Program 267
Good News About Divine Wrath!

Even in His wrath, Yahuwah’s love can be seen. It is never arbitrary, and it is always just.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of WLC Radio Ministry, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44] 

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Anger. Temper. Wrath.

What did you think of when you heard those words? If you’ve experienced abuse in the past, maybe you added to the words and envisioned physical abuse … screaming … cursing. Maybe you felt hopeless and helpless.

Well, I’m going to add an adjective to that now and see what your reaction is: Divine wrath. It’s a scary concept. Many Christians were raised being taught that divine wrath is only satisfied if sinners are punished in an ever-burning hell. Maybe you even had a visceral reaction to the words “divine wrath.”

If that’s the case, then today’s program is for you. Yes, divine wrath is frightening. But it’s not arbitrary. It’s just and it’s even loving.

But if you haven’t joined us before, my name is Miles Robey and you’re listening to World’s Last Chance Radio where we cover a variety of topics related to Scripture, prophecy, practical piety, Biblical beliefs, and living in constant readiness for the Savior’s unexpected return, whenever that might be.

Today, Dave Wright is going to be sharing with us the good news about divine wrath. Now, I know that may sound like an oxymoron: how can there be anything good to know about “divine wrath.” Well, keep listening and find out. If you’re like me and grew up fearing Yahuwah’s wrath, I guarantee you’ll feel much better after you hear what he has to say.

Later, in our daily mailbag, Dave’s going to be answering a question about what to do when someone wrongs you … and keeps on wronging you. They never quit. They certainly never repent. What’s a believer supposed to do in those circumstances? Then, Jane Lamb has prepared a promise for anyone who has experienced loss in their life. I think that’s probably all of us. If you’ve experienced loss in your life—maybe you’re still grieving the loss, whatever it was—you’ll want to stay tuned for today’s daily promise.

Dave? I’m going to turn the time over to you now. What’s the good news about divine wrath?

Dave Wright: Well, there’s actually quite a bit of good news about Yahuwah’s wrath. This is an important topic. A lot of people have incorrect views of divine wrath. Naturally, this impacts their spiritual walk because how can you feel emotionally close to someone of whom you’re terrified?

Miles: Good point. I think that’s why, within Christendom, we’ve seen a real split on this topic. To get away from the idea of an ever-burning hell, some Christians have swung so far in the opposite direction that they believe, ultimately, everyone will be saved.

Dave: And that’s as unbiblical as the idea of an ever-burning hell. Both extremes are wrong.

Miles: I think it was in … the 1970s? That a book came out that was called “I’m OK; You’re OK.” The idea that we’re all okay seems to have influenced a lot of people’s perspectives. Sin has lost its sinfulness.

Dave: This is true. But a lot of people still fear divine wrath. They even try and divide Yahuwah. There’s the “Old Testament God” with all His anger and wrath, all these thunderings and genocides. And then there’s the “New Testament God” who’s all love and light and forgiveness and acceptance. But by trying to divide Yahuwah into two separate and very different entities, they lose sight of the truth. And it’s the truth that will give us the reassurance we need to not fear Yahuwah despite the fact that, yes, Scripture does speak of His wrath and it’s a very real thing.

Miles: So, what is that truth?

Dave: Well, there are five elements to Yahuwah’s wrath, and today we’re going to look at each element. The first is that Yahuwah’s wrath is just. And that’s good news!

The second is that Yahuwah’s wrath, yes, is something to be feared. But bear with me. We’ll come back to this point and you’ll see that this is not a fear that will drive you away from Yah. If you’re so terrified of Him that you’re feeling distance from Him, that’s the wrong kind of fear.

Miles: Okaaaay.

Dave: The third point we’ll be discussing is that Yahuwah’s wrath is actually consistent between both the Old and the New Testaments. You can’t separate Yahuwah into an Old Testament God and a New Testament God. He’s the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes.

Miles: Yeah, there’s even a verse to that effect. Give me just a second to find it here. I think it’s in Malachi …

Yeah. Here it is. It’s Malachi chapter 3 verse 6. It says: “For I am Yahuwah, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

Dave: Thank you. And that should reassure all of us. The fourth point is that Yahuwah’s wrath actually is His love in action. Now, I know this sounds contradictory. But hang in there. You’ll see what I mean when we circle back and talk about this.

