The Bible makes it clear that God does get angry at times. However, God’s anger is very different from human anger. Human anger is often selfish, unnecessary, unrighteous, and out of control. God’s anger is always justified, holy, and under His complete control.
There are many examples in the Bible where God expressed His righteous anger against sin. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and ate the forbidden fruit, God was angry and banished them from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23-24). When the Israelites worshiped a golden calf instead of the true God, God was furious and wanted to destroy them (Exodus 32:10). Throughout the Old Testament, God unleashed His anger against the sins of individuals and nations.
In the New Testament, Jesus displayed anger several times. He became angry when the Pharisees challenged Him about healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3:5). He forcefully drove out the money changers from the temple for turning God’s house into a marketplace (Matthew 21:12-13). Jesus’ anger was directed against hypocrisy, greed, and the misuse of worship.
However, God does not remain angry forever. The Bible says that God is slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness (Psalm 103:8). He is compassionate, gracious, and forgiving (Exodus 34:6-7). God often relents from sending calamity when people repent of their sins (Jonah 3:10). His anger is temporary, but His love is everlasting.
There are several reasons why God gets angry:
- God is holy and cannot tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13). His anger burns against those who defy His commands and lead others astray.
- God is just and must punish evildoers who oppress others and don’t repent (Zephaniah 2:2-3). His wrath is directed against unrighteousness.
- God is jealous and wants His people to worship Him alone, not idols (Deuteronomy 6:15). Idolatry arouses God’s anger.
- God loves His children and is angered when they are mistreated (Exodus 3:7-9). His anger rises against those who abuse others.
However, God does not have fits of rage, temper tantrums, or mood swings like humans. He is sovereign over His anger. Consider the following truths about God’s anger:
- God’s anger is deliberate and controlled, not impulsive or reckless.
- God’s anger always has a righteous purpose, usually to bring correction and repentance.
- God’s anger is balanced with His mercy. He is patient before getting angry.
- God’s anger is directed against sin, not the sinner. He seeks to redeem, not condemn.
- God’s anger lasts only for a moment compared to His enduring love.
The fact that God gets angry actually shows how much He cares about holiness, justice, and righteousness. If He didn’t get angry at sin and evil, He would not be a caring and just God. His anger conveys the seriousness of rebelling against Him.
For believers in Jesus, God’s anger has been satisfied through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (Romans 3:25). When we trust in Jesus, we are reconciled to God and no longer face His wrath (Romans 5:9-10). However, this does not give us permission to keep sinning. We are called to a life of holiness and obedience.
In summary, the Bible makes it evident that God does get angry with sin, injustice and rebellion. However, He is not angry all the time. His anger is righteous, controlled, purposeful and balanced with mercy. For those who are in Christ, God’s anger has been turned away. We must avoid testing God’s patience and provoking His anger by how we live.
Here are some key Bible verses about God’s anger:
“The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies.” (Nahum 1:2)
“God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.” (Psalm 7:11)
“The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.” (Nahum 1:3)
“Because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5)
“Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire.” (Nahum 1:6)
“A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11)
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:8-10)
In conclusion, God is a God of perfect love and goodness. His anger always has a righteous purpose and it is never capricious, petty or vindictive. As believers in Christ, we can take comfort knowing that God’s anger toward us has been appeased through Jesus. However, we must still treat God’s anger with utmost respect, live obediently, and warn others of His coming judgment against sin.