Is it a Sin to be Angry with God ?

What is Anger?

Anger defined by the Oxford English Dictionary:

noun

a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.

Example:"she could barely restrain her anger at this

verb

2. fill (someone) with anger; provoke anger in.

Example:"she was angered by his terse answer"

What brings forth anger in you?

A perceived wrong doing by someone?

Someone that accidently cuts you off in traffic.

2. An actual wrong doing by someone?

Someone that tells a lie on you.

3. A circumstance that did not go the way you wanted it to go?

You wanted that promotion, but you did not get it.

4. A circumstance that happened due to something you did?

You told a lie and got caught in the lie.

How many of you have ever said “Why me Lord?”

Was it “why me Lord, why did I get that promotion?” or “why me Lord, why was I overlooked for that promotion?”

In the first question “why me?” would be a honorable question and would typically lead to “thanksgiving to the Lord” the second question would be a dishonorable question leading to “why did you fail me Lord?”

Why is it so easy to congratulate ones self when things go your way, but blame God when things do not go the way “you” wanted them to go?

Let’s take a look at such a person.

Jonah a Prophet of God

Jonah 4:1–11 NASB95

1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. 3 “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” 4 The Lord said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?” 5 Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. 6 So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. 7 But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. 8 When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” 10 Then the Lord said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. 11 “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

Jonah 4:1 “1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry.” The word used for angry literally means “hot” Jonah became hot with God.

What was it that displeased Jonah? Jonah wanted God to destroy Nineveh. Jonah had many reasons for this and they were all selfish reasons.

First, Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, a ruthless and warlike people who were enemies of Israel. Nineveh’s destruction would have been seen as a victory for Israel.

Second, Jonah probably wanted to see Nineveh’s downfall to satisfy his own sense of justice. After all, Nineveh deserved God’s judgment.

Third, God’s withholding of judgment from Nineveh could have made Jonah’s words appear illegitimate, since he had predicted the city’s destruction.

But, God relented and showed mercy, because the people of Nineveh believed and repented to include the King. The whole nation repented and turned to God.

Jonah 3:5 “5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.”

Jonah 3:6–10 “6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.

7 He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water.

8 “But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.

9 “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.”

If we truly believe that God is Sovereign, that he is Just and Righteous who are we to question the motives and the plans of God. Do you know better than God?

Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Proverbs 3:5–6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

Who are we to say who deserves salvation? Are you God? None of us deserve salvation!

Romans 3:10 “10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;”

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 2:8–9 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Romans 5:8“8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Grace and mercy is something that cannot be earned, it is a gift that is given for free!

Listen to what God says to Jonah:

Jonah 4:9–11 “9 Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.”

Now we see Jonah grieving over the loss of a plant.

10 Then the Lord said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight.

God tells us Jonah had compassion over the loss of a plant.

11 “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?””

See the contrast here. Jonah has sympathy over the loss of a plant but none for the potential loss of life. The 120,000 persons that God is speaking of are children under the age of 3 by most estimates. Children who would not have been able to participate in the atrocities that were committed by the Assyrians. By most estimates this number made up to 1/5 of the total population of Nineveh, that equates to approximately 600k people total that would have been wiped out. If God was willing to spare Sodom over 10 righteous people how much more over 120K children who were not accountable for the evil deeds of their countrymen as well as the many animals. This shows the Agape love of our Father. All of His creation is loved by Him.

God loves you so much that He is willing to give you grace! Do you want His grace? Come forward and let me tell you how you can receive His grace.