Finally, Yahuwah’s wrath is satisfied in Yahushua, in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. And that is very good news.

But let’s go back to our first point: Yahuwah’s wrath is just. Divine wrath is inseparably linked to divine justice.

Now, this may sound scary when you’re guilty—

Miles: Yeah! Just a bit! Like Romans 2 verse 23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of Yahuwah.”

Dave: Okay, but why have we sinned? Why do we keep falling short of the glory of Yahuwah?

Miles: Because we have fallen natures?

Dave: Yes!

Miles: I don’t see why you’re so excited about that. That just confirms our guilt.

Dave: Because of Yahuwah’s justice.

Yes, we were all born with fallen natures. We’re not held accountable for that because it’s beyond our control. We didn’t ask to inherit fallen natures. Yahuwah takes this into account. That’s why Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Yahuwah is eternal life through Christ our Lord.” Again, it’s Yahuwah’s sense of justice that gives us hope.

Yahuwah’s justice is integral to His wrath, and His wrath is an integral part of His justice.

Miles: Okay. But I’m still not seeing a reason why I shouldn’t fear it because I am a sinner. I do have a fallen nature and that’s not going to change until Yahushua returns and gifts me with a higher nature.

Dave: And that’s part of Yahuwah’s justice, too. Yahuwah knows we can’t somehow conjure up in ourselves what we’ve never had. That’s why He will gift us with higher natures. That’s fair.

Turn to Ezekiel 36 and read verses 25 to 27.

Miles:

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Dave: And who is doing this work of transformation?

Miles: Yahuwah is.

Dave: Because that’s fair. Again, part of His justice. He knows we’re not responsible for being born with fallen natures. The only thing we’re responsible for is whether or not we’ll choose to accept the salvation offered. Will we choose to believe that the salvation promised is really ours and live accordingly?

If we truly want to understand Yahuwah’s wrath, we first have to understand His sense of justice and what it means … to Him. We focus on how His justice impacts us, but what does His justice mean to Him?

Turn to Jeremiah 9 and read verses 23 and 24, please.

Miles:

This is what Yahuwah says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am Yahuwah, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares Yahuwah.

Dave: This is crucial to understanding Yahuwah’s wrath. Yahuwah actively exercises what on the earth?

Miles: Uh … kindness, and justice, and righteousness.

Dave: Because He delights in them. Yahuwah takes pleasure in justice.

And this is what people who try to separate Yahuwah into an Old Testament God and a New Testament God miss: You can’t have love without justice. Lack of justice is neither fair nor loving.

Miles: That’s a good point. And that’s why I’m so thankful to know what Scripture really teaches about the punishment of the wicked. It’s not an eternally burning hell.

Dave: No. They will receive a death penalty. They’ll cease to exist. But they’re not going to suffer eternal life in torment.

Take the worst despot you can imagine: Pol Pot, Hitler. Uhhh … Stalin. Stalin’s terror famines were responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people.

So say Stalin burns for every person he’s responsible for killing. And I’m not saying this is going to happen—that the lost burn proportionately to their crimes. Maybe they do, maybe they don’t. But for the wake of illustration, let’s say they do. So, Stalin burns for the millions he killed. What’s fair? A year of burning for every soul he killed? So, he gets to the end of that sentence … and what happens? Is he consumed?

Well, if you believe in an ever-burning hell, the answer’s no. He just keeps on burning and burning. And maybe that’s fair. Scripture tells us that Yahuwah feels everything we feel. So maybe he burns double. But then he finally comes to the end of that sentence and then what happens? Is he finally dead?

Miles: Not according to the doctrine of an eternally burning hell.

Dave: Oh, no! He just keeps on burning and burning and burning. At what point does justice become injustice?

See, that’s the problem with the doctrine of an ever-burning hell. It’s not just. How can the sins of a single mortal lifespan be punished for an eternity? That’s not justice! That’s sadism.

Miles: Well, I think that’s why a lot of Christians, over the centuries, have actually turned their backs on Scripture and the truth. Our fallen, human sense of justice knows that a sentence of eternal torment for a finite amount of sinning is … is just wrong. It’s not just. So, they’ve “thrown the baby out with the bath water,” so to speak when they rejected the truth with the error.

