Psalm 91 - Study 27 - Your emotions especially anger!
We read in Psalm 91:9-10, “You, O LORD, are my refuge! You have made the Most High your home. No harm will come to you. No sickness will come near your house.” (GW)
As we continue to meditate on Psalm 91, we have realized that the word of God promises that no harm or sickness will ensue those who have made God their habitation or dwelling. To make God one’s dwelling implies that we trust God and lean on Him completely through every season of our lives with all its ups and downs.
Researchers have concluded that the major cause of diseases that harm mankind are not so much from bacteria or virus, but rather because of the state of one’s mind. The adverse stress and disturbances to the mind leads to break-down in our health. One of the emotions that many battle with is anger which when left unchecked has resulted in harmful effects on our well-being. There is a widespread belief that anger is sinful, but we will delve into the word of God to comprehend the kinds of anger that can be expressed and the effects of the same.
Do not sin in your anger
We read in Ephesians 4:26-27, “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Don't give the Devil a chance.” (GNB)
From the above mentioned verse we understand that anger is just an emotion and by itself it is not a sin to get angry. However, if this anger is not dealt with in the right way and kept under check, it can lead us into sin.
Righteous Anger
· Moses expressed God’s righteous anger
In Exodus 32:19 we read, “When he came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. In a burst of anger Moses threw down the tablets and smashed them at the foot of the mountain.” (GW)
Moses was on the mountain spending time in the presence of God for many days. The Israelites were based at the foot of that mountain. As Moses was enthralled by the presence of God, he also received the commandments of God which he had to deliver to the people of Israel. God Himself wrote these commandments on the tablets of stone and handed them over to Moses. As Moses descended the mountain after this awesome experience with God he was bewildered to behold the most disgraceful sight. The people of Israel had forgotten all about the living God who brought them out of Egypt and had made for themselves a golden calf which they worshiped and danced around. They also attributed their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage to the calf that they had made with their own hands. When Moses beheld this detestable sight, he was so enraged, that he threw the two tablets of stone and smashed them at the foot of that mountain.
Moses’ anger in this incidence was the reflection of the anger of God that engulfed Moses who stood before the Israelites as God’s representative. This is what we can be call righteous anger.
God told Moses in Exodus 32:8, “They've already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They've made a statue of a calf for themselves. They've bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They've said, 'Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.'” (GW)
The Israelites turned away from the commands of God by turning away from the living God and turning to the idol that they had made. This made God truly indignant. The one thing that infuriates God and irritates Him is when we depart from worshiping the living God to worship anything that we have made with our hands.
We read in Exodus 32:10, “Now leave me alone. I'm so angry with them I am going to destroy them.” (GW)
God in His wrath was ready to destroy the people who had disobeyed His commands, deserted Him and followed after the idol that they had made. It was this reflection of God’s righteous anger that was evidenced in Moses when he threw and smashed the tablets of stone that he had just received from God. This is a just or righteous anger shown by Moses was a reflection of the anger of God. If God’s anger was to be hurled at men who had displeased God, they would not stand a chance to survive. Moses stood as the in between to soften this anger of God, by expressing it himself and this was a just or righteous anger.
· Eli failed to express a righteous anger
Eli was a priest of God in the temple. However, when Eli’s sons rebelled against God and continued in sin, Eli failed to admonish them. The consequence of Eli’s negligence was that the anger of God was poured out on Eli’s sons and both of them were destroyed in one day.
As children of God, when we witness injustice in any form we can be certain that the judgement of God will come upon it. Nonetheless, if God prompts us, we should be sure to raise our voice against such wrongdoing, for only then will we be the reflection of God’s righteous anger. This will always turn out for the good of many and not for their evil.
As parents, when God has entrusted us with children, it is God’s will that we bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That is the reason why when our children do wrong, we get angry with them. This is a righteous anger because we love them and desire their well being. On the contrary if we ignore their mistakes, they will grow up to be wayward children who will someday have to be met with the righteous anger of God Himself.
· Jesus expressed this righteous anger at the temple
It is recorded in John 2:13-16, “The Jewish Passover was near, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. He found those who were selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons in the temple courtyard. He also found money changers sitting there. He made a whip from small ropes and threw everyone with their sheep and cattle out of the temple courtyard. He dumped the money changers' coins and knocked over their tables. He told those who sold pigeons, "Pick up this stuff, and get it out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" (GW)
Jesus entered the temple that day to find that the place of prayer and worship had been converted into a business center. Sadly, both in the days of Jesus and today there are those who will use any and everything for financial gain. This offended Jesus so much that He was furious and sought to cleanse the temple. He wanted the temple to get back to its original purpose, to be a place of prayer and not one for business transactions. Jesus made a whip of small ropes and chased all those who were involved in this business out of the temple. Jesus is portrayed as meek and humble of heart, but when encountered with injustice, He did not hesitate to display the righteous anger of God.
