Fury and Anger of the Lord
Overview:
Much of what we read in the scriptures is symbolic; it’s purpose is to point us to Christ, to bear witness
of the Father’s plan and the atonement of Jesus Christ. When we study the scriptures we would do well
to constantly ask ourselves, “What does this passage of scripture have to do with the gospel of Jesus
Christ, or the Plan as I know and understand it today?” Or, “What symbolism of the Savior or of the
gospel do these verses reveal?”
An example of this train of thought might be illustrated by looking more closely to the concept of death
in the scriptures. If “sin” equals “spiritual death” and is identified as one who leaves the fold of God and
turns his back on God, then what does conversion represent? Does it not represent “spiritual life?”
However, if the war between good and evil is over the souls of men, and when a soul is taken prisoner
and is described as “death” then what does the enemy refer to one of his rank being converted? Certainly
he does not refer to it as “life” as he has “lost” one of his “followers.” Therefore, it is possible to view
statements in the scriptures such as, “the slain of the Lord shall be many” to be interpreted not as the
Lord slaying or killing men, but instead that there will be many who are “converted” unto the Lord
through repentance.
The same principle may be applied to other words and phrases found in the scriptures that on the surface
make the Lord appear heartless or less loving than he is; words such as “anger of the Lord” and “the fury
of God.” If the scriptures testify that God is love, then perhaps we should exercise more faith in the
concept and try to view the words of anger and fury in a different light. Specifically, anger as truth and
fury as the love of God.
For example, Lehi explained to his two older sons, Laman and Lemuel, who confused Nephi as being
“angry” with them. He said:
And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye say that he hath used sharpness;
ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the
power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth,
according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning
your iniquities. (2 Nephi 1:26)
More times than not throughout scripture we find that the “wicked take the truth to be hard.” What
would one expect from a loving God, who’s work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of man, when one of his children goes astray and begins to embrace a falsehood that would
lead to his destruction in an eternal sense? Would not God use Plain and powerful truth in manifesting
our error, would not he boldly correct any mistaken understandings so as to not leave any room for
doubt or confusion? How clear would you be in instructing a young child about crossing the street after
you intercepted him from being run over by a speeding truck?
As I contemplate the Lord’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane for my sins, I have often thought,
“What sustained him through that ordeal and could motivate him to endure that kind of suffering?”
Nephi says, “And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore
they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him,
and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men”
(1 Nephi 19:9). It is the love he has for each of us that sustained him through his sufferings. This quality
of love is so intense that the scriptures refer to it as the “fury” of God. Jesus did not come into the world
to suffer, bleed and die in order to condemn us. If he wanted to condemn us then he didn’t need to come
at all—we were already condemned. Therefore, the only reason the Lord came and suffered was so that
he could save us if we would repent. Hence, we are reminded repeatedly that as often as men will repent
the Lord will forgive: “Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against
me” (Mosiah 26:30); and, that his “hand is stretched out still” (2 Nephi 15:25-30; 20:4).
When we sin a loving Savior is there with stretched out hands to correct, reprove, and to chasten us so
that we might repent and “live.” The scriptures make reference to the Lord’s chastisement and how the
Lord chastens his people. These words come from the word, “chaste,” which means to “make pure.” The
Lord’s punishment, or better said, chastisement, is to purify us and to help us become perfected through
Christ, not to punish us and keep us from progressing. His is a refining and purifying correction,
administered in love for the sole purpose to exalt us.
With this concept in mind, notice how the following scriptures take on a whole new meaning and
understanding of the nature and purpose of God:
Isaiah 42: 19-25 (JST 19-23). Because we have sinned and turned away from God the enemy of
righteousness has captured us. Therefore, because of his love for us he suffers for us and calls us to
repentance.
19 For I will send my servant unto you who are blind; yea, a messenger to open the eyes of the
blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
20 And they shall be made perfect notwithstanding their blindness, if they will hearken unto the
messenger, the Lord’s servant.
21 Thou are a people, seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears to hear, but
thou hearest not.
22 The Lord is not well pleased with such a people, but for his righteousness’ sake he will
magnify the law and make it honorable.
23 Thou art a people robbed and spoiled; thine enemies, all of them, have snared thee in holes,
and they have hid thee in prison houses; they have taken thee for a prey, and none delivereth; for
a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we
have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and
it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
Isaiah 51: 16-17, 22.
16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee (1 Peter 4:8. Charity
covers a multitude of sins) in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the
foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of
his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
22 Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I
have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou
shalt no more drink it again:
Isaiah 63: 3-9.
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread
them in mine anger (2 Nephi 1:26 Anger is the truth, which is in God), and trample them in
my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my
raiment.
4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold:
therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I
will bring down their strength to the earth.
7 I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to
all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude
of his loving kindnesses.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love
and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah 66: 15-16.
15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire (referred to as “justice” and the “Holy Ghost”
throughout scripture), and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire (Holy Ghost) and by his sword (the word of God) will the Lord plead with all
flesh (D&C 45:3-5. Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your
cause before him…”): and the slain of the Lord shall be many (indicates that there will be
many who are converted to the Lord and repent of their sins).
D&C 133:50-53, 58.
50 And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought
judgment upon all people; and none were with me;
51 And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and
their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day
of vengeance which was in my heart.
52 And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of
their Lord (1 Nephi 19:9. He suffereth it…because of his loving kindness), and all that he has
bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever
and ever.
53 In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them; and in his
love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old;
John 13:34. What would this world be like if we learned to love one another with the kind of “fury”
evident in the love Jesus loved us with?
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that
ye also love one another.
Additional scriptures:
Leviticus 26:6-28
Ezekiel 5:13, 15
Ezekiel 20: 8-12
Quotes:
“Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be
the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God is not content with blessing his family alone, but
ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race” (Joseph Smith, History of the
Church, 4:227).
“A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up…I still remain
convinced that truth, love, peaceableness, meekness, and kindness are the violence which can master all
other violence… All the kindness which a man puts out into the world works on the heart of the
thoughts of mankind” (Albert Schweitzer, in A Heart Like His, Making Space for God’s Love in Your
Life by Virginia H. Pearce, 63).