I want to be happy. I mean, doesn’t everyone? Happiness just feels good, and the happy moments of life are often our favorite ones. Sometimes, however, my desire to be happy causes me to miss out on a beautiful truth about God— a truth that would enrich my relationship with Him if I let it. Allow me to explain.
I am currently doing a chronological reading of the Bible, and I have finally— after an inconsistent year and four months— made it to Numbers. A few days ago, I read Psalm 90, which was likely written by Moses concurrent to the events of Numbers 11 through 14. In these chapters, the people struggle to be faithful, complaining against God and lamenting their situation in the wilderness, and God punishes them for their wickedness and calls them to trust Him more fully.
Moses begins the Psalm with a proclamation of faith in God’s eternal existence.
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
But what he says next is kind of shocking. It’s not warm and fuzzy; rather, it’s a hard pill to swallow.
You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.
This has a much different ring to it than the first two verses, and if I’m honest, it isn’t exactly what I want to hear or believe about God. But let’s keep going.
For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
Again, this is not something I want to focus on— I don’t want to think about God’s wrath. I would rather emphasize how loving and merciful and kind God is, but Moses seems to hone in on the terror that characterizes those at odds with Him. In fact, he seems to be in awe of God’s powerful anger that is able to destroy us for our sins. But why? Why would he marvel at such a dismal reality? I think the answer lies in the next few verses.
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.
My desire to be happy loves this last section. God has chosen to show me compassion and satisfy me with mercy. He has made me glad! I can rejoice in Him! I get to behold His glory and dwell in His beauty, and He establishes my work. It simply does not get better than that.
So why did Moses not just write these last few verses and omit all the bleak imagery about God’s wrath? Simply put, he understood that the joy of forgiveness only comes when we recognize the terror of condemnation. As God punished the Israelites for their various sins, Moses was able to learn that God’s wrath is truly terrifying. He witnessed firsthand how much God hates sin. And because of that, he was able to see with perfect clarity how beautiful and powerful God’s mercy is, watching as God welcomed His people back with open arms each time they repented.
If we want to be truly happy, we cannot avoid the reality of God’s wrath. Watering down the terrifying nature of God’s anger cheapens the richness of His mercy. Therefore, we must place a greater emphasis upon fearing God. Only then can we fully appreciate the magnitude of God’s marvelous grace. Let’s actually fear God’s wrath and be terrified of the effects of sin, and let’s actually be amazed that the same God who punishes sin also forgives it. When we do, God will surely “make us glad.”
Caleb I love these "shaking in your boots!" thoughts. So many people want to excuse their actions by saying "a loving God wouldn't punish me for this". You made it so clear that the wrath of God should be a terrifying thing and His forgiveness brings an eternal peace. Great article! Love you and so proud of you!
Monna
Thank you for sharing your insight on God’s wrath. It’s true, we don’t really want to think about the wrath of God, but we must!
I too am so proud of seeing the love you have for the Lord and in the studying of His Word. May God continue to bless you!