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Subject Study
Wrath Of God
Part One
I am sharing one of my Subject Studies with you as an example for when you, as a Feed Yourself Student, do your own Subject studies. I will walk you through what I did.
The first thing to do is, of course, to choose the subject you want to study. I chose the Wrath of God. This may seem like a strange subject to study. The reason I chose this topic is that one of my favourite authors made a statement that the wrath of God did not come on Jesus at the cross. This is contrary to what I have believed, but I have never really studied the subject. It is important that we be like the Bereans:
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11, NIV
If we never read or listen to other views we will never come across new ideas or discover misconceptions we may have. On the other hand, we don’t simply believe everything we are told… even if it comes from a trusted source. We need to check it out with Scripture in context.
I could have simply done a study on Jesus and the Wrath of God, but I wanted to have a broader understanding of this topic. So I decided to do a study on the Wrath of God in general and to keep an eye out for whether it was poured out on Jesus or not.
To be honest, I did not realize how large of a topic this is. I neglected my own advice [in your course] about narrowing a large topic down and decided to jump into the entire topic. [Well, almost the entire topic. It was limited to specific mentions of the Wrath of God and did not consider Scriptures where the wrath of God is displayed but not specifically mentioned.] Needless to say, this has taken me many months of part time study [I do work full time]. And, it is still an ongoing project that I will update as I go along. Once the foundation is laid there are many branches that could be studied.
So here are my steps so far…
Step One
I grabbed my Strong Exhaustive Concordance. I prefer to use the physical copy, although I do reference the online version from time to time.
I looked up the word Wrath and noticed which Hebrew/Greek words were translated as Wrath. I also looked for synonyms or where the same Hebrew/Greek words were translated with different words. [When you look up a Strong’s number it will tell you the different ways that word was translated.] I came up with: anger, angry, indignation, rage.
Step Two
I made a list of each Hebrew or Greek word that was translated in one of these five ways [wrath, anger, angry, indignation, rage]. To do this I looked up each word and then looked at the different Strong’s Numbers associated with that word. Along with the list I included the Strong’s reference number and the definition of that specific word. To find the definition simply reference the number to the definition at the back of the Strong’s concordance. Be sure to look up Hebrew words in the Hebrew section and Greek words in the Greek section or you will come up with some strange definitions! The result is below. [Note: this includes some information added later, which I will explain below].
Wrath Of God Word List [349]
- most popular
Hebrew Words - Wrath, Anger, Angry, Indignation, [314]
599 - Breath hard, i.e. enraged [13]
*639 [‘aph]- nose, face, occasionally a person, ire [from the rapid breathing in passion] [149]
Literally translated as “a breathing place” i.e. the nose. As it applies to anger, it is anger which shows itself in hard breathing [Gesenius] - rapid breathing in passion i.e. ire [New Strongs]
2194 - foam at the mouth, i.e. to be enraged [4]
2195 - Froth at the mouth, fig. fury [espec. of God’s displeasure at sin] [18]
2197 - anger [2]
2534 - heat, fig. anger, poison [22]
2734 - to glow or grow warm Fig. the blazed up, of anger, zeal, jealousy [2 - Gen. 18:30, 32]
2740 - a burning of anger [6]
*3707 - to trouble, by imply. grieve, rage, be indignant [38]
3708 - vexation [2]
5006 - scorn [1 - Is. 1:4]
5678 - an outburst of passion [20]
6225 - to smoke - lit. or fig. [1 - Ps. 80:4]
6440 - the face [as the part that turns] [4]
7107 - to crack off, fig. burst out in rage [5]
7109 - rage [1 - Ezra 7:23]
7110 - a splinter [ as in chipped off], fig. rage or strife [24]
7265 - to quiver - to provoke to wrath [1 - Ezra 5:12]
7267 - commotion, restlessness [of a horse], crash [of thunder], disquiet, anger [1 - Hab. 3:2]
Greek Words - Wrath, Anger [angry not used of God]: [35]
2205 - [1 - Heb. 10:27]
2372 - passion [as if breathing hard] [6]
3709 - desire [as in reaching forth or excitement of the mind], i.e. by anal. violent passion [ire or justifiable abhorrence] [28]
by implication: punishment - translated as anger, indignation, vengeance and wrath. [New Strongs] - not an outburst but a more settled or abiding condition of mind, frequently with a view to take revenge. It is an active emotion not an inward feeling. [Vines]
3949 - to anger alongside, i.e. to enrage
3950 - from 3949 - rage
Step Three
In step three I looked up every reference that used one of these five words and wrote it down along with its Hebrew or Greek Strong’s Number. I categorized them under very general headings. [I will do a more detailed outline in Part Two.] I eliminated and did not write down any references that were not referring to God’s Wrath/Anger. This was not a study on human anger so those verses were irrelevant. The easy way to do this was the first time I came across a number that referred to God’s wrath I italicized the definition. When I was finished, any definitions not italicized could be eliminated as never referring to God. In doing this I discovered that the word “rage” [Greek 3949/3950] never refers to God.
