It may surprise you to discover that even today in some Christian circles, people are still imagining that God is intent on pouring out His wrath in order to vindicate Himself.

It’s been going on for thousands of years. All over the world, confused and misguided people have offered up sacrifices trying to appease one “angry god” or another.

Throughout the history of mankind in many pagan religions, it has been normal practice to try to earn protection from the disasters that come upon our world. Mankind, throughout the ages, has a built-in religious need to try to soothe the anger of an imagined, violent God. According to the Bible, even some of God’s people used to sacrifice their own children in the hope of avoiding the wrath of the demonic god, Molech. It may surprise you to discover that even today in some Christian circles, people are still imagining that God is intent on pouring out His wrath in order to vindicate Himself.

There is gross deception in our midst with regard to the character of God. Many terrible deeds are attributed without reason to God. He is being constantly blamed for the works of the evil one in our world. The truth of the matter is that the once-and-for-all substitute sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, has completely satisfied the holy demands of a just God. Through the intervention of Jesus Christ mankind has been reconciled back to God himself – peace has been made through the precious blood of the cross. Surprise, surprise - God is not angry at anybody!

God’s Goodness Draws People to Repentance

For too long the religious world has been presenting a picture that God is the one making people sick to teach them some deep spiritual lesson.

Too often Christians talk as if the God we serve is angry and vengeful. They speak as if God is their problem; almost as if there is no longer a devil in existence causing trouble on planet earth. We can hear it all the time. For too long the religious world has been presenting a picture that God is the one making people sick to teach them some deep spiritual lesson. Others believe that perhaps God is the one causing problems to purify His people by sending earthquakes, floods and tornadoes to show and display His anger. If anything bad happens to them, they’re sure God is thumping them on the head because they got out of line; or that He is bringing heartache into their lives “to keep them humble.” Some believers are addicted to the superstitious, irrational, fatalistic belief that everything that comes their way in life has some mysterious meaning. All sorts of disastrous events and attacks of sickness are attributed to the obscure will of God. However, it is not really difficult to see that this mindset is in direct contradiction to the Word of God.

The Bible does not leave us in any doubt regarding God’s character. It proclaims God’s infinite goodness and mercy. We are specifically told that God has now reconciled in Christ the world unto Himself and He no longer counts men’s trespasses against them (2 Cor. 5:19). We are clearly told that Jesus is the propitiation for both our sins and the sins of the whole world (1 Joh. 2:2). God has committed the word of reconciliation to us. It is a message of mercy and forgiveness. He is not angry with mankind. We are now living in the dispensation of God’s grace and favor and His goodness is drawing people to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

According to some “self- appointed prophets,” this is all supposed to be a reminder of God’s holy anger against sin and lawlessness.

Since the latest wave of terrorist attacks and the occurrence of other serious disasters, it is not unusual to hear people say that God is revealing His judgments and sending His fire to warn the nations of the earth. We are being told that this is God’s forewarning and that He is in the process of starting to fulfill His judgments. According to some “self- appointed prophets,” this is all supposed to be a reminder of God’s holy anger against sin and lawlessness. But this is simply deception and misrepresentation of God’s Word and His character. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!

God is in the Saving Business!

Whenever there is an event that brings great sorrow and heartache to a nation or group of people, some so-called prophet rises up to proclaim that God is now shaking and warning the world of His displeasure. These types of statements which so blatantly misrepresent God’s character, should be quite simply rejected as false prophecies. God is in the business of saving and healing people – He is not the troublemaker. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, not the slaughterer.  God is the one who gives and preserves life – He is not the destroyer of life. At present we are not yet in the dispensation of God’s wrath. The Day of the Lord and His vengeance has not yet come upon the face of the earth. Now is the day of salvation –  this is the dispensation of God’s grace.

With the outbreak of AIDS disease around the world, there came prophecies that this “angry god” is now punishing homosexuals for their immoral lifestyle. The devastating pain caused by AIDS was supposed to be God’s judgment because of the immoral lifestyle. After the tragic Estonia disaster, where hundreds lost their lives when a large passenger boat sunk in the cold waters off the coast of Finland, we were told by some misguided “prophets” that God is now shaking the Nordic countries because of their liberal politics and sinfulness. The same wave of gloomy prophecies was evident after the nuclear power-station disaster in Chernobyl. Some even tried to find supposed prophetic references to the disaster in the book of Revelations. During the Middle East war when the nation of Iraq and its leader Saddam Hussein were humiliated and driven out of Kuwait, we were told by some self-appointed “prophets” that God was now venting His anger against Islam and the Muslim world. Some sensation seekers even tried to find Bible verses to back up their views.

