The King’s Wrath

Proverbs 16:14

A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will appease it.

It is wisdom to recognize danger and to take measures for safety. We recognize the signs of a thunder storm and take appropriate cover. So we should do the same when we observe the wrath of one who has power over us. Take measures to appease one with authority, especially when his wrath is a just wrath – i.e. we are guilty of wrongdoing.


This is the principle behind the sacrificial system. A person sins – he breaks the law of God the King and incurs God’s wrath. He appeases the King’s wrath with a sacrifice that receives his punishment. Sin must be punished. Wrath – God’s wrath – is stirred up by injustice, and it is appeased not by bribe but by due punishment. Earthly “kings” might be appeased by bribes and favors; the divine King is only appeased by justice being carried out.

And so our wise Savior on our behalf has appeased the just wrath of God the King. We in our folly either took inappropriate and ineffective measures to appease God’s wrath, or we even tried to defy it. But he who is supremely wise carried out the one effective means of appeasing just wrath – his own sacrifice. And his wisdom carried him back up to the King his Father who received him in love and with honor. This is the wise man who appeased the King’s wrath.

A wise man now will recognize that he cannot appease the King’s wrath. His salvation comes through the appeasing work of Christ the Savior. Turn now to that Savior. Recognize that the King’s wrath is a messenger of eternal death. Recognize that your sinfulness draws that wrath to you. Seek cover now in the Savior.