God's Anger for rebellion

God's Anger and Compassion

The Lord grows angry when He is ignored, defied, disobeyed, and yet, God always looks with compassion and draws people to Himself.

"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. Isa 54:7        In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.  Isa 54:8        

"Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Isa 60:10    I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD , the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us- yes, the many good things He has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. Isa 63:7            The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD . Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Isaiah 51:3

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.  Jonah 3:10

Lamentations 3        ¹I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. ² He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light; ³ indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.

⁴ He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones. ⁵ He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. ⁶ He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.

⁷ He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains. ⁸ Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer. (SIN shuts out prayer) 

⁹ He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked.  ¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. ²⁰ I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. ²¹ Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. ²³ They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ²⁴ I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; ²⁶ it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD . ²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.   (The Yoke )

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. ²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust- there may yet be hope. ³⁰ Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.

³¹ For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. ³² Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. ³³ For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? ³⁹ Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?

⁴⁰ Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD .  ⁴¹ Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: 
⁴² "We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.

⁴³ "You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity. ⁴⁴ You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through. ⁴⁵ You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.

⁴⁶ "All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us. ⁴⁷ We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction." ⁴⁸ Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.

⁴⁹ My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief, ⁵⁰ until the LORD looks down
from heaven and sees. ⁵¹ What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of my city.

⁵⁵ I called on your name, O LORD , from the depths of the pit. ⁵⁶ You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." ⁵⁷ You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear."

⁵⁸ O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life. ⁵⁹ You have seen, O LORD , the wrong done to me. Uphold my cause! ⁶⁰ You have seen the depth of their vengeance, all their plots against me.

"I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.  Zech 10:6

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