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Rejoicing in the Wrath of God: Part 1 by Pastor Charlie Handren

By Anonymous
This Sunday we resume our study of the book of Revelation and within the first eight verses of chapter 6 we will encounter the wrath of God being poured out upon the world. In one sense, being confronted with the reality of God’s wrath is uncomfortable at best, but in another sense, it fills the believing heart with joy. 

One of the first essays I wrote in college was on the wrath and love of God, and probably the main effect it has had on my life is to cause joy to rise up in my heart whenever I contemplate God’s wrath. Sometime ago I shared this with a pastor friend of mine and though he said nothing in response, he looked at me as if to say, “If you knew anything about the wrath of God, you would not rejoice in it.” At the time, I wasn't sure how to respond, but I knew that the joy in my heart was not stemming from a belittling of the horror of the wrath of God.

Then several years ago, as I was reading through Revelation, I came across a couple of passages in chapters 15 and 16 that helped me understand and articulate the joy in my heart. Chapter 15 begins like this: “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (15:1). And what was the reaction of those who heard that God was about to pour out that great and terrible and final wrath? “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed’” (15:3-4). 

Then in the middle of the sixteenth chapter, right after the third bowl of the wrath of God was poured out, there was another outburst of praise: “And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, ‘Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!’ And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!’” (Rev 16:5-7) 

So, what causes joy to rise up in the hearts of those who love God when they contemplate and even see his great and terrible wrath? Next week I will offer a few answers, but for this week I want to challenge you to contemplate these texts and formulate answers of your own. May God be with you as you seek him through him Word and prayer.
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