence this, “PAY DAY” is the ἡμέρα ὀργς, e.g., Rom. 2:5. One scholar put it thus: “There is a terrible irony in many of the metaphors. Treasure is really an object of joy (Matt. 6:21 and par.; 13:44); harvest (Matt. 3:12), esp. the vintage (Rev. 14:18), is a time of joy, (Isa. 9:2); but when linked with ὀργή all turned into their dreadful opposite.” He finishes with, “This is the common feature in Biblical imagery.” WRATH and Divine Essence THERE IS A DEBATE on this. THE WRATH OF GOD, OF COURSE, EMBODIES ITSELF IN DIVINE JUDGMENT; WRATH/JUDGMENT. As far as the NT is concerned, God’s WRATH is directed mostly against the Jews, but Gentiles will ALSO receive Divine retribution. It was (and IS!!) the Jews, primarily, that are the impenitent who despise God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering (Rom. 2:4). Verse 5 = “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself WRATH against the day of WRATH and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” The same holds true for Gentiles. The same holds true for backsliders. The same holds true for apostates. ALL will fall VICTIM to ὀργή. ALL nations are affected (Rev. 11:18; 14:8; 18:3; 19:15). ALL classes of peoples are affected. WRATH falls on the WHOLE earth (Rev. 14:19; 16:1) because all worship antichrist (14:9). WRATH falls on Babylon (political/religious/economic)= the embodiment of ungodly, arrogant, total power (14:8; 16:19 etc.). Ungodly Forces REVELATIONS 11 shows that God Himself, (in WRATH) against man, causes the demons to rage. This means that “ungodly forces” become weapons of the WRATH of God against the world. WOE TO ALL!! The same principle can be seen in Romans 13:4, in a rather different sense, the impressing of these powers into the service of WRATH, e.g., the secular minister/servant/official etc. is, “a revenger to execute WRATH upon him that doeth evil.” Well, we can’t count on these “ministers” to be just and honest these days, seeing MOST are very anti-Christ to the core. Actually, the “power” and “authority” of Satan/demons are under command and grounded in the LORD’S WRATH. We can see these devilish forces at work, even in the church—religious demons, doctrines of devils, duped and deceived churchites under the command of demons…and the church is just too DUMB to perceive it. So, GOD USES THE DEVIL/DEMONS TO PUNISH THE “SINNING SAINTS.” Evil spirits are represented as God’s bailiffs who have made their scourges firm and strong with His WRATH. Paul had it right when he penned Eph. 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood (humans), but against principalities…powers…rulers of darkness…wicked spirits in high places,” (Write for our many booklets and teachings DVDS/CDS on Spiritual Warfare. Don’t be DUMB concerning the works of demons.) There are times when God allows such demonic forces to operate; other times He personally employs them to be His instruments of WRATH. But, in either case, demons are subordinated to God’s Power. God can, at will, assume the role of prosecutor at the judgment; other times, He assumes the role of executioner; other times God allows/permits Satan to become the Christian’s accuser (Rev. 12:10). So, God, Himself, can be Judge, Accuser, and Executioner. Subservient spirits (under Satan) are only allowed so much reign, for Satan is under God’s command or sphere of authority. In the case of human force, God has, and does, use them unwittingly, and even, at times, unwillingly as instruments of WRATH (see 1 Cor. 2:8). But the devil/Satan (which is not a myth, but a fact!), as an instrument of God’s WRATH is eo ipso to be also its victim. Satan is also a “vessel of WRATH fitted to destruction.” This, also, is true of great powers such as we find in Isa. 10:5-19. Let me quote v. 5 here: “O Assyrian, the rod of mind anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.” V. 6 we find God “sending” this great nation’s army against God’s own (hypocritical) nation, e.g., the nation of Israel. Verse 7 makes my point clear: “Howbeit he meaneth so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.” Here, we find a great pagan force on the march, harrying the nations, and God put it into their heart to target Israel. “The ROD of MY ANGER !” EVEN THOUGH THE KING OF THE ASSYRIAN FORCE THOUGHT IT WAS “HIS” POWER, IN REALITY, IT WAS GOD’S. The unbridled lust for conquest is used and limited by the LORD of Hosts (Armies) Himself, this “Rod” will come under God’s judgment when He is finished using him. We find the same principle applying to the king of Babylon. Now, let’s get personal here: God is using the man in power (as president currently) to punish this nation; his WHOLE agenda is anti-Christ to the core. God will use him, but your prez will think it is his political power that shakes and moves things. NO! He is subservient to the Holy Spirit. In Isa. 5:25-30 we find again this LORD/lord principle. In 2 Samuel 24:1 we find, “the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he MOVED David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” Some find this verse outrageous, “God is the author of sin,” they say. Why? Well, God had forbade the numbering of Israel by the people. This is why Joab, David’s war captain, says, “…why doth my lord (David) the king delight in this thing?” (v. 3). Verse 10 finds David’s heart being smote for doing this deed, although God ordered it! Some believe this to be a gloss—not in the original text. If this account is true, God inciting David to sin, afterwards punished; we don’t know. I only bring up the principle of God moving upon souls to do what He wanted them to do. But in 1 Chron. 21:1 we read: “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” Which is right? Is 2 Sam. 24:1 true, or 1 Chron. 