“We must not imagine divine anger is identical to ours, because human emotions are contaminated by sin. On the other hand we must avoid reinterpreting divine anger so that it is no longer anger at all! The LORD’s anger is never unreasonable, nor does it get out of control. It shows the reality of the LORD’s personal involvement with the world and of his interaction with his people. He is not remote and unaffected by our perverseness and rebellion. He reacts with due displeasure against all that contravenes his holy will.”
This comment was convicting to me because my anger is often both out of control and also unreasonable. I’m thankful that God’s anger is neither. Yet His anger is an aspect of His nature that generates a negative reaction in 21st century Westerners. Mackay is correct that such a knee-jerk response is often born out of a misunderstanding of God’s anger. We too quickly project our own experience of anger upon Him. But we also fail to properly consider what it would say about God if He were unconcerned about the contravening of His holy will. A good God, after all, cannot possibly be indifferent to evil.