Dave: The error was so entwined with the truth that they didn’t know how to separate them so, you’re right: they tossed both out.

Fortunately, we serve a God of love and justice. He’ll take all that into account.

And this is what gives us confidence. Yahuwah delights in justice. He’s fair. He reads the heart. Proverbs 21 verse 3 says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahuwah weighs the hearts.”

Turn to Proverbs 24 and read verse 12. We get an insight here into the balance that is divine justice.

Miles: Ummm …

If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

Dave: Again, lack of justice is not loving. Nor is it fair. Yahuwah’s wrath is always proportionate to our deeds, our knowledge and our personal choice to do what we know to be wrong.

I’m hammering on this point the most, because the main reason people fear Yah’s wrath is that we’ve only ever known man’s wrath. We compare divine wrath to human wrath and that scares us because human wrath is a reaction. It’s usually not a just and loving response to unrepentant sin. But that is what Yahuwah’s wrath is.

The late J. I. Packer was a Canadian theologian and writer. I have here a copy of his book, Knowing God. Would you please turn to page 151 and read where it’s marked?

Miles: Yeah, sure. It says: “God’s wrath in the Bible is never the capricious, self-indulgent, irritable, morally ignoble thing that human anger so often is. It is, instead, a right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil.”

Dave: Again, don’t equate divine wrath with human wrath. The two are completely different. Yahuwah’s wrath is intrinsically linked to His justice, which in turn is inseparably connected to His love. This should give us confidence.

Miles: That’s beautiful.

Okay. We’re going to take a quick break. When we come back, we’ll look at some more distinguishing points about Yahuwah’s wrath. Stay tuned.

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: So, what’s the next thing we need to remember about Yahuwah’s wrath?

Dave: Well, this may surprise you after we just got through reassuring everyone that Yahuwah’s wrath is intrinsically linked to His sense of justice which, in turn, is linked to His love, but it’s another point to be considered and that is that Yahuwah’s wrath is something to be feared.

Miles laughs: Yeah, I wasn’t expecting you to say that after what you just got through telling us in our last segment.

Dave: It is perfectly appropriate to fear Yahuwah’s wrath – and even have a certain reverential fear for Yahuwah Himself, and still love Him. When you understand His justice as well as His love, you can do both.

We fear Yahuwah’s wrath because, as you quoted before, we know that we have sinned and fallen short of His glory. But our love gives us confidence that when we accept the gift of salvation by faith, we can be assured that we’re saved.

Turn to Romans 5. I’d like you to read the first two verses of Romans 5. This explains why both fear and love can reside in the believer’s heart.

Miles: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with [Yahuwah] through our Lord Yahushua Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of [Yahuwah].”

Dave: Yahushua himself taught his followers to have a godly fear of Yahuwah. Turn to Luke 12 and read verses 4 to 7. Let’s see what Christ had to say about fearing Yahuwah.

Miles:

And I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before [Yahuwah]. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Dave: What I want you to notice about this passage is the reason why we’re to fear Yahuwah. Not because He is evil and capricious. No, no! Even the hairs of our head are numbered. Yahuwah is mindful of even the birds that are sold for a couple of coins. We’re to have confidence in His love while being mindful of His power. That’s why we’re to fear: because He is all-powerful.

Miles: Kind of like the “fear” a child has for his parent. Not in any abusive sense, but because Mummy or Daddy have all the power in a child’s life.

Dave: Right. That sort of fear leads to respect and an inclination to obey.

Jeremiah had a clear understanding of Yahuwah’s power. What does he say in verse 17 of chapter 32?

Miles: “Ah, Sovereign Yahuwah, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”

Dave: Blaise Pascal, the 17^th-century French mathematician, physicist and inventor wrote, quote: “Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.” Yahuwah is the perfect embodiment of that idea: He’s all-powerful, so it’s a good thing that He’s also perfectly just.

Okay. Next point: Yahuwah’s wrath is consistent between both the Old and the New Testaments.

I know a lot of Christians like to view Yahuwah almost as some sort of bi-polar entity where He’s a complete angry, genocidal maniac in the Old Testament, but kind, loving and basically a giant Santa Claus in the sky in the New. But Christians who view Yahuwah this way are missing some very vital passages that show the God of the Old Testament was most certainly a God of love and the God of the New Testament—same God, of course—was, along with all that self-sacrificing love, also a God of justice.

