Saul, in a rage, tries to kill David. Jonah angrily pouts when God spares Nineveh. Even Moses, who several times seems righteously angry on behalf of God's holiness, disobeys God while frustrated by the people of Israel.
King Saul had a bad temper and was jealous of young David because everyone like him so much. David was their hero. soldiers, beat the bigger, stronger army.
Another saint who struggled with bouts of anger, Saint Francis de Sales, confessed his blood would boil when overhearing certain jokes or humiliations. He battled his temper for over 19 years until he finally had it under control.
In Numbers 20 Moses lost his temper and struck the rock twice even though God had told him to simply speak to the rock. That act of anger cost Moses dearly.
"Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man." "A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression." "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools."
And that phrase, “he handed them over,” is one of the most common ways that God expresses his anger in the biblical story.
One of the primary reasons for God's anger is his desire for faithfulness from his people. In Deuteronomy 6:14-15, Israel is warned to not pursue other gods, “for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God, lest the anger of your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.”
The deadly sin of anger is defined as the inordinate and uncontrolled feeling of hatred and wrath. Unlike righteous anger, the capital sin of anger is understood as the deep drive to cling to hateful feelings for others. This kind of anger often seeks revenge.
The Bible tells us that David grew increasingly frustrated from his constant running and hiding, living in caves and surviving on whatever food his men could find or what those loyal to him would give.
Proverbs 14:29
"Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly."
The brothers James and John, also known as the 'sons of thunder', appear, according to the biblical account, to have had short, even violent, tempers.
“He was brash, and he probably spoke from the heart before his head kicked into gear. Remember in John 21:17, when Jesus asks, 'Peter, do you love me? ' He asked Peter this three times, and on the third time Peter became impatient, because Jesus kept asking.”
Colossians 3:8 says “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” When you deal with anger God's way, you feel it, vent it in a safe way (possibly complaining to an innocent third party) where no one is harmed, and then release it.
Scripture is full of cowardice, from Abraham offering his wife to Abimelech in order to escape trouble (Genesis 2:20), David killing off Uriah in order to avoid the consequences of taking Uriah's wife (2 Samuel 11), or Pilate giving up Jesus to be tortured and killed because he was afraid of upsetting the crowds (John ...
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home?
The biblical account states that Samson was a Nazirite, and that he was given immense strength to aid him against his enemies and allow him to perform superhuman feats, including slaying a lion with his bare hands and massacring an entire army of Philistines using only the jawbone of a donkey.
2 Samuel 12:1-10 "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, and the Lord sent Nathan... But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
Anger is not a sin, but a God-given emotion
Anger is a signal that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. Sin and injustice are things we should be angry about because we serve a God that is just. It is important for couples to understand that their anger can be a gift if handled rightly.
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Eph. 4:26-27). Today we will examine one of the most important passages in Scripture on Christians and anger. The life of Jesus has shown us that being angry, in itself, is not evil.
Anger is an important emotion because it signals to us that something is wrong. Like pain, it's part of our alert system. Anger is also a gift from God, and if we read the Scriptures honestly, we have to conclude that it can be a holy emotion – and one that God feels.
At the heart of anger is a desire to be God, with his knowledge and sovereignty. That sword cuts deeply into all we hold dear. In contrast, the authors show us the righteous anger and steadfast love of the Lord. Knowing Jesus brings us a change of heart, with new desires.
Modern psychologists view anger as a normal, natural, and mature emotion experienced by virtually all humans at times, and as something that has functional value for survival.
The book of Exodus contains the first three biblical passages where God is described as angry. These three stories give us a glimpse into understanding God's anger. God's anger is not always paired with his judgment. This is seen most starkly in the flood story, where God is described not as angry but as sorrowful.
The Bible says, When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].