13:9
There are many aspects to the Day of the Lord, and one of them is God’s anger and wrath. We find this difficult to come to terms with and many try to wash it away. This is a mistake and a deeply unbiblical approach to take. Part of the reason we do this is that we find it hard to square a “God of love” with a “God of wrath”. However, the real reason is that we don’t want to face up to the reality of sin, and our sinfulness in particular. If we are to properly appreciate the love of God we need to appreciate the wrath of God.
13:10,11
We find here that Isaiah is using apocalyptic language. Similar language is used in other apocalyptic passages in the Old and New Testament. We should note that here the reference is quite clearly to God’s judgement upon the world, so it is reasonable in other passages to take them as references to God’s judgement.
“I will punish the world for evil”. This anger and wrath is no capricious response, it is not an irrational response, nor an uncontrolled fit of rage. It is a righteous, just and reasoned response to man’s sin. That is what makes the wrath of God truly frightening, for it is what we deserve. On the day of judgement no one will say “that’s unfair”.
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