How Many Times Is Wrath Mentioned In The Bible? (What is Wrath according to the Bible, What Does The Bible Say About Wrath + Bible Verses About Wrath)

A tough lesson I have learned about God is that despite His never-ending grace and love for his people, God gets angered in the many ways that Christians fail to follow his commandments. It’s one of the tough things Christians fail to understand and to make sense of things; I have had to spend more time studying the Bible while also speaking to my pastors about it. Through their teachings and research, I have a better understanding of the Wrath of God, which is mentioned in the Bible severally. So, how many times is Wrath mentioned in the Bible?

In this article, I’ll share more about God’s Wrath, the appearance and use of Wrath in the Bible, the meaning of the Wrath of God, and the difference between the Wrath of God and His anger. Keep reading to learn more.

What is Wrath according to the Bible?

According to Proverbs 15:1, Wrath is considered a word synonymous with anger, but not any kind of anger – the type of anger that God shows the evildoers and non-believers. The Bible also suggests that Wrath is a strong feeling that could be negated by a gentle answer rather than a harsh word.

Additionally, the Bible implies that Wrath is one of the deadly sins, as suggested in Proverbs 6:16-19, and because it’s one of the things that God hates, believers are often asked to steer from anger. 

What does the Bible say about Wrath?

According to the biblical teachings about the Wrath of God, or divine Wrath, God uses Wrath to refer to a natural expression that is of the divine nature. It’s also considered an expression that exists in an absolute state of holiness, and it manifests against the deliberate, willful, high-handed, and the inexcusable iniquities and sins committed by man. Throughout the scriptures, God’s Wrath is described as God’s natural expression of his righteousness and holiness. It is believed to be a form of righteous indignation and compatibility between that which is Holy and God’s divine nature. Isaiah 5:25, Deuteronomy 29:27, Numbers 11:1-10, Jeremiah 44:6, 2 Samuel 6:7, and Psalm 79:6. 

It’s also worth noting that while God’s Wrath is often unforgiving and extreme, it’s believed to be connected with God’s love and Compassion. Therefore, God’s Wrath may also be an expression or a measure of His Love, as implied in Ezekiel 23, Amos 3:2, and Jeremiah 10:24. 

The Bible also talks about the Wrath of man, which is an exhibition of the enraged sinful nature of man, which is often believed to be inexcusable – Genesis 4:5, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Luke 4:28, Galatians 5:20, and Ephesians 4:31. The Bible also suggests that because of the inexcusable nature of man’s Wrath, humankind is forbidden from displaying their anger or giving it a place in their lives – Matthew 5:33. Man’s Wrath is also believed to be the manifestation of the angered spirit, which is prohibited from training or being brought up in families – Ephesians 6:4, Galatians 5:19, Romans 12:19, and Numbers 18:5. 

Facts to know about God’s Wrath

God’s Wrath is divine

It’s believed that the Wrath of God is divine, an expression of His Divine nature and holiness, and believed to represent God’s punishment for humankind against their iniquities and inexcusable sins. 

God’s anger is slow 

According to Psalm 103:8, Jonah 4:2, and Isaiah 48:9, God’s anger is slow, and it isn’t roused easily. His anger is also meant to be dreaded, and despite being slow, it shouldn’t be provoked, but it’s to be borne with utter submission. 2 Samuel 24:17, Matthew 10:28, Jeremiah 7:19, and 1 Corinthians 10:22.

It’s further implied that certain things can provoke God’s anger or Wrath – unbelief, idolatry, apostasy, impenitence, continued provocation, and sin.

Divine Wrath and Love

It’s also believed that God’s Wrath and his Love are consistent, as implied in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It’s believed that while the New Testament magnifies God’s love and His grace, the Old Testament is often a demonstration of God’s Wrath as implied in 1 Peter 1:17, Hebrews 10:29, 31, John 3:36, and Hebrews 12:29. 

Wrath can be righteous or unrighteous.

