Sermon Snippet – Slow to Anger
INTRODUCTION – Six times in the Old Testament we read that God is “slow to anger.” We can all agree that it is a good thing – a great thing – that God is not driven by anger (as we unfortunately are at times). If God were not so “slow to anger,” then we would all be in the worst of trouble. Let us learn about this winsome characteristic of God.
1. GOD’S SLOWNESS TO ANGER INCLUDES THE OFFER OF PARDON
Nehemiah 9:17 says, “Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them [the Israelites in the Wilderness] not.” Even when these people of God were cranky and critical (and worse), God remained with them visibly and offered them what all of us most need – forgiveness.
2. GOD’S SLOWNESS TO ANGER IS PART OF HIS COVENANT
Psalm 103:8 rejoices, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” “Mercy” (sometimes translated as “kindness” as in Nehemiah 9:17 or as “lovingkindness”) is God’s covenant of faithful love to imperfect, sometimes unfaithful people. It is His withholding of deserved punishment and is “plenteous” because there are plenty of opportunities for God to be merciful to us.
3. GOD’S SLOWNESS TO ANGER IS MORE THAN TRANSACTIONAL
Psalm 145:8 proclaims, “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” Verse 9 then adds, “The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.” These verses emphasize the “compassion” and tenderness of God. He does not withhold judgment because He has to but because He wants to.
4. GOD’S SLOWNESS TO ANGER CHALLENGES OUR SUPERFICIALITY
Joel 2:13 states, “Rend your heart, and not your garments; and turn unto the LORD your God; for He is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil [withholds calamity].” The rending of garments was an outward sign of repentance and was appropriate as long as it was genuine. Unfortunately, here it was only for show and was thus hypocritical. We regularly pray from the Lord’s Prayer, ”Forgive us our debts [sins]” (Matthew 6:12a), and we need to mean it. Individually, each of us must often seek our Lord’s forgiveness.
5. GOD’S SLOWNESS TO ANGER CONTRASTS WITH OUR ANGER
Jonah 4:1-4 records Jonah’s anger at God for His willingness to give Nineveh time to repent. Jonah’s theology about God was correct (verse 2), but his anger was wrong. God’s pointed question in verse 4 is for all of us: “Doest thou well to be angry?” We can be angry about the things that anger God, such as violence against the vulnerable, including elder abuse, spousal abuse, child abuse, and abortion. Ephesians 4:26 provides godly parameters: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” The wise Christian will recognize anger and deal with it quickly.
6. GOD’S SLOWNESS TO ANGER DOES NOT PREVENT HIS JUSTICE
The previous five uses of “slow to anger” are followed by “kindness” or “mercy.” Nahum 1:3 is distinctive: “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” A century after Nineveh’s repentance through Jonah’s preaching, Nineveh had reverted to its pagan evil and would be destroyed, a prophecy fulfilled in 612 B.C. Literally in the original Hebrew, this passage reads, “In the whirlwind and in the storm is His way,” picturing God as a storm of justice. Even in this fearsome imagery (consistent with the arid conditions of the Middle East), we see mercy and kindness, for such a storm can be seen before it strikes. All of us have been fairly warned that God’s justice will prevail.
CONCLUSION – II Peter 3:9 is a parallel New Testament verse to the Old Testament verses that we have studied: “The Lord is not slack [slow] concerning His promise, as some men count slackness [slowness]; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Each of us needs Jesus, God the Son, as Savior; may we call upon Him today. Let us then together as God’s people heed the compassionate command of James 1:19: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Let us become more like our Savior God, Who is indeed “slow to anger.”