Lesson 5 Review: The Wrath of Divine Love

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath” (Psalm 78:38, NKJV).

God’s anger is always His righteous and loving response against evil and injustice. It is righteous indignation motivated by perfect goodness and love, and it seeks the flourishing of all creation which includes those who are victims of evil and injustice. Divine wrath is an expression of divine love.

What is Divine anger?

Divine anger is the proper response of love against evil, evil hurts someone whom God loves. And while God’s people repeatedly forsook and betrayed Him, over the centuries God continued to bestow compassion beyond all reasonable expectations, thus demonstrating the depth of His longsuffering compassion and merciful love.

What are the lessons from Jonah 4:1-4?

This passage displays Jonah’s hardheartedness. He hated the Assyrians, and did not want them to obtain mercy from God. We are not to act that way; we have freely received God’s mercies, we should freely give. Secondly, Jonah’s reaction reinforces how central God’s compassion and grace is to His character. God is slow to anger and abundant in mercy. God Himself makes atonement for sin and evil via the cross so we can be both just and the justifier of those who believe in Him.

How can righteous indignation be understood?

Righteous indignation is a proper response of love to evil. In the instance where the temple of God was used as a place of merchandise, Jesus displayed the “godly zeal” of righteous indignation against those who were treating God’s temple as common and who had turned it into a “den of robbers” in order to take advantage of widows, orphans and the poor. Indeed, Jesus should have been angry at this abomination. Jesus was indignant when the disciples rebuked those who brought the children to Him, He was also grieved at the Pharisees because of their hardness of hearts.

How can we know that God does not afflict willingly?

God does not afflict willingly, but love finally requires justice. It was after the people persistently and unrepentantly provoked God to anger that God eventually withdrew and “gave” them over to their enemies. God’s anger against evil stems from His love.

What does Thursday’s lesson teach us?

The lesson is for us to show compassion to others, even as God has shown us. We are to leave vengeance to God. Only evil brings about wrath.

In Conclusion,

When there is no evil or injustice, there is no wrath. The wrath of divine love is a prosper response to evil and injustice that even affects the objects of God’s love. May God help us to show compassion and love to others, and leave vengeance for Him, in Jesus’ name.