I first wrote down all the references for “wrath” then put a // and looked up “anger,” etc. That way I could tell at a glance which references were translated with which English word. Below is the result.
Verses Where Wrath/Anger Refers To God
Wrath//Anger///indignation////rage
Anger Against His Enemies
Ex. 15:7 [2740], Deut. 29:23 [2534], 1 Sam. 28:18 [639], Job 20:23, 28 [639], Job 40:11 [639], Ps. 2:5 [639], Ps. 78:49 [5678], Na. 1:2 [5678]//Ps. 78:49, 50 [639], Is. 30:27, 30 [639], Is. 63:3, 6 [639], Is. 66:15 [639], Jer. 30:24 [639], Jer. 49:37 [639], Jer. 51:45 [639], Ez. 25:14 [639], Ez. 35:11 [639], Mic. 5:15 [639], Na. 1:6 [639], Hab. 3:8,12 [639], Zep. 3:8 [639], Ps. 7:11 [2194]///Ps. 78:49 [2195], Is. 34:2 [7110], Is. 66:14 [2194], Jer. 50:25 [2195], Ez. 21:31 [2195], Hab. 3:12 [2195], Zep. 3:8 [2195], Mal. 1:4 [2194], Heb. 10:27 [2205],
Anger At Injustice
Ex. 22:24 [639], Job 42:7 [639]
Anger At False Prophets
Ez. 13:15 [2534],
Anger At Complaining
//Nu. 11:1, 10 [639]
Anger At Israel’s Sin
Ex. 32:10-12 [639], Nu. 11:33 [639], Nu. 16:46 [7110], Deut. 9:7-8, 22 [7107], Deut. 11:17 [639], Deut. 29:28 [2534], Jos. 22:20 [7110], 2 Kings 22:17 [2534], 2 Kings 23:26 [639], 1 Chr. 27:24 [7110], 2 Chr. 24:18 [7110], 2 Chr. 28:11,13 [639] - 9, 2 Chr. 29:8 [7110] - 10, 2 Chr. 32:25 [7110], 2 Chr. 34:25 [2534], 2 Chr. 36:16 [2534], Ezra 8:22 [639], Ezra 10:14 [639], Ne. 13:18 [2740], Ps. 78:31 [639], Ps. 95:11 [639], Ps. 106:23 [2534], Ps. 106:40 [639], Is. 9:19 [5678], Is. 60:10 [7110], Jer. 7:29 [5678], Jer. 10:10 [7110], Jer. 21:5 [7110], Jer. 32:37 [7110], Jer. 44:8 [3707], Lam. 2:2 [7110], Ez. 22:21, 31 [5678], Ho. 5:10 [5678], Ho. 13:11 [5678], Luke 21:23 [3709], Heb. 3:11 [3709], Heb. 4:3 [3709]//Nu. 25:3, 4 [639], Nu 32:10, 13, 14 [639], Deut. 4:25 [3707], Deut 6:15 [639], Deut 7:4 [639], Deut 9:18 [3707], Deut 9:19 [639], Deut 29:27 [639], Deut. 32:16, 21 [3707], Jos 7:1 [639], Jug 2:12 [3707], Jug 2:14 [639], Jug 3:8 [639], Jug 10:7 [639], 2 Sam. 24:1 [639], 1 Kings 14:15 [3707], Ps. 74:1 [639], Ps. 78:21 [639], Ps. 78:58 [3707], Is. 1:4 [5006], Is. 42:25 [639], Is. 65:3 [3707], Jer. 4:8 [639], Jer. 7:18, 19 [3707], Jer. 8:19 [3707], Jer. 11:17 [3707], Jer. 25:7 [3707], Jer. 32:30, 32 [3707], Jer. 44:3 [3707], Jer. 44:6 [639], Ez. 20:8, 21 [639], Ez. 43:8 [639], Ho. 12:14 [3707], Deut. 9:8 [599], 1 Kings 8:46 [599], 2 Kings 17:18 [599], 2 Chr. 6:36 [599], Ezra 9:14 [599], Ps. 79:5 [599], Ps. 80:4 [6225], Ps. 85:5 [599]///Deut. 29:28 [7110], La,. 2:6 [2195], Ez. 22:24, 31 [2195], Ez. 22:30