Miles: So, what you’re saying is that neither extreme is accurate.

Dave: That’s correct. Let’s look at some passages to get a more balanced view of this.

You’re still in Jeremiah. Turn back to Jeremiah chapter 30 and read verses 23 and 24. What does that say?

Miles:

See, the storm of Yahuwah
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
The fierce anger of Yahuwah will not turn back
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand this.

Dave: So, clearly something powerful; something to fear. What does Nahum1 verse 2 say?

Miles:

Yahuwah is a jealous and avenging God;
    Yahuwah takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
Yahuwah takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.

Dave: This is kind of what we think of when we think about the Old Testament God. But what does the next verse say?

Miles:

Yahuwah is slow to anger but great in power;
    Yahuwah will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
    and clouds are the dust of his feet.

Dave: So, yes. Yahuwah is scary because He’s got unlimited power. But He’s also … good. He’s slow to anger.

Read Jeremiah 31 verses 3 and 4.

Miles:

Yahuwah appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
I will build you up again,
    and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.
Again you will take up your timbrels
    and go out to dance with the joyful.”

Dave: This is the Old Testament God here! He wants us to be filled with joy! He has our best good at heart. That’s always part of His plans. Why? Because He has loved us with an everlasting love. So He draws our hearts to Him with unfailing kindness.

Now let’s turn to the New Testament. We know, of course, that He’s loving. We feel confident in His love and forgiveness. After all, John 3:16 says that Yahuwah so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We know that.

But what we tend to ignore is the fact that the New Testament God has every just as much “wrath”—just as keen a sense of justice—as the Old Testament God. What does Revelation 19 verse 15 say? This is a symbolic description of Yahushua.

Miles: “Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.”

Well, to be fair, this is Revelation. There’s a lot about Yah’s wrath there.

Dave: All right. Read Romans 1:18 and 19. This is where we get a glimpse into the reasons behind Yahuwah’s wrath.

Miles: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.”

Dave: Again: New Testament God here. But we can see His justice here: His wrath is because wicked people refuse to repent and instead actively work to suppress the truth, keeping it from others! That’s His sense of justice and fair play being seen. You can’t have love without justice. And wrath is simply Yahuwah’s righteous reaction to injustice.

And that brings me to my next point: Yahuwah’s wrath is His love taking action against sin.

Miles: Say again?

Dave: I know this sounds a bit counter-intuitive, but bear with me.

What is Yahuwah’s very essence? At His core, what is He?

Miles: Well … love!

Dave: That’s right: 1 John 4:8 says it straight out: Yahuwah is love. All of His actions flow from that.

What does Romans 11 add to this picture? Romans 11 verses 33 to 36.

Miles: Ummm …

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?”
“Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.

Dave: Yahuwah’s “glory” is His character. And His character—His thoughts and feelings—are love. That is the very foundation of His existence so all His actions must be understood in that light.

When we read in the Old Testament that Yahuwah is a jealous God, we look at that from our fallen human understanding of jealousy. But Yahuwah is jealous of His glory. Meaning: He knows that our best opportunity to be saved is for us to know Him and trust Him. Therefore, He is possessive of and zealous to guard His reputation.

We think of jealousy and we define it as suspicious or envious. But the word “jealousy” also has the definition of “zealous” and “possessive.”

Miles: Ohhh, I see. He’s zealous to guard His reputation against Satan’s lies because He knows that those lies make humans fear Him and drive us away from Him.

Dave: That’s right. Now, as we’ve seen and experienced for ourselves personally, Satan’s lies have got multitudes of believers fearing Yahuwah as an angry, suspicious, vengeful being. The truth is, Yahuwah’s actions, always motivated by love, are for our best interests.

It is not in anyone’s “best interests” for sin to grow and spread and propagate. That’s why it must be punished and, eventually, come to an eternal end.

But Yahuwah isn’t malicious; He’s not vengeful and arbitrary. He’s just. And that justice is part of His love for all.

Turn to Ephesians chapter 16. There’s a verse here about Yahuwah’s wrath and it’s interesting because it’s spoken of in context of His love.

