Jesus Did Not Satisfy the Wrath of God

There is a hymn that goes like this:

Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

This hymn is not biblically sound.  So many times we hear that Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath – that God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus at the cross.  If we read God’s word more carefully, we will find that Scripture never says Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath.

In Matthew we read:

But answering, Jesus said, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup which I am about to drink, and to be baptized with the baptism with which I am to be baptized? They said to Him, We are able.  And He said to them, Indeed you shall drink My cup, and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized; -Matt. 20:22-23

There is nothing about the cup of God’s wrath in these verses.  Jesus nor the disciples suffered God’s wrath, nor drank from the cup of God’s wrath. This has to do with partaking of afflictions that would come upon them.  As Jesus would suffer, so too would His disciples.  They are going to suffer and endure the trials and pains for following and being faithful to Him.

God’s wrath was never satisfied.  How can God’s wrath be satisfied when He still has wrath?  Revelation 14:10 says this  about those who worship the beast and his image and receive a mark in their forehead or in their hand:

“…he also shall drink of the wine of the anger of God having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented by fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb.”

Some will say that Jesus experienced the full extent of God’s wrath for sin while he was on the cross.   Contrary to this belief, as someone has aptly said, The cross was not the scene of the Father hurling the thunderbolts of wrath down upon the Son, but Calvary was the scene of wondrous mercy and love.

People will say that all of God’s wrath stopped at the cross.  God’s wrath is still there after the cross, my friends.   We read,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness;  Rom. 1:18

And what about Romans 2:5 where God’s wrath is storing up against those who will not repent?  We read,

But according to your hardness and your impenitent heart, do you treasure up to yourself wrath in a day of wrath, and revelation of a righteous judgment of God?

In Col. 3:6 we are told that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.

“…on account of which things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience,”

God’s wrath was not satisfied.  There is wrath to come.  The only way to not experience God’s wrath is to repent of sin and seek His mercy.  God delights in mercy and will set aside His wrath for those who come to Him in repentance.

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not keep His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.  He will turn again; He will have pity on us. He will trample our iniquities. Yea, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Micah 7:18-19

People want the God of the New Testament, but little do they realize the same God in the New Testament is the same God as in the Old Testament when it comes to the wicked.  We read,

He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.  John 3:36

God’s wrath is just as real in the New Testament (Rom. 1:18; Rom. 2:5; Rom. 2:8; Eph. 2:3; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6; 1 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 1:16; Rev. 6:17; Rev. 14:10; Rev. 15:1; Rev. 15:7; Rev. 19:15) as it was in the Old (Deuteronomy 29:27-28; 2 Chronicles 29:10; Deut. 11:17, 29:24:-28; Ezra 8:22; Neh. 13:18, et al).  God’s wrath is and always will be a divine response to human sin and injustice.

We are also told in the New Testament,

 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.  Heb. 10:26-27

As we can see, the wrath of God was not poured out on Jesus nor was it satisfied.  The wrath of God was not relinquished at the cross.  The wrath of God continues to rest upon impenitent sinners.