Wrath vs. Wrath

Mark 3:5 – And when He had looked around at them with anger [ὀργή], being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Wrath [ὀργή] is for unbelief. Ergo, it is not something for believers!

Luke 21:23 – But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath [ὀργή] upon this people.

Unless you’re a preterist, it is obvious that this is speaking about the time of the end. This is the same conversation as that given in Matthew 24, though the latter had far more detail. What is interesting to note is that this wrath [ὀργή] comes BEFORE the Son of Man returns. When compared with Matthew, we see that this is indeed the appearing of Jesus in the sky, which brings about the rapture of the Church – “He gathers his elect from the four winds of heaven”.

• Luke 21:20-28 – “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
• Matthew 24:15, 19-21, 29-31 – “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand)… But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be…“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

If you note, the abomination of desolation, which Jesus said kicks of the Great Tribulation, is mentioned in Matthew 24. This period of time is when Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles! The Temple Mount itself will be defended by the Two Witnesses, according to Revelation, until the very end of this period, when the Antichrist comes and kills them personally. Notice that in both passages, the same phraseology is being used to describe the peril – “woe to those who are pregnant, etc.” This happens in exactly the same order as Matthew 24! This is because they are the same passage! It’s just Matthew gives greater detail. That’s it. They are the same sermon from Jesus, and the context proves that as well. In Matthew 24 and Luke 21 tell us that the period ends with the coming of the Lord Jesus in power. However, it is Matthew 24 that describes the Rapture event. Luke 21 says simply, to look up, your redemption draws nigh. It is the same thing though. Thus, since we know Matthew 24’s coming of the Lord Jesus is AFTER the Tribulation, we can positively conclude that the wrath [ὀργή] described in Luke 21 comes BEFORE the Son of Man returns! All of our study to this point tells us that this [ὀργή] comes upon the ungodly! This is eschatological wrath. However, from both texts we know that Christians are still on the earth when this wrath is happening. What are we to do? The Bible flat out tells us that believers are spared from the wrath [ὀργή] of God.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 – …and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath [ὀργή] to come. Jesus delivers believers from the wrath [ὀργή] of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – For God did not appoint us to wrath [ὀργή], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…

We are not appointed to the wrath [ὀργή] of God.

The only way to make sense of this is that there are two different eschatological wraths! There is the wrath of God, and there is the wrath from God, but one that is not destructive to the earth and those on it but is for cleansing the people of God! Luke 21 suggests the wrath that is written there is for this latter purpose, because it says the wrath is upon “this people”, meaning Jews. But, what does the Bible say?

Revelation 6:16,17 – …and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath [ὀργή] has come, and who is able to stand?”

Who is this verse talking about? It is important to remember that this verse DOES NOT SAY the wrath of God. It says the wrath of the Lamb [ὀργή]. That is an important distinction. If this is synonymous with the wrath of God, then we have a problem because Luke 21 says wrath [ὀργή] comes on the earth before Jesus returns. That wrath cannot then be the wrath of God, because the return of Jesus brings about the gathering together of the elect, and we know that believers are not a part of the [ὀργή] of God. So, the wrath being referenced to in Luke 21 could be the wrath of the Lamb, or it could be something else, but it CANNOT be the wrath of God. However, the Book of Revelation tells us what the wrath [ὀργή] of God is, and it’s clearly AFTER the wrath of the Lamb described in the Sixth Seal.

• Revelation 8:1-2 – When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

If you notice, the seven trumpets DO NOT get blown until AFTER the seventh seal. If the seventh seal follows the sixth seal, and the seven trumpets are literally seen when the seventh seal is broken, then it is impossible to think that the sixth seal does not come before the seven trumpets. This is important for establishing chronology of events, and when the actual wrath of God is said to arrive, according to the Bible. It’s not the sixth seal, because it is not possible from the very chronology given in the text!

So, when is the wrath of God said to be poured out in Revelation?

Revelation 11:15a,18 – Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying…The nations were angry, and Your wrath [ὀργή] has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

This is after the seventh Trumpet sounds. This is important as it establishes a timeline. We are specifically told, that the [ὀργή] of God expressly comes with the seventh Trumpet, or at least after it has sounded. The Sixth Seal, which revealed the wrath of the Lamb, is clearly BEFORE the Seventh Trumpet. There are those who argue this point, saying that the seals, trumpets, and bowls all overlap. This is not possible, because the seventh seal literally opens the trumpets. Thus, they are clearly chronological to one another. Once again, the Scriptures differentiate between the [ὀργή] of God, and that of the Lamb.

