According to Les Feldick's teaching from Scripture, the wrath of God is a future outpouring of God's judgment on a world that has rejected Christ — not something humanity has experienced during the present age of grace.
Scripture reveals God's wrath against ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18), and Psalm 2 says God will speak to the nations in His wrath after they have rejected His Anointed. Les Feldick emphasizes that this is not happening today. He says we are under God's grace, not His wrath, but that wrath is coming and will be poured out during the tribulation.
Psalm 2:5 — This verse directly says God will speak to the nations in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure.
Romans 1:18 — This verse defines the wrath of God as revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Revelation 6:17 — This verse calls the coming outpouring the great day of His wrath and asks who shall be able to stand.
Scripture presents God's wrath as His response to ungodliness and unrighteousness: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18). The next verse explains why this wrath is just: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them" (Romans 1:19). People are without excuse because God has made Himself known. Psalm 2 describes the context of this wrath. After the nations reject God's Anointed, the Lord sits in heaven and laughs, holding them in derision. Then, "Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure" (Psalm 2:5). This is not God reacting in love; it is God speaking in wrath. Revelation 6 pictures the time when this wrath finally arrives. Men hide in dens and rocks and "said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation 6:16). They cry, "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6:17).
Les Feldick teaches that God is not presently pouring out His wrath. He says, "We're not under the wrath of God today. We're under the grace of God. But it's coming." He explains that after God's grace has been rejected and walked underfoot, God will withdraw His love and grace and become a God of wrath and judgment. Psalm 2 is a key passage for Les — he says it points to the coming tribulation when God will stop speaking in love and instead speak in wrath. Les stresses that the calamities of the last nineteen-hundred-plus years — wars, earthquakes, and other plagues — have not been acts of God's wrath. The world has not actually seen the wrath of God. He connects these things to Psalm 2's picture of derision and confusion. The world today, he says, does not know which way to turn. After this period of perplexity and derision, God will pour out His vexation and wrath on those who have rejected His grace.
No. Les Feldick says, "We're not under the wrath of God today. We're under the grace of God. But it's coming." He also says that the earthquakes, wars, and other calamities that have plagued the human race over the last 1,900-plus years have not been the wrath of God. Scripture does say that the wrath of God is revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18), but Les applies this to a coming day when God will begin to pour out His wrath.
Psalm 2:4 says God in heaven laughs and holds the nations in derision. Les says the world is in that condition tonight — in perplexity and derision, not knowing which way to turn. Then, after the nations have rejected the King, Psalm 2:5 says God will speak to them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure. Les places this in the coming tribulation.
Les says that God's grace ends with the outcalling of the Church before the tribulation begins, and then the wrath of the Lamb is poured out (Revelation 6:16–17). He also says that the events described in Psalm 2 — rejection, perplexity, derision — take us up to the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation, and that the second half will be far worse than the first.
Les says we have to overcome the theology that God is just a God of love. God was a God of love when He sent Christ to the cross, and He has poured out grace upon humanity. But humanity has walked it underfoot, continuing to react in unbelief. After repeated rejection, God's love and grace are withdrawn, and He speaks to the world in His wrath rather than in His love.
Why God "Gave Them Up" — Romans 1 & the Wrath to Come
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Psalm 2 Points to Tribulation
In Psalm 2:5 God finally speaks to the world in wrath rather than in love, and Les explains that this verse takes us into the tribulation. He connects the withdrawal of grace to vexation and torment from God.
The Wrath of God Is Coming
Les says we are not under God's wrath today but under His grace; Romans 1:18 describes wrath revealed against those who hold the truth in unrighteousness, and it will soon be poured out when God has had enough.
From Grace to Judgment
Once the day of wrath comes, His grace ends and He becomes a God of judgment. Les says God has loved humanity and poured out grace, but humanity has walked it underfoot.
The Day of His Wrath Comes
Les describes the end of grace at the removal of the Church and the beginning of the wrath of the Lamb; Revelation 6:17 asks who can stand at the great day of His wrath.
Wrath After Derision
Les connects Psalm 2 with the sequence where, after Jew and Gentile reject the King and the world is in perplexity and derision, God pours out His vexation and wrath. These events reach the midpoint of the seven years.
Mankind Has Not Seen God's Wrath
Les insists that no calamity of the last 1,900-plus years has been God's wrath. During the tribulation, even kings and great men plead for death to hide from the face of God and the wrath of the Lamb.
The Nations in Derision
According to Psalm 2:4–5, God the Father laughs and holds the nations in derision and confusion after Christ's rejection, and only then speaks to them in His wrath, not in His grace.
Psalm 2:4: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
This verse describes God's response when the nations reject His Anointed King.
Psalm 2:5: Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
This is the key psalm verse showing that after derision God speaks in wrath.
Romans 1:18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
This verse directly defines the wrath of God and the reason for it.
Romans 1:19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
This verse explains that people have been given knowledge of God, making their unrighteousness inexcusable.
Romans 1:20: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
This verse shows that God's power and divine nature have been visible through creation.
Revelation 6:16: And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
This verse pictures people trying to hide from the wrath of God and the Lamb.
Revelation 6:17: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
This verse identifies the tribulation as the great day of His wrath.
Les Feldick teaches no. He says, "We're not under the wrath of God today. We're under the grace of God. But it's coming." He also says that the wars, earthquakes, and other calamities of the last 1,900-plus years have not been the wrath of God.
Revelation 6 pictures men saying, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." Les uses this to show that God's wrath will be directed at a world that has rejected Him.
Les explains that God's grace has been operating in the present age, but when the Church is outcalled before the tribulation, grace ends and the wrath of the Lamb begins.
Les says God was a God of love when He sent Christ to the cross and has poured out grace, but because humanity has rejected and walked it underfoot, God will withdraw love and grace and speak in wrath.
Watch the Teaching: Why God "Gave Them Up" — Romans 1 & the Wrath to Come