Wrath (3)

Paul explained to the Romans the relationship between wrath and law.

The law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression (Rom 4:15).

Prior to the giving of the law through Moses, transgression was undefined. The law specified the behaviour that God required from the people that he called. The law also spelt out in detail the consequences of transgression.

Once the law of the covenant was in place, the spiritual powers of evil demanded the right to enforce the curses of the law against the children of Israel whenever they transgressed the law. Wrath was often the leader of this activity. This is why Paul said that law brings about Wrath. The giving of the law with curses specified for disobedience increased the power of Wrath and the destroying angels working with him.

The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his powerful Wrath is against all who forsake him (Ezra 8:22).

You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and fierce Wrath is against Israel (2 Chron 28:13).

My Wrath will be aroused (Ex 22:24).

The law said that rejection of God is a bitter poison that releases Wrath to do evil.

Make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison (Deut 19:18).

Rejecting God’s law releases Wrath.

Great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us,
because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book
Therefore my wrath shall be aroused against this place
and shall not be quenched. (2 Kings 22:13,17).

Nevertheless the Lord did not turn back his great wrath from the fierceness with which His anger was aroused against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him (2 Kings 23:26).