How does Jeremiah 5:9 connect with Romans 1:18 about God's wrath against sin? Setting the scene • Jeremiah speaks to Judah on the brink of judgment; Paul addresses Gentile and Jew alike in Rome. • Both passages answer the same question: Why does God pour out wrath? Because sin is real, personal, and offensive to His holiness. Jeremiah 5:9 – Wrath in the prophets “ ‘Should I not punish them for these things?’ declares the LORD. ‘Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’ ” • The verse falls after a catalogue of social and spiritual corruption (Jeremiah 5:1-8). • God frames judgment as a moral necessity—an “ ought ” grounded in His character. • “Avenge Myself” shows the personal dimension: sin is not merely law-breaking; it is an affront to the Lawgiver (see also Deuteronomy 32:35). Romans 1:18 – Wrath in the apostles “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth by unrighteousness.” • Paul universalizes what Jeremiah localized—wrath is “from heaven,” aimed at “all.” • The verb “is revealed” (present tense) shows wrath already operative, not only future (compare John 3:36). • Suppressing truth echoes Judah’s refusal to hear (Jeremiah 5:21). Connecting the dots • Same divine character: God has not changed from covenant to covenant (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). • Same trigger: deliberate, willful sin—“these things” in Jeremiah, “suppress the truth” in Romans. • Same justice logic: God’s holiness demands an answer to evil. Silence would deny His nature (Habakkuk 1:13). • Same redemptive aim: wrath exposes sin so grace can be received (Jeremiah 3:12; Romans 3:21-26). Common threads of divine wrath 1. Moral clarity • Both passages reject moral relativism. Right and wrong are objective (Isaiah 5:20). 2. Personal offense • Sin dishonors God’s glory (Jeremiah 2:11; Romans 1:23). 3. Inevitable response • Judgment is not a cosmic temper tantrum but a righteous necessity. 4. Universal scope • From covenant Israel to the Gentile world, no one is exempt (Romans 3:9-10). What this means for us today • We cannot shrug at personal or societal sin; God still asks, “Should I not punish?” • The cross is where wrath and mercy meet (Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:9). • Believers proclaim both truths—God hates sin and God saves sinners—without apology (Acts 20:27). Hope through the gospel • Wrath is real, but so is rescue. • Trust in Christ removes us from wrath’s path (1 Thessalonians 1:10). • The same God who warns in Jeremiah and Romans also invites: “Return, faithless children… for I am merciful” (Jeremiah 3:14, 12) and “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). |
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