Slow to Wrath

In my morning Bible study time I have been reading through the book of Exodus.  Many lessons can be learned from reading this historical narrative.  One thing that is very evident in regards to the nature of God is that He is slow to wrath and gives people many opportunities to repent.  Pharaoh was given several opportunities to repent before God brought His divine justice upon him.  If Pharaoh would have heeded the voice of God he would have escaped the judgment.  Here is what Matthew Henry had to say about this topic:

See how slow God is to wrath, and how willing to be met with in the way of judgments and to have His anger turned away, and particulalry how precious the lives of men are in His eyes: if the death of their cattle had humbled them and reformed them, their children would have been spared: but if, men will not improve the gradual advances of divine judgments, they must thank themselves if they find, in the issues, that the worst was reserved for the last (Matthew Henry).

God is often slow to wrath; however He will not withhold it forever.  Eventually the Lord's patience will wear thin and the stony hearted person will face their day of reckoning.  Do not wait until it is to late to obey the voice of the Lord!