Miles: Which verses?

Dave: Verses 1 through 7.

Miles:

Follow [Yahuwah’s] example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to [Yah].

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for [Yahuwah’s] holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of [Yahuwah]. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things [Yahuwah’s] wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

Dave: We need to remember that children get their understanding of Yahuwah colored by their interactions with their own parents. If our parents were arbitrary, if they got angry at us, if they were mercurial and we never knew what to expect, that’s how we’re going to view our Creator. But He’s not that way. His wrath is always and only the action that love takes against sin.

And would we really want it any other way? Lack of punishment isn’t love and it’s certainly not justice.

Miles: Yeah, I think about bullying in schools. Some schools have a real problem with that. The kid will tell the teacher, parents will complain to administrators, but sometimes the school won’t do anything. “Oh, we didn’t see it, so it’s one kid’s word against another’s.”

Dave: Which is a problem because bullies are always careful to never be caught.

Miles: Right. So then the bullied kid finally snaps and defends himself and who gets expelled?

Dave: The kid who was bullied. I’ve heard those stories, too. And that’s not justice. Yahuwah’s wrath is something we can be grateful for. Yes, as Hebrews 10:31 tells us, it is a “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” But when we accept salvation, we are covered by the blood of Yahushua from Yahuwah’s wrath.

And that’s my last point. Yahuwah’s wrath—His punishment for our wrong-doing—has been satisfied in the Savior’s sacrifice.

This wasn’t some deed performed to allay the anger of Yahuwah. In fact, the Old Testament repeatedly states that Yahuwah is our Savior!

Read Isaiah 43 verses 3 and 11.

Miles: “I am Yahuwah your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior … I, even I, am Yahuwah, And besides Me there is no savior.”

Dave: It has always been the heart-longing of our God to save the lost. This is why John 3:16—“For [Yah] so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life”—is immediately followed up with verse 17 which states, quote: “For [Yah] did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” That’s good news! That’s incredibly good news!

It's saying that Yahuwah does not want to punish us. He wants to save us. His wrath was poured out upon Yahushua so that He could forgive our sins.

I’d like to close with Romans 6 verses 21 to 26. Would you read that for us, please?

Miles:

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Yahushua Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Yahushua. [Yahuwah] presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Yahushua.

Dave: This is why believers can have confidence. We are accepted in the beloved.

Miles: Coming up in our daily mailbag: How do you forgive someone who never repents?

* * *

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WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

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Do you know why you celebrate Yahushua’s death on Sunday? Or perhaps you worship on Saturday, believing it to be the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.

Both assumptions are incorrect. Sunday is not the day Yahushua was resurrected and Saturday is not the Sabbath of Scripture. To find out why the majority of Christendom worships on or celebrates the wrong day, you have to go back over 1,500 years.

In the fourth century, the Council of Nicea outlawed the use of the Biblical calendar for Christians. That’s why most Christians today celebrate Sunday. But that’s not all. Under the intense persecution that followed, the Jews gave up their Biblical calendar. Hillel II, the last president of Sanhedrin, introduced rules of postponement that allowed the Jews to calculate their religious observances on the pagan, Julian calendar. And that is why most people today equate the modern Saturday with the Sabbath of the Bible.

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* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Today’s question is coming from … Tarshish!

Dave, laughingly: What??

Miles: Durham, England. You know? I think we should start calling England “Tarshish.” That’s a cool name.

Dave: You’d get some rather strange looks!

Miles: Did you know the castle at Durham, built in the 11^th century and in continuous use for over 900 years, is the only castle in all of England that was never breached?

Dave: Huh! No, I didn’t. Where do you come up with these things?

Miles: A brain that grabs onto factoids and doesn’t let go. Now, if only my wallet could grab onto pounds and never let go …!

Dave: So what question is coming to us from Durham?

Miles: Well, it’s about abuse, wrath, justice; I thought it would be interesting in light of today’s discussion about Yahuwah’s wrath.

