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spenlake
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 1050

Posted 12/9/2004 1:18 AM (GMT -6)

2 Samuel 24:1
Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

We know that God IS love. Perhaps God just HAS wrath or anger. We know that God Himself never tempts us to sin because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. We know that the anger of the Lord incited David against Israel to hold a census, which was a sin. Is it possible to separate the "anger of the Lord" from "God Himself?"

If God HAS anger, then He rules over it. We know that He allows Satan to act to accomplish His purposes, even His redemptive purposes as we see in 1 Co 5, "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

We know that at the end, when the devil and his angels are thrown into the lake of fire prepared for them, there will be no more sin. Those that experience the eternal life that was promised to them, they will never sin. There will be no more need for anger and wrath of God.

Question: Has anyone ever heard of Satan being equated with the "anger of the Lord?"

It seems plausible to my little mind that this concept of the anger of God being expressed or manifest in Satan has something true about it. Satan himself "sins" but his nature and position is the "accuser of the brethren." If he entices us to sin he accuses us before the throne of God in order to be able to inflict judgment/punishment upon us. In the case of Job, he accused Job before God even in the absense of sin in order to afflict Job.

Spen Lake

lock
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2004
Total Posts : 701

Posted 12/9/2004 3:10 AM (GMT -6)

quote:
2 Samuel 24:1
Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

In this particular situation God used Satan to accoplish a purpose. The related verse in 1 Cnronicles 21:1...

"And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel."

I see this as an example of how God, when needed, will use evil agents to accomplish a purpose.

quote:
We know that God IS love. Perhaps God just HAS wrath or anger. We know that God Himself never tempts us to sin because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. We know that the anger of the Lord incited David against Israel to hold a census, which was a sin. Is it possible to separate the "anger of the Lord" from "God Himself?"

I believe this is a matter of absolute vs. relative. God's anger is relative towards sin, but His love is absolute. Even though God displays righteous anger relative to sin, the motive is corrcective and working towards a glorious end according to His love.

quote:
Question: Has anyone ever heard of Satan being equated with the "anger of the Lord?"

I have never come across this idea.

quote:
It seems plausible to my little mind that this concept of the anger of God being expressed or manifest in Satan has something true about it. Satan himself "sins" but his nature and position is the "accuser of the brethren." If he entices us to sin he accuses us before the throne of God in order to be able to inflict judgment/punishment upon us. In the case of Job, he accused Job before God even in the absense of sin in order to afflict Job.

This seems to be given Satan more credit then due. God is the One who brings up Job, not Satan...
Job 1:8
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? "

I would agree that God does issue righteous anger upon people through Satan, as evidenced by 1 Cor. 5, but I believe it to be relative to those situations, for the Lord will use other agents to carry out his purposes, i.e. other evil spirits (as with king Saul) or kings and nations (as with Israel).

His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them.

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