Anger gets a bad wrap because we often equate the things we do in anger with the feeling itself.
Anger is a healthy emotion. Things happen. We get pissed. Now this is the point in the dialogue where the sinning part can take place. Our reaction to the anger is where we get ourselves in trouble.
In the Bible, God got angry all the time. People usually talk about and preach about Jesus getting angry (
John 2:13-25) - I will talk about that more in my next post (
Jesus Shaking Tables) - and Him not sinning but we love to forget that the children of Israel had a habit of pissing God off every chance they got. God is the very blueprint of how to be angry and sin not. Where you you think Jesus got it from? Like Father, Like Son.
The Old Testament is basically this on a loop: God told the children of Israel to do something. They do the opposite. God gets mad (usually after several and I mean several warnings). Them doing what they did causes them to suffer the consequences of their actions. They ask for forgiveness. God eventual saves them from themselves.
God in His anger NEVER sins.
Now the question is, How is that possible?
Its all in the response. When someone hits you or talks bad about you or does you wrong, after the feeling of anger our first response is to get them back bigger, better, harder then they did us. In most cases it done with glee with an expectation of satisfaction. And in some cases its laced with hatred.
In each and every instance where God gets angry, He's angry at what they did, not at them personally. And it is never laced with hatred or malicious.
I know. I hear you but just stay with me.
Lets look at a couple of scenarios shall we.
Scenario one: God told Moses to speak to the rock (
Numbers 20). He gave Moses very specific instructions. Take the staff but speak to the rock and water will come forth. Now Moses - because his problem was always not trusting God fully - struck the rock with the staff. Now the water still came forth but Moses did the wrong thing.
This scenario is a familiar one right? Whether at home or at work. You give someone specific instructions to do something and instead they do their own thing. Now whatever the task was may still end up being successful but their disobedience created other obstacles or problems for you to overcome that wouldn't have occurred if they had just been obedient.
This scenario is no different.
Back story: the children of Israel had been fighting with God because of a water crisis. Which when just looking at this verse only wouldn't seem like that big of a deal. However, when looked at it in context in previous verses God had literally saved them from slavery and been supplying all of their needs during the entire journey to the Promised Land. They really had nothing to complain about because God had shown Himself to be faithful in much bigger situations. (Side note: How many times does God have to prove His faithfulness to us before we will believe Him? That's a word for me too.)
Knowing this, God gives Moses the instructions He does to show the Israelites that God can do anything even speak to a rock for some water. But Moses, as God's representative, didn't even fully believe God and him striking the rock was a mini rebellion in and of itself when you think about it. Like he knew better than the God who had parted the Red Sea. Like parted the literal sea! This put God in a spot where if He didn't still bring forth the water the Israelites would have had just another thing to quarrel about.
God's response. Moses, because you didn't believe you won't see the Promised Land.
Our response. That is not what I told you to do you big faithless dummy. I told you to speak to the rock. Speak! Are you deaf, blind or dumb? Like really? See, now you ain't getting into the Promised Land because I need to teach you a lesson for being so dumb and foolish. Thats what you get. You gonna learn today.
Now we think that God's response is harsh but truly it was just Moses consequence for disobedience. The difference in how the world would response is that we wouldn't let Moses in because how dare he do the opposite of what I said. Are you dumb? That wasn't God response at all because I believe that He was quite sad that Moses didn't fully trust Him and because he didn't he couldn't lead God's people into the Promise Land. Imagine if this got tougher? How would he be able to lead them if he didn't have the faith for now after all he had seen and done? The world on the other hand would probably say good for you and some would actually be happy he wasn't going to make it.
~
Lets look at a
second scenario. 2 Kings 17:18 expressly says that God was angry with the children of Israel. Read the first part of
2 Kings 17 to see why. He was so mad at them that He removed them from His presence. In essence, He kicked them out.
Even in this he was sin-less. I know, you're like how though?
Simple.
God's response. Fine, if you want to be out here sinning, running amok, being disobedient and not following my commandments go ahead. But you can do that without the benefit of living in my house and the protection and favor that brings. I don't have to do what I have been doing. I was keeping people from attacking you but no more. If they want to attack you I won't stop them. If that means that you get conquered so be it. I have been protecting you from your bad decisions and choices but no more. You're not allowed back in My house (His presence) and life will be hard. But I warned you what life without me would be like and now you will experience it yourself.
Our response. You stupid, tired, no good, evil, wicked not nice words. You want to do this to me? After everything I have done for you. I'm gonna show you. F-you. F-your mother. F-your whole family. And you can get these hands.
Lol.
Do you see the difference? Its in the response.
God doesn't say, How could you do this to me? Now I've got to get you. Nope. The sin lies in the response. Not in the anger but in the action. With God, when He is angry He simply allows us to experience the consequences of our sin.
Us? We want to hurt you just as much as you have angered and pissed us off. We want to stick it to you. That's never God's purpose. God gets angry because He knows the consequences of our disobedience and He is trying to keep us from those consequences. Most of the time our anger isn't nearly as noble.
I write all this to say....
Anger is Biblical
Take the pressure off. Just re-evaluate your response. We get angry because we get hurt. And that's fine. However, we need to let it go, not let it take root or wish ill on anyone but allow the natural consequences of this world play out. Its not easy but it is necessary.
The Unlikely Missionary
DHW
