Wrath Versus Mercy – Romans 9:22-24 | Steve's Bible Meditations

“And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction. And what if He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy, that he prepared beforehand for glory–on us, the ones He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:22-24, HCSB).

These verses do not mean that God desires to show His wrath on those who deserve it. Rather, they mean that God desires to show His mercy by saving those who deserve His wrath. And, God can best show His love by having mercy on those who deserve His wrath.

So God’s wrath begets God’s mercy! “In Your wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).

The Bible is replete with stories of well-intentioned and not-so-well-intentioned people not obeying God. Regrettably, it seems that people better understand what God’s will is by not doing it! It seems we have to learn obedience by being disobedient! So it is through rejection of God and disobedience to God’s will by some that others receive His mercy.

God’s love and mercy are the activating and enabling force of His redemption. Through the dispensation of His mercy and grace, God grants redemption to all people who will receive it even though they don’t deserve it.

God’s plans and purposes are not thwarted by the existence of evil, disobedience, and rebellion in His created order. God is almighty and all-powerful, even to the extent that He can use the disobedience and evil actions of people and even the devil himself to work His good purposes.

Actually, God wondrously and purposefully created a world that He would restore from rebellion.

So, let God’s mercy displace the wrath of God that you deserve in your life. Then, as one deserving wrath who has obtained mercy, God’s glory and greatness will be revealed in you.

“For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all” (Romans 11:32, HCSB).