DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: APRIL 21 OPPRESSOR AND THE WRATH OF GOD SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 3: 12 – 17
There was an instruction to search out ‘The Oppressor and the Wrath of God’ at about 10PM on 28th March, 2023. This devotional series is the product of that inspiration. Very many people on the surface of the earth have or had suffered from one kind of oppression or another. It is interesting to note too, that everyone might has been an oppressor in one way or other ways. King James Version Bible defined oppressor as: “One that oppresses; one that imposes unjust burdens on others, one that harasses others with unjust laws or unreasonable severity.” This definition was adopted from Webster’s American Dictionary of English Language of 1828 edition. An oppressor exploits people, takes advantage on other people, or mistreats people around him or her. All oppressors behave as if God is inferior to them and cannot punish them for the oppressive stands taken against human beings. However, the Bible is clear about the wrath of God on all oppressors. God has preserved deadly wrath for any oppressor. Wrath means “strong vengeful hatred.” Wrath means resentment.
Our devotional today opens another revelation on how God’s “strong vengeful hatred” will be released on any who oppresses others. It is revealing how God’s resentment is reserved for oppressors, either at the end of their life or while being alive. God’s resentment is His feeling of displeasure or indignation. With this brief description of God’s wrath, it means that those oppressing people attract God’s vengeance upon them. It ought to be a fearful thing to draw God’s displeasure or indignation upon self as there will be no other being that can save one under God’s revengeful anger. A writer penned this: “God’s wrath is not a reckless rage, an uncontrollable anger, a senseless fury or an unjust vengeance. The wrath of God is a precise and controlled response to the belittling of His holiness.” From this writer’s position, it is clear that anyone oppressing another person is belittling God’s holiness. Reason He releases His wrath on an oppressor.
The wrath of God has been on people who deliberately oppress others from ages. There is what this devotional phrased as “dynasty of oppressive leaders.” Many oppressors raised other oppressors so to elongate their influences and wickedness on people. As human beings never relent in duplicating oppressive attitudes on the masses, God keeps increasing the magnitude of His wrath. In the lead passage of today’s devotional, we read how the youths and women in Jerusalem oppress God’s people. It will be seen how God reacts in His wrath! God said in verses 13 that He will take His place in the court to judge them. And for the women in verse 17 God said He will bring sores on their heads as well as make their scalps bald. There will more on this in the second series.
PRAYER:
JEHOVAH, FATHER OF MERCY, kindly release your love and mercy upon all who have become oppressors in our country instead of your wrath. Grant all of us sense of humility to change from being oppressors in the name of Jesus Christ.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch
