Wrath or Peace (3)

 

The Text – The Gospel of God

1. The first N.T. epistle, yet not first in time, is Paul’s of the true gospel (Rom 1:1; 2:16).
2. It was written to a church of God’s elect, beloved of God and appointed (Rom 1:6-7).
3. Paul wanted to preach the gospel to believers of justification and wrath (Rom 1:15-18).
   1. There is no appreciation or need for justification without learning the wrath of God.
   2. Paul’s gospel begins by condemning Gentiles (1:18 to 2:16) and Jews (2:17 to 3:20).
   3. The very short introduction to salvation (1:16) and justification (1:17) present hope.
   4. But without condemnation under wrath and human depravity, salvation is ho-hum.
   5. For = a simple coordinating conjunction of the need for salvation and justification.
   6. Wrath of God = the anger and fury and vengeance of the Creator against enemies.
   7. Revealed = our religion is not by rationalization or research, but revealed five ways.
   8. From heaven = is where God dwells accumulating wrath for final judgment of men.
   9. Against all sinful men = who have seen and known God and so are without excuse.
4. Lest ignorant Bible readers think the wrath here is an exception, Paul had more to write.
   1. His wrath is why He rewires men to vilely dishonor themselves (Rom 1:24,26-27).
   2. His goodness is to repent and not pile up more wrath for the day of wrath (Rom 2:5).
   3. The Holy Spirit joins to His wrath … indignation, tribulation, anguish (Rom 2:8-9).
   4. A coming day of wrathful judgment is how Paul presented the gospel (Rom 2:16).
   5. God is righteous to take vengeance on sinners, so never think otherwise (Rom 3:5).
   6. God’s law (via Moses) does not save anyone but causes God’s wrath (Rom 4:15).
   7. Salvation by Jesus Christ’s death is from God’s wrath, never overlook it (Rom 5:9).
   8. God is willing to show His wrath and power over reprobates to all men (Rom 9:22).
   9. We cannot allow wrath or vengeance, for such things are His property (Rom 12:19).
5. For a detailed exposition of Romans 1 and condemnation under God’s wrath … here.

How Do We Prove God’s Wrath?