Julie writes: “My father has always been very verbally and emotionally abusive. I know Christ died for everyone, but it bothers me to think of my sperm-donor never having to answer for the wrong he’s done. He seems to get to waltz through life, destroying the lives of others without ever being held accountable for the harm he causes. Where’s the justice in that? My feelings are really in conflict over this. I know I’m supposed to forgive him, but it feels like if I do, it will mean that everything he’s done is all right and it’s not. Can you help me resolve this? It’s eating me up inside and I don’t want to keep carrying this burden around. How do I forgive him when he’s still doing and saying the same harmful things and never stopped?”

Dave: I just want to say, Julie, how sorry I am for the pain you’ve gone through. It is never Yahuwah’s will for anyone to suffer the way you have.

I believe we’re dealing with several interconnected issues here, and that’s what’s causing Julie such a struggle. First is the very natural desire for justice. Her comment that her father seems to get to waltz through life without having to answer for how he destroys others’ lives reveals that.

Second is Julie’s very healthy need for her father to repent. We don’t want to forgive an offender if he’s only going to turn around and do it all over again.

Third, is the difference between “vengeance” and “revenge.”

Miles: Vengeance isn’t a word we use very often. Maybe you could clarify the difference between vengeance and revenge?

Dave: Sure. Go ahead and grab your dictionary there. Let’s look up the definitions for both words. Read the definition of revenge first.

Miles turns pages: Revenge … revenge … reunion … reveille … revel … revenge. It says: “To inflict pain or injury in return for an injury received.”

Huh. Sounds simply like punishment to me.

Dave: Keep reading.

Miles: Umm … “According to modern usage, to inflict pain deliberately and maliciously, contrary to the laws of justice and humanity, in return for injury, pain, or evil received; to wreak vengeance spitefully on one who injures or offends.” Unquote.

Dave: Julie’s been hurt, she’s been seriously wronged by the very person who’s supposed to love and protect her the most: her father. And from what she wrote, he hasn’t changed. He’s continuing to cause harm to the people in his life.

Julie has a very natural desire for justice. I want to emphasize there is nothing wrong with her desire for justice. Turn again to Jeremiah chapter 9 and read verses 23 and 24 for us. I love this passage because it gives us a glimpse into the inner mind of Yahuwah. Jeremiah 9:23 to 24.

Miles:

This is what Yahuwah says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am Yahuwah, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares Yahuwah.

Dave: Again, Yahuwah exercises what?

Miles: Kindness, justice and righteousness.

Dave: And what does He delight in?

Miles: Kindness, justice and righteousness.

Dave: Yahuwah delights, He takes great pleasure and satisfaction in justice. So there’s nothing wrong with wanting justice. Injustice is one of the devil’s attributes.

Miles: I’m glad you said that. Sometimes as Christians we get this mixed-up idea that because we’re supposed to turn the other cheek, we’re supposed to just keep putting up with abuse.

I see this in abusive relationships. And abuse can go both ways. We tend to think of men abusing women, but women can abuse men, too. It goes both ways. And to those sitting safely outside the situation, it’s easy to tell the abused person that they just need to pray more, and forgive more, and stay in the situation. Just turn the other cheek in hopes that the abuser will be converted.

Dave: It is true—and sad—that often in a marriage relationship we expect the abused parties to put up with behavior we ourselves would not tolerate in any other relationship. If we wouldn’t put up with someone cheating on or lying to or about us, if we wouldn’t put up with someone losing their temper at us and hitting us, we shouldn’t expect someone else to put up with what we ourselves won’t.

But Jeremiah tells us that Yahuwah delights—He takes pleasure and satisfaction in—justice and kindness and righteousness.

Miles: All right but hold on just a second. Yes, Yahuwah delights in justice. But we are told to turn the other cheek. So how do you reconcile that? Is someone in an abusive relationship just supposed to keep taking it? I’m talking about any abusive relationship. As a Christian, what’s our response supposed to be? Because, speaking from personal experience, there’s a great deal of frustration when a person wrongs you … and wrongs you and wrongs you and keeps wronging you.

When Peter asked if he was supposed to forgive his brother seven times, Yahushua told him to forgive seventy times seven. Basically, no matter how many times his brother wronged him, he was supposed to keep forgiving him. Does that mean—and I’m asking this because I don’t know—does that mean an abused child, an abused spouse, is simply supposed to keep putting up with the abuse? Or stay in a friendship or business partnership where the other party keeps wronging you?

