As I read through the Israelites being commanded by God to execute his vengeance on the Midianites (Nm 31:1-24), I was reminded that we seldom speak of the wrath of God. It terrifies us, and so it should. Yet, Jesus spoke of it without a hint of it ever being unjust, unmerited, questionable, or at odds with God's loving and gracious character. 

The Bible is full of warnings. "The Lord our God is a consuming fire, a jealous God [having an active zealousness arising from his perfect holiness]" (Dt 4:24). It is his complete holiness and purity that draws his wrath towards those who he created in his own image and yet who sin against him and treat him with contempt. But, in his love, he provided a way for all to be saved from it. Jesus absorbed the full wrath of God for everyone's sin as he hung on the cross. "Christ … took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing" (Gal 3:10-13)."The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa 53:6). But, "How shall we escape God's just punishment if we ignore such a great salvation?" (Heb 2:1-3).

When it comes to his judgement, we read: "it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb 10:31). Jesus taught about "the coming wrath" as an absolute certainly. Paul wrote of the future "day of God's wrath" and that we are all "by nature objects of wrath" because of our inherited and continued sinfulness. No one, including the godliest of believers, lives a sin-free life. We are all deserving of judgment and continue to be so. Those who think otherwise are only deceiving themselves (1Jn 1:8).

Jesus said: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them" (Jn 3:36). (Praise God that for the believer it has been removed. Hallelujah!) And the book of Revelation speaks of the wrath of the Lamb as well as the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. Of course this refers to the time when Christ returns.

God doesn't want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance (2Pt 3:9). "God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1Th 5:9). "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!" (Rm 5:9)."If we confess our sins, he is faithful [to his holy law and his holy nature] and just [because Jesus has paid our debt in full through his death on the cross] and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1Jn 1:9). He couldn't just forgive us. A sacrifice had to be made, but that sacrifice had to be of infinite worth, and sinless and perfect. The first Adam sinned and brought us death. The Second Adam had to be sinless, having lived a perfect life, overcoming Satan as a human being empowered by the Holy Spirit, and so conquer death and the grave for us. 

God "does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone" (Lm 3:33) even punishing his own Son in our place: "He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment [the wrath of God] that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isa 53:4-6). What an awesome Saviour!