God's Wrath Versus Man's

"Will you be angry with us forever?"  (Psalm 85:5, NIV).
"Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure"  (Lam. 5:21-22, NIV).
"Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt [restrain]"  (Psalm 76:10, ESV).
"Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Has he in anger shut up his compassion?"  (Psalm 77:9, ESV).

"God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day" (Psalm 7:11, NIV). It's a good thing He "has not appointed us to wrath" (cf. 1 Thess. 5:9).   In the KJV it says "God is angry with the wicked every day."  Yes, God is not only a God of mercy but of justice and its consequence, wrath at the evil that must be judged, because God is holy.  The fortunate thing is that He is not angry at us, but that wrath was diverted at the cross.  We can also know that God's delights to show mercy and doesn't stay angry forever (cf. Micah 7:18). Also:  "For His anger is but for a moment..." (Psalm 30:5, NASB). And God tempers His wrath with mercy (cf. Heb. 3:2). 

We are warned in Romans 11:22 to "behold the goodness and severity of God" and realize that God means business!  When He chastises us, it isn't because He's angry at us, but about us, and we must suffer from our sins, not for them.  Man's anger doesn't achieve the righteousness of God and we are admonished to cease from anger and forsake wrath in Scripture.  The unbeliever suffers because "the wrath of God abides on him."  We are delivered from the wrath to come, according to 1 Thess. 1:10.  Proverbs advise: We are to avoid a man of quick temper, lest we learn his ways, and yet we are to fear God, for "His wrath is quickly kindled" (cf. Psalm 2:12).

One word of encouragement is that "the Lord is slow to anger" and "His patience means our salvation!"  Don't ask God to judge someone hastily, because He had so much patience with you.  God will someday mete out His justice and meet its demands, and we will no longer suffer indirectly from His wrath, which glorifies Him, even from the wrath of man (cf. Psalm 76:10)--"Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise and the survivors of your wrath are restrained"  (Psalm 76:10, NIV).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Is God Angry?

"O LORD, do not rebuke me n Your anger, Nor chasten me in your wrath"  (Psalm 6:1, NASB).
"But now you also, put them all aside:  anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth"   (Col. 3:8, NASB).

Sometimes it seems that God is angry at us, but He is only angry because of our actions because He must discipline us and teach us right and wrong the hard way--the school of hard knocks.  God is slow to anger, unlike men, and "doesn't harbor his anger forever" according to Psalm 103:9 (NIV).  We, ourselves, have a temper to deal with, and even when we are temperamental, it's ninety percent temper and ten percent mental!

We must learn to control our anger because the anger of man doesn't achieve the righteousness of God.  We must learn to be slow to anger and watch our mood swings.  Remember, "God is angry at the wicked every day" (cf. Psalm 7:11). We cannot bear the anger of God's wrath and will be delivered on the last day.  God knows we are but dust!

We are not to let the sun go down on our anger and not to let it be easily kindled.  God's anger lasts but for a moment and God will love us freely, for His anger is turned away from us (cf. Hos. 14:4).  Jesus warned us not to be angry at our brother and not to stir up strife (cf. Matt. 5:22; Prov. 29:22).  Don't test the LORD's anger:  "Do homage to the Son, that He does not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled..."  (Psalm 2:12, NASB).  James 1:19 says to be slow to anger!  Paul says, "Be angry, but do not sin"  (Eph. 4:26, NASB).   Jeremiah wondered if God was angry in Lam. 5:22 (NASB):  "Unless You have utterly rejected us And are exceedingly angry with us."  God told Moses (Lev. 26:44) that, no matter what we've done, God will still receive us.  We can be thankful for God's patience, which means our salvation.

Words to the wise:  Do not befriend a man given to anger, lest you pick up his ways (cf. Prov. 22:24).  A man who is slow to anger and rules his spirit, is mightier than one who rules a city, according to Solomon.  Soli Deo Gloria!