“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” (Psalm 7:11) When? And where?
One of the reasons that the wicked are not afraid or fearful of the Lord is because so many of them live long, productive lives filled with many of the items and experiences that the world has to offer. They do not suffer like the poor and indigent people that constitute the majority of the planet, and if by chance, so to speak, they suffer some form of adverse condition, it is chalked up to circumstances that were beyond their control, to them, God is a superstition. They are for the most part happy and content, especially if they have great financial resources, they do not suffer as the verses seems to imply, the wrath of God.
The generalized statement given by most born-again believers is “Well, they will” and that is correct, they will find their place in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15) while we enjoy pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11) But that is not what we think of when we think upon the wrath of God that abides upon them today, is it, that wrath implies a difficult life, not one of ease, sickness and sorrow, not one of happiness and contentment, the daily struggle of simply surviving, not the ability to purchase nearly all one needs and wants. So where is this wrath that abides upon them, why are they so, why do the wicked flourish while many who serve Christ struggle?
If a person is not saved, if they see the Lord Jesus Christ as nothing more than a myth, at best a misrepresented legend, if one never gives any contemplative thought to the eternal, then one does not understand that wrath, here and now is all that matters, and here and now is all they give thought to. But I contend that if these wicked give pause to what the Word of God says will be their end if they do not repent, then their countenance would change, if they could envision hell as a real place that awaits them along with the knowledge that God is indeed Sovereign, their demeanor would be altered forever. And if not the fear of eternal pain and suffering, then the price that was paid for them would cause repentance in their hearts.
I contend that for many of them, late at night when they are alone with their thoughts, they experience the wrath of God, but then they push Him from their thoughts, and eventually the Lord gives them over to a reprobate mind. (Romans 1:28) They are allowed to continue to attempt to obtain all the world has to offer, whether it be great wealth, or by searching through dumpsters.
Our perception of the wrath of God must go beyond the plagues of Egypt, it must go beyond the striking down of thousands by the angel passing through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, of great volcanoes and earthquakes, it must instead at times realize what it means to be given up on by the Lord. Without the love of Christ, there is wrath, and it is expressed best by continuing in the desires of the flesh, of seeking after that which is temporary instead of eternal, it is looking for satisfaction outside of the will of God.
One cannot contemplate these statements properly without an eternal view, without thinking beyond this life. The richest, most popular person from the 1700’s is now dead, all those who seek for dominion over us for evil purposes will die, we will live forever. It is quite easy to remind them at times, simply ask any of them what their plans are for one hundred years from today. We can give them an answer to that question, both of ourselves and of them if they do not repent. The wrath of God is shown at these times in their inability to answer that question. Hopelessness may be the most terrible portion of the wrath of God.