What then is the wrath of God? It is the bowls of wrath!

Revelation 14:10 – …he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath [ὀργή] of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

The one who is drinking the wine of wrath is the Antichrist. The [ὀργή] of God is the punishment.

Revelation 16:19 – Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness [θυμός] of His wrath [ὀργή].

Again, a godless city and people of wickedness are the one’s God’s wrath is being poured out upon.

Revelation 19:15 – Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness [θυμός] and wrath [ὀργή] of Almighty God.
Jesus Himself is putting the finishing touches on the [ὀργή] of God upon His return. Armageddon is the seventh bowl of wrath.

As all these passages show, the wrath [ὀργή] is what is being poured out upon the earth, and all of what is relayed is occurring during the bowls of wrath period. The confusion comes when we see the word [θυμός], instead of [ὀργή], when describing the bowls of wrath. However, just understand what the terms mean and how they relate and you can see that they are not two different types of wrath, but instead one is an action, [ὀργή], and the other is an emotion, [θυμός], that produces the action!

[θυμός – thoo-mos’] – passion, anger forthwith boiling up and soon subsiding again; glow, ardour, the wine of passion, inflaming wine (which either drives the drinker mad or kills him with its strength)

Luke 4:28 – So, all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath [θυμός]…This is a wrath that can be and is used by men, but it is not a punishment. It’s a feeling, or emotion that brings about the action.

2 Corinthians 12:20 – For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath [θυμός], selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults;

Ephesians 4:31 – Let all bitterness, wrath [θυμός], anger [ὀργή], clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

As you can see, even believers can deal with feelings of intense anger, and even rageful behavior. So, when we look at the description of the bowls of wrath, it can be lost on many that this is the [ὀργή] of God, though that is exactly how it’s described in the earlier passages shared above, because it is primarily referred to as the [θυμός] of God.

Revelation 12:12 – Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath [θυμός], because he knows that he has a short time.” We are told that Satan has a great sense of rage, or wrath against the earth after being kicked out of heaven. However, he is only an agent, thus, he cannot actually act on his rage apart from the Lord allowing it. Thus, there is no [ὀργή] of Satan, only [θυμός].

Revelation 14:8,10,19 – And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath [θυμός] of her fornication.” … he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath [θυμός] of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb… So, the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath [θυμός] of God. God’s passion against evil is seen as overflowing at the end of the age. It is this rage [θυμός] that produces His [ὀργή] upon the earth.

Revelation 15:7 – Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath [θυμός] of God who lives forever and ever. The bowls are described as the overflowing of God’s emotional anger against wickedness. They manifest in the [ὀργή] of God as punishment.

Revelation 16:19 – Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness [θυμός] of His wrath.

Revelation 18:3– For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath [θυμός] of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

Revelation 19:15 – Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness [θυμός] and wrath [ὀργή] of Almighty God.

This Scripture once again connects the two terms for wrath, being used here to describe Jesus at Armageddon as He returns in power and glory. Without a doubt then, the eschatological wrath [ὀργή of God IS occurring with the bowls of wrath. This is what we are told. However, we know that this wrath is only for unbelievers

Romans 1:18 – For the wrath [ὀργή] of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…

Wrath [ὀργή] is against godlessness and unrighteousness.

Romans 2:5 – But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath [ὀργή] in the day of wrath [ὀργή] and revelation of the righteous judgment of God…

This too is a likely reference to the eschatological wrath of God.

Ephesians 5:6 – Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath [ὀργή] of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Wrath is upon those who disobey God.

In conclusion, if the wrath [ὀργή of God clearly comes at the very end of the age, right before Christ physically returns to the earth, and in fact culminates with His physical return (different from His appearing), then we know that it cannot come before that time! However, we know from Jesus’ sermon that wrath [ὀργή] does come before the return of Christ. But it cannot be the wrath of God, which is reserved for the wicked alone! Thus, since there is only one other wrath [ὀργή] mentioned, the wrath of the Lamb in the Sixth Seal, it is my contention that it is this wrath that Jesus was referencing in Luke 21, and it is being poured out specifically upon the world to sift the false believers from the true, and is distinct from the wrath of God poured out in the bowl judgements.