DON’T EXCUSE WRATH, EXCISE IT!

Genesis 49:5-7 KJV
Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

Dear Believer,

We learn in the New Testament that ‘wrath’ is a work of the flesh. (Galatians 5:20). This means it proceeds out of the base human nature that is always at variance with the nature of God.

The word in Greek is ‘thoomos.’ William Barclay calls it ‘uncontrolled temper.’ It is a fit of passion that completely controls a man.

This is the kind of anger that doesn’t necessarily last long and manifests like a rapid burst of bullets from an automatic rifle. When it stops, it has caused some serious damage, either to someone’s heart, the home, some physical thing or even a life.

Alber Barnes’ Bible Commentary describes it as ‘turbulent passions disturbing the harmony of the mind, and producing domestic and civil broils and disquietudes.’

Our focus scripture passage today is part of Jacob’s last words to his children. Simon and Levi are the subject of the rebuke here. They had killed off the whole male population in city in retaliation for a wrong done to their sister, bringing their own family under a serious threat of reprisal. Not only did Jacob distance himself from that foolish act, he also ‘cursed their anger.’ That was the closest he could get as a father to cursing the brothers.

He was their father, but he told his soul not to come near to their deliberations. That makes sense when we consider that even the wise king Solomon said, “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.” Proverbs 22:24-25KJV

The New Creation in Christ walks dressed in the ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit. (1 Peter 3:4). Even when he gets angry, it is controlled and not prolonged, and he doesn’t mix foolishness with it. (Ephesians 4:26).

Those given to wrath are cruel. Like Simeon and Levi, “instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.” They respond violently in words and deeds to situations and justify themselves by blaming their actions on the attitudes of people around them

Believer, if you are still excusing ‘wrath’ in your life, you are excusing a snare. This is one of the most serious flaws that not only grieves the Spirit of God, but also damages relationships with other men.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 KJV
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Anger ‘rests,’ or finds its home and blossoms only in the bosom of a fool.

Don’t be that fool. Walk in the Spirit and you will not allow wrath to control you. Don’t excuse wrath, it is a tumor to be excised.

Now talk to your Father:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit through Whom I can overcome all works of the flesh. Today I eias up to walk in the authority given to me and I declare that wrath will not control me. I shall not walk in cruelty but in kindness. So shall it be in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a great day!

Your friend,
Deon