1. Creation has a supernatural Creator with eternal power and divine attributes (Rom 1:20).
2. Providence further reveals His anger in fury and violence allowed to occur in the earth.
   1. This important word that is no longer used means God’s government of the universe.
   2. Anything and everything that follows in the nature of His creation is His intention.
   3. Each person has a unique set of circumstances, abilities, and events defining his life; this set makes his or her life different from others. God chose each of the differences; some choices are limiting, painful, and quite hopeless. God is angry with our race.
   4. God raises up kings and puts them down, often horribly, like Alexander the Great.
   5. Wars, one of the most destructive things in life, are sent by our God (II Chron 16:9).
   6. Anyone can see the violence in nature, but we know He absolutely rules all events; rather than call it Mother Nature, we may call it God our Father by choice and design.
3. Nature is another source of seeing God’s character by the animal kingdom and weather.
   1. We must see the fury, destruction, mayhem, violence, and death of the natural world.
   2. Think cyclones, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, typhoons, and volcanoes – not the rainstorms used by the Weather Channel to gender foolish fear; learn the Fujita scale for tornadoes from EF-0 (65-85) up to EF-5 (over 200 mph).
   3. Think lions and beasts that violently stalk, strike, rip, tear, choke, eat gentle animals; think of a crocodile latching onto an antelope to violently drown it and twist it in a death roll; think of a pack of hyenas ganging up on most anything to nip it to death.
   4. Women, think about the monthly custom, pregnancy, delivery, postpartum, etc., etc.!
   5. Death is not a choice, natural, ordinary, acceptable. It is violent destruction of a life.
   6. Before death comes, there is decay of every good thing about life to ordinarily allow reflection on the loss and coming death, so they are called evil days by the Preacher.
   7. No achievement in life will last past your death or be remembered by any after you.
4. Conscience inside men reveals His righteous rules with guilt and fear for disobedience.
   1. The Bible says even the wicked flee without pursuit due to conscience (Prov 28:1).
   2. Adam and Eve tried fig leaves and the trees for guilt and shame for sin (Gen 3:7-8).
   3. When Jesus confronted Jews and an adulterous woman, conscience convicted them.
   4. Conscience contributes to persons fearing storms, funerals, pandemics, travel, etc.
   5. Conscience declares clearly enough God hates sin and will angrily punish sinners.
   6. Conscience is innate, but buttressed by providential events and experience of anger.
   7. Conscience also desires and expects total dominion and destruction of cruel enemies, which comes from the Creator of that conscience, Who also is severe against cruelty.
5. The Bible is full of His wrath by doctrine, examples, events, prophecies, punishments.
   1. Scripture is always the surest and most complete proof of any matter or controversy.
   2. Death is God’s creative choice for sin; it is no accident at all (Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23); consider all aspects of it and then all three Bible deaths – spiritual, physical, eternal.
   3. Think Flood! God’s anger suffocated every person no matter age, sex, abilities, etc.
   4. Think Babel! God’s anger ended cousins, friendships, comfort, teaching, plans, etc.
   5. Consider well … Get out! (of Eden) … Drown! (in the Flood) … Babble! (at Babel).
   6. Think Amalek – war forever (Exodus 17:14,16; Deut 25:19)! Or Edom (Mal 1:1-5)!
   7. Think Shalmaneser and Nebuchadnezzar against Israel and then Judah respectively.
   8. Think 70 AD! God’s wrath about His Son made it the worst suffering of a city ever.
   9. Think angels! No matter their exalted glory, He cursed sinning angels to eternal fire.
6. The Bible uses names and descriptions of God that are little known by most Christians.
   1. Moses, a great friend of God, described Jehovah God as a man of war (Exodus 15:3).
   2. Moses and Joshua taught Israel that He was a jealous God (Ex 34:14; Joshua 24:19).
   3. Moses, Nehemiah, and David saw He is terrible (Deut 7:21; Neh 1:5; 9:32; Ps 47:2).
   4. David, one of God’s best friends, called Him The LORD mighty in battle (Ps 24:8).
   5. Daniel, one of God’s best friends, called Him the great and dreadful God (Dan 9:4).
   6. Paul, knowing God’s love, said he persuaded men by terror of God (II Cor 5:10-11).
   7. John, a close apostle, said His clothes were dipped in blood of enemies (Rev 19:13).
7. It is also a New Testament doctrine, which we clearly proved from the book of Romans.
   1. John blasted the Jews of his generation for God’s wrath coming on them (Matt 3:7).
   2. Jesus prophesied God’s great wrath on the Jewish people in 70 AD (Luke 21:22-23).
   3. John Baptist declared any that rejected Jesus had God’s wrath on them (Jn 3:36,18).
   4. Jesus preached more about hell fire than any other writer in scripture (Matt 25:41).
   5. Paul described sinners before they are born again as children of wrath (Eph 2:1-3).
   6. Paul listed sins that would bring God’s wrath on sinners (Eph 5:3-6; Col 3:5-7).
   7. Paul repeated the warnings of John and Jesus to that generation (I Thess 2:16-17).
   8. Paul used God’s wrath against Israel at the border of Canaan (Hebrews 3:11; 4:3).
   9. John repeated God’s wrath (Rev 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10,19; 15:1,7; 16:1,19; 19:15).
8. Rather than His anger, fury, vengeance, wrath being rare, they are throughout the Bible.

How do we define God’s wrath?

