God’s Love and Justice (Lesson 5) Wrath of Divine Love
IS GOD FAIR IN PUNISHING THE WICKED
The wicked reject God. They choose to live a life of sin, deception, violence, and selfishness.
They disregard justice and love.
They call evil good and good evil.
Is God fair in punishing the wicked?
Welcome back to our series on: God’s Love and Justice.
God is love, and how we understand it affects our relationship with God.
Misunderstandings about God’s love lead to feelings of unworthiness, which can harm our relationships with Him and even others.
His love is far greater than the defective idea of “love” we commonly observe today.
Defective love is selfish and self-seeking. This self-seeking behavior leads to wickedness. The wicked sow seeds of discord and exploit others, eventually leading to spiritual ruin, and it destroys our relationship with God and others.
From this perspective, we look at God’s fairness in destroying the wicked.
As always, before we begin, let’s Pray.
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 1 Introduction
Is God fair in punishing the wicked? If God is love, then should he show anger?
Is not God’s anger an act of His love?
Psalm 78:38 makes this point:
“But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath” (Psalm 78:38, NKJV). (Pasuer)
Time and time again, God holds back His anger. Instead of giving us the punishment we deserve, he extends his hand of mercy.
To some, it may appear that the God of the Old Testament is full of wrath and punishment, while the God of the New Testament is full of love and compassion.
But there is only one God. He is the same in both the Old and the New Testament.
Hebrews 13:8 tells us God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
1 John 4:8 tells us
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8) (Pauser)
Therefore, our God of love and compassion is also a God of justice.
Think about it—if God ignored evil and injustice, would he be loving, merciful, and compassionate?
Jesus didn’t shy away from showing anger toward evil and injustice.
He confronted sin head-on. (Pauser)
Therefore, God’s wrath aims at eliminating sin and wickedness so His creation can freely blossom. Yet, he extends his mercy to give everyone a chance to repent.
It says in the Book, Prophets and Kings:
“God allows men a period of probation; but there is a point beyond which divine patience is exhausted, and the judgments of God are sure to follow.
The Lord bears long with men, and with cities, mercifully giving warnings to save them from divine wrath; but a time will come when pleadings for mercy will no longer be heard, and the rebellious element that continues to reject the light of truth will be blotted out, in mercy to themselves and to those who would otherwise be influenced by their example.—Prophets and Kings, p. 276.
How deeply is God affected by evil, and how does he respond to nations an people who repeatedly do evil? Read: Psalm 78 and Nehemiah 9:7-33
Then continue to Part 2: Grieved by Evil
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 5)
The Wrath of Divine Love
Part 2: Grieved by Evil
The God of the Bible loves justice and hates evil. Sin isn’t just something God dislikes—it deeply troubles Him because it hurts the people He loves.
Sin, therefore, prompts a response from Him.
His response is on behalf of those oppressed and abused.
God’s anger toward sin is never about being mean or unfair.
It’s about protecting us from harm. (Pauser)
In the Bible, we read stories about how God gets very angry when his people repeatedly do wicked things.
The practice of wickedness is termed the cycle of rebellion. It went like this:
- The people turned away from God and did terrible things.
They hurt others and themselves. Some of the things they did were horrible and degrading. These evil things included sacrificing children and other evil and disgusting acts.
- God respected their free will.
Respecting the people’s decisions, He withdrew Himself and stepped back.
- Consequently, Without God’s protection, their enemies stepped in.
The foreign nations around them, attacked and oppressed them. (Pauser)
- Realizing their mistake, they people cried out to God for help.
God, full of love and mercy, rescues and restores them.
- Sadly, the people rebel against God again—sometimes even worse than before.
In their vicious cycle of wickedness and evil, God continued to show incredible patience, love, and mercy.
He never gives up on His people, even when they fail Him repeatedly.
Psalm 78: 8:
“God, being full of compassion, forgave their sins and didn’t destroy them. Many times, He turned His anger away and didn’t punish them fully” (Psalm 78:38, NKJV).
No matter how many times they messed up, He forgave them over and over again.
From this, we can see that God’s wrath isn’t unfair. But, He hates evil because it harms the people He loves.
Have you ever seen someone you care about being treated unfairly or hurt? How did it make you feel? Angry?
This is how God feels when He sees evil in the world.
But His anger comes from His deep love and His desire to protect us.
Nehemiah 9:7–33 is another example of God’s patience and mercy.
Though His people repeatedly deserted and betrayed Him year after year, He continued patiently to show them compassion and love beyond any reasonable expectations. He gave them chance after chance to return to Him.
When we feel anger over injustice or the harm done to others, we get a glimpse how God feels about sin and wickedness.
God’s anger, however, is always controlled, fair, and motivated by love.
It’s not about revenge. It’s about healing, protecting, and restoring.
God’s compassion is infinite.
Psalms 78:38 says:
38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; (Psalms 78:38).
Even when we fail, He forgives, loves, and shows his compassion to us.
Thus, God’s justice and love are inseparable. His justice protects us, and His love draws us back to Him every time we fall.
For three years, Jesus had come, seeking fruit and finding none. During these three years one object was ever upon His soul—to present before His thankless, disobedient people the solemn warnings and gracious invitations of heaven. . . .
He carried them on His heart. He did all that He could do to save them. But at the end of His work in this world He was forced to say in an agony of tears, “Ye would not come unto Me that ye might have life.—This Day With God, p. 109.
God promises to bring about justice for the oppressed and punishment for the wicked. Why has that not happened?
Read Jonah 4:1-4 and Matthew 10:8
Then, View the next segment of this video, Part 3: God is Slow to Anger
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 5)
The Wrath of Divine Love
Part 3: God is Slow to Anger
God’s anger is deeply rooted in His love. His compassion, love, and mercy are so great that even one of His prophets, Jonah, once accused Him of being too merciful!
How did Jonah react to God’s forgiveness of the people of Nineveh?
In this story, found in Jonah 4:1–4. God sends Jonah to warn the Ninevites. These people were notorious for their wickedness. Now, Jonah was responsible for warning them of their impending doom.
But when they repented, God forgave them and spared their city.
Jonah was furious! Jonah 4:1-4 says:
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.
2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:2, NKJV).
Jonah’s reaction to God’s mercy reveals two important things.
1. Jonah’s Own Hardness of Heart:
You see, Jonah hated the Assyrians, who were the Ninevites.
And you would think that he had just cause, for they were Israel’s bitter enemies, and they had done Israel very wrong.
So, Jonah couldn’t bear the thought of God showing them any kind of mercy.
Instead, Jonah wanted justice for their sins, but not the kind that would allow repentance or forgiveness.
He wanted them to be annihilated, destroyed, put out of existence.
What about us? Do we sometimes feel this way toward people who have wronged us? (Pauser)
While it is understandable to have this attitude toward our bitter enemies, this attitude is wrong and dangerous.
We must guard ourselves against this attitude.
Since we have received God’s unearned grace, we should be the first to show grace to others.
Jesus emphasizes this in Matthew 10:8 when he says, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8, NKJV).
2. Jonah’s response highlights how central compassion and grace are to God’s Character.
Jonah knew God’s heart so well that from the start, knowing that He is “gracious and merciful” and “slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness” (Jon. 4:2, NKJV)—
Jonah expected Him to forgive the Ninevites if they repented.
Jonah is right; God extends His love to everyone. This means He shows mercy and justice to all people.
The phrase “slow to anger” in Jonah 4:2 comes from a Hebrew phrase. It literally means “long of nose.”
This image associated with the nose deals specifically with the length of the nose.
It reflects metaphorically how patient God is. It shows that God is not quick to become angry as we do.
No, God’s patience doesn’t mean He ignores sin or injustice. Nor does He justify sin, or turn a blind eye to injustice.
Instead, He deals with sin through love and sacrifice.
Romans 3:25–26 reminds us that God made atonement for our sins through Jesus Christ.
5 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, (Pausre)
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
“Divine love makes its most touching appeals to the heart when it calls upon us to manifest the same tender compassion that Christ manifested. That man only who has unselfish love for his brother has true love for God.” The Acts of the Apostles, p. 550.
Have you ever struggled to show grace or mercy to someone who wronged you? Perhaps their actions hurt deeply, and forgiving them feels uncomfortable.
But when we remember how much God has forgiven us, it becomes easier to extend that same grace.
At the same time, does showing grace mean excusing sin or allowing abuse to continue?
Read Matthew 21:12, 13 and John 2:14, 15. What does this tell you about being angry at evil? Then continue to the next segment of this video, Part 4: Righteous Indignation
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 5)
The Wrath of Divine Love
Part 4: Righteous Indignation
While anger can be manifested in inappropriate ways, not all anger is inherently bad.
Though the Bible warns against selfish or sinful anger, it also talks about what is called “righteous indignation.”
This is an anger that comes from love and justice.
How can anger be motivated by love justice?
Here is a good example of “righteous indignation.”
It comes from the Sabbath School Study Guide found at Sabbath.School or ssnet.org:
A mother watches her three-year-old daughter playing happily at the park.
Suddenly, a man attacks her daughter. Should that mother not be angry? Pauser)
Of course, her anger would be the right and loving response to protect her child.
Another example:
In Matthew 21:12, 13 and John 2:14, 15, we see Jesus expressing righteous indignation.
Describing Jesus’ response to the evils in the temple, Matthew 21:12-13 says:
2 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
And John 2:14-16 says:
14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (John 2:14-16)
Another instance of Jesus’ righteousness indignation is found in Mark 10:13-14 in which parents brought their children to Jesus, but the disciples reprimanded them and tried to keep their little kids away from Jesus.
