Does God ever explode on us?

“See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.” (Deut. 32:39).

“These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” (Ps. 50:21,22).

Humans explode on each other. Once I pulled out in front an oncoming car. It was a very blind intersection because of a long row of trees blocking the view. So I looked hard and jumped out. The cars were driving fast and next thing I knew was someone was almost touching my bumper and brow beating me. It was road rage for sure.

Another time I wrote a book on Revelation chapters 4 through 11. I gave a manuscript of it to my long-time friend and former youth leader from 40 years ago. I was hoping he would give me some advice. Later I visited him, and instead of advice he spoke very angrily for what I wrote. His outburst completely blind-sided me because I though he would appreciate what I wrote.

When someone totally unloads on you, the temptation is extremely strong to return the same to the giver. It’s especially difficult when you were expecting a pleasant response, but the opposite comes.

I can think of a few explosions in the Holy Writ.

Judge Samuel and his successor, King Saul. The first king of the new kingdom of Israel went out to meet his long time adviser. Basically the king told the prophet, “I did good, what do you think?” “And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” (1Sam. 15:13). But Saul didn’t do good, like he thought. And the Lord was finally finished working with Saul. Saul’s probation was closing. He got his pink slip, but not before getting an ear full. Samuel said exactly what Jesus wanted him to tell the highest man of the nation, the man who was leading thousands of people over the same spiritual cliff that he was going over. For the sake of thousands of souls in view of eternity, the sentence from the throne of God that would be recorded for all posterity must be powerfully strong. Every king afterward would know what their job is—perfect obedience. And likewise every Christian leader.

The roar of the Lion of tribe of Judah that came out of Samuel was not something Samuel wanted to do. And after they separated Samuel mourned for Saul. But Saul was getting careless and carefree, and going downhill fast.

Another explosion came from Moses, but this was a horse of different color. Samuel had been depending on Jesus when he blew up at Saul; but it was the opposite for Moses. When Moses slipped away from dependence on Jesus for a moment, and Satan was right there taking advantage of the failure.

“And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.” (Num. 20:10,11).

The angry grumblers were really pouring it on this time. They really let Moses have it.

“And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.” (Num. 20:2-6).

They were all over Moses. Blaming, accusing, belittling, hating. It had been almost 40 years since the nation entered the wilderness and it looked like they would never get out.

“They provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.” (Ps. 106:33).

Moses lashed out. One time. And he paid dearly for it. “And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” (Num. 20:12).

It appears that David had a blow up. he overstepped his authority.

“I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.” (Ps. 39:1-4).

Then there was the Laban-Jacob confrontation.

“And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?” (Gen. 31:26-30).

There was Laban’s fallacious pronouncement and hypocritical accusations compared Jacob’s dishonesty to his own goodness and loving righteousness. Upon this last indignity and a search for Laban’s gods, Jacob released 20 years’ of pent up frustration of subjection under Laban’s mistreatment, manipulation, indulgence of control, and total blindness to his daily self-service and wickedness. Jacob, who knew Jesus, and who had a higher conception of righteousness than Laban could ever hope to have, but who also had another stressful situation coming in a soon meeting with his avenging, betrayed brother, let loose upon his avaricious uncle.

“What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.” (Gen. 31:36-42).

All of this truth, with which Jacob rebuked Laban, like an ax laid against the root of a tree, was not spoken in the love of God. It was spoken in passion. It communicated a correct rebuke to Laban’s idolatry and worldliness, but it couldn’t cooperate with God for Laban’s conviction of sin.

The response of wrath toward wrath is what Satan has been tempting God to do. The devil wants God to lash out at him so that he can use that against God in the minds of the angelic hosts and unfallen worlds.

Jesus, the Son of God, alone has given the perfect response to blow ups from unconverted, devil-controlled hearts.

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him…. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:33,34).

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps… who, when He was reviled, reviled not again ;… but committed Himself to him that judgeth righteously.” (1Pet. 2:21,23).

 “For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Heb. 12:3).

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.” (Matt. 5:11).

Such patience and forbearance in Christ is the character of God revealed. Jesus was made sin in our place, and mercy in God’s place. God saw sin when He looked upon Jesus and destroyed it, and we saw mercy when we looked upon Jesus and destroyed our sin. But, God did that to His only-Begotten in order to reveal Himself to us. He showed His justice and His mercy. Therefore, His judgment wasn’t a self-pleasing outburst. In all of God’s justice He always watches for repentance and then gives mercy.

“Fury [poison] is not in Me: who would set the briers and thorns against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” (Isa. 27:4,5).

All the words inspired by His Father flowed through Jesus’ thoughts every day, every moment of each day. It all kept Him calm and it steadied His human heart in His body that was weakened by 4,000 years of sin.

“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” (Isa. 30:15).

“My son, forget not My Law; but let Thine heart keep My commandments:

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to Thee.

Let not mercy and truth forsake Thee: bind them about Thy neck; write them upon the table of Thine heart:

So shalt Thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all Thine heart; and lean not unto Thine own understanding.

In all Thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct Thy paths.

Be not wise in Thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to Thy navel, and marrow to Thy bones.” (Prov. 3:1-8).

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit [is better] than he that taketh a city.” (Prov. 16:32).

Jesus was the origin of the whole Old Testament. And from the dawning of intelligence, Jesus studied the word of God and wrote it in His heart. In accordance with His command to the kings of Israel, He read His own Book all the days of His life to ensure its guidance was forthcoming in all of His rulership.

“And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.” (Deut. 17:18-20).

Such meticulous holiness that Jesus revealed is the character of God the Father, the great Judge of Judgment Day.

Like Jesus, the Great King wants to walk with us and call us fellow citizens, keeping truth in the forefront of His infinite mind, “that His heart be not lifted up above His” children.

Judgment Day will not be an impassioned explosion against sinners. But, it will be strong justice. The soon-coming, final visitation of punishment will be the epitome of all past visitations.

“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten My word to perform it.

 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.

Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

And I will utter My judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken Me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.” (Jer. 1:11-16).

Judgment Day will be the arraignment of all the sin and abuses, service to devils and the sacrifices of humans young and old made in God’s image. Judgment Day sentence will not be spoken in passion and emotion. Nevertheless, it will be spoken in strong and no uncertain terms.

“Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.

My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto Me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,

That thou hast slain My children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?” (Eze. 16:17-21).

“Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.

And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more.

So will I make My fury toward thee to rest, and My jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.

Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted Me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.” (Eze. 16:35-43).

A greater judgment than against Israel of old will come upon the Church of today.

“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” (Rev. 17:3-6).

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Rev. 17:12-18).

“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Rev. 18:1-8).

“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more.” (Rev. 18:9-11).

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself.

And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God.

And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” (Rev. 19:11-21).

After Jesus’ Judgment Day, Jehovah’s Judgment Day will arraign the billions of the lost, wicked sinners.

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:7-15).