1. We define Bible concepts, doctrine, events, and words by the Bible, as told (I Cor 2:13).
2. The last source to consider is the heart or ideas of men (I Cor 2:6-8; Rom 3:4; Jer 17:9).
   1. We never, like most, allow human sentimentality to even color our view of Jehovah.
   2. Never think He is like you or you like Him, for His silence deceives (Ps 50:21-22).
3. Related Bible words: abhor, anger, fury, hate, hot, indignation, jealous, revenge, wroth.
   1. Abhor = To regard with horror, extreme repugnance or disgust; to hate utterly, loathe, abominate.
   2. Anger = The active feeling provoked against the agent; passion, rage; wrath, ire, hot displeasure.
   3. Fury = Fierce passion, disorder or tumult of mind approaching madness; wild anger, frenzied rage.
   4. Hatred = To hold in very strong dislike; to detest; to bear malice to. Opposite love.
   5. Hot = Excited with anger; angry, wrathful, ‘in a passion’.
   6. Indignation = Disdain, contempt. Anger at what is regarded as unworthy or wrongful; wrath excited by a sense of wrong to oneself or by meanness, injustice, wickedness, or misconduct; righteous or dignified anger; the wrath of a superior.
   7. Jealousy = Vehement in feeling, as in wrath; wrathful, furious; resentful towards another on account of known or suspected rivalry. No toleration of unfaithfulness.
   8. Vengeance = Avenging oneself; retributive infliction of injury or punishment; hurt or harm done from vindictive motives. Vindictive = Given to revenge or retribution.
   9. Wroth = Deep anger or resentment; wrath, rage, or fury; ire.
4. Can we find these synonyms in the Bible? Easily, and there are also other comparisons.
   1. God abhors (Lev 20:23; 26:30; Deut 32:19; Ps 5:6; 78:59; 89:38; 106:40; Amos 6:8).
   2. God’s anger (Deut 9:8; I Kgs 11:9; II Kgs 17:18; Psalm 2:12; 7:11; 76:7; Mark 3:5).
   3. God’s fury (Lev 26:28; Job 20:23; Is 34:2; 42:25; 51:17,20; 59:18; 63:3-6; 66:15; Jer 4:4; 21:5; Lam 4:11; Ezek 5:15; 22:20; 24:8; Micah 5:15; Nah 1:2,6; Zeh 8:2).
   4. God’s hatred (II Chron 19:2; Psalm 5:4-6; 11:4-6; 139:21-22; Mal 1:1-5; Rom 9:13).
   5. God gets hot (Exodus 22:24; 32:10,19,22; Deut 9:19; Judges 2:14; 3:8; 10:7; Ps 6:1).
   6. God’s indignation (Deut 29:28; Ps 69:24; 78:49; Is 10:5; 13:5; 30:27,30; 34:2; Jer 10:10; Lam 2:6; Ezek 21:31; Nahum 1:6; Zep 3:8; Mal 1:4; Heb 10:27; Rev 14:10).
   7. God is jealous (Exodus 34:14; Deut 4:24; 5:9; Ezek 16:38; 36:6; Nah 1:2; Zech 8:2).
   8. God’s vengeance (Deut 32:35,41; Ps 58:10; 94:1; Pr 6:34; Is 47:3; 59:17; 61:2; Jer 51:11; Ezek 24:8; 25:14,17; Mic 5:15; Nah 1:2; II Thess 1:8; Heb 10:30; Jude 1:7).
   9. God can be wroth (Deut 9:19; Joshua 22:18; Ps 18:7; 78:21,59,62; Matthew 22:7).
5. In humble reverence, for we never want to misrepresent His character in any degre
   1. We might suggest – His obsession for justice, supremacy, and to humiliate enemies.
   2. We might suggest – His infinite offence at any disrespect, disobedience, or rebellion.
   3. We might suggest – His intent to never let an enemy or opponent succeed or survive.
   4. We might suggest – The need to inflict hurt or pain commensurate with any offence.We might suggest – His plan for incense by smoke of enemy suffering and torment.
   5. We might suggest – His spirit of fury against enemies and creativity of total revenge.
   6. We might suggest – He laughs at enemies and mocks misery (Ps 2:4; Prov 1:24-27).
   7. We might suggest – He made reprobates for His pleasure by pain (Pr 16:4; Rev 4:11).
   8. We might suggest – He is not satisfied with only some pain (Is 9:12,17,21; 10:4,27).
6. There are also natural comparisons that God Himself makes to various things in nature.
   1. His fury is often compared to whirlwinds or tornadoes (Ps 58:9; Jer 23:19; 30:23).
   2. His fury against enemies is compared to a snail melting or a miscarriage (Ps 58:8).
   3. His fury against sinners is like leopard, lion, bear (Lam 3:10-11; Hos 5:14; 13:7-8).
   4. His fury against sinners is darkness and from lions to bears to snakes (Am 5:18-20).
   5. His fury against enemies is compared to arrows like lightning (Zechariah 9:14-15).
7. We define His wrath as something good, for it is against evil, and the righteous rejoice.
   1. David hated wicked enemies of God with perfect hatred, like God (Ps 139:21-22).
   2. Read his inspired blast of detailed wrath and pain against the wicked, which is a good thing for joy and faith in God toward the wicked and righteous (Ps 58:6-11).
   3. There is a time for revenge, which is vengeance, and God inspired it (Ps 147:6-9).
   4. Martyrs in heaven, spirits of just men made perfect, pray for revenge (Rev 6:9-11).
8. His wrath is not the foolish reaction of natural man but rather perfect premeditation!
   1. Nothing God does in time is a reaction of surprise or includes any degree of wrong.
   2. Yesterday was beautiful; tomorrow will be; but all of it reserved for fire (II Pet 3:7).
   3. His wrath is so premeditated that He holds it back in order for yet greater vengeance.
   4. This longsuffering of God is not just merciful patience but increasing indignation.
   5. He suffered for 120 years waiting for Noah to get the ark built (I Pet 3:20; Gen 6:3).
   6. He endures the vessels of wrath He chose as Potter for destruction (Romans 9:22).
   7. His providence includes general benevolence, but He stores up wrath (Gen 15:16; Deut 32:34-35; Dan 8:23; 9:24; Matt 23:32,35; I Thes 2:16; Rom 2:5; 9:22; Jer 15:4).
   8. If you think for a second He tolerates your sin, you are totally wrong (Ps 50:21-22).

