INDIGNATION OF GOD
"For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. But a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews10:26, 27).
1. The meaning of indignation. Webster defines it: "anger aroused by something that is unjust, unworthy or mean." Indignity is defined as: "an act that offends against a person's dignity, self respect, an insult, that which humiliates." Several different Greek words are translated "indignation" in the KJV Bible. In Hebrews 10:27 the word is "zelos" which is also the word used in Acts 5:17 of the high priest and Saducees who with indignation put the apostles in common prison, put them on trial again for speaking in the name of Christ and if it had not been for Gamaliel would have killed them. The same Greek word is rendered "zeal" in many places of the New Testament. Zealous anger at something that insults creates action against the object causing the indignation. Several other words in Hebrew of the Old Testament and Greek of the New Testament are rendered "indignation" generally with the same definitions.
2. Some instances of the indignation of God in the Old Testament. A) Against the Egyptians: "He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; and smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham." (Psalms 78:49-51 ). We can see from this that God would only take so many insulting actions from a nation who were set on oppressing his people until his punishment was sent. B) Against backsliding Israel. He said of them, "As sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, a children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward." (Isaiah 1:4). After the carnage of the city and temple that took place by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, who was sent by God to destroy them, the book of Lamentations gives a description of the indignation of God in action. He slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion. He poured out his fury like fire. He swallowed up their palaces, their strongholds, and put the people in mourning and lamentation. He destroyed the places of their assembly causing the solemn feasts and Sabbath observances to be forgotten. Dead bodies were all over the streets and there was weeping and mourning every where. (See Lamentations chapter 2). C. Against Babylon: In Isaiah 13 the prediction of their destruction is given under the figure of the stars of heaven not giving their light, the sun being darkened and the moon not shining. "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited..." (Isaiah 13: 19, 20). Nations have always been under the hand of God and in His indignation have fallen.
3. A New Testament example of God's indignation. This would be the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus said "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Matthew 23:37, 38). In chapter 24 he told his disciples that the buildings of the temple would be torn down and not a stone would be left upon another. (vs. 2). In this chapter he spoke of Christians being delivered up, afflicted, killed and hated of all nations. He also said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matthew 24:21). Josephus, a Jewish historian. wrote a description of the awful conditions of Jerusalem during the times of the Roman Seige and gave a graphic history of its destruction.
4. God's indignation will come in the future on an unprepared to meet Him. "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile" (Romans 2:8, 9). To try to help the Jews to understand that they should accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ God's Son, God destroyed their nation and their temple. With many of them this still hasn't done the job because they persist in rejecting and denying him. By their own power and ingenuity they have reestablished the nation of Israel and teach that they are still a special nation of people. The condemnation of judgment day awaits and not only to them but to any other people who will not obey the truth given by Jesus. "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). The place of the punishment of God upon those who reject Jesus by rejecting his gospel, refusing to obey it, and live by it is called hell. Such is everlasting fire and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41, 46). This is a lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). In that place Jesus said, "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30). It is the place prepared for the devil and his angels. "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelations 20:10). "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone; which is the second death" (Revelation. 21:8).
Conclusion. We don't need to be provoking the Holy One of Israel. We do this in sinful living. We do this by rebelling against the pleas of God and Christ to accept them and the good news they present in the Bible. Put yourself under the love of God by humbling yourself and doing his will.-C.D.