The Wrath of God on man is believed to be either righteous or unrighteous. It’s implied in Mark 3:5 that anger arising because of a specific condition is sinless or righteous. At the same time, the anger that arises from an individual getting wounded or aggrieved can be both sinful and punishable. While anger isn’t sinful by itself, it could likely become sinful. 

Overall, the Wrath of God is regarded as an emotional response to perceived injustices and wrongs.

What is the difference between God’s Wrath and God’s anger?

There isn’t much of a difference between God’s Wrath and God’s anger since both represent the same emotion associated with the loss of control, an emotion that often brings out the worst in humankind. Often, God’s Wrath is a stronger term that describes God’s anger. His anger or Wrath is holy and Just and is brought down against humankind’s sinful actions, as well as the actions of all that fall short of His holiness standards. In many instances, Wrath is mainly translated into anger, vexation, resentment, and irritation.

Examples of Wrath in the Bible

Psalm 37:8 says that people should always refrain from anger, and they should also forsake Wrath.

James 1:20 says that man’s anger doesn’t lead to God’s righteousness.

Proverbs 15:1 says that soft words get rid of Wrath while harsh words spur anger.

Romans 12:19 says that believers shouldn’t avenge themselves but leave that to God instead because his Wrath is immense. 

Ephesians 4:26-27 says that people can be angry, but they shouldn’t sin, and it also warns against letting the sun go down while still angered. 

Ezekiel 25:17 says that God would execute a strong vengeance on sinners using his wrathful rebukes. 

Romans 13:4 says that while God is good and offers His love and compassion, His Wrath should be feared by all who do wrong.

Colossians 3:8 says that people should avoid Wrath, anger, malice, obscene talk, and slander.

Romans 2:5 says that while it’s hard, humankind shouldn’t store their Wrath in them but wait until the day of judgment when God will judge people using His Wrath.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 says that God didn’t destine his people to receive His Wrath.

Examples of God’s Wrath

God’s Wrath is seen in different parts of the Bible, but in the Old Testament, the scriptures in Zephaniah 1:14-15 suggest that there existed a day of Wrath, a day in which God’s Wrath is fully justified.

One notable example of God’s Wrath as a result of man’s wickedness is suggested in Genesis 6:1-17 where God sought to punish mankind through a flood that lasted for 371 days.

Romans 5:6-11 suggests that God punishes all that reject the Son of God, as well as the individuals that don’t believe in or haven’t received the Son of God.

God also cursed Cain, of the two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was enraged because God preferred Abel’s sacrifice, and he plotted to kill Abel. But God found out about this and cursed him to wander the earth for the rest of his days. Genesis 4:13.

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah implied in Genesis 19 and the defeat of the Egyptians through the use of the 10 plagues, including flooding of the Red Sea that drowned the Egyptians, are all signs of the Wrath of God – Exodus 8:1-15. Others include the Assyrian destruction of the 10 Tribes of Israel, as implied in 2 Kings 17:1-23, and also the Babylonian destruction affecting the last two tribes of Judah, as suggested in 2 Kings 21:1-4 and Jeremiah 25:1-11.

Revelation 13 also demonstrates God’s Anger by suggesting that at the end of time, two beasts would judge mankind, and the evildoers would be punished by being burned in a fire that will never go out.

How many times did God get angry in the Old Testament?

After the establishment of the Mosaic laws, which was after Moses received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, it’s believed that God showed his anger towards the people of Israel at least 448 times. However, this is an approximate number since Wrath and its synonyms appear in the Bible about 658 times.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Wrath of God or His anger is displayed in how He punished evildoers and non-believers. His Wrath (righteous anger) is demonstrated in instances like God unleashing the 371-day flood that destroyed all life on earth (Genesis 6:1-17), except for the lives of Noah and His family, and also the animals he’d been instructed to keep in the ark. The Assyrians taking 10 of the 12 Israelite tribes into captivity (2 Kings 17:24) and even Moses being disallowed into the promised land (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11)are some of the instances that depict God’s anger in the Old Testament.