How do we measure God’s wrath?

1. We define Bible concepts, doctrine, events, and words by the Bible, as told (I Cor 2:13).
2. The last source to consider is the heart or ideas of men (I Cor 2:6-8; Rom 3:4; Jer 17:9).
   1. We never, like most, allow human sentimentality to even color our view of Jehovah.
   2. Never think He is like you or you like Him, for His silence deceives (Ps 50:21-22).
3. We can measure His wrath by dimensions – its breadth includes all men; no one escapes – its length is forever; there is no dissipation or end – its depth is unprecedented; soul anguish, defeat, humiliation, and pain indescribable – its height shows heaven not clean in His sight; the wrath of God is revealed from heaven; no one is too high or too low.
4. We can measure His wrath by ferocity – everlasting punishment and torment forever and ever without any rest causing a person pain (Matt 25:46; Mark 9:42-48; Rev 14:11).
5. We can measure God’s wrath by His religion of killing lambs to keep you alive another day or another year, which the Egyptians not doing lost the firstborn in every family.
6. We can measure God’s wrath – fury against sin and sinners – by recorded Bible events.
   1. Think of the results of Eden for snakes, women, men, the creation, and three deaths.
   2. Think of each death in detail – spiritual depravity, physical decay, eternal torment; think of the accumulation of physical decay that steals all good to leave a carcass.
   3. Think of the Flood – its terrible fear, suffocation by drowning, irresistible, universal.
   4. Think of Canaan – how God annihilated them and took their things by and for Israel.
   5. Think Nebuchadnezzar – how he put the greatest king out to pasture for seven years.
   6. Think of Calvary – what did God allow and do Himself to His Son for hatred of sin.
   7. Think of Judas – the torment of soul with suicide by a failed method was but a start.
   8. Think of 70 A.D. – the greatest tribulation of history with mother cannibals; God designed it, wrote about it in detail, and brought it to pass; all the blood since Abel.
   9. Think of hell – its pain, guilt, shame, suffering, perpetuity, cold words of sentencing; think of its name – lake of fire – where great fears of drowning and burning collide.
7. We can measure God’s wrath – fury against sin and sinners – by yet other Bible events.
   1. Korah and all his family were buried alive for disrespecting Moses (Num 16:23-34).
   2. Even Korah’s little children? Yes! What of children disrespecting (II Kgs 2:23-24).
   3. What about shoplifting? Achan and family were stoned and burned (Josh 7:24-25).
   4. What about lying? Gehazi did for clothes/cash and got full leprosy (II Kgs 5:20-27).
   5. Church mothers argued about boiling/eating each other’s children (II Kgs 6:24-29).
   6. What about lying in the N.T.? Ananias and Sapphira died instantly (Acts 5:1-11).
   7. For those that think God wants all in good health, think about Corinth (I Cor 11:30).
   8. These Bible stories are excellent for teaching children about the true and living God.
8. We can measure God’s wrath by events of history, for we know all history is His story.
   1. Storms are chance events only to us. Each and all fulfill His will perfectly (Ps 148:8).
   2. The violence of the worst storms against life and property are but hints of His wrath.
   3. The Indonesian Tsunami of 2004 killed 227,898; think of prized homes it destroyed.
   4. He compares His wrath to whirlwinds/tornadoes and many other natural events or things as was noted above in defining His wrath (Ps 58:9; Pr 1:27; Jer 23:19; 30:23).
   5. Animal ferocity – a lion or crocodile killing an antelope – is by His glorious design in a universe corrupted by sin where the whole creation groans for its coming change.
   6. The horror of war, whether Stalingrad or Nagasaki, is by God’s providential control.
   7. The horror of child abuse, the worst of which is cannibalism, is by God’s judgment.
9. We can measure God’s wrath by no pity (Ezek 8:18), more than a person thinks they can bear (Gen 4:13), and never any respect of persons like others show you (Col 3:25).

