Levels of God's Anger and What they may mean

Scripture verse that caught my attention today: Zechariah 1:15 And I am extremely angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they made the disaster worse.

Observation: God has different levels of anger?

Application: This verse really caught my attention for some reason today. God speaks of having only a little anger and then having extreme anger.

I liken this anger to parental anger. Parents, at times, can be angry with their children and it can seem like significant anger. But in comparison to someone else harming said children, well, that’s when more intense (or extreme) anger can come into play. Suddenly the original anger is seen for what it truly was/is—mild by comparison.

This glimpse into divine thinking is quite interesting and raises an equally interesting question; Are God’s levels of anger related primarily to deeds done (or not done) or to God’s relationship to said people?

Personally, I’m inclined to think the latter. It’s been said that sin is sin, and that no one sin is any greater in God’s sight than another. I think that’s largely (and perhaps entirely) true. Yet God is also in the business of forgiveness. And God seems especially interested in forgiving those who place their hope in God and/or God’s son. In other words, it appears that God gets “a little” angry with those who are part of God’s kingdom and extremely angry with those who harm those who are part of God’s kingdom—at least beyond God’s original intent.

Complicating all of this, though, is the fact that we are dealing with how the prophet Zechariah understood God. And in the New Testament Jesus reveals that some who think they are in will be out and some who think they will be out will be in. So perhaps it’s foolish to even try to surmise what God’s anger ever really means.

Prayer: Lord, whether you are a little angry or extremely angry, please allow your graciousness to extend to all of us who endeavor to call upon you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(readings today included: Zechariah 1-3, Luke 11)