Nowhere do we read of Jesus sending storms and disasters to punish people and fulfill God’s judgments.

It is very distressing to see how gullible Christians are being duped by these irresponsible and misguided teachers. God is the one who is seeking for reconciliation. The true prophet of God, Isaiah, states that “He (Jesus) was stricken and smitten by God. He was wounded and punished for our iniquities. The chastisement needed to obtain peace was upon Him” (Isa. 53:4-5). Jesus’ sacrifice has paid the price for the sin of all mankind. God is not pouring out bursts of anger, neither is He judging the nations yet. That particular “day of wrath” is in the future and He has promised to save His church from that coming day of wrath.

God Is Light – In Him There Is No Darkness!

And now after the horrific events of September 11th in America, we have been once again treated to numerous pessimistic statements that God has, for some reason, removed His hand of protection from the American people. Some have said that God is punishing New York as it has acted as an open door, allowing sin free entry into the country. Others have gone as far as to proclaim that this is the beginning of God’s end-time judgments. However, this type of talk is just plain deception. The father of lies himself, Satan, has succeeded in transferring the blame that belongs to him onto God’s account. He has misleadingly made people put the blame onto God for these horrendous works of darkness. By deceiving God’s people into believing these lies, the devil is able to keep sincere people in bondage. By perverting God’s character, the enemy has appeared as an angel of light and has prevented people from receiving God’s mercy and goodness. No wonder so many sincere believers have trouble receiving blessing from God!

The Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.

The Bible specifically states that every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of lights. God does not fellowship with darkness. He is not in the habit of using fanatical, fundamental terrorists to further His objectives for mankind. The good Lord is not in the business of spreading deadly diseases in order to promote His purposes. Nowhere do we read of Jesus sending storms and disasters to punish people and fulfill God’s judgments. In fact, on one occasion, when James and John wanted to command fire to come down from heaven and consume a village in Samaria, Jesus severely rebuked them. He said they did not know what sort of spirit they were acting under (Luke 9:54-55 Amplified Bible).

The character and attributes of our blessed heavenly Father do not allow Him to do those horrible things which have been credited to Him. The fact that the Bible presents God as a loving heavenly Father does not permit Him to use sickness, disease, failure, disaster, and catastrophes as a method of training, teaching and purifying.

The full and glorious revelation of the New Testament states that Jesus came to seek and to find that which is lost. The Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. Jesus stated that He, Himself, is the fulfillment of the “Year of Jubilee.”  We are now living in this wonderful Jubilee Year of God’s favor. God is not angry with anyone. He is patient and long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but desiring that all should come to repentance. God’s wrath at sin has been fully appeased or satisfied in the blood of Christ. The wrath of God, because of man’s sin, fell on Jesus instead of us. Jesus is our “Passover.”  Praise God, we are at present in this period of time called God’s Dispensation of Grace (Col. 1:25).

God’s wrath at sin has been fully appeased or satisfied in the blood of Christ.

God is Fully Satisfied with Jesus’ Sacrifice!

The curse that is present in the world, along with all its distress and tragedies, was brought in as a result of man’s disobedience. It came in with the fall. God is not responsible for the disasters and works of darkness that we see. Satan is the troublemaker who is causing the suffering in our world. So far in this present age, the whole world is under the power of the evil one (1 Joh. 5:18). At present the whole creation is moaning in birth pains of labor waiting for deliverance (Rom. 8:22).
The Bible declares that the wrath of God will be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (Rom 1:18).  We are told that the time is coming when God will judge the nations of the earth. There is a time coming when the bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out (Rev.15:7). However, we are not yet at that time in history. It is vitally important that as believers we do not wrongly interpret the different dispensations and times of God’s dealing with mankind. God’s wrath was poured upon Jesus as He suffered on our behalf. God is totally satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice. Because of the cross, God’s mercy has taken the place of judgment. As a born-again child of God in Christ you have received mercy instead of justice.

Do not be disturbed by what you see happening around you. Lift up your head! Be of good courage! He who has called you is faithful and utterly trustworthy. May your spirit, soul and body be kept untouched and protected unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember above all – GOD IS A GOOD GOD!