What drives God’s wrath?

1. We learned already God is willing to show His wrath for Himself (Rom 9:22; Pr 16:4).
2. We should not get lost in foolish metaphysical thinking, when the Bible is quite plain.
   1. His holiness is freedom from sin and hatred for sin and any sinful object or sinner.
   2. His justice requires Him to punish according to His infinite righteousness any sinner.
   3. He is Jealous, and there is no error or evil in His jealousy, but hatred of offenders.
   4. He is greatly angered and resentful of offences, and He cannot stand human pride.
   5. Disrespect, disobedience, or arrogance are proportionately profane and foolish based on the ability, authority, glory, goodness, and power of a ruler … but God is infinite.
   6. Our race – both sexes from birth – are sinful, love sin, and greedily lust for more sin.
3. His plan is to expose all, angels and men, as infinitely inferior to both Him and His Son.
4. He is the Creator of all things from nothing; any variation of origins or worship is vile.
5. He is the First Cause of all things; He perfectly fulfills dominion in every way possible.
6. His kindness and goodness witness for Him but cause greater wrath (Rom 2:4-5), for when He looked and found only wild grapes, He destroyed His vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7).
7. He created all things for Himself, and any deviation by a creature provokes His anger.
8. Martyrs beg for His wrath to be poured in revenge upon their persecutors (Rev 6:9-11).
9. His Son is a great part of His drama, and rejection brings wrath (Matt 22:7; I Cor 16:22).

What hinders God’s wrath?

1. Is there someone, some place, some thing, or some virtue that hinders His great fury?
2. The simple answer is No! His wrath is perfectly holy, justified, right, and sure for sin.
   1. His standard is perfection, for He is perfect. Anything less is offensive and profane.
   2. His holiness and justice are inviolate, in that He cannot allow any violation of either.
   3. He is no respecter of persons, so any high thoughts you have of yourself anger Him.
   4. He knows you better than you know yourself, so He can creatively cause great pain.
   5. His power is limitless, so there is no enemy, man or angel, that can resist Him at all.
   6. He is everywhere and sees everything, so there is no hiding (Jer 23:24; Psalm 10:11).
   7. Any association humors Him, for no powers combined can resist (Prov 16:5; Is 8:9).
   8. He operates according to His will and cannot be questioned or resisted (Dan 4:35).
   9. His anger driven by holy justice never dissipates but rather accumulates for eternity.
3. Time does not change Him; His anger does not dissipate; His wrath accumulates for future judgment (Rom 2:4-5; Gen 15:16; Dan 9:24; Matt 23:32-35; I Thess 2:14-16).
4. He is not charmed by begging, denying, excusing, or praying. His judgment is final.
   1. Moses begged God to be forgiven to enter Canaan, but God told him to stop asking.
   2. Paul begged for God to remove the thorn in his flesh, but he was told to endure it.
5. Not God’s memory, like yours and those you know, for His selective memory is perfect.
   1. He will list on Judgment Day the details of your treatment of others (Mat 25:31-46).
   2. The sins of all men are recorded in the books of God for Judgment Day (Rev 20:12).
   3. He is not unrighteous like most to forget your labor of love toward others (Heb 6:10).
   4. But He cannot and will not remember any sins paid for by His Son (Heb 8:12; 10:17).
6. If He says He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, it is His people and chastening.
7. His love and mercy cannot violate His holiness and justice but are subordinate to both.
8. He is no respecter of persons, so neither you nor any other person can escape His wrath.
9. Goodness shown sinners justify Him, reveal depravity, and deserve greater punishment.
   1. God expects all to repay kindness by His providence (Deut 32:6; Is 5:1-7; I Tim 5:4).
   2. The loving sunshine and rain He sends shows general benevolence (Matt 5:43-48).
   3. Providential blessing of food and pleasure testify of His kindness (Acts 14:15-17).
   4. But you should not be misled by this any more than by His silence (Ps 50:21-22).
   5. Start with creation (before providence and nature); it condemns men (Rom 1:18-25).
   6. What is truth here? Creation … sunshine, rain, food, pleasure … to condemn them.
   7. Hear the word of God, He tells His children to heap coals of fire (Rom 12:20-21).
   8. On every reprobate enemy He has purposed to destroy, He sends sunshine and rain.
   9. Reader, give thanks and worship for every good thing in life (Rom 1:21; II Tim 3:2).
10. The Jews said His temple and worship would save them, but it was a lie (Jer 7:1-10).
11. Human ignorance hinders it, but only in their imagination, for it will truly soon explode.
    1. Peter denied false teachers saying His violent wrath would not come (II Pet 3:3-7).
    2. The universe operates on God’s timetable, and He counts differently (II Pet 3:8-14).
    3. Jesus has His time, when He will show Who He truly is to all men (I Tim 6:13-16).
    4. He will come with His mighty angels in flaming fire for vengeance (II Thes 1:7-10).
12. What ends His wrath? Nothing! It lasts forever, so everlasting punishment and torment.
13. The world has no clue about peace. He will come when they think peace (I Thes 5:1-3).