Dave: Not at all. Turn to John chapter 7. In chapter 6, Yahushua told the multitudes that he was the bread of life. This caused a lot of people to turn away from him and angered the Jewish leaders because they understood the significance of what he was saying. Now, read verse 1 of John 7.

Miles: “After these things, Yahushua walked in Galilee, and would not walk in Judea: for the Jews sought to kill him.”

Dave: There is nothing wrong with putting a stop to abuse. And, since we cannot control another person’s behavior, often the only way we can put a stop to abuse is to get out of that situation. Every situation is different. We should pray for people in such situations, but we should never, from our safety on the outside, judge someone for doing what they must to stop abuse, even if it means leaving the situation.

This all relates to Julie’s problem because what causes the most resentment in these situations is that the other person, the abuser, often never changes. And we can’t force him or her to change! That’s not in our power to do. So, resentment and frustration build and build, and with it comes the desire for revenge. That’s when people start lashing out, taking “justice” into their own hands.

Miles: Sometimes people are afraid to forgive. It’s like they think if they forgive, then it’s saying that what happened wasn’t so bad or wrong after all. How would you address that?

Dave: I’d say they don’t understand true forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not saying that the wrong that occurred wasn’t so bad after all or that everything’s all right. It’s not saying that you should just forget it and go on as though nothing happened. Sometimes you can’t. Sometimes you have to get out of a bad situation, just like Yahushua did when he concentrated his ministry in Galilee instead of Judea.

What Julie is wanting and not getting is repentance. True repentance is more than being sorry for doing something. It means you’re so sorry that you quit doing what has caused such harm to another person.

Now, I don’t know Julie, but often what happens in situations like this is that a person is willing to forgive if the other person stops harming them.

Miles: Sounds reasonable.

Dave: But this makes forgiveness conditional upon repentance. The two aren’t linked. This is why it’s important to define our terms.

See, forgiveness is simply a choice that we make.

Miles: Which doesn’t excuse the wrong the other person did.

Dave: Not at all. Forgiveness simply means that we are going to stop trying to exact vengeance, we’re not going to try to get revenge on the other person. That’s all. We’re going to set it aside and move on with our lives.

Miles: But how are you supposed to do that when you’ve been greatly wronged? Because we both know that we can’t control another person’s behavior. It’s hard to “set it aside,” as you put it, and move on with our lives when they haven’t repented. When they’re continuing to do the same harmful behavior. How are you supposed to just set it aside and move on?

Dave: By understanding vengeance. Vengeance and revenge are not the same. Earlier you read the definition of revenge. Now, I want you to read the definition of vengeance.

Miles: Uhhh, okay. Let’s see. It says:

The infliction of pain on another, in return for an injury or offense. Such infliction, when it proceeds from malice or mere resentment, and is not necessary for the purposes of justice, is revenge, and a most heinous crime. When such infliction proceeds from a mere love of justice, and the necessity of punishing offenders for the support of the laws, it is vengeance, and is warrantable and just. In this case, vengeance is a just retribution, recompense, or punishment. In this latter sense the word is used in Scripture, and frequently applied to the punishments inflicted by God on sinners.

Dave: Julie, and anyone else who has ever been wronged, want justice. That’s a godly attribute! Yahuwah Himself delights in justice. The feelings for revenge get stirred up when there is the feeling that justice will never be served. That’s unfair and our emotional reaction is to withhold forgiveness unless and until the person repents, which translates to: until the person quits wronging us.

But forgiveness is a choice we make. It’s not dependent upon the actions or inactions of our abuser. We can make the choice to set it aside and move on when we properly understand vengeance. Divine vengeance is Yahuwah’s answer to the frustrated longing for justice.

Turn to Deuteronomy 32 and read verse 35. This is what allows us to forgive even when the person who has wronged us continues to do so. Deuteronomy 32:35.

Miles:

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’

Dave: Remember, vengeance is justice. It’s not revenge. It’s justice. This is such an important point that Paul quoted this verse in Romans. Let’s read it. Romans 12 and verses, uh … why don’t you read verses 17 to 19. Let’s get it in context.

Miles: “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says Yahuwah.”

