Indignant People in the Bible and Their Motivations
Indignation in the Bible often refers to a strong displeasure or wrath, which can be attributed to both God and humans, and is frequently associated with negative motivations or consequences. The term "indignation" itself appears in various contexts, sometimes denoting divine anger and other times human anger [1, 3, 5].
Human indignation is frequently linked to sin and rebellion. For instance, the Midrash Rabbah connects human anger and rage to wicked deeds that anger God, as seen in the generation of the Judges [7]. The builders of Babel, Miriam and Aaron, Korah, Absalom, and Adonijah are all presented as examples of individuals whose ambition led to strife and contention, ultimately incurring punishment [4]. Such ambition is often connected with pride, covetousness, and cruelty [4]. The character of the wicked is described as abominable, alienated from God, blasphemous, and boastful, often conspiring against God's people and despising the works of the faithful [6]. Those who are contentious and do not obey the truth are described as being "of the contention," striving for victory rather than truth, and sowing discord [12].
Divine indignation, on the other hand, is God's righteous anger against sin. Unconverted people are naturally under the control of their sinful nature and are therefore subject to God's anger because God hates sin [13]. The severity of divine vengeance on the reprobate is depicted through imagery such as darkness, wailing, gnashing of teeth, inextinguishable fire, and the "ever-gnawing worm" [8]. John Calvin notes that God hardens the spirit and makes the heart obstinate in order to bring about ruin, as seen with Pharaoh [11]. The prophet Micah expresses a willingness to "bear the indignation of the Lord," acknowledging that afflictions can appear as divine indignation against sins, even though God's people remain objects of His love [9]. Similarly, the Psalmist laments under the "indignation and thy wrath," recognizing that even the people of God are deserving of wrath when they sin [10].
The concept of indignation also appears in the context of suffering. Christ endured scorn and mocking, as predicted in the Psalms and Isaiah [2]. Saints also endure scorn and mocking due to their status as children of God, their uprightness, their faith, their faithfulness in declaring God's word, and their zeal for God's house [2].
Sources
- Genesis “Maledictus furor eorum, quia pertinax : et indignatio eorum, quia dura : dividam eos in Jacob, et dispergam eos in Israël. -- Genesis 49:7”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scorning and Mocking — The sufferings of Christ by, predicted -- Ps 22:6-8; Isa 53:3; Lu 18:32. Christ endured -- Mt 9:24; 27:29. Saints endure, on account of Being children of God. -- Ge 21:9; Ga 4:29. Their uprightness. -- Job 12:4. Their faith. -- Heb 11:36. Their faithfulness in declaring the word of God. -- Jer 20:7,8. Their zeal for God's house. -- Ne 2:19. The wicked indulge in, against The second coming of Christ. -- 2Pe 3:3,4. The gifts of the Spirit. -- Ac 2:13. God's threatening. -- Isa 5:19; Jer 17:15. God's ministers. -- 2Ch 36:16. God's ordinances. -- L”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Hamoth — indignation”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ambition — God condemns -- Ge 11:7; Isa 5:8. Christ condemns -- Mt 18:1,3,4; 20:25,26; 23:11,12. Saints avoid -- Ps 131:1,2. Vanity of -- Job 20:5-9; 24:24; Ps 49:11-20. Leads to strife and contention -- Jas 4:1,2. Punishment of -- Pr 17:19; Isa 14:12-15; Eze 31:10,11; Ob 1:3,4. Connected with Pride. -- Hab 2:5. Covetousness. -- Hab 2:8,9. Cruelty. -- Hab 2:12. Exemplified Adam and Eve. -- Ge 3:5,6. Builders of Babel. -- Ge 11:4. Miriam and Aaron. -- Nu 12:2. Korah, &c. -- Nu 16:3. Absalom. -- 2Sa 15:4; 18:18. Adonijah. -- 1Ki 1:5. Sennacherib. -- 2Ki 19:23. Shebna. ”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Cheran — anger”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Character of the Wicked — Abominable -- Re 21:8. Alienated from God -- Eph 4:18; Col 1:21. Blasphemous -- Lu 22:65; Re 16:9. Blinded -- 2Co 4:4; Eph 4:18. Boastful -- Ps 