Is He Quick to Anger or Slow? Ps 2

Is this a threat?  Honor God or be punished? (Ps 2:10-11)

Is God quick to anger or slow to anger? (Ps 2:12)

Was it a threat if your parents said, “If you go drink and drive and end up in jail, you’ll spend the night there.”.

Was it a threat if your parents set a curfew?

Was it a threat if your parents set out any rules?

Boundaries aren’t threats.   They are what to live by.  And when those boundaries are violated over and over and over again, to not do something by those in charge is an act of lovelessness.

If you read in the OT, many people see it as judgmental.  But I believe those who say such things haven’t read it.  There was such evil in the land and God allowed it for years.  In fact, he allowed the Canaanites (Amorites in particular) to do evil 400 years before he finally drive them out.  If that’s not patience I don’t know what is.

God isn’t being judgmental to rulers when He says they need to honor Him.  But as God of the universe he sets out the boundaries of behavior.  And He will not tolerate disrespect and dishonor from the leaders of the world forever.  He will give them time and He has.

So is God quick to anger or slow to anger?  Because here it says “his wrath can flare up in a moment” but in other places throughout Scripture (Ex 34:6; Num 14:18; Jonah 4:2; Ps 103:8; 145:8; 2 Pet 3:9) it is says he is slow to anger.

The way I’ve observed God works is that he has extraordinary patience.  He gives much time for people to repent.  And at times from a human perspective it seems like God isn’t doing anything, when actually he is exercising great restraint.

But there comes a tipping point where God says enough.  No one knows when that tipping point comes, but when it does, it comes fast.  And His discipline is not pleasant.