 

God is angry with the wicked every day, but a day of wrath comes soon that is far worse.

 

 

What is peace?

1. For this view of God and salvation, we began with His wrath in the great detail above.
   1. The Creator God of the Bible is a God of wrath, and He wants to be known as such.
   2. For rebel enemies that sin and offend Him, there is no way to end His wrath for sin.
   3. He angrily opposed false prophets against Jeremiah for saying there would be peace.
   4. In brief – God is angry with the wicked every day without peace (Ps 7:11; Is 48:22).
   5. His wrath will burn up this universe and burn against all enemies for eternity in hell.
2. The Spirit and Scriptures prompting these sermons began with the Bible word peace.
   1. The glory of the latter house over Solomon’s temple included peace (Haggai 2:6-9).
   2. But what is peace? Since it is the absence of hostilities or reconciliation of enemies, then the cause of the previous conflict and enmity must be explored – God’s wrath.
3. Peace = Free from war or hostilities; end of fighting or conflict causing fear or worry, as America celebrated grandly for V-E day (May 8, 1945) and V-J day (Sep 2, 1945).
4. Peace = Acceptance and reassurance by a former enemy or opponent that all is good.
5. Peace = The end of quarrels or dissension between parties; a state of friendliness; unity.
6. Peace = Free from mental or spiritual disturbance or conflict arising from fear or guilt.
7. Peace = God no longer angry with His wrath put away and love and kindness forever.
   1. Legal peace is what God chose in eternity and lasts for eternity – loving acceptance.
   2. Practical peace is confessing our sins to end loving chastening to restore fellowship.
   3. Both of these are by God’s design and His intentional and proactive end to His wrath.
8. Peace = Jesus calmed a great storm into a great calm – Peace, be still (Mark 4:37-39).

Are there related words for peace?

1. Satisfaction = God’s justice and holiness have no claim against us, so He is at peace.
2. Reconciliation = two previously warring parties end the conflict by God accepting us.
3. Atonement = two parties separated by conflict and differences put at peace and unity.
4. Propitiation = a sacrifice in order to appease or conciliate an offended party to peace.
5. Mediation = the legal work of a go-between who negotiates a settlement to make peace.
6. Acceptation = the opposite of anger, fury, wrath, and full intent of eternal vengeance.
7. Adoption = farthest from war possible – acceptance by eternal desire into God’s family.
8. For much more about these related words and others, The Facets of Salvation … here.

Can there be peace with God?

1. Yes, for the same Paul in the same Romans said so (Rom 1:7; 5:1; 10:15; 15:33; 16:20).
   1. We are saved from wrath, reconciled, interceded for, and atoned (Romans 5:9-11).
   2. No charges left, so nothing can separate from God and Christ’s love (Rom 8:33-39).
2. Yes, Haggai told Zerubbabel He would give peace at the second temple (Haggai 2:6-9).
   1. He was discouraged by its pitiful state, but God promised it glory above Solomon’s.
   2. The peace would be brought by the Desire of all Nations … ripping the temple veil!
   3. The transcendent peace secured was compared to … shaking the heavens and earth.
3. Yes, God inspired Caiaphas, the enemy of His Son, to prophecy of it (John 11:49-50).
   1. He mocked the other chief priests and Pharisees as knowing nothing – perfectly true.
   2. He then explained politically that one man should die to save the nation from Rome.
   3. Caiaphas pushed murdering Jesus; God had Jesus dying for elect Jews and Gentiles.
4. Peter told Cornelius God’s word to Jews was Jesus Christ preaching peace (Acts 10:36).

