"And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. "And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:10-12 NASB
“It has been well observed, that there is an allusion here to a woodman, who, having marked a tree for excision, lays his axe at its root, and strips off his outer garment, that he may wield his blows more powerfully, and that his work may be quickly performed.” (Clarke)
“No mere pruning and trimming work did John come to do; he was the handler of a sharp axe that was to fell every worthless tree.” (Spurgeon)
"He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire" --this speaks of wrath.
Does God have a right to display His wrath? Does He have a right to display His Justice? Yes! wrath and justice are as much a part of His character as are mercy, grace and love. Many people have difficulty imagining God finding any glory in His wrath, but He does. He is pleased with His wrath. It is just as much an attribute of God as is His love.
In his book, Almighty Over All, R.C. Sproul Jr. writes this excellent statement: "We cannot imagine God looking at His wrath like unwanted pounds He wants to lose, if only He had the power. No, God is as delighted with His wrath as He is with all of His attributes. Suppose He says, 'What I'll do is create something worthy of my wrath, something on which I can exhibit the glory of my wrath. And on top of that I'll manifest my mercy by showering grace on some of these creatures deserving my wrath.'"
"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 NASB
Divine wrath is not just a phenomenon of the Old Covenant; it is a certainty for all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.
Believers, listen carefully, we all deserve God's wrath! But because of God's mercy, we will not get what we deserve, because God's wrath toward us has been born by the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers, we have this confidence:
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9 NASB
(Commentary Curtis)
To baptize with fire means to bring the fires of judgment, which will purify the pure, but destroy the wicked like chaff. Chaff is the worthless residue of a wheat stalk after the kernel of grain has been removed. These proud and unrepentant leaders were just as useless to God. “Purification by fire was also a prophetic hope (Isaiah 4:4; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2; cf. Isaiah 1:25). John therefore predicts a real cleansing, in contrast with his own merely outward token.” (France)
“It has been well observed, that there is an allusion here to a woodman, who, having marked a tree for excision, lays his axe at its root, and strips off his outer garment, that he may wield his blows more powerfully, and that his work may be quickly performed.” (Clarke)
“No mere pruning and trimming work did John come to do; he was the handler of a sharp axe that was to fell every worthless tree.” (Spurgeon)
"He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire" --this speaks of wrath.
Does God have a right to display His wrath? Does He have a right to display His Justice? Yes! wrath and justice are as much a part of His character as are mercy, grace and love. Many people have difficulty imagining God finding any glory in His wrath, but He does. He is pleased with His wrath. It is just as much an attribute of God as is His love.
In his book, Almighty Over All, R.C. Sproul Jr. writes this excellent statement: "We cannot imagine God looking at His wrath like unwanted pounds He wants to lose, if only He had the power. No, God is as delighted with His wrath as He is with all of His attributes. Suppose He says, 'What I'll do is create something worthy of my wrath, something on which I can exhibit the glory of my wrath. And on top of that I'll manifest my mercy by showering grace on some of these creatures deserving my wrath.'"
"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 NASB
Divine wrath is not just a phenomenon of the Old Covenant; it is a certainty for all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.
Believers, listen carefully, we all deserve God's wrath! But because of God's mercy, we will not get what we deserve, because God's wrath toward us has been born by the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers, we have this confidence:
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9 NASB
(Commentary Curtis)
To baptize with fire means to bring the fires of judgment, which will purify the pure, but destroy the wicked like chaff. Chaff is the worthless residue of a wheat stalk after the kernel of grain has been removed. These proud and unrepentant leaders were just as useless to God. “Purification by fire was also a prophetic hope (Isaiah 4:4; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2; cf. Isaiah 1:25). John therefore predicts a real cleansing, in contrast with his own merely outward token.” (France)