21:1 true? I don’t know myself. But as far as God “moving” upon people—His own or pagan—we do find evidence (see Ex. 14:4, 8 where another difficulty is seemingly found). God hardened Pharaoh’s heart vs. Pharaoh hardening his own heart. I THINK GOD USED THE HARDNESS OF PHARAOH’S HEART TO DO HIS WILL. Back to king David: If 2 Sam. 24:1 is original, let’s look at what caused God to cause David to number Israel. For this, we go back to 21:1-14 where God brought a great famine in the land because of Saul’s bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites (v. 1).So, was God justified in sending a great pestilence upon Israel (v. 15) where 70,000 Israelites died? WE JUST DON’T KNOW THE WORKING OF GOD—HE IS JUST IN ALL HIS WAYS, WE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND THEM. Some scholars see it that the sinfulness of taking a census was not the real issue, but taking the census for the purpose of taxation and forced labor. The punishment upon David was his own (not God’s) contumacious sin in taking a census of the available man power for his Army, which offended God, because it was not by power, nor might of men, but by God’s power and might that could and would win wars. Well, perhaps it was a census, primarily a military measure, and it is just as possible that the sin consisted in too great a pride in the national strength of arms (see 1 Sam. 4:21; Ps. 20:7). First Chronicles 21:1 merely shows another side to the event: Both God and Satan at work. If God’s intention for numbering Israel for taxation, to extract $$ from Israel as payback/punishment for what king Saul did, we find God NOT GUILTY of sin (as some believe). It may be noted that in Exodus 30:11-16 there is a clear provision made for the taking of the kind of census God explicitly promotes, a kind of ecclesiastical poll tax to be used for the maintenance of the Temple, and therefore, for the perpetuation of those necessary means by which the people’s SINS were forgiven. In Num. 1:1-4, such a census was divinely ordered and safely carried out in accordance with prescribed ritual. Later, in Num. 26:1-4, God ordered another census, again with a spiritual motive, to prove to the apostate Israelites how heavily they had suffered by reason of a recent “plague” which had been the “punishment” for following Baal-peor. Here, in 2 Sam. 24, the census was simply to find out how many fighting men there might be in David’s army…to glorify Israel? What God had in mind, and what David did, may be pondered. We must also consider the warning that the prophet of God, Samuel, put forth for asking for a king (1 Sam. 8:11). So, was God wrong?, even if He did tell David to number Israel (for military count)? If we’re to accept this, we might consider James’ words in James one (NT), “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (v. 14). Was God trying David’s heart? his motives as king? Let’s not forget that David was, “drawn away of his own lust, and enticed,” in 2 Samuel 11, where David committed adultery and murdered one of his own soldiers (rather had him killed in battle). Did God tempt David to do these things and SIN? NO! I don’t think God moved on David to SIN in 2 Sam. 24:1 either. I can’t prove it, but I know God isn’t the author of SIN. So much for all that. My point was to show that God was angry for what David did and David was punished (indirectly) by having 70,000 of his fighting men killed by plague. The Wrath (ὀργή) of God Part 6 General James Green L ET US NOW PROCEED with Part 6. Starting here with what some of the early Church fathers said about the anger/WRATH of God. We already know that HIS ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST BOTH HIS PEOPLE AND PAGANS; Moses provoked His anger in Ex. 4:14. Aristides: (Early 2nd cent.—A converted Gk. philosopher of Athens who wrote one of the earliest Christian apologies.) “He (God) possesses neither WRATH nor indignation. For there is nothing that can stand against Him” (c . 125, E), 9.264). Origen: (c. 185-255—some marked him as an heretic, but he was a pupil of Clement of Alexandria who took over the (famous) catechetical school there. He was also called the “father of Christian Theology.” He was a champion of the Christian faith despite some of his unsound Theological speculations.) “When we read of the anger of God either in the OT or NT, we do not take such expressions literally” (c. 225, E), 4.278). “Indeed, we speak of the WRATH of God. However, we do not maintain that it indicates any passion on His part. Rather, it is something that is assumed in order to discipline by stern means those sinners who have committed many and grievous sins. For that which is called God’s WRATH and anger is actually a means of discipline” (c. 248, E), 4.529). Novatian: (d. 257—Roman presbyter who led a schism when Cornelius was ordained as Bishop of Rome—c. 251.) “When we read of His anger…we are not to understand them to be attributed to Him in the same sense in which they are to humans…All those angers or hatreds of God, or whatever there is of this kind, are displayed for our healing…they arose out of wisdom, not from vice” (c. 235, W), 5.615). Lactantius: (c. 250-225—Prominent Roman teacher of rhetoric who later converted to Christianity.) “It is the fear of God alone that guards the mutual society of men…However, such fear is taken if man is persuaded that God is without anger (Amen to that !!)…He is moved and is indignant when unjust actions are done” (c. 304-313, W), 7.269). “There is also just anger. This anger is necessary in man for the correction of wickedness. Plainly, then, it is also necessary in God, who sets an example for man” (c. 304-313, W), 7.278). Lactantius at least had his head screwed on right. I could quote several more from him, but here is a right-to-the-point one: “We should understand that since God is eternal, His anger also remains to eternity” (c. 304-313, W), 7.277). (Note: Here are some names you can research: Alexander of Alexandria, Apollonarius, Archelaus, Aristo of Pella, Arius, Arnobius, Athenagoras, Bardesanes, Barnabas, Caius, Celsus, Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, Dionysius of Alexandria of Corinth, of Rome (3 Persians), Eusebius, Firmilian, Hegesippus, Hermas, Hippolytus, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Marcion, Montanus, Papias, Polycarp, Tatian, Tertullian, Theonas, Theophilus, Trypho, Victorinus etc.) SOME OF THE ABOVE WERE LIBERALS, SOME CONSERVATIVES, SOME HERETICAL: JUST AS WE HAVE TODAY. The WHOLE World Under WRATH THIS MAY SCARE MOST, but it is true. Paul shows this in Romans 1:18-3:20. Some nations/cities show this more than others. Paul pin-points the city of Athens (Greece) that “the whole city was wholly given to idolatry,” just as we could say San Francisco (Calif.) Is wholly given to sexual perversion (see Acts 17:16). I’ve tried to show that ὀργή is anger against evil (Rom. 12:19; 13:4); OT and NT have plenty of texts as I’ve endeavored to show. WE CAN’T HAVE A JOHN 3:16 DIET AND LIVE, WE’VE GOT TO EAT ALL OF GOD’S WORD—EVEN IF WE HATE IT. Because of These Things… TEXTS: “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the WRATH of God upon the children of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6). “For which things’ sake the WRATH of God cometh on the children of disobedience:” (Col. 3:6). So, here we have “causes” and “effects” of the Divine WRATH revealed. What “things” (Eph. 5:6) caused the WRATH of God? Well, verse 3 gives a vice list, v. 4 continues, v. 5 ends with no one who practices such things will have “any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.” And this exclusion from the KOG will naturally end one up in Hell Fire forever, e.g., Gehenna (Gehenna is one of 3 Gk. words that are translated as “Hell” in the KJV. The other two are “hades” and “tartaros.” To the early church, Gehenna and Hades were two different places. Gehenna=the “Lake of Fire,” Hades = the intermediate place where souls await the resurrection (not purgatory). So, if one does not make Heaven, Gehenna is the final abode. Jesus used this word in Matt. 5:29, and in Rev. 20:14, Death/Hades are cast into Gehenna. (See Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.566). Tertullian wrote about Gehenna (see c. 197, W), 3.52 and c. 203, W), 3.665). Cyprian gives a gorey depiction of Gehenna (see c. 250, W), 5.464-65). Also, the Treatise on the Glory of Martyrdom gives a gory account also (see c. 255, W), 5.584). Mark 9:47, 48 speaks of this horrid place where “the fire is NEVER extinguished.” Matt. 25:34, 41, 46 speaks of it; Rev. 21:7,8 speaks of it. Barnabas, Polycarp, second Clement, Hermas, Justin Martyr, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus, Irenaeus, (who gives quite a long detailed depiction), Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, (who also gives a lengthy depiction), Mark Minucius Felix, Hippolytus, Origen, (also gives a lengthy depiction), Commodianus Cyprian (another one to write at length), Victorinus, Methodius, Lactantius (is very wordy also), Arnobius etc., etc. Most of these believe in eternal punishment, some do not, although they believe in punishment, just not everlasting. I’ve studied all this out for years and I believe that Gehenna is forever, i.e., never-ending torment. Repentance and living the Christian life (The Biblical way!) will keep any and all out of this Hell!! But my point in all this is to show you that ὀργή θεο is the eternal effect of man’s disobedience. WRATHFUL Hell is yet to come. The “Hell” we experience here on earth is also, in most cases, caused by what we do, and don’t do. Apostasy = WRATH IN A WORD, apostasy kindles God’s WRATH. God continually punished ancient Israel for her backslidings/apostasy. Why don’t we hear more sermons preached from 1 Cor. chapter 10? Are ministers afraid to quote vv. 5-12? If what rebellious, backslid, apostate Israel did, and 1 Cor. 10:6 says those things, “Were our EXAMPLES, to the intent we should not LUST AFTER EVIL THINGS, as they also LUSTED.” What’s the problem? And this is repeated the second time in v. 11, “…all these things happened unto them for ENSAMPLES: and they are written for our ADMONITION…” Those “things” Paul was writing about were idolatry, drinking, playing, fornication, tempting God, murmuring. I see why 1 Cor. 10:1-12 isn’t preached in today’s backslid, reprobate/apostate church! Did Israel get by with their sins? NO!, for in ONE day 3 and 20,000 were KILLED, destroyed by serpents. Thus, God’s Divine WRATH achieved its supreme effect. Rebel Like Hell!! AH, THIS IS IT! This counter-revolution. God wants His people to rebel against Hell, not against Him. But in this generation we have this counter-movement that prides itself on despising His Will-Way-Word, which is the decisive cause of ὀργή. Let it be said, when we say NO! to Jesus, our NO! is answered by God’s NO! in the form of His ὀργή. WHERE HAS THIS TEDDY-BEAR JESUS STUFF COME FROM? Not from the Bible. You people had better WAKE UP FAST, the WRATH of God/curse of God is now over America. ἐκδίκσις THE ABOVE GK. WORD means “revenge,” “punishment,” “retribution,” which is predominantly a Septuagint (OT Gk) term. This decides the NT usage. The LXX uses it Micah 7:4: “…Woe, woe, thy times of VENGEANCE are come; now shall be their lamentations” (the KJV = “…the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.”) We also find this Gk. word in Ez. 16:41; 25:17; Deut. 32:35; Hos. 9:7 etc. We find Josephus using only ἐκδίκια, not ἐκδίκησις in his Ant. 1, 208; 19, 20; 2, 107; 137; 13, 19; 17, 291 etc. To shorten all this, let’s go into the NT (ἐκδίκησις = “revenge,” “threat,” “punishment,” most always referring to the lost). When Deut. 32:35 is quoted in Romans 12:19; Heb. 10:30: ἐμσι ἐκδίκησις ἐγὠ ἀνταποδὠσω—there is an agreement against the LXX—the Divine retribution is denoted. Also, we find in Luke 21:22 a prophetic text, “the days of VENGEANCE…” In 1 Peter 2:14 we find that the magistrates are sent to PUNISH evil doers. In Acts 7:24 the word “avenged” is used (“to procure revenge”) . II Thess. 1:8 is a powerful text: “I flaming fire taking VENGEANCE on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Note the following please: “Who shall be PUNISHED with EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.” Let’s take a moment to ponder vv. 8-9. “Vengeance” is mentioned by Paul only here, and in two other passages (Rom. 12:19 and 2 Cor. 7:11); Romans joins with Heb. 10:30 in quoting from Deut. 32:35; the verb is also used by Paul in two passages (Rom. 12:19; II Cor. 10:6). The idea in both noun and verb is that God “acts forthrightly in justice,” giving to the unrighteous what is the rightful return for their sinful conduct. REMEMBER THIS! “Destruction” is a Pauline word (1 Thes. 5:3; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 6:9). So far as he indicates what he means by it, which matches my point completely, it is EXCLUSION from the Lord’s presence. Remember this! The Gk. word used here for “destruction” (ὄλεθρος) prevailingly carries a literal idea in the class. Gk. (άπὠλεια), has a more ethical connotation. 1 Tim. 6:9 joins these two words (destruction/perdition). It is pointed out by Prof. J.W. Bailey and Prof. J.W. Clarke (exegesis/exposition) that “The language of this passage is more vivid than in 1 Thess. 5:3 (e.g., “destruction”), even though the general idea is the same.” I agree. The word “eternal” (RSV), “everlasting,” (KJV) applies to the age to be, following the revelation of the Lord. Paul uses it with reference to God (Rom. 16:26), invisible reality (2 Cor. 4:18), future glory (2 Cor. 4:17, 5:1), God-given comfort (2 Thess. 