Dave: When we know that Yahuwah has promised to get justice for us, then we can safely leave it in His hands. That’s forgiveness. Choosing to not pursue getting justice for ourselves. That’s all it is. It doesn’t mean that what they did was all right. It doesn’t even mean we have to remain in a relationship with the abuser. It simply means that we are going to quit trying to exact vengeance. We’ll leave that up to Yahuwah, knowing His justice is better than anything we could ever do.

Miles: And it will be pure justice, nothing more. I think sometimes in our frustrated efforts to get justice, we go too far. With Yahuwah, we can trust that true justice will be done.

Dave: And that’s when we can forgive. At that point, it doesn’t matter whether the person who wronged us has “repented” or not. We can still make the conscious choice to not seek revenge. We can make the conscious choice to set it aside and move on. That’s forgiveness. And the whole reason we can make that choice is that we have Yahuwah’s assurance that He will get justice for us.

Miles: That’s very comforting. When we know Yahuwah will get justice for us, we don’t even have to bear a grudge. We can let it all go.

Dave: Which is forgiveness and heals us.

Miles: Something we can all use.

If you want to send us a question or comment, just go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on contact us. We enjoy getting your messages.

Up next: Jane Lamb with your daily promise.

* * *Daily Promise:

Hello! This is Jane Lamb with today’s Daily Promise from Yah’s word.

John 15 verse 13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the conflict between the two countries that began in 2014. At this point in time, the lives lost are estimated to be in the tens of thousands and approximately 7.4 million Ukrainians have fled their country for safety in neighboring countries.

One man whose family fled their homes I shall call Vasyl since it’s not safe to use his real name. Vasyl owns a van. With the danger and bombing, Vasyl loaded his entire extended family into his van and drove them across the border into Romania. There, a host family graciously accepted the refugees into their home. But Vasyl didn’t stay. Just as soon as he knew his family was safe and settled, he loaded up his van with supplies and returned across the border into Ukraine. He gives out the supplies to anyone he meets who is in need before returning to restock his van and once again venture into danger, just to help strangers in desperate need.

Adrian, a local man who helps keep Vasyl’s van stocked, says, quote: “[Vasyl’s] sacrifice is inspiring. It takes a committed heart and deep trust in [Yahuwah] to be able to make these kinds of choices which put the needs of the others above your own.”

Joel chapter 2 says:

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you.

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of Yahuwah your Elohim, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Yahuwah your Elohim, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed. [Joel 2:25-27]

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: I have to say that today’s program has really helped me view Yahuwah’s “wrath” in a new light. And it’s comforting!

As a child growing up, I was taught that it was wrong to lose my temper. This was interpreted as “it’s wrong to get angry.” So, “wrath”—anger—has always been something that was scary.

Dave: Was it safe to get angry in your home when you were growing up?

Miles: Hmm. That’s an interesting way to put it.

No. When I think about it, it really wasn’t “safe” to get angry. My father could—and frequently did—but if the rest of us got angry, it made things a lot worse. So, we learned to never get angry. Or, at least, to suppress it.

Dave: Which isn’t mentally or emotionally healthy.

Miles: No, it’s really not.

Dave: The thing many believers haven’t understood is that anger itself isn’t a sin. It’s what you do when angry. Do you lash out? If your boss yells at you, do you go home and yell at the wife, slap your kid and kick the dog? See, taking our anger out on others is the reaction of a fallen heart.

But anger in and of itself can be a very healthy response to injustice. And it’s time we see it in that light. Yahuwah never loses His temper—

Miles: And aren’t we glad?!

Dave: It’s a good thing, for sure! But Yahuwah’s wrath is part of His justice. And justice is a good thing! Believers don’t need to fear Yahuwah’s justice. It’s Yahuwah’s sense of fair-play—His justice—that reassures us that we are safe.

You don’t have to be perfect. You can’t be so long as you have a fallen nature. But Yahuwah knows this. And because His justice is satisfied in Yahushua, you are safe from the punishment phase of His wrath. He loves you and you are accepted in the Beloved.

Miles: Amen! Praise Yah for that.

Well, I want to thank you for joining today’s program. If you enjoyed what you heard and would like to share it with someone else, previously aired programs are available on our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Just click on the WLC Radio icon. Look for program number 267 called “Good News About Divine Wrath!” That’s Program 267: “Good News About Divine Wrath!” on WorldsLastChance.com.

We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage. 

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.