10:3; 49:6. Conspiring against God's people -- Ne 4:8; 6:2; Ps 38:12. Covetous -- Mic 2:2; Ro 1:29. Deceitful -- Ps 5:6; Ro 3:13. Delighting in the iniquity of others -- Pr 2:14; Ro 1:32. Despising the works of the faithful -- Ne 2:19; 4:2; 2Ti 3:3,4. Destructive -- Isa 59:7. Disobedient -- Ne 9:26; Tit 3:3; 1Pe 2:7. Enticing to evil -- Pr 1:10-14; 2Ti 3:6. Envious -- Ne 2:10; Tit 3:3. Fearful -- Pr ”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Kohelet Rabbah 5:16:1: “In addition, all his days, he eats in darkness, and has much anger, illness, and rage” (Ecclesiastes 5:16). “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3). Another matter: “In addition, a”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 80: the contest, are already depicting to themselves imaginary triumphs. 12. Moreover, as language cannot describe the severity of the divine vengeance on the reprobate, their pains and torments are figured to us by corporeal things, such as darkness, wailing and gnashing of teeth, inextinguishable fire, the ever-gnawing worm ( Mt. 8:12 ; 22:13; Mark 9:43 ; Isa. 66:24 ). It is certain that by such modes of expression the Holy Spirit designed to impress all our senses with dread, as when it is said, “Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for ”
- Micah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Micah 7:9: I will bear the indignation of the Lord,.... The Targum prefaces these words with "Jerusalem saith;'' and they are the words of the prophet, in the name of Jerusalem or the church, resolving in the strength of divine grace to bear the present affliction, which had at least some appearance of divine indignation in it; not against the persons of God's people, who are always the objects of his love, and towards whom there is no fury in him; but against their sins, which are displeasing and abominable to him; and this is not in a vindictive way, for such indignation the”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 102:9: Because of thine indignation and thy wrath,.... This was the burden of his complaint, what gave him the greatest uneasiness; not so much the reproach of his enemies, and his other outward afflictions, as the sense he had of God's wrath and indignation. The people of God are as deserving of his wrath as others; and when they are awakened to a sense of sin and danger, or the law enters into their consciences, it works wrath there, and leaves nothing but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, till comfort is given; and under afflictive providences they”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 40: Lord 268 “had hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate,” he immediately adds the purpose which God had in view—viz. that he might deliver him into their hand ( Deut. 2:30 ). As God had resolved to destroy him, the hardening of his heart was the divine preparation for his ruin. 4. In accordance with the former methods it seems to be said, 174 174 Ezek. 7:26 ; Psalm 107:40 ; Job 12:20 , 24 ; Isiah 63:17; Exod. 4:21 ; 7:3; 10:1; 3:19. “The law shall perish from the priests and counsel from the ancients.” “He poureth contempt ”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 2:7: But unto them that are contentious,.... This is a description of the other sort of persons to whom God will render according to their deeds, "who are of the contention"; who contend for victory, and not truth; strive about words to no profit; are quarrelsome, and sow discord among men, and in churches; and do not obey the truth; neither attend to the light of nature, and to that which may be known of God by it; nor regard and submit to the Gospel revelation and so design both the Gentiles, which knew not God, and Jews, and others, who obey not the Gospel: but obey ”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:3: 2:3 Unconverted people are naturally under the control of the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature (see Rom 3:9-20, 23). Because of their sin, they are subject to God’s anger, because God hates sin (see Eph 5:6; Rom 1:18; 2:5, 8; 3:5, 19; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4-5; Col 3:6; 1 Thes 1:10; 2:16; 5:9).”