How can there be peace with God?

1. If God is infinite, immutable (cannot change), and there is no peace to the wicked, how?
2. His prudence and wisdom found a way to be just and a Justifier (Eph 1:7; Rom 3:26).
3. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be a perfect Mediator between Him and us (I Tim 2:5).
4. This is the ultimate role of a priest – Jesus is our high priest (Heb 2:17; 4:15-16; 5:1-9), and He is a priest after the order of Melchisedec to guarantee our peace (Heb 7:24-28).
5. Jesus died as our Substitute for us – suffering God’s wrath in our place to make peace!
   1. Cruel men punctured His body to shed His blood for peace with God (Col 1:18-22).
   2. This is the glorious gospel of peace, which we hear and celebrate today (Rom 10:15).
   3. His blood ended wrath to give reconciliation, intercession, atonement (Rom 5:9-11).
   4. The second Adam obeyed; grace and not condemnation/death reigns (Rom 5:17-21).
   5. Whether Jew or Gentile, God sent His Son to bleed and to die for us (Eph 2:13-19).
   6. Jesus Christ, Who never sinned, became sin so we could be righteous (II Cor 5:21).
   7. Jesus Christ the Righteous (what a name!) is our advocate when we sin (I Jn 2:1-2).
   8. It was God’s eternal choice to deliver up His Son for us (Rom 8:32-33; Eph 1:3-6).
6. Never forget both war and peace are by God’s appointment (Rom 9:22-24; I Thess 5:9).
7. Your safety in time and eternity from His burning wrath is only by His choice, not yours.
8. Therefore, you owe Him all fear, love, obedience, and worship you can possibly muster.

Why did God make peace with enemies?

1. Why did God make peace with sinful, wicked men He did not need (Romans 9:23)?!
2. For the perfect demonstration of love for the praise of His glory (I Jn 4:10; Eph 1:3-6), where propitiation and acceptance in the Beloved both describe peace with Jehovah.
3. To show the elect and holy angels various aspects of His wisdom (Eph 3:10; I Pet 1:12).
4. He gave a great and grand display of love for enemies (Rom 5:6-8; I Jn 4:9; Rev 1:5).

How much peace is there with God?

1. He punished Jesus for our offending sins and cannot remember even one (Heb 8:12).
2. Jesus lives forever to make intercession and guarantee eternal peace (Rom 5:10; 8:34).
3. Rather than the great, dreadful, and terrible God, He is God of peace (Heb 13:20-21).
4. From Eden’s … Get out! … to Heaven’s … Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Hallelujah!
5. We do not barely get into heaven, but we will receive an abundant entrance (II Pet 1:11).
6. Any of God’s people may go boldly into the presence of God (Heb 4:16; 10:19-22).

Have others believed this peace?

1. Yes, inspired Jacob on his deathbed called Jesus Shiloh, or Peacemaker (Genesis 49:10).
2. Yes, it was foretold by Isaiah, who said He would be chastised for our peace (Is 53:5).
3. Yes, Isaiah foretold that God would be pleased to bruise His Son instead of us (Is 53:10).
4. Yes, the Thessalonians believed to wait for Jesus, knowing their safety (I Thess 1:10).

How is Jesus exalted for making peace?

1. Without knowledge and reflection of God’s wrath, you will not esteem Jesus rightly.
2. He has many names as ruler of God’s kingdom, including Prince of Peace (Is 9:6-7).
3. He is called the Desire of all Nations by Haggai for the peace He won (Haggai 2:6-9).
4. He is named after Melchisedec – King of Salem, King of peace (Ps 110:4; Heb 7:1-3).
5. Simon found consolation and peace in Joseph and Mary’s infant Son (Luke 2:25-35).

What can I do for God and His Son?

1. You can believe right now, fully and fervently, that you are reconciled (II Cor 5:18-20).
2. Those forgiven much love much; those most should most. Think Paul (II Cor 5:14-17)!
3. Never forget, neglect, or minimize the gospel of peace like Israel did (Luke 19:41-44).
4. His churches Kiss the Son by remembering His death in His Supper on a regular basis.