2:16), and life (Gal. 6:8). The conception of “exclusion from the presence of the Lord,” is, as Bailey says, “part of Paul’s inheritance from the religion of his fathers and is expressed in language reminiscent of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah (e.g., Isa. 2:10, 19, 21; 66:4, 15; Jer. 10:25)” (Interp. Bible, p. 321). “Flaming Fire” is associated with the “revelation” (RSV), and not with “taking vengeance” (KJV). Daniel 10:2-9 is especially valuable as a background for this passage (see also Rev. 1:13-16). So, the “mighty angels” (2 Thes. 1:7), “flaming fire” (v. 8) and the “glory of His might” (v. 9) all belong to the tradition of Judaism. This vivid language sets the tone, forcefully, and feelingly. Do any of us want to fall under God’s vengeance? Professor Gottlob Schrenk (Zürich) believes 2 Thes. 1:8 should be rendered “to execute revenge.” Either way, all this is part of the LORD’S/Lord’s WRATH. ἐκδικέω THE ABOVE GK. WORD, which by assimilation to ἐκδικάζω acquires especially the sense of “to avenge,” “to punish.” Again, these Gk. words have a good deal of history for which it would take up space and time, but briefly, we see that there is the cause of punishment, or occasion of revenge (by man/God); “to judge or pronounce penance,” punishment with a wholly negative result being intended. In the NT ἐκδικέω occurs 6 times. II Cor. 10:6 is a good place to start: “And having in a readiness to REVENGE all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (Good advice!). βάσανος THIS GK. WORD went thru an etymological transformation. Originally it meant “to purify,” “to test,” but then the original meaning faded into the background; it came to denote “torture” or “torment.” In the LXX this Gk. word and derivatives are seldom found, except in the original Gk. books. A corresponding basis in the Hebrew is lacking in almost every case according to Prof. Schneider. In general, this Gk. word and its derivatives are found to mean this: a) “testing afflictions which the righteous have to suffer in the world at the hands of the wicked”; and b) “judicial sufferings which by reason of his/her conduct, the wicked person WILL receive from the righteous in time and eternity.” IN OTHER WORDS, THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON WILL SUFFER AS A (TRUE) CHRISTIAN, BUT TO HIS/HER GOOD; THE WICKED, TO THEIR DESTRUCTION (see Wisdom 2:19; 3:1; Ezek. 12:18; Ezek. 32:24, 30). βάσανος refers to future torments: “…them that go down to the pit.” In Ezek. 30:20 and 7:19, the LXX has altered the meaning of the text and made this Gk. word to signify “suffering” in the sense of “punishment.” Actually, there are alterations in many texts: “punishment” instead of “eternal torments.” Again, there are too many resources to quote from, so I’ll keep it short. βάσανος in NT IN MATTHEW AND LUKE we find this word. In Matt. 4:24 we find the word “torment” relating only to the physical; Lk. 16:23, 28 are more in line with our study: “And in Hell he (the rich man) lifted up his eyes, being IN TORMENTS…;” “…lest they also come into this place of torment.” Hell/Hades here is not Gehenna, but the place of departed spirits awaiting the final judgment/punishment. Jesus did not say a word about Lk. 16:19-31 being a parable. So, we can conclude it was a true story. HELL IS REAL—the sinning “rich man” was in TORMENTS, no mention of escape or annihilation! (All this is covered in our Hell booklets.) So, βάσανοι refers to the “torments of Hell” (penal torment). (See “ὁ τόπος τς βασάνου.”.) Listen Up! THERE IS NO SALVATION from “eternal WRATH/punishment” if we are disobedient. All this liberal BULL spewed forth from the likes of Joel Osteen and hundreds of other “have your best life now” liars is not true. Better study God’s Word friends. God HURLS the disobedient into everlasting punishment and torment—who will you believe, snakes and flakes, wolves in sheep’s clothing, or Jesus? “I Don’t Like It!” WELL, TOO BAD FOR YOU. God does not want anyone to perish, but He wants them to be saved eternally. This is His LOVE. This is why He sometimes goes to extremes to turn the sinner around. SOMETIMES SEVERE PUNISHMENT IN THIS LIFE IS RENDERED IN ORDER TO SPARE ONE FROM THOSE IN THE AFTER LIFE. Consider the Son of God, Jesus, who was severely punished (whipped) before He was executed. He took that bloody punishment, 39 stripes, FOR YOU AND I…then submitted to dying on the Cross. So, if God is using all these disasters etc. upon America now, He is doing it to SPARE the transgressors from a greater punishment=HELL FIRE! DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO TO HELL? The Wrath (ὀργή) of God Part 7 General James Green W E’RE not ready to leave Hell/Damnation yet. This TRUTH NEEDS to be PREACHED and BELIEVED once again in this land of America. Ever since Hell has stopped being preached, Hell on earth has increased. Haven’t you noticed? Christian leaders have gone from BAD, to WORSE, to ABYSMALLY WORTHLESS! Some have become tyrannical and inordinately rapacious, being hand-in-glove with political antichrists — the SWORN ENEMIES of Christ and His true Ekklesia…hatching out secret designs to undermine and overthrow Christianity. This “principal plague” of this nation has captured huge numbers of the religious/political brigands whose sole intent is to bring in Socialism/Communism. Both religious and political leadership is plundering and murdering (e.g., robbing by way of tithes/offerings—taxes, etc; murdering souls by lying to them, killing their desire to serve the Lord Jesus only!). The audacity of such, especially religious leaders, surpasses those whom Jesus rebuked in Matt. cpt. 23. In politics there are bribes and seditious practices, making the masses accomplices. Within both Church and State, there are those who ostentatiously parade their filth in God’s face, branding any and all who do not go along with their brigandages to be “HATEMONGERS,” “UN-AMERICAN,” “BIGOTS”! These enemies of Christ cover up their enormities with a false “love”/”peace” garment. With NerObama in power, PINKNESS has become the color instead of Red, White, and Blue. These men/women in power are literally “tormented” and “terrified” with those who have the guts to call sin SIN. But God has had enough! Disastrous