Day 217

Jeremiah 25:15-38; 36; 45-46.  “The Purpose of His Wrath”

         “…The cup of anger from the LORD…” (Jer. 25:17)
         If we were to make a list of what brings about God’s wrath what would it contain?  In our reading up to this point here are some of the items we have read that have brought about His wrath: Apostasy (2 Chr. 34:24-25), Sympathy with evil (Lev. 10:1-6), Unfaithfulness (Josh. 22:20), Provocations (2 Kings 23:26), Fellowship with evil (2 Chr. 19:2), Mockery (2 Chr. 36:16), Idolatry (Judg. 2:111-14; Ps. 78:58-59), Intermarriage (Ezra 10:10-14), Profaning the Sabbath (Neh. 13:18), Speaking against God (Ps. 78:19-21), Sin (Num. 32:10-15), Unbelief (Ps. 78:21-22), Error (2 Sam. 6:7), Disobedience (Josh. 7:1, 11-12).
         God’s wrath appears when His desires are ignored, yet even in that there is purpose.  “According to the Scriptures, the wrath of God is God’s moral integrity.”  His wrath is that attempt to bring man back on course when he takes a dangerous path.  Though God’s wrath is powerful and great it is also slow, fair, and just.

General Questions for each day:
Summarize the day’s Bible passage in your own words.
What thoughts, actions, attitudes or beliefs are addressed in the passage?
How is the Holy Spirit leading you to apply this passage to your life today?

Bible Discussion Guide:
- Wrath = anger, indignation
- Justice = fairness, merited reward or punishment
- How are these two words similar and how are they different?
- What is your reply to someone who struggles with the violence in Scripture that was the result of God’s punishing a nation or people?
- “’I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,’ says the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19)
- How would you explain God’s avenging characteristic to the unsaved?
- Is there a way to avoid God’s wrath?
- Is there a way to avoid God’s judgment? (Mt. 16:27)
- Many people struggle with the idea that God’s choices and decisions have a greater influence in our life than the decisions we make.  Why is it uncomfortable to acknowledge that God has the right to do with our life whatever He wants? (see August 3rd devotional)
- Have you ever found yourself doubting whether or not God was making the best decisions?  What makes us prone to do that?  How do we change, or what must develop in our life to lessen this tendency?
- Personal application:  August 4th’s devotional could be elaborated on and personalized as you think of any time in your life when after reading some “do” or “don’t” in Scripture that you first thought of how someone else could apply it, and not you.  List as many dangers as you can to this way of thinking.