Divine Retribution - "Wrath of God"

"Wrath of God"

"The wrath of God", an anthropomorphic expression for the attitude of God towards sin, is mentioned many times in the Christian Bible. Leaving aside the references to it in the Old Testament, where it is used of God not only when punishing the wicked but also when sending trials to the just, as in Job 14:13, it is mentioned in at least twenty verses of the New Testament. Examples are:

  • John 3:36 - Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
  • Romans 1:18 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
  • Romans 5:9 - Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
  • Romans 12:19 - Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
  • Ephesians 5:6 - Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
  • Revelation 6:17 - For the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to withstand?
  • Revelation 14:19 - So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
  • Revelation 15:1 - Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God was finished.
  • Revelation 19:15 - From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

The New Testament associates the wrath of God particularly with imagery of the Last Day, described allegorically in Romans 2:5 as the "day of wrath", and the Book of Revelation.

Read more about this topic:  Divine Retribution

Famous quotes containing the words wrath of god, wrath of, wrath and/or god:

    See, see where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament!
    One drop would save my soul—half a drop! ah, my Christ!—
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    Yet will I call on him!—O, spare me, Lucifer!—
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    Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)

    Justice has its anger, my lord Bishop, and the wrath of justice is an element of progress. Whatever else may be said of it, the French Revolution was the greatest step forward by mankind since the coming of Christ. It was unfinished, I agree, but still it was sublime. It released the untapped springs of society; it softened hearts, appeased, tranquilized, enlightened, and set flowing through the world the tides of civilization. It was good. The French Revolution was the anointing of humanity.
    Victor Hugo (1802–1885)

    See, see where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament!
    One drop would save my soul—half a drop! ah, my Christ!—
    Ah, rend not my heart for naming of my Christ!—
    Yet will I call on him!—O, spare me, Lucifer!—
    Where is it now? ‘T is gone; and see where God
    Stretcheth out his arm, and bends his ireful brows!—
    Mountains and hills, come, come and fall on me,
    And hide me from the heavy wrath of God!
    Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)

    I rarely speak about God. To God, yes. I protest against Him. I shout at Him. But to open a discourse about the qualities of God, about the problems that God imposes, theodicy, no. And yet He is there, in silence, in filigree.
    Elie Wiesel (b. 1928)