Slow to Anger

² 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; ³ The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. - Nahum 1:2-3a

     At the end of the book of Jonah, we're kind of left hanging. We don't know what happens to Jonah and we don't really have an extended history of Ninevah after their repentance. However, in the book of Nahum, we find that Ninevah's devotion to God was short lived. The city has returned to their sinful, pagan ways. They have returned to their idols and to their oppression of Judah. Nahum speaks out God's judgement upon their city and it's inhabitants. In spite of the grand historical implications, the book of Nahum tells us more about God's nature and character than it does about the events about to take place. In verses two and three we learn some great truths about the Lord, and we find a couple of special promises. Verse two explains God's righteous anger. We learn that He is jealous and furious with His enemies. Why is He jealous? He is jealous because we sinfully give worship, honor, and devotion to things that He created and controls. He is the Creator and Master of all, and He is the only Being ever worthy of praise. We also learn that God becomes very angry with the unrighteous and stores up wrath for them. He is holy and just and cannot overlook sin. These are scary thoughts, until we learn the promises. The first is the most comforting. God is slow to anger. If not for this character trait, perhaps none of us would still be here. Each day we fail to meet God's holy standard. We don't do what we should do and we do what we should not. If God was quick to anger, how long would we last? Just as we saw with Jonah, God is merciful, patient, and forgiving. This is an unfathomable truth. To think that God would allow us to walk this earth full of sin and wickedness. We often forget that this promise works two ways. As a Christian, this promise is an amazing concept that fills my heart with joy. The problem arises when we realize that God is slow to anger with all who are wicked. This means the vilest criminal, our worst enemy, those we feel don't deserve mercy. We often cry out to God for punishment and vengeance. We often question God's judgement and ask how He could allow these people to keep polluting and hurting the world around them. We fail to step back and see that the very thing we are complaining about is what spares us from God's wrath ourselves. Our hope and resolve comes through the second promise in verse three. God may show mercy upon the wicked, but He will never acquit them of their wrongdoing. God is patient, but He is not blind. He sees the wicked and stores up His wrath until He is ready. Nothing other than the blood of Jesus can spare the evil from their fate. Praise God that He is slow to anger, and that He is not storing up wrath for me because I am His child, not His enemy.