What Does the Bible Say About the Wrath of God — Meaning Explained

Many are uncomfortable with the idea of God's wrath, but Scripture speaks of it extensively. Romans 1:18 declares, 'the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.' Nahum 1:2 says, 'God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries.' God's wrath is not the same as human anger — it is not petty, vindictive, or irrational. It is the necessary response of a holy God to sin. A God who did not hate evil would not be good. The Old Testament displays God's wrath against sin: the Flood, Sodom, the plagues on Egypt, and judgment on wayward Israel. Yet God's wrath is always tempered by mercy: 'in wrath remember mercy' (Habakkuk 3:2). The ultimate expression of both wrath and love is the cross — where God's righteous anger against sin was poured out on Christ so that sinners could be forgiven. Romans 5:9 assures believers they are 'saved from wrath through him.'