inundations and catastrophes are now stalking the land … nowhere to hide! Comets, eclipses, meteors, perihelions, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, droughts, national unrest etc. As I write, America is in a state of agitation; bloodshed is increasing: ominously so. But both religious and political leadership proceed with their usual artifice…killing souls (by religious means), killing the unborn (politically) with exquisite cruelty…all the while, the pre-trib-rapturists try to rekindle that unBiblical false hope in the hearts of the churchites, who have lost just about ALL HOPE itself. Christianity has been shifting away from the Bible for a long time now. I’ve personally watched it go from BAD to WORSE in my 42 years of service. Now, the church itself, has declared its “Declaration of Independence” from God—the “Day of Emancipation” is here, they tell us, savoring its pleasures in SIN. Now, multitudes comfort themselves in their REBELLION— this REVOLUTION against God’s Will-Way-Word. The day of DAMNATION HAS ARRIVED!! Look at these religious/political fools, strutting about in hubristic pride, no restraints on their vile/lustful passions. The current state of affairs: MISOTHEIST, SCREWED IDEOPHRENIA — madness characterized by disordered ideas! ... subordinated— NOT to the will of God, but to the devil himself. Their grandiose vision of a New World Order is nothing short of a nightmare. Glutted and bloated, Americans proceed onward towards their own DAMNATION…revels and carousals, sexual perversions, licentiousness, wrangling and rivalry…onward toward the pit…the “spirit of damnation” stalks this nation called America. But the religious/political propagandists would have us believe that ALL IS WELL! Like HELL all is WELL! God is angry with America. His Wrath is kindled. To HELL with “Judge NOT!” YOU EXPECT US TO TOLERATE all your intolerance, but we will not !! The time has come, and now IS, that God (and we here) will walk upon your non-judgmentalism. All your good-hearted religious/political hubris cloaked in your phoney morality sickens God (and us). If you people called “Christian” don’t get off your fat, lazy, behinds, and get to the front lines, you’ll find out too late just how far you are from God. Trash all your moral aberrations and pick up the sword of the Spirit and go to WAR! Get out of the “Politically Correct” mind-set and join yourself to God’s “politically incorrect” army. Today’s “church” does not need to be drastically overhauled, it needs to be destroyed! Jesus never told us to build churches—we ARE the Church, AKA, Ekklesia of God. All this gross extortion and self-enrichment by officials will not be overlooked by God. All this sycophantic flattery of leadership must come to an end. All your leadership prowess means nothing to Him. America is nourishing within its midst what is KILLING her—a vile spirit that cannot, and will not, bend to God’s Spirit, which eventually will bring some sort of cataclysmic overthrow. What we have is a protracted war between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Arrogance. All the above has also caused an outburst of apocalyptic fervor—movies depicting the end of the world, the rapture, the doom of civilization! This should awake the “sleeping saints” to gear up for soul-winning, stimulate a great stimulus to evangelistic/missionary enterprise. Not so… uninstructed, untrained souls (in church la-la land) have dug their trenches deeper, too afraid to face the enemy; all the while being convinced that they are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, a teacher to the misinformed. The church in America is like a toothless lion, roaring now and then, but never biting. To purify America from every taint of Biblical Christianity has become a fetish in political circles. Thus the tension of this antichrist atmosphere is terrific. Believing in the Holy Bible, the way it is, not the way these “God don’t judge” sissies would have us to believe, has become seditious, dangerous to America’s health. With Political and Religious Correctness growing, believing in the Bible is classified as outmoded—America wants more astrologers, soothsayers, prognostications of the Doom of God, and, His BULLY rule over us (America). But at this juncture, God is also on the move, destroying, punishing—His Wrath, fury, indignation is seen in the shaking and quaking of the earth. We witness the ANGER of God everywhere. Orge — Thymos HERE ARE THE TWO STANDARD WORDS for “anger”/”wrath,” as taken from the Greek Dictionary. Although these two words significantly overlap in meaning, there is also the distinction that orge/ὀργή seems more characteristic of Wrath or anger that leads to sin and destruction, and thymos denotes a kind of passion. We also have parorgizo/παροργίζω which means “to anger” i.e., “enrage,” “provoke to wrath.” Here is another Gk. word—orgizo/ὀργίζω which means “to provoke or enrage, be angry, wrath.” The two most frequent words are apollymi, which denotes a process of “perishing” (see our Hell booklets), and apoleia, the “destruction” that results from it. Next, most frequent, are phtheiro and diaphtheiro: words that imply a corruption leading to destruction. Also used are luo (“break to pieces”), katargeo (“render ineffective or powerless”) and olothreuo (“complete destruction”). Be aware, context must prove decisive for how these meanings are used. We’ve already went thru many, many, texts on how orge is used (see Heb. 3:11; 4:3, both quotations taken from Ps. 95:11). Whereas the original psalm has God speaking (as does Heb. 4:3), in Heb. 3:11 the extended quotation of Ps. 95 in Heb. 3:7-11 is attributed to the Holy Ghost (Spirit). 1 Clement 39:7; Job 4:16-5:5 is quoted, with destruction said to be the outcome of those who experience God’s WRATH. Bad Theology AS ALREADY SAID, there are both good and bad theologians/scholars. C.H. Dodd, a recognized theologian holds to, and contends that, “anger” IS NOT a quality that is associated with the Lord in the NT. It is beyond me how even a pseudo-scholar can miss the number of so explicit/implicit forceful passages. An all too common trait among today’s contemporary preachers, teachers, theologians/ scholars is their misuse/abuse of unpopular texts—like the anger/wrath texts, the Hell texts, the abstaining from sin texts etc. They, to get and maintain popularity within the church universal, and within secular society itself, prefer eisegesis, not exegesis. Some, like Brian McLaren (the darling of the Emergent Church), Rick Warren, Joel Osteen and hundreds of others refuse to even use certain texts altogether. Warren frankly says he doesn’t care what the Bible says, he’s going to have it HIS WAY. And, of course, we have baby-boy Osteen who smiles real BIG and makes the public confession that what God’s Word says and what he believes (and teaches) doesn’t matter. Really? Ok, back to work here. Rev. 16:19 and 19:15, where two nouns are used together, (“fierceness”/”wrath”), in Rom. 2:8 we find two nouns together (“indignation”/”wrath”). “Wrathful anger” is found in Ignatius Eph. 11.1, the only major passage in the apostolic fathers, who speaks of fearing the wrath to come and loving the grace that is present. Although Biblical language is often hyperbolic, it is thus so to emphasize the context. Some have a really hard time when Jesus (the meek Lamb) is depicted as the (not so meek Lamb) in Rev. 6:16, 17. This seems to be oxymoronic—the “Wrath of the Lamb.” But this is consistent with the use of figurative language in Revelation. There should be no problem here, for the “crucified Lamb” has become the “risen Lamb”…ready to make WAR ! In contrast is Rev. 12:12, which depicts the devil, “having great wrath” (thymos). And in Rev. 14:10 we see an angel threatens wrath (orge) upon all those who worship the beast. Scholars (like Stanley E. Porter, Ph.D. Prof. of Theol., London) say that “thymos is probably used in distinction to orge, representing its more passionate as opposed to judicial dimension” (Dict. Later NT, p. 1239). Punishing Dimension THIS DIMENSION was developed in the apostolic fathers (see Hermas visions 3.6.1; 4.2.6) with the same sense as the Biblical writers. If one cares to check out the many ways “thymos” is used in Revelation, the parallel texts use “orge,” sometimes together. Destruction Dimension THE LANGUAGE OF DESTRUCTION is consonant with, even consequential, to what is said of Divine Wrath—“…and thy wrath is come... and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18, diaphtheiro). Heb. 1:11 contrasts the fact that heaven and earth will PERISH (apollymi), with God remaining. But this Gk. word is never used in the way that is suggested by those espousing annihilationism, but “perish” (ἀπόλυμι) means “to mar” (like a vessel that has a defect—so it can’t be used). Here is a breakdown of “perish”: a) of things, Matt. 5:29, 30; Lk. 5:37; Acts 27:34 (R.V.), “perish” (in some texts pipto, to fall, as A.V.); Heb. 1:11; 2 Pet. 3:6; Rev. 18:14 (R.V.), “perished” (in some texts aperchomai, to depart, as A.V.); b) of persons, e.g., Matt. 8:25; Jn. 3:15, 16; 10:28; 17:12 (R.V.), “perished” (A.V. — “is lost”); Rom 2:12; 1 Cor. 1:18, lit., “the perishing,” where the perfective force of the verb implies the completion of the process of destruction (see Maulton Proley., p. 114); 8:11; 15:18; 2 Pet. 3:9; Jude 11 (see also “destroy”). The next 4 Greek words may be considered: Sunapollumi (συναπόλλυμι), which denotes “to perish together,” Heb. 11:31; Apothnesko (ἀποθνήσκω) denotes “to die,” Matt. 8:32, “perished”; Aphanizo (αφανίζω), “to make unseen” (a, negative, and phaino, to cause to appear), in the passive voice, “perish” in Acts 13:41 (R.V., marg., “vanish away” — but not annihilated); Diaphtheiro (διαφθείρω), “to corrupt” is rendered “perish” in 2 Cor. 4:16, A.V. (R.V., “is decaying). Apollymi WE FIND THIS GREEK WORD often used, such as in James 1:11 (perisheth); 1 Pet. 1:7 (perisheth); Rev. 18:14 (pass away); 2 Peter 3:6 (perished); 2 Pet. 3:9 (perish). These last two verses show both God’s wrath and His pleading for repentance. 3:6: the ones in Noah’s day “perished” in the wrathful flood waters; 3:9 = God did not want this, but the sinners refused to repent, thus, “perished.” Apoleia HEBREWS 10:39, “But we are not of them who DRAW BACK unto PERDITION; but of them that believe to the SAVING of the soul.” “Perdition”=”destruction”=apoleia. Rejecting the Christian faith, dear ones, is the sure way to INCUR DESTRUCTION. You may think you’re getting by, but not so, you will reap what you’ve sown. Hermas Similitude’s 6.2.4 warns that the result of spiritual death is eternal destruction (apoleia). The author of 2 Jn. 8 warns his readers lest they LOSE what they have accomplished (apollymi). For the author of 2 Peter, the ungodly face judgment and destruction (apoleia), especially anyone who distorts the teaching of Paul’s letters (2 Pet. 3:7, 16). The same fate of “Divine destruction” awaits various unbelievers, such as revilers (phtheiro; Jude 10), those in the rebellion of Korah (apollymi; Jude 5, 11), blasphemers (phtheiro ; 2 Pet. 2:12) and the whore who corrupts the earth (I count most churches as being in this class — Rev. 19:2). All this is to be contrasted with Jesus, who, as God’s Christ did not see “destruction”/”corruption” (diaphthora; Acts 2:27, 31; 13:34, 35). Second Clement emphasizes, at several places, that it is Christ, who as God, is responsible for the salvation of those who are perishing (apollymi; 2 Clem. 1.4; 2.5, 7; 15.1) and that it is the responsibility of believers to help to save them (2 Clem. 17.1, 2). It is appalling how FEW “soul winners” there are considering the countless churches that literally cover this land called America. Even pastors are too cowardly to have altar calls; to do this, he or she would have to use the word “sinner,” and this is not politically or religiously correct today. Oh, no! Just tell the damned sinners that you love them and that God loves them—DON’T EVER tell them that they are UNDER the WRATH of GOD! To maintain your status as “a loving man of God!” you’ve got to play the “seeker-friendly” game. And you surely DO NOT, at any cost, tell a sex pervert that God HATES their ABOMINATIONS !!! My God ! You might lose your 501(c)3 tax-deductible status!! Just tell them that God created them THAT WAY, no need to repent, just enjoy the blessings of God. This will bring in more offerings, and of course, more queers of every sort. Destruction Continued DESTRUCTION, in some contexts, is spoken of in abstract fashion (2 Pet. 2:1, 3), where even though the author offers OT examples he says that destructive heresies such as denying the Lord bring impending destruction (apoleia). There is NO WAY to avoid the texts that point to God as DESTROYER, along with LAWGIVER and JUDGE (see