Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:9-10

The biblical descriptions of God’s wrath are terrifying indeed. And true. That’s right, they are not the wild imaginations of ancient unenlightened religious kooks. This description (and there are others) speaks about what surely awaits those who are marked as being against, rather than for Christ.

Now think about this: this infinitely terrible and eternally unending fate was poured out on Jesus Christ while He was on the cross. Why? For His sins? No, He had none. It was poured out on the sinless Son of God as He stood in the place of those He came to save.

A sinless One, receiving the wrath of God? Yes. To secure forgiveness for sinners? Yes. And to make it even more astonishing, the wrath of God that is infinite in intensity and eternal in duration was all poured out on Jesus in the span of a few short hours as He hung on the cross.

There are two lessons to consider:

One, do not underestimate the fury of God’s wrath, or doubt the reality of it. Let it cause you to flee to Christ for forgiveness, and let it cause you to pray for, and proclaim the gospel to, those who do not acknowledge Christ.

Two, do not underestimate the immensity of God’s love, since Christ endured the Father’s wrath because He loved sinners enough to save them—even at such a price.