The Wrath of God

By - Pastor Daniel C. Inghram, National Capital Bible Church

Adapted from: Job 42:7, Lesson 55, February 10, 2021

The author of Job records that God’s “wrath” was “aroused” toward Eliphaz (v. 7). While the English translation “wrath” or “anger” is an acceptable one, it can mislead the reader to believe that God can be wrathful or angry. Most theologians modify the word “wrath” as the righteous wrath of God. However, accepting this “righteous wrath” modification is also misleading and fails to correctly understand the character of God. Why? Because wrath is not a characteristic of God, not even righteous wrath.

The fog begins to lift when we realize that “wrath” is a figure of speech, called an anthropopathism. An anthropopathism assigns to God a human characteristic or emotion that He does not have. This figure of speech is language of accommodation to help us understand God’s character and His interaction with mankind. 

Furthermore, “wrath” is also an anthropomorphism. An anthropomorphism assigns human, physical characteristics to God that He does not have. In v. 7, the Hebrew noun, aph, translated “wrath” in our English Bibles is literally translated “nose.” The Hebrew verb, charah, translated “aroused,” is literally translated “to burn, kindle, stir up or arouse.” Therefore, the literal translation from the Hebrew reads, “God’s nose burns.”

God does not have a nose, and noses do not burn. However, the burning is designed to indicate a red nose that in turn depicts the emotion of anger or wrath. When a person is angry, their nose gets red. We cannot literally apply nose and burning to God, but we can apply them figuratively to understand how God interacts with mankind. This is how we arrive at the translation; God’s wrath was aroused toward Eliphaz. 

The figure of speech “wrath” is a reference to the interaction of God’s perfect righteousness and justice. When man falls short of God’s righteousness in sin, God’s justice responds objectively and justly. What God’s righteousness approves, God’s justice blesses. What God’s righteousness rejects, God’s justice condemns. These are non-emotional judicial actions. Eliphaz is encountering the perfect righteousness and justice of God. God is not angry or wrathful toward Eliphaz. That would be out of character for God.

God is also perfect love, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, eternal. God is perfectly content. He has always been and always will be perfectly content. God is perfectly happy. He has always been and always will be perfectly happy. God does not change because man fails or succeeds. His entire essence works together to accomplish His perfect purpose and plan. This is why it is so important to interpret these biblical figures of speech properly so that we can understand God’s character and how He relates to us.

Therefore, in summary we can say:

1. God does not become wrathful. God does not get angry. God is perfectly content.

2. God does not regret or relent. God does not concede that He made a mistake or admit that He should have done something different. God is omniscient: He knew the end of human history at the same time He knew the beginning.

3. God does not hate. Hate is a figure of speech indicating rejection. God is perfect love.

4. God is not surprised or unaware of something happening in time. God is fully aware of everything that did, could, or might have happened. God transcends time and space.

5. God does not hold a grudge. His forgiveness is perfect.

Conclusion: If you encounter a passage of Scripture that seems to challenge the perfect love, the perfect happiness and contentment, the absolute immutability, the eternality of God, do not allow it to shake your understanding of God. To believe that God gets angry or regrets or hates, reduces God to the level of sinful, finite mankind. Do not minimize God. You may not completely understand what the passage is saying, but it is not reducing God to human emotion or human characteristics. God is infinitely greater than anyone of us can begin to comprehend.

Rejoice in the immensity of your God.

This post was written by Pastor Daniel Inghram of National Capital Bible Church. If you have questions about this post or Christianity in general, please contact us today!