How did Jesus respond?
13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:13-14)
Jesus “was greatly displeased”—in fact, He was indignant! He said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14, NKJV).
This shows how deeply Jesus values the vulnerable and innocent. His anger wasn’t about Himself; it was about protecting and welcoming the outcast (the little children).
Another occasion of Jesus, righteous indignation is described in Mark 3:4, 5.
It is an incident Jesus had with the Pharisees, who were waiting and watching for an opportunity to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath by healing on it.
Jesus asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. (Mark 3:4)
When they refused to answer, Jesus looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. (Mark 3:4-5, NKJV).
Jesus’ anger here came from grief. He was heartbroken to see that the Pharisees cared more about their rules than the well-being of people.
His righteous indignation was love in action, standing up against injustice, and showing mercy.
Just as the anger God showed in the Old Testament is righteous, so is the anger Jesus manifested in the New Testament.
Just like in the Old Testament, God’s anger is about protecting and caring for His people. Jesus showed this same kind of love in the New Testament.
How can love not be angry with wickedness when people are hurt by it?
Righteous indignation is justifiable, even in the followers of Christ.
“When they see that God is dishonored, and His service brought into disrepute, when they see the innocent oppressed, a righteous indignation stirs the soul. Such anger, born of sensitive morals, is not a sin. But those who at any supposed provocation feel at liberty to indulge anger or resentment are opening the heart to Satan. (The Desire of Ages, p. 310)
Righteous indignation is anger that defends others, especially the vulnerable. It is a stand against evil.
But we must be cautious not to confuse selfish anger with godly anger.
“Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the soul if we would be in harmony with heaven. . . .
Many are zealous in religious services, while between them and their brethren are unhappy differences which they might reconcile. God requires them to do all in their power to restore harmony. Until they do this, He cannot accept their services. The Christian’s duty in this matter is clearly pointed out.—The Desire of Ages, p. 310.
It’s easy to justify our own frustrations by calling them “righteous.”
But we must avoid this trap.
How do we do this?
Examine our Motives: Is your anger about protecting others or about defending yourself? )Paoiure)
Pray for Guidance: Ask God to help you discern whether your anger aligns with His will.
Seek First to Love: God’s anger is always tied to His love. If your anger lacks love, it’s not righteous.
God does not willingly seek to cause us pain. We can be sure of this. How? The scriptures provide much evidence.
For starters, read Lamentations 3:32-33; Jeremiah 35:14-17 and Psalms 81:11–14
Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 5: God Does Not Afflict Willingly
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 5: God Does Not Afflict Willingly
Throughout the Bible, God’s passion for justice shines brightly.
He consistently defends the exploited and oppressed, and He shows righteous indignation against those who are the victimizers and oppressors.
Nevertheless, God’s anger is never arbitrary or personal.
His anger is always directed at evil and the damage it does to His creation.
In other words, if there were no evil, there would be no anger.
This we see in Lamentations 3:32, 33.
32 Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.
33 For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men. (Lamentations 3:32, 33)
When people repeatedly reject God and harm others, justice becomes necessary.
This is evident in how long God continued to forgive His people.
Before administering punishment, He offered them chance after chance to repent.
Through His prophets, He repeatedly called them back, but what did they do?
They refused to listen. Jeremiah 35:14–17 records God’s sorrowful words:
It says in Jeremiah 35:15
15 I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. (Jer. 35:15, NKJV).
Psalm 81:11–17 echoes God’s heartbreak, as He laments His people’s refusal to walk in His ways. Psalms 81: 17 says:
17 “Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’ ” (Psalms 81: 17)
In Ezra 5:12, after God’s people’s persistent rebellion, in his last resort, God withdrew His divine protection and “gave” them into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
2 Chronicles 36:16 explains, “They mocked the messengers of God… until there was no remedy.” (2 Chronicles 36:16)
God’s justice extended to Babylon as well.
Jeremiah 51:24, 25, 44 reveals that God later judged Babylon for its excessive cruelty and devastation toward Judah. While God allowed Babylon to punish His people, He did not permit their violence to go unchecked. Zechariah 1:15 shows God’s anger against nations that “helped—but with evil intent.”
Scripture often describes God’s judgments as “giving” His people over to their enemies. Judges 2:13, 14 states,
“13 They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. (Judges 2:13, 14)
Similarly, Psalm 106:41, 42 says God “gave them into the hand of the nations” because they turned away from Him.
These judgments reflect the natural consequences of rejecting God.
When His people abandon Him for other “gods,” He allows them to experience the results of their choices.
Deuteronomy 29:24–26 reminds us that forsaking the Lord leads to destruction, not because God desires it, but because of rebellion.