James 4:12 = “There is ONE lawgiver, who is able to SAVE and to DESTROY…”) In other words God is merciful and wrathful. In Heb. 11:28 God is shown as the DESTROYER (olothreuo), in Rev. 8:9 His angels DESTROY (in His behalf, and at His command) (diaphtheiro). Katargeo “FORASMUCH then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). Our text says that the death of Christ renders powerless (katargeo) the one with the power of death, the devil. Christ became flesh and blood in order to die a human death in order to destroy our enemy ! Christ Jesus had to share man’s bitterest defeat—DEATH! On the other hand, that glorious defeat brought us salvation/eternal life and at the same time crowned Him with glory and honor (v. 9). This became a win-win event for Christ and His true people; a lose-lose event for the devil! So, when Christians (true ones!) die physically, death does not mean separation from God (as in the case of sinners), but eternal access to Him. Amen! First John 3:8 speaks of Jesus as being able to DESTROY (luo) the works of the devil. In the apostolic fathers, it is more common to speak of the devil/Satan as the “agent of destruction” (see Herm. Sim. 6.2.1, 2; Barn. 20:1; not found in the parallel of Did. 5.1). Headed Towards the Finish Line “WHEREFORE SEEING we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb. 12:1-3). Employing a stirring athletic metaphor (as James does in 1:12), our texts challenge all those who contemplate quitting (or have so!) the Christian race/life, to renew the vigor. We have a “cloud of witnesses,” e.g., “cheering crowd” in our favor. Don’t be FOOLED, only the ones who cross the “finish line” will make heaven; quitters go to Hell! Endurance, my friends, endurance! We have a saying around here in the camp, “Don’t retire, but refire!” ENDURANCE IS A (THE!) CHAR-ACTERISTIC MARK OF A CHRISTIAN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. The key Gk. word that conveys this point is hypomeno or hypomone. Basically, it means that the Christian life gains opposition that must be met by SPIRITUAL RESISTANCE. Far from what we see today. “Christians” today kiss the devil on his lips! The second word is makrothymeo or makrothymia, which also encourages endurance (“patience”), views endurance as a quality of personal relationships. It is not a response to opposition as much as a voluntary act of love for the enemy (this is a real hard one!). These two words require a whole writing themselves, so I’ll make it brief here. Heb. 12:3 points to Jesus, our captain in war, not only as the brave and courageous soldier for victory, but also as one who was willing to suffer and die for His troops. How many “Babylonian pastors” have these traits? HA! Well, we’re going to be put to the test of godly endurance in these days of darkness. The day of (many) anti-christs are here! Fear, death stalks the land … and America has brought this upon herself. James 1:12 (my name, by the way!), continuing under the banner of 1:2-4 (repeating the 3 key words: “endure,” “trial,” “test”), makes endurance under trial the primary goal of the Christian soldier—if we endure till the end, we PROVE our love for Him. God, the Judge, is watching and judging our performance. In centuries gone by, treason was punishable by DEATH! Now look at today’s church, full of traitors, kissing the devil, hopping in bed with demons—ONE BIG TREASONOUS MESS!! Do you churchites really believe that God will accept you in light of what is written in this article? Revelation (the book) was written to solidify the faith of believers faced with severe persecution (possibly from the government—may we also see this coming from Obama’s reign of satanic power??), clarifies “overcome” / ”overcomer” as a term of identification with our commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ the Lord, when it uses the term both for Christians who endure (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 11:7; 21:7) and for Christ Himself persisting against the EVIL of the world (Rev. 5:5; 6:2; 12:11; 17:14; also Jn. 16:33). Rev. 3:21 sets out this identification when it states that the one who OVERCOMES (“overcame”) will receive the blessing of a throne. THE WORDS “OVERCOMER” / “OVER-COMERS” HAVE DROPPED FROM THE CHURCH’S VOCABULARY; CHRISTIAN VIRTUE/VIRTUES HAVE DISAPPEARED; GODLINESS/HOLINESS IS NOTABLY MISSING TOO. I don’t think I’m being overly critical here—just take the good-long-look at today’s churches/the churchites, can we really tell them apart from the world? Be honest with me, can we? The “church,” as we see it, and know it today, represents a religious brothel more than a house of God/houses of God. Pastors are no better than pimps; the churchites = working whores/ whoremongers, making “pastor” fat and rich. At Last, The Finish Line I HAVE CHOSEN Micah chapter two for my finishing touch. “WOE TO those who devise iniquity and work out evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they perform and practice it because it is in their power. They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, against this family, I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time. In that day shall they take up a [taunting] parable against you and wail with a doleful and bitter lamentation and say, We are utterly ruined and laid waste ! [God] changes the portion of my people. How He removes it from me! He divides our fields [to the rebellious, our captors]. Therefore you shall have no one to cast a line by lot upon a plot [of ground] in the assembly of the Lord. Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us [the reviling has no end]. O house of Jacob, shall it be said, Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted, impatient, and shortened? Or are these [prophesied plagues] His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly? But lately (yesterday) My people have stood up as an enemy [and have made Me their antagonist]. Off from the garment you strip the cloak of those who pass by in secure confidence of safety and are averse to war. The women of My people you cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My glory forever. Arise and depart, for this is not the rest [which was promised to the righteous in Canaan], because of uncleanness that works destruction, even a sharp and grievous destruction. If a man walking in a spirit [of vanity] and in falsehood should lie and say, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink, O Israel, he would even be the acceptable prophet of this people!” (Micah 2:1-11, AMP). Micah could very well be describing America, the political/religious (evil) powers at work. My main point is v. 3: “therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, against this family I am PLANNING A DISASTER from which you cannot remove your necks…’” and v. 6: “DO NO PREACH!” God is not telling His prophet not to preach (as in the RSV; KJV says, “do not prophesy,” both are correct), it was the false prophets saying that. Micah 2:1 speaks of the “wealthy” who were so interested in EXPLOITING that they were unable to sleep at night. The Spirit of God has in times past, told us these same things, referring to all these money-grabbing perverts like: the Copelands, B. Hinn, Tommy Barnett, J. Osteen, M. Cerullo, B. Cerullo, Fred Price, Joyce Meyers, Pat Robertson, the Crouches, etc., etc. These kings and queens have built for themselves lavish lifestyles that make the devil blush! And look at those rich political perverts, dozens and dozens of them—blood money!! They never seem to have enough. Did Jesus live like this? Did the apostles? NO ! This is one reason WHY God is angry with America. Evil That Kills! WE CAN SEE this “killing” on every hand here in this wicked nation; NOT ALL KILLING IS PHYSICAL. Premeditated evil; the kind which is deliberate, intentional, fathered by a conscious purpose and full awareness of both the “pleasurable” consequences to the doer, and the “painful” consequences to the victim. Both BIG NAME religious figures and BIG NAME political figures (your demented prez wants to lift the spending ceiling totally off America’s wealth — no LIMIT to SPENDING!!). America and Americans are blind (on purpose, of course), given to irrational anger and greed and lust, going BERSERK if anyone crosses them. It matters not if these gross sins are done under the guidance of purpose or by impulse, they are the same in His eyes; the offenders WILL BE PUNISHED. Each is held morally liable for what they have done. While America justifies the MURDER of her unborn, she is repulsed at the MURDER of those 20 children killed by a young gunman at Sandyhook, CT. (Dec. 2012). They may say, “He did not know what he was doing,” therefore easing the pain a bit. But what about the abortionist? He/She KNOWS what they are doing, yet not a word from the U.S. Gov., the left, the liberals, the whores, the whoremongers, and too many religious leaders. Is something wrong here? Oh, what BIG FAT HYPOCRITES !!! In verses 1 and 2, Micah stated His (God’s) charges against the wicked people, he BLASTS those of the “Wall Street” of Jerusalem, perhaps near the “Palestine Stock Exchange.” Not only were the religious/political corrupt, but those in the economic sphere. In a day when wealth consisted largely of real estate, these wicked unscrupulous people had a mania for acquiring houses and lands…resulting in seizure, theft, and violence. Seems like history has repeated itself over and over thru these centuries. Take note dear readers, those of you who think the LORD is love, love, LOVE!: “I DEVISE an EVIL” (KJV). I like the Amp. Bible much more: “I AM PLANNING A DISASTER.” This “family” (v. 3) refers to the exploiting classes of Jerusalem (JerUSAlem) who were glorying in their day of opportunity. But that ol party-pooper Micah proclaimed to them that they were DUE for an EVIL TIME !! Using the figure of a yoked ox (v. 3), Micah told how these corrupt people would soon find themselves under a yoke of BONDAGE (e.g., slavery of exile). Woe To Them! “Woe to them that devise iniquity” (v. 1), says the prophet. God will turn the tables on them, He will “plan a disaster” for them. And this is what He is now doing here in America. ALL THESE DISASTERS ARE OF GOD, DESPITE WHAT THE FALSE SHEPHERDS/PROPHETS ARE DECLARING. You wicked Israelites have devised an evil of plundering the upright; I (God) will plan an evil for you of PUNISHMENT for your evil conduct. God did what He said He would do. Tiglath-Pileser literally ruined that kingdom, and transported the people to Assyria, under the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah; and Micah loved to see this catastrophe, (see v. 9). Before this happened, the evil people told Micah, “Prophesy/Preach ye not.” They did not want a prediction of more evils. Neither do Americans want to hear what God has to say to them in this hour. They love their Joel Osteens, their Kenneth Copelands, their Jan and Paul Crouches, their Rick Warrens, their Benny Hinns and on and on it goes, “DON’T PREACH TO US!!!” The backslidden church LOVES their FALSE shepherds, prophets (for profit!), kinky worship leaders (tattoos, piercings, full of sexual vice). They have their men and women of God who tell them “All is Well.” They love their sleazy prophets/ prophetesses prophesying plenty—these CHRIST-LESS WORLDLINGS, who have got into the priests’/prophets’ office by ungodly means, and who leave the people UNDISTURBED in their UNREGENERATED state, are better received than a true man/woman of God (who proclaims the truth). Well, let’s just see who is right in all this. Let’s just see if the “Blessings of God” continue to roll. Let’s just see if America gets better. Time will tell. Micah said in 1:9: “For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of My people, even to Jerusalem.” They have filled up the measure of their iniquity (like America). The desolation and captivity of Israel (10 Northern Tribes) shall first take place; that of Judah (2 Southern Tribes—Judah/Benjamin shall come after). Judah was threatened with the invasion of Sennacherib, but it never transpired. But Judah never stopped sinning, even after seeing Israel ruined, she later was put under God’s WRATH, FURY, ANGER by the king of Babylon—destroyed, taken captive. With all this said and done, don’t you think it wise to get right and stay right with God? He is ANGRY ! Micah points out some of the things that angered God (besides what we’ve seen in chap. 2): “graven images,” “hires” (e.g., public PROSTITUTION which = $$ given to support priesthood! — kinda like the prostitute churchites of today, working for the pastor pimps!), and “idolatry” (1:7). I pray that whoever reads this post will ponder its contents. Unless we REPENT and TURN back to God, God WILL CONTINUE TO POUND Africa. Is this what you want, Africa? WHY DO YOU WANT TO DIE ?