Anger At Priest’s/Leader’s Being Unholy
Lev. 10:6 [7107], Lam. 4:16 [6440], Zec. 10:3 [639],
Priests Prevent Anger/Interceding To Prevent Anger
Nu. 1:53 [7110], Nu. 18:5 [7110], Nu. 25:11 [2534], Jer. 18:20 [2534], Ps. 2:12 [599],
Obedience Prevents Anger
Jos. 9:20 [7110], Ezra 7:23 [7109]//Jos. 7:26 [639], Jer. 25:6 [3707],
Anger At Pervious Generations Sins
2 Kings 22:13 [2534], 2 Chr. 34:21 [2534], Ezra 5:12 [7265],
Repentance Prevents Or Turns Anger
2 Chr. 12:7 [2534], 2 Chr. 12:12 [639], 2 Chr. 29:10 [639], 2 Chr. 30:8 [639], 2 Chr. 32:26 [7110]// Deut 13:17 [639], Jer. 3:12 [6440], Jer. 36:7 [639], Zep. 2:2 [639],
Supporting Evil [People] Brings Anger
2 Chr. 19:2 [7110],
Warn Others Not To Sin In Order To Prevent Anger
2 Chr. 19:10 [7110],
Hide Me From Your Anger/Asking God To Remove Anger
Job 14:13 [639]//Ps. 6:1 [639], Ps. 27:9 [639], Ps. 77:9 [639], Ps. 85:4 [3708], Ps. 85:5 [639], Gen. 18:30, 32 [2734],
God’s Anger Is Against Me/Individuals
Job 16:9 [639], Job 19:11 [639], Ps. 89:46 [2534]//Ex 4:14 [639], Nu. 12:9 [639], Nu. 22:22 [639], Jug 6:39 [639], 2 Sam. 6:7 [639], 1 Kings 14:9 [3707], 1 Kings 16:7, 26, 33 [3707], 1 Kings 22:53 [3707], 2 Kings 21:6 [3707], 1 Chr. 13:10 [639], 2 Chr. 33:6 [3707], Ps. 38:3 [2195], La. 1:12 [639], Deut. 1:37 [599], Deut. 4:21 [599], Deut. 9:20 [599], 1 Kings 11:9 [599]///Ps. 102:10 [2195], Mic. 7:9 [2197],
God’s Anger Defends
Job 19:29 [2534], Ps. 110:5 [639], Ez. 38:19 [5678], Hab. 3:8 [5678]///Is. 26:20 [2195], Is. 30:27, 30 [2197],
Anger Brings Judgment/Destruction/Powerful
Job 21:20 [2534], Ps. 21:9 [639], Ps. 38:1 [7110], Ps. 58:9 [2740], Ps. 88:7 [2534], Ps. 88:16 [2740], Ps. 90:7 [2534], Ps. 90:9, 11 [5678], Ps. 102:10 [7110], Pr. 11:23 [5678], Jer. 10:10 [7110], Zec. 8:14 [7107], Matt. 3:7 [3709], Luke 3:7 [3709], Rom. 2:5, 5, 8 [3709], Rev. 11:18 [3709], Rev. 14:19 [2372], Rev. 15:7 [2372], Rev. 16:1 [2372], Rev. 16:19 [3709], Rev. 19:15 [3709]//Deut 29:23, 24, 28 [639], Deut 31:17 [639], Deut. 31:29 [3707], Deut 32:22 [639], 1 Kings 15:30 [3707], 1 Kings 16:2, 13 [3707], 1 Kings 21:22 [3707], 2 Kings 13:3 [639], 2 Kings 17:17 [3707], 2 Kings 21:15 [3707], 2 Kings 24:20 [639], Job 21:17 [639], Ps. 21:9 [6440], Ps. 56:7 [639], Ps. 90:7 [639], Ps. 106:29 [3707], Is. 5:25 [639], Jer. 4:26 [639], Jer. 7:20 [639], Jer. 10:24 [639], Jer. 12:13 [639], Jer. 15:14 [639], Jer. 17:4 [639], Jer. 21:5 [639], Jer. 25:37 [639], Jer. 32:31, 37 [639], Jer. 33:5 [639], Jer. 42:18 [639], Jer. 52:3 [639], Lam. 2:1, 3, 6, 21, 22 [639], Lam. 3:43 [639], Lam. 4:11 [639], Ez. 5:15 [639], Ez. 22:20 [639], Ho. 13:11 [639], Ez. 16:42 [3707]///Jer. 10:10 [2195], Na. 1:6 [2195], Zec. 1:12 [2194],
