The Anger of the Lord
A Sermon on Isaiah 5:25
Originally preached March 22, 1964
Scripture
25Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, …
Sermon Description
Saying “God is love” is not controversial and likely receives nods of affirmation and hearty amens. It is a universal doctrine that receives little backlash. While many elevate the love of God above all other attributes, any mention of discipline or wrath is violently objected and attacked. In this sermon on Isaiah 5:25 titled “The Anger of the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones invites the listener to question this reaction with a few questions: Is it the sum of God’s character to describe Him as loving? Does Scripture attribute love as the highest and greatest attribute of God? Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphatically says no. He urges considering the whole counsel of God’s word, not merely picking out what is most appealing. He chastises those within the church who have rejected this doctrine in favor of a more palatable God. To embrace God’s love while rejecting His anger and wrath is a dishonest and inconsistent representation of God and the Bible. It also weakens the necessity of the incarnation of Christ and the understanding of the grace, mercy, and love demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents a strong case for the embrace of God’s love and God’s wrath in balance as he turns to the revelation of God found in Scripture. Listen as he addresses the essential nature of the doctrine of wrath in this sermon.
Sermon Breakdown
- The prophet Isaiah is announcing God's verdict and punishment on the sinful people of Israel.
- God's anger and wrath are kindled against his people because of their sins and transgressions.
- God has stretched out his hand against them and struck them, but his anger is not turned away.
- The hills trembled and dead bodies were torn in the streets, but still God's anger remains.
- The prophet has been outlining the sins of the people, and now gives the verdict - God's anger and punishment.
- Many today object to the idea of God's wrath and anger, especially those who call themselves Christians.
- But rejecting God's wrath means rejecting God's revelation in Scripture and the wholeness of the biblical message.
- God's wrath is essential to understanding God Himself, human history, and the grace of God shown in the cross.
- God revealed Himself in Scripture as a holy, just and righteous God who hates and punishes sin. We can't know God except through His revelation.
- Human history shows the consequences of sin and God's punishment - suffering, pain, injustice. God warned of punishment but people rebelled.
- The future will not get better because people reject God. There will be no peace for the wicked. History is moving toward judgment.
- If God's love means He forgives no matter what, why was the incarnation and cross necessary? They show God's love in saving us from His wrath.
- God's justice demands punishment of sin. But in love He sent Jesus to bear our punishment so we can be forgiven while God remains just.
- The cross shows God's love in Jesus bearing our sins and God's wrath, so we can be spared and God remains just. This is our only hope.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Wrath of God?
What is the main message of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Isaiah 5:25?
In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses on the doctrine of God's wrath against sin, based on Isaiah 5:25. He argues that the anger of God against sin is an essential biblical doctrine that many modern people, both inside and outside the church, reject. However, he maintains that understanding God's wrath is vital for comprehending God's character, human history, and especially the gospel message and the cross of Christ.
Why do people object to the doctrine of God's wrath according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, people object to the doctrine of God's wrath for two main reasons. First, they refuse to submit to biblical revelation, instead preferring their own ideas about what God should be like. Second, they fail to see the wholeness of the biblical message - they separate doctrines like God's love from His justice and holiness, not understanding how these attributes work together in God's character and plan of salvation.
How does Lloyd-Jones connect the wrath of God to understanding human history?
Lloyd-Jones argues that the doctrine of God's wrath is essential to understanding human history. He explains that the world's condition—with its suffering, pain, and injustice—is the result of human sin and God's subsequent punishment. He traces this from Eden through Israel's history to the present day, noting that "the way of the transgressor is hard" and that history is moving toward a final judgment. This doctrine gives dignity to human responsibility rather than reducing humans to mere biological machines.
What is Lloyd-Jones' explanation for why Christ had to die on the cross?
Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ's death on the cross was necessary because of God's wrath against sin. He argues that if God were merely love without justice or wrath, there would have been no need for the incarnation or crucifixion. The cross was God's solution to the greatest problem: how could God be just (punishing sin as His holiness demands) while also justifying sinners (being merciful)? At the cross, "justice and love have met together" as Christ bore the punishment for human sin.
How does Lloyd-Jones describe God's holiness in the sermon?
Lloyd-Jones describes God's holiness as His essential attribute. He explains that God is "glorious in all His attributes," absolute in holiness, righteousness, justice, love, and mercy. God is "of such a pure countenance that He cannot even look upon evil." Lloyd-Jones references Moses at the burning bush to illustrate how God's holiness demands reverence and humility. He emphasizes that God's holiness means He must respond to sin with punishment - it would be inconceivable for a holy God to ignore or overlook sin.
How does Lloyd-Jones refute the idea that God's love alone can solve the problem of sin?
Lloyd-Jones refutes the idea that God's love alone can solve the problem of sin by pointing to the necessity of the cross. He argues that if God's love could simply forgive sin without punishment, there would have been no need for Christ's incarnation and death. The problem of forgiveness is "the greatest problem that the everlasting God has ever had to face" because God must remain just while forgiving sinners. The solution was for Christ to bear the punishment for sin, demonstrating both God's justice and His love simultaneously.
What does Lloyd-Jones say about the relationship between God's justice and love?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that God's justice and love meet together at the cross. He explains that God's justice demands punishment for sin, while His love desires to save sinners. These seemingly contradictory attributes are reconciled at the cross, where "God's holy attributes are all glorified together in the death of the Son of God." Through Christ's sacrificial death, "justice and love have met together" and "embraced one another," allowing God to be both "just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."
According to Lloyd-Jones, what happens when we reject the doctrine of God's wrath?
According to Lloyd-Jones, when we reject the doctrine of God's wrath, we destroy the entire biblical message of salvation. He states that without understanding God's wrath against sin, the cross of Christ becomes "meaningless." We also fail to understand God's character properly, misinterpret human history, and miss the magnificence of God's love and grace. Lloyd-Jones insists that the biblical message has a "wholeness" and "unity" where each doctrine fits together - "Take out one. You've destroyed everything."
Old Testament
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.