24 “All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’
25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt;
26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. (Deuteronomy 29:24-26)
God’s anger against evil will culminate in eradicating all sin, rebellion, wickedness, and the wicked, once and for all.
His love for the universe demands the final removal of everything that causes pain, injustice, and suffering.
God’s greatest desire is for the good of the entire universe for every living being in every corner of creation.
You see, the problem of sin, rebellion, and evil isn’t just about us here on Earth.
It’s bigger than that. The whole universe has a stake in the question of sin and rebellion, evil and wickedness.
Therefore, the whole universe is watching and waiting for God’s plan to unfold.
Think about a loving parent who wants peace and harmony in their home, not just for one child but for all their children.
God is that loving parent. His heart aches to see us suffer, but He also knows that allowing sin to run its course is the only way to fully remove it forever.
He’s not just thinking about today or tomorrow; He’s thinking about eternity, about a time when there will be no more pain, no more tears, and no more separation from Him.
Every step God takes is filled with love, patience, and wisdom.
He wants everyone to see His love, justice, and mercy.
He wants all to understand that His ways are always right.
The entire universe has a stake in what’s happening here because, in the end, God’s victory over evil will bring everlasting peace to all creation. (Pausser)
It’s comforting to know that God’s plan isn’t just about punishing sin—it’s about restoring everything to how it was meant to be.
He’s working for the final good, not just for us, but for everyone and everything He has ever made.
God’s plan for the universe is designed show us just how much He cares for us, now and forever.
God, according to Exodus 34:6, is slow to anger and rich in mercy (Exodus 34:6).
Knowing this should motivate us to strive to be more patient and long-suffering with those around us.
At the same time, we must protect and care for victims of wrongdoing.
God’s righteous indignation teaches that we have an obligation to defend the oppressed and work against evil, but always with love and compassion in our hearts.
If it is ok for God to punish people for their wickedness, is it, therefore, ok for us humans to take matters into our own hands to guard against evil and wickedness? Share your thoughts.
Read Deuteronomy 32:35, Proverbs 20:22, Proverbs 24:29, Romans 12:17–21, and Hebrews 10:30.
Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6: Show Compassion
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 6: Show Compassion
Divine wrath is indeed a “terrible” thing, but it is not evil or unloving.
On the contrary, the Bible shows us that God’s wrath against evil is born from His love.
In both the Old and New Testaments, God’s anger is directed at injustice and sin because these things harm His creation and stand in contrast to His pure goodness and splendor.
Love is central to God’s character. Wrath is not.
If there were no evil, there would be no need for divine anger. Eradicating evil from the universe consequently eliminates anger and wrath.
Therefore, one day, there will be no more sin, no more injustice, and thus no more divine anger.
This is because there will never again be any injustice or evil. Instead, we will live in a world filled with eternal joy, justice, and perfect love.
Some worry that divine wrath could be misunderstood as an excuse for human vengeance.
But the Bible is clear on this: vengeance belongs to God alone.
The following are some scriptures to help us understand this:
Deuteronomy 32:35: 35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’(Deuteronomy 32:35)
Proverbs 20:22:
22 Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you. (Proverbs 20:22)
This verse teaches us to trust God to handle injustice instead of taking matters into our own hands.
In Romans 12:17–21,
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17–21).
We are encouraged to respond with kindness and overcome evil with good.
Both the Old and New Testaments explicitly reserve vengeance for God.
In Hebrews 10:30 it says:
30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” (Hebrews 10:30)
While God’s wrath will ultimately come against evil, Jesus Christ has provided a way of escape for all who believe in Him.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 lets us know that, “Jesus… delivers us from the wrath to come” (Thessalonians 1:10).
Because of Christ’s atonement, those who have faith in Him are spared from divine anger.
Romans 5:8, 9 assures us:
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:8, 9)
This according to I Thessalonians 5:9 is all part of God’s plan:
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
God’s justice remains intact, but His love provides a way for us to be saved through Jesus’ sacrifice.
Through His death on the cross, Christ upheld God’s justice while delivering us from wrath.
Sin required judgment, and Christ willingly took that judgment upon Himself.
His sacrifice satisfied God’s justice and opened the door for mercy.
When we recognize how much God has done for us despite our sins, it should inspire us to show grace to others.
If God has been so merciful to us, how much more should we be patient, forgiving, and gracious to those around us?
God’s wrath against evil is not a contradiction of His love—His punishing the wicked is an expression of His love.
It is His way of ensuring that the wicked, wickedness, and sin will not have the final say.
Nevertheless, His love provides through Jesus Christ a way for us to escape this judgment (Pauser)
So, is God fair in punishing the wicked? Yes! His punishment is not about hatred—it’s about justice born from love.
We can escape this punishment if we put our trust in His justice and live out His mercy, extending grace to others just as He has extended it to us.
Why not accept and reflect His love and His justice?
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