Even when there is divine wrath, there is infinite love blended and
mingled with it. We shall see this as in a picture if we look at that
scene in the life of Christ when He healed a certain man in the
Synagogue. It was the Sabbath day. Knowing the hardness and hypocrisy
of those present, He flung out this challenge--"Is it right to do good
on the Sabbath day?" They could make no answer without committing
themselves. Then we read that Christ "looked round about them with
indignation." Ah, but listen. It is added immediately that he "was
grieved for the hardness of their hearts." His face that was stern for
the moment was strangely softened. O yes; love was ever behind His
wrath. His indignation was never far removed from tears. And so God can
be angry with sinners, at the same time that He loves them with an
everlasting love.
We see the same union of pity with indignation in that scene where
Christ wept over the sinful city. He had to weep tears of pity over the
nation's coming doom; yes, but He could pronounce that doom; and in His
wonderful providence He could even arrange for effecting it. So I do not
overlook the fact that we have manifestations of divine wrath, as well
as divine love; yes, fiery indignation as well as tender compassion. But
let us not forget that love is the positive, essential, eternal
attribute; and it would be strange indeed if it is not finally
victorious.
You may bring this idea of the union of love and indignation close home
to yourself. We will suppose that you are a father, and that a son of
yours has turned out to be a prodigal. He has gone away from home, bent
on a course of crime. Will you not have alternations of love and
indignation? Yes, you will sigh and pine for his return; and you will
have righteous anger at times over his evil course. And if the son
repents, and one day comes home again, will you not receive him with
joy? O yes, you will run to meet him, like the father in the
Gospel story.
And do you think that your love is more enduring than God's? Are not we
all His children, though we have strayed away from Him? Does He not look
and long for our return? O yes; and He will accomplish it. The
difference is, that He has all power, and He has ways and means of
attaining His ends. Let us be assured that "His counsel will stand, and
He will do all His pleasure."
In this connection there is a very important consideration. It is
this--that no design of God can ultimately fail. We read that He
"willeth not the death of a sinner." We read that He "desires all men to
be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Have we ever
stopped to think how unlikely it is that the Infinite One has any desire
which He cannot accomplish? If any of His creatures are consigned to
eternal torment, and if He wishes, as He says He does, to save them from
that fate, does He not desire what He cannot accomplish? Remember that
he has all moral as well as all physical power; remember that his love
will impel Him to use His power; remember that in His infinite wisdom He
knows how; and it will be seen that He has no design which He cannot
effect. Just ponder this idea for a while before you go farther.
I was revolving this thought in my mind when I chanced to meet with, a
very terse expression of it. I have already quoted an eminent divine who
said: "God infallibly accomplishes everything at which He aims." The
theologian did not think that his dictum would be given such a wide
application. But it commends itself to our judgment nevertheless, be the
application what it may. The same thought was differently expressed
recently, from a scientific point of view. Sir Oliver Lodge said in a
recent lecture: "The Creator of the Universe is not going to be
frustrated by the insignificant efforts of His own creatures."