In Proverbs, chapter twenty-two, verse fourteen, those who turn from God, seek their own way, and resent reproof fall under God’s wrath and curse. The wrath of God is an expression of His righteousness and holiness. It is God’s personal anger and unchanging response to all sin provoked by the wicked behavior of individuals, nations, and the unfaithfulness of God’s people.
In the past, God’s anger and hatred toward sin manifested in the flood, as in Genesis chapters six through eight. In the present, God’s wrath is noticeable in His giving over to the wicked to uncleanness and vile passions and in bringing ruin and death to all who disobey God. In the future, the wrath of God will include great distress for the ungodly of this world and a coming day of judgment for all people and nations. Ultimately, God’s wrath results in eternal punishment for the unrepentant.
God’s wrath is not His final word to humans, for He has provided a way of escape. A person may repent of sin and turn in faith to Jesus Christ. Believers united to Christ must participate in God’s anger against sin, not in the sense of vengeance, but in sincere love of righteousness and hatred of wickedness. The New Testament recognizes a holy anger that hates what God hates, an anger evident above all in Jesus Himself.
Abhorred is detestable, which is disgusting when an individual reaches a point where their sin is unsightly in the eyes of God. Today, some people insist on doing things their way regardless of whether it hurts others or not. They do not care to seek after God, but be their own gods, thinking that all will be well for them in the end. However, many of those people find out, unfortunately, the hard way.