Wicked Delivered From Anger
Job 21:30 [5678]//Job 35:15 [639],
Anger Can Come Quickly
Ps. 2:12 [639],
Asking For Anger To Perform Justice/Defence
Ps. 59:13 [2534], Ps. 69:24 [2740], Ps. 79:6 [2534], Rom. 12:19 [3709]// Ne. 4:5 [3707], Ps. 7:6 [639], Jer. 18:23 [639], Lam. 3:66 [639], Ps. 76:7 [639]///Ps. 69:24 [2195],
Anger Brings Praise
Ps. 76:10 [2534],
Anger Restrains The Wicked
Ps. 76:10 [2534],
In Mercy God Restrains His Anger
Ps. 78:38 [2534], Ps. 85:3 [5678], Hab. 3:2 [7267]//Ps. 78:38 [639], Ps. 85:3 [639], Is. 12:1 [639], Mic. 7:18 [639],
Anger Not Restrained
//Job 9:13 [639], Is. 5:25 [639], Is. 9:12, 17, 21 [639], Is. 10:4 [639], Jer. 23:20 [639], Lam. 2:1 [639],
Anger Restrained
//Is. 48:9 [639], Jer. 3:12 [6440], Ho. 11:9 [639], Ho. 14:4 [639], Is. 12:1 [599],
Cannot Be Delivered From Anger
Pr. 11:4 [5678]//2 Kings 22:17 [3707], 2 Kings 23:26 [639], 2 Chr. 34:25 [3707],
God Uses People/Nations As Instruments To Carry Out His Anger
Is. 10:6 [5678], Rom. 13:4 [3709]//Is. 10:5 [639], Is. 13:3 [639], Jer. 25:38 [639], Jer. 32:29 [3707]///Is. 10:5, 25 [2195],
Day Of The Lord
Is. 13:9, 13 [5678], Ez. 7:12, 14 [2740], Ez. 7:19 [5678], Zep. 1:15, 18 [5678], Rev. 6:16, 17 [3709]//Is. 13:9, 13 [639], Zep. 2:2,3 [639]///Is. 13:5 [2195], Dan. 8:19 [2195], Dan, 11:36 [2195],
Anger Short Lived
Is. 54:8 [7110]//Ps. 30:5 [639], Is. 10:25 [639],
Witnessed Anger
Lam. 3:1 [5678],
Not Listening Brings Anger
Zec. 7:12 [7110],
Anger Remains On Those Who Reject Jesus/Oppose The Message Of Salvation
John 3:36 [3709], 1 Thess. 2:16 [3709],
Anger At Sin
Rom. 1:18 [3709], Eph. 2:3 [3709], Eph. 5:6 [3709], Col. 3:6 [3709]//Deut 29:20 [639], Ez. 7:3, 8 [639], Ez. 8:17 [3707], Ez. 16:26 [3707], Ho. 8:5 [639], Mk. 3:5 [3709], Ps. 106:32 [7107], Ecc. 5:6 [7107]///Is. 26:20 [2195], Rom. 2:8 [2372],
Anger At False Worship
Rev. 14:10 [2372]//2 Kings 17:11 [3707], 2 Chr. 25:15 [639], 2 Chr. 28:25 [3707]///Rev. 14:10 [3709],
Saved From Anger By Jesus
Rom. 5:9 [3709], 1 Thess. 1:10 [3709], 1 Thess. 5:9 [3709],
Law Works Anger
Rom. 4:15 [3709],
God Revels Anger
Rom. 9:22 [3709],
Vessels Of God’s Anger
Rom. 9:22 [3709],
God’s Anger Completed
Rev. 15:1 [2372]//Ez. 5:13 [639],
Violating The Covenant Brings Anger
