July 15, 2026
Wednesday, July 15
Most modern, American Christians find the idea of God’s wrath distasteful, even disturbing. We avoid the parts of the Bible that talk about anger and judgment, and stick to the passages that are suitable for coffee mugs and throw pillows. But I say a God without wrath wouldn’t be worth worshipping. He certainly wouldn’t be a God who we should put our hope in. First, let’s understand the nature of God’s wrath, as opposed to human anger. Why do humans lose their temper? I’ll use myself as an example: I get angry when someone cuts me off in traffic, or when a referee makes a call against my team, or when someone is rude to me, or when a family member makes my life less convenient. In every case, my anger is about my own feelings. It’s inherently selfish. And when I’m angry, I act like a fool. I regret plenty of things I’ve done and said over the years, and a high percentage of them were done or said when I was angry. God is different. He doesn’t “lose it.” He is the same, constantly. His wrath is not an emotion. It is His settled opposition to evil. It doesn’t change His love for us, even temporarily. In fact, His wrath is a necessary component of His love.
God’s wrath, put simply, means there are consequences for evil. When I say that a God without wrath wouldn’t be worth worshipping, here’s what I mean:
What would you think of a president who, when our nation is attacked and our citizens are slaughtered, does nothing in response?
What would you think about a judge who lets a murderer walk away scot-free, because he doesn’t have the courage to render punishment?
What would you think about a man who watches thugs assault his wife, and not only does nothing to protect her, he later tells her, “You must have done something to set them off”?
That’s what a God without wrath would be like. You and I instinctively know there are situations that require justice, and a good person will fight for it. A good God doesn’t just fight for it; He makes it happen.
Exodus makes it clear, repeatedly, that God is executing judgment on Pharaoh. For instance, in Exodus 14:4, just before the Israelites cross the Red Sea, God tells Moses, “…and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” By the way, eliminate the movie version of Pharaoh from your mind. This was no Yul Brynner. The real Pharaoh was a genocidal despot. Notice that the first and last plagues in Exodus 7-11 are a direct reference to the atrocities of Pharaoh: Israelite babies were murdered by throwing them into the Nile, so…
1) The Nile itself turns blood red, then
10) Pharaoh’s own son is taken from him, as are thousands of other firstborn sons.
In between, the plagues devastate the Egyptian economy. A nation that got rich off the backs of slave labor now loses all its ill-gotten gains and then some. People who carelessly exploited their fellow man now find themselves dirt-poor. Meanwhile, the Israelites don’t just go free; they walk away with wealth, as the Egyptians give them gifts of gold, silver and clothes. God has reversed the injustice. The first are now last, and the last are first.
And if you say, “I sure wish He would do that today,” it’s coming. Every wrong will be made right.
“Lord, I believe that promise. I know when you return, everything sad will come untrue, and evil will be overcome by good. Help me to walk in faith and hope in the meantime, not surrendering to despair, or becoming selfish and cruel like the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
