Where does God's Wrath Go?

[JonC]

For the past decade or two I have often been asked the question "Where does God's wrath go?"

At first I thought this was a joke, as it is a nonsense question. Wrath is not a material thing. It does not "go" anywhere.

Take an argument where a father who is angry at his son. The two make their peace and forgive each other. Where does their Wrath go? Nowhere.

Recently @JesusFan asked this same question - If God does not visit His wrath upon Jesus, and we escape the wrath to come....where does that wrath go? What becomes of the wrath?

Here we need to turn to Scripture. The wrath of God is consistently directed against the wicked, against those who do not do His will. (Deuteronomy 1:26-46; Joshua 7:1; Psalm 2:1-6; Romans 1:18; John 3:36). At Judgment the wicked will experience God's wrath (Ecclesiastes 3:17; Matthew 13:49-50).

What happened, then, to the wrath that was at one time against us when we were wicked before we were forgiven?

Again, just to emphasize, thos is a nonsense question as wrath, like sins, is not a material thing. God does not literally store wrath in a box in heaven. Romans 2:5 tells us that the wicked are storing wrath against themselves until judgment. They are not receiving in the present the wrath to come but will be judged "on that day".

Likewise, God does not literally pick up our sins and toss them into the ocean. This is a figurative way of saying God forgives us.


I am not sure how or when Christians began thinking of wrath and sins as material things that can be moved about, packed up in a box, etc. I bring thos up because it has been a fairly consistent question on this forum. God's wrath does not "go" anywhere. It is Hos righteous anger against the wicked which will be "poured out" on the wicked "on that day".

 

[cjab]

Anger moves from the originator to the recipient, but may turn back again (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point). As the exact nuance of the Hebrew word is contextual to its usage, there is no necessity to posit where it goes to. Anger just disappears when it turns away from the recipient.

Num 25:4 "The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”"

Original Word: שׁוּב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shuwb
Pronunciation: shōōb

1. to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point)
2. (generally) to retreat,
etc.

 

[JonC]

Anger moves from the originator to the recipient, but may turn back again (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point). As the exact nuance of the Hebrew word is contextual to its usage, there is no necessity to posit where it goes to. Anger just disappears when it turns away from the recipient.

Num 25:4 "The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”"

Original Word: שׁוּב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shuwb
Pronunciation: shōōb

1. to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point)
2. (generally) to retreat,
etc.

I agree. And we see this in our own anger.

I have been angry at a rude car honking at me, until I realized they knew me and were being friendly. My anger turned away. I have been angry at somebody who wronged me, but I forgave them.

In Scripture God's anger is based on the condition of the people. His anger is against the wicked. His anger (or wrath) does not change, but the people can change so that they are no longer object's of God's wrath.

 

[Charlie24]

I agree. And we see this in our own anger.

I have been angry at a rude car honking at me, until I realized they knew me and were being friendly. My anger turned away. I have been angry at somebody who wronged me, but I forgave them.

In Scripture God's anger is based on the condition of the people. His anger is against the wicked. His anger (or wrath) does not change, but the people can change so that they are no longer object's of God's wrath.

I agree, JonC, God's anger/wrath is continuous on all the wicked in this world.

Paul told us in Eph. 4 to be angry and sin not, don't let the sun go down on your wrath.

It's a natural emotion for man to become angry, and that's not a sin, unlike God whose wrath is continuous, we are to let go of our wrath or it becomes sin.

 

[JesusFan]

I agree, JonC, God's anger/wrath is continuous on all the wicked in this world.

Paul told us in Eph. 4 to be angry and sin not, don't let the sun go down on your wrath.

It's a natural emotion for man to become angry, and that's not a sin, unlike God whose wrath is continuous, we are to let go of our wrath or it becomes sin.

But the wrath of God must be propiated, must have someone take it in order to have it able to have God the Father able to freely forgive, as being Holy, cannot just pat sinners on the head and tell them "good boys, I now forgive you"

 

[Charlie24]

But the wrath of God must be propiated, must have someone take it in order to have it able to have God the Father able to freely forgive, as being Holy, cannot just pat sinners on the head and tell them "good boys, I now forgive you"

God's wrath abides on the wicked, His wrath is satisfied on them at the judgment.

Judgment is the righteousness of God fulfilled on those who refuse His Son, for whatever reason.

 

[JonC]

But the wrath of God must be propiated, must have someone take it in order to have it able to have God the Father able to freely forgive, as being Holy, cannot just pat sinners on the head and tell them "good boys, I now forgive you"

You are confusing Jesus AS the propitiation for the sins of the World (Jesus as the means by which we "escaoe the wrath to come") with appeasing God's wrath.

The first is biblical but the latter is a pagan concept that has crept into Christian thought. Man does not control or manipulate God. His wrath is against wickedness. This will never change.