The Lord is slow to anger

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. – Nahum 1v3

Praise God for the phrase ‘slow to anger.’ I would not have a hope if God were not ‘slow to anger’ because ‘He will not at all acquit the wicked.’ We see a hint of the omnipotence of God here which is a great reminder of His control, but I want to look at this idea of being slow to anger.

What does it mean that God is slow to anger in the context of the rest of this verse?

It means that with God in complete control and able to do whatever He wants to do whenever He wants to do He could have wiped out mankind right after Adam and Eve’s sin. He could have done it when Cain killed able. He could have done it when He flooded the whole world.

But He didn’t do it. ‘In the times of their ignorance He winked.’ Knowing that He had provided a plan to save all mankind He set up a system of laws and sacrifices that looked forward to the coming of Christ.

I am grateful for that patient slowness. For 18 years I wasted my life in my own pursuits and interest. But God was slow to anger and gave me chance after chance to hear the gospel and come to Him.

God is slow to anger. But let us not forget the rest of the verse. He will not acquit wickedness apart from the work of Christ.

God is slow to anger – but one day He will judge everyone. Apart from the finished work fo Christ man is doomed.