Readings from the Old Testament / Hebrew Scriptures

When we worship anything or anyone more than we do God, we know that God becomes jealous and righteously angry. In Joshua’s farewell speech, he announced to the people of Israel:

“If you do not keep the covenant which the
LORD your God commanded you to keep and if
you serve and worship other gods, then in his
anger he will punish you, and soon none of you
will be left in this good land that he has given you.”
Joshua 23.16

He worshiped and served Baal,
and like his father before him,
he aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel.
1 Kings 22.53

God’s righteous anger will protect people from their enemies.

Then the LORD thundered from the sky,
and the voice of Almighty God was heard.
He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies
with flashes of lightning he sent them running.
The floor of the ocean was laid bare,
and the foundations of the earth were uncovered
when the LORD rebuked his enemies and roared at them in anger.
2 Samuel 22.14-16

Doing evil will arouse the anger of God.

They sacrificed their sons and daughters as
burnt offerings to pagan gods; they consulted
mediums and fortunetellers, and they devoted
themselves completely to doing what is wrong
in the LORD’s sight, and so aroused his anger.
2 Kings 17.17

David asked for God’s anger to be poured out on his enemies.

Pour out your anger on them; let your indignation overtake them.
Psalm 69.24

God’s anger can be quite powerful, and God’s mercy is even more powerful.

Our life is cut short by your anger; it fades away like a whisper.
Seventy years is all we have— eighty years, if we are strong;
yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow; life is soon over,
and we are gone. Who has felt the full power of your anger?
Who knows what fear your fury can bring? Teach us how short our life is,
so that we may be wise. How much longer will your anger last?
Have pity, O LORD, on your servants!
Psalm 90.9-13

We should be angered by wrongdoing.

When I see the wicked breaking your law, I am filled with anger.
Psalm 119.53

Disobedience to God’s commands should anger us.

You are righteous, LORD, and your laws are just.
The rules that you have given are completely fair and right.
My anger burns in me like a fire, because my enemies disregard your commands.
Psalm 119.137-139