After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God was sent to abide inside each one of us. The word of God refers to our bodies as the temple of God within which the Holy Spirit of God desires to dwell. So our bodies too need to be a place where God is worshiped, praised, glorified and not being used for our own selfish ends. Since our bodies are the temple of the living God, we must yearn for God to be glorified and honored in this body.
As we read in Ephesians 4:26-27, “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” (NKJV)
Both Moses and Jesus did get angry, but their anger was a just and righteous anger. They most certainly did the right thing and did not sin in their anger, for it was simply a reflection of God’s just wrath.
It is always good to analyze our anger to see if it the righteous anger that reflects the justice of God or is it a selfish anger that is expressed as a result of our hurt ego.
Ephesians 4:26 also cautions us that we should not let the anger linger on, but should let is subside before the sun goes down.
God Himself will not be angry forever
We read in Isaiah 57:16, “I will not accuse you forever. I will not be angry with you forever. Otherwise, the spirits, the lives of those I've made, would grow faint in my presence.” (GW)
The above verse portrays most beautifully the loving and compassionate heart of God. God Almighty Himself sets a limit to His anger which is just and righteous. The reason is He understands the frailty and feebleness of human beings.
This is so unlike so many people who are harboring the insults, injustice and hurts caused them by others for many long years. We do not undermine these ill-treatments, but if they are left to linger on, they become unjust anger that eventually harms the one who holds on to these grudges. Sadly, it also affects all other relationships and results in break-down of these relationships as well. That is why we are exhorted in Ephesians 4:26, to let go of this anger and settle scores even before the sun sets. Let us decide to release all those hurts and resentment that continue in our hearts for many long years and be released from the grips of anger that overrules us.
There are some who have turned their anger against God because of some difficult situations and explainable events that have transpired in their lives. They are unable to come to grips with these circumstances and have diverted their annoyance toward God. If we harbor anger against God Almighty, we are hopeless and helpless as none else can save us from our calamities. If that is your state, it is time to repent, get back to God and make Him your refuge and fortress. To the ones who do this, God will intervene to do the miraculous and bring about the deliverance that you sought after for a long time. Anger that is not dealt with as God counsels us to will certainly affect our present and future adversely.
We read in Ephesians 4:27, “Don't give the Devil a chance.” (GNB)
If anger is not managed properly the word of God cautions us that we will be giving the Devil a foothold in our lives. All of us are aware of the numerous consequences of Adam and Eve letting Satan gain entrance into their lives at the Garden of Eden. One can be sure that if the enemy gains access into our lives, it will only be for our ruin and never for our good.
Here is an incident from the Bible on what could transpire when one does not deal with anger and gives room for the enemy to enter in.
Cain’s fury against Abel
In Genesis chapter 4 we read that Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord. God respected Abel’s offering and did not respect Cain’s. While Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock, his older brother Cain offered some of the fruits of the soil to God. As God searched the hearts of the two brothers, He accepted Abel’s offering because his heart was right before God. When God did not favor Cain’s offering, instead of repenting, Cain got furious with his brother. These are the words of God to Cain as he pondered on this with anger and resentment.
In Genesis 4:7, “If you do well, won't you be accepted? But if you don't do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack.” (GW)
God in His grace warned Cain regards the anger that he festered in his heart. God alerted him that sin was at his doorstep and that if he was not watchful it would overcome him. Cain did not heed God’s voice of caution, but went ahead to slay his own brother in the field.
This was the consequence that Cain had to face as recorded in Genesis 4:16, “And Cain went away from the LORD's presence and lived in a land called "Wandering," which is east of Eden.” (GNB)
This was the aftermath of Cain’s evil act of murdering his own brother. He was shunned from the presence of God and had to live the life of a wanderer.
Whenever, we bring our gifts to the Lord, we must be reminded that God perceives the inmost thoughts and intentions of our hearts. No one should presume that they could earn in unethical ways and bring their offering to the Lord, hoping he would approve. The caution of God comes to those who like Cain continue to hold on to anger in their hearts. The most precious thing we could lose by continuing in anger is that we could miss out on the very presence of God. When we give the enemy the foothold, we will become tools in his hand and miss out on being those who can fulfill the purposes of God in our lives. Let us decide to let go every kind of anger that we have concealed in our hearts, shut the door to the Devil, lay them down at the feet of Jesus and be set free to lead the purpose filled life that God has called us to.
Pastor F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins
