But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way. (Gen 33:3bNET)
We are made most uncomfortable with the notion that God may become angry. Angry with me, angry with a church or a nation. We immediately begin to question the possibilities: how is God angry to the point of destroying an entire people and claim to love them at the same time? And if he can feel that way about so many, certainly he can feel that way about me! So, how can I trust the love of God to intercede for me, care for me and, most importantly, restore me?
God’s anger toward the Israelites was valid and expected. God brought them out of Egypt and the servitude of over gods. He did so at no expense to them. His rescue mission cost them nothing. While moving through the desert he cared for them with no effort of their own required of them. He did not remain separate from them but pitched his tent with them and made his presence known to them. He asked for nothing but for them to reserve their worship for him and to respect and look out for each other.
But these – worship God and him alone and look out for and care for each other – they could not, would not do. And so, he became angry about it. God’s anger is a destructive anger. It cannot be contained because it is just. God’s justice is always exercised in ways that are clear to the ones who receive it and to the ones who observe it.
His anger is not like ours. We become angry over just about anything – coffee spilling down the front of our shirt, the dog dumping over the garbage can, the internet going down, missing breakfast time at the drive thru window! God is angry about sin. He hates sin. It destroys our relationship with him, just as it did with the Israelites long ago. He has nothing to do with sin. Sin is unholy and his IS Holy. He gets angry when the people that he loves and chose for himself choose another god or gods to satisfy the cravings that only God can provide – love, peace, rest, security, justice and, most of all, mercy. We all need mercy.
Sin still exists in the world, but God is no longer angry about it. He took care of our sin problem. By his mercy he sent his Son and made him to be sin on our behalf. God poured his anger out on his son on the cross of Calvary. He did this at no expense to us, but at great expense to himself; this rescue mission cost us nothing but cost him everything; he offered us great mercy that we could not earn or deserve; he restores us because of his goodness and love. Our Creator pitched his tent with us and promised to be with us always. Jesus can do that because sin no theatens death for his people, people that God chooses by means of their belief and trust in Jesus.
If you feel as though God is far from you, then you have only one thing to do; identify the sin that is separating you from him. Surrender it to Jesus, the one who has already conquered in on the cross and enjoy fellowship with him again. He will free you from its slavery. You may freely go to the tent of meeting and there enjoy life with God. He deeply wants you to hear him say to you, “my beloved” and call you friend. Give it all to Jesus; he will turn your emptiness into an overflowing spring of joy.