//Jos 23:16 [639], Jug 2:20 [639],
Spirit Of God Causes People To Be Angry
//Jug 14:19 [639], 1 Sam. 11:6 [639],
Removing The Causes Of Anger
//2 Kings 23:19 [3707],
Slow To Anger
//Ne. 9:17 [639], Ps. 103:8 [639], Ps. 145:8 [639], Joel 2:13 [639], Jon. 4:2 [639], Na. 1:3 [639],
Anger Expressed In Nature
//Job 9:5 [639], Ez. 13:13 [639],
Anger/Judgment Against Those Who Killed Jesus
//Ps. 69:24 [639],
God’s Anger Is Powerful
Ps. 90:11 [639],
Ignorance Of God’s Anger Or The Reasons For God’s Anger
//Jer. 2:35 [639], Jer. 3:5 [639],
Intercession To Prevent/Remove Anger
//Dan. 9:16 [639], Jon. 3:9 [639],
Complaining About God’s Anger
///Job 10:17 [3708],
Step Four
Having written this all down in a Word Processor [I use Pages], I could easily check out how many times each Hebrew or Greek word was used. First, I calculated how many times Scripture directly refers to this subject. The answer was written on my Word List - 349 times, 314 times in the Old Testament and 35 times in the New Testament.
[Keeping in mind, of course, that there are examples of the Wrath of God that do not use the exact terms searched for and would not; therefore, show up in this study. They need to be considered at some point in the future.]
Just from this alone we can learn a couple of things. If the Wrath/Anger of God is mentioned so many times in Scripture, it must be an important topic. [By comparison, the word “covenant” is mentioned 332 times.] Also, we can see that the vast majority of times that it is mentioned it is in the Old Testament [the same can be said of the word “covenant”].
Then I calculated how many times each individual word was used and wrote that on the Word List. Since I had written that Strong’s Number with the Scripture reference all that I had to do was do a “Find” Search for each number and my Word Processor told me how many times I had written that number - fast and easy. In the Old Testament the word used over 50% of the time was associated with the number 639. The vast number of times it is used in the New Testament it is the word associated with 3709. I looked up the definition of the most popular Hebrew word and the most popular Greek in other sources and expanded the definition.
The Next Step is to put all these verses into a detailed outline. We will look at that in Part Two.
For more information about Glenn Davis, see our About Glenn page or visit Glenn Davis Books.
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