How Long Will God Withhold His Wrath?

Message/Devotion

March 4, 2020

Proverbs 1:24-33

How Long Will God Withhold His Wrath?

The Reading

Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes,

27 When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

29 Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30 They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

32 For the [l]turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be [m]secure, without fear of evil.”

The Message

God is LOVE. I get that. God is a loving God and I get that too. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) There is no stronger love anywhere than that of God towards His creation.

From the very beginning, God has shown patience, grace and mercy even to sinners. But there comes a time when His patience runs out.

As in:

“And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.” Genesis 6:17

“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.” Genesis 19:24

“Then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.” Deuteronomy 28:59

A member of our fellowship shared with me that she has been trying to witness to a co-worker and help him with the assurance of his salvation. His response is and I quote: “I was trying to talk to the guy I work with yesterday, and he said that he believes that God will know the good things he has done and God will be ok with him.”

I don’t want to get far off the subject of God’s impatience and provoked wrath, but God’s love does sustain us. However, salvation is only attained by one single action on our part and that is accepting Jesus Christ as that Savior and submitting to Him and committing to Him. There is NO OTHER WAY! God loves every one of His creation and yet He will not accept the non-repentant sinner.

We can look at examples of disobedience being forgiven but it is not automatic. How about sitting in the belly of a whale? As in Jonah and the whale.

How about publicly denying Christ, not once but three times. As in Peter before the cock crowed three times.

So, we have proof positive of forgiveness and redemption of individuals.

Is there proof positive of forgiveness and redemption for peoples and nations?

“ Then Moses pleaded with [d]the LORD his God, and said: “LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ….. 14 So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.” Exodus 32:11&14

"Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. Jeremiah 26”13

'If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I will relent concerning the calamity that I have inflicted on you. Jeremiah 42:10

Read also Isaiah 35:10 when you have the time and opportunity.

I know that you recall vividly a message from December 15, 2019 entitled: “Almighty God Redeem Our Land, We Pray”

This message mirrors that message as I was drawn to the subject again by the current events of today’s world. You may think that your prayers are insignificant against such an overwhelming and overpowering need. Your prayer is extremely significant when joined together with multitudes praying a like prayer. Your prayers are just as powerful as any pastor in any pulpit and don’t ever think otherwise.

In the midst of tornadoes, pandemics and worldwide strife GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. People riding the fence and biding their time had better start making some changes because I honestly believe that God is growing weary with His creation's indifference towards HIM and HIS Truth.