[b]Jesus Christ went into the
furnace of His Father's wrath[/b]

(Thomas Watson, "The Wrath of God")

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows." Galatians 6:7

God's wrath is just. The wicked shall drink a
sea of wrath--but not one drop of injustice!

God is justified in condemning sinners at the last day.
They deserve wrath, and it is no injustice to give them
that which they deserve. If a malefactor deserves death,
the judge does him no wrong in condemning him.

See what a great evil sin is--which exposes a person to
God's wrath forever! You may know what an evil sin is,
by the wrath and curse it brings! When you see a man
brought to the gallows, you conclude he is guilty of some
heinous crime, which brings such a punishment. So when
a man lies under the fierce anger of God's wrath, and
roars out in flames--you must say, "How horrid an evil
sin is!" Those who now see no evil in sin--will see how
vile it is--in the looking-glass of hell-torments!

See here, that which may check a sinner's mirth. He is
now brisk and frolicsome; he "sings idle songs to the
sound of the harp." Amos 6:5. "But know that for all
these things, God will bring you to judgment!" Ecc. 11:9.
Let him remember that the wrath and curse of God hang
over him, which will shortly, if he does not repent--be
executed upon him!

The sword of God's justice hangs over a sinner, and
when the slender thread of life is cut asunder--it falls
upon him! For a drop of pleasure--he must drink a
sea of wrath! His momentary pleasure cannot be so
sweet--as God's eternal wrath is bitter! Better lack
the devil's honey--than be stung with the
eternal wrath of God!

"None considers in his heart." See the stupidity of
sinners! Though the fierce wrath of God is ready to
fall upon them--they have no concern! Though a
beast has no shame, it has fear--it is afraid of fire.
But sinners are worse than brutish--for they do not
fear the "fire of hell"--until they are in it! When they
shall feel the vials of God's wrath dropping, they will
cry out as Dives, "Oh! I am tormented in this flame!"
Luke 16:24.

"Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Th.
1:10. Christ is the only screen to stand between us and
the wrath of God; He felt God's wrath--that those who
believe in Him should never feel it.

Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace was a type of God's wrath,
and that furnace did not singe the garments of the three
Hebrew children, nor did they have "the smell of fire upon
them." Daniel 3:27. Jesus Christ went into the furnace
of His Father's wrath--and the smell of the fire of hell
shall never pass upon those who believe in Him!

To you who have a well-grounded hope that you shall not
feel this wrath, which you have deserved--let me exhort
you to be very thankful to God, who has given His Son to
save you from this tremendous wrath. The Lamb of God
was scorched in the fire of God's wrath for you! Christ
felt the wrath which He did not deserve--that you might
escape the wrath which you have deserved!

Pliny observes, that there is nothing better to quench fire,
than blood. Christ's blood has quenched the fire of God's
wrath for you! "Upon me be your curse," said Rebekah to
Jacob. Just so, Christ said to God's justice, "Upon Me be
the curse--that My elect may inherit the blessing!"

Be patient under all the afflictions which you endure.
Affliction is sharp--but it is not wrath, it is not hell. Who
would not willingly drink the cup of affliction--who knows
he shall never drink in the cup of damnation! Who would
not be willing to bear the wrath of man--who knows he
shall never feel the wrath of God!

Christian, though you may feel God's rod--you shall never
feel God's bloody axe! Augustine once said, "Strike, Lord,
where you will--so long as my sin pardoned." You should
say, "Afflict me, Lord, as you will in this life--seeing I
shall escape the wrath to come!"

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon