The Bible has a lot to say about God’s wrath and anger against sin. While God is loving, merciful, and gracious, He is also just and holy. When people rebel against God and refuse to repent, they store up God’s wrath for themselves.
Here are some key Bible verses about the wrath of God:
Old Testament Verses on God’s Wrath
“God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.” (Psalm 7:11)
“Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.” (Psalm 90:11)
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18)
“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6)
“For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.” (2 Samuel 14:14)
“In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” (Psalm 4:4)
“God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; the LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.” (Nahum 1:2)
“Then the LORD’s wrath will burn against you, and you will swiftly perish from the good land he has given you.” (Deuteronomy 11:17)
“See, the day of the LORD is coming
—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—
to make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it.” (Isaiah 13:9)
New Testament Verses on God’s Wrath
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18)
“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6)
“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4)
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” (Romans 13:1-4)
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)
“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.” (Revelation 15:1)
“The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:18)
Wrath Toward Unrepentant Sinners
A major theme throughout Scripture is that God’s wrath comes upon those who stubbornly rebel against Him and refuse to repent. God is patient and merciful, but there comes a point when persistent, unrepentant sin stacks up God’s righteous anger (Romans 2:5). Examples in Scripture include:
- God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual immorality and wickedness (Genesis 19)
- The flood in Noah’s day, which wiped out humanity except for Noah and his family (Genesis 6-9)
- Plagues on Egypt due to Pharaoh hardening his heart rather than letting the Israelites go (Exodus 7-12)
- The scattering of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria for their idolatry and rejection of God’s Word (2 Kings 17)
- The destruction of Jerusalem and exile of Judah by Babylon for their lack of faith and worship of idols (2 Kings 25)
- Jesus pronouncing woe and condemnation on unrepentant cities in Israel for rejecting Him (Matthew 11:20-24)
- Hell and the lake of fire being the ultimate outpouring of God’s wrath on those who refuse Christ (Revelation 20:11-15)
The consistent message is that rejecting God and refusing to turn from sin results in experiencing God’s wrath, if not in this life then in eternity.
God’s Wrath and Justice
A key aspect of God’s wrath is that it flows from His justice and holiness. God is perfectly righteous, and His wrath expresses His moral outrage and disgust at sin and rebellion:
“God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” (Psalm 7:11)
“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)
God’s wrath highlights the dangerous and destructive nature of sin. In His perfect knowledge and wisdom, God understands how horrendous and evil sin is, and His wrath corresponds to His pure, morally perfect nature.
God’s Wrath and Mercy
Though God expresses wrath toward persistent, unrepentant sin, the Bible also presents His incredible mercy, patience, and desire that people turn to Him:
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)
Throughout Scripture, God goes to incredible lengths to spare people from His wrath and demonstrate His grace and love, culminating in the sacrifice of His Son to pay for sin (John 3:16).
Still, if people reject Christ’s offer of forgiveness and new life, they remain under God’s wrath:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)
Jesus and God’s Wrath
Jesus, as part of the Triune God, fully expresses God’s wrath toward wickedness. This may surprise some who view Jesus only as a meek and mild savior.
Examples of Jesus displaying and warning about God’s wrath include:
- Forcefully driving out money-changers from the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13)
- Cursing and causing a fig tree to wither overnight (Matthew 21:18-19)
- Condemning whole towns to a miserable fate for rejecting Him (Matthew 11:20-24)
- Prophesying that people will weep and gnash their teeth in anguish, which points to exclusion from God’s kingdom and His wrath (e.g. Matthew 8:12)
- Telling parables that end with the king (representing God) expressing furious wrath (Matthew 22:7; 25:30)
Jesus as judge of the world will inflict God’s wrath on the disobedient (John 5:22-27). Christ’s second coming will entail wrath and judgment upon those who reject Him (Revelation 6:16-17).
God’s Wrath and the Gospel
A vital part of the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus’ death on the cross saves believers from the coming wrath of God:
“God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9)
The pouring out of God’s wrath on Jesus while He hung on the cross is how God’s justice and mercy meet for all who trust in Christ (Romans 3:25-26). This enables God to forgive sin without compromising His holiness.
Living in Light of God’s Wrath
Scripture encourages believers to live holy lives in light of coming judgment and God’s wrath against sin:
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness…” (2 Peter 3:11)
“Knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.” (2 Corinthians 5:11)
“Let us walk properly as in the daytime…not in quarreling and jealousy.” (Romans 13:13)
Believers are not exempted from God’s moral standards but are empowered by Christ to live uprightly through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
The wrath of God is a sobering and frightening reality, but it highlights the dangerous and destructive nature of sin. God’s wrath flows from His justice and holiness, and points to the need for people to repent and believe in Christ to be rescued from sin and wrath. For believers, understanding God’s wrath motivates living holy lives that please and honor Him.