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WRATH: thumos and orge (pronounced, orgā)
It appears
that we can make a distinction between thumos and orge as they relate to the
day of the lord. We find that at Rev. 11:18, which ANNOUNCES (and your wrath
came) the arrival of God's (final) wrath through the 7 bowls, the word is
orge, and then at Rev. 15:1 (which picks up from verse 11:19), when the
angels of the last 7 plagues are introduced, we see that in those plagues,
"the thumos of God is finished."
The word, orge means a stabilized, controlled and even objective wrath,
while thumos refers to a fierce, intense and dramatic expression of wrath -
we would relate it more to emotional anger.
Notice at Rev. 16:19 and 19:15, (NASB) His fierce wrath and the fierce wrath
of God. Both words occur here and it should read, "the wrath (thumos) of his
anger (orge)" and "the wrath (thumos) of the anger (orge) of God." - thumos
being the more intense word, the translators wanted to give it an adjectival
function "fierce wrath."
The bowl judgments include both orge and thumos, with thumos used to
indicate a greater intensity of wrath.
In the two I Thessalonians passages, only orge is used (Verses 1:10 and 5:9)
and thumos does not enter into the day of the Lord context until Rev. 15:1.
It occurs at Rev. 14:10 WITH orge, but that refers to the eternal wrath in
the lake of fire, "he will drink of the wine of the thumos of God which is
mixed in full strength in the cup of His orge.
At Rev. 12:12, thumos is used for Satan's wrath after he is kicked out of
heaven.
At Rev. 6:16-17, orge is used twice, as MEN describe the judgments that are
coming upon them from God.
The real point of controversy here is the verb, “has come.”
In the Greek, this is an aorist active indicative of erchomai.
This does not mean that the day of their wrath has been here already, but
that it is ABOUT TO COME, in the sense that it is right now upon us.
However, there will be a small delay until the 144 Jews are saved/sealed.
Rev. 7:1-8.
The great day of their wrath refers to the time period called, “the day of
the Lord.” It is that day which is “announced” via the signs in the sun,
moon and stars, but the actual expression of wrath in judgment will not
begin until the 7th seal is opened, which will announce the time for the
God’s judgment through the trumpets.
It is at the inception of this day of the Lord that God’s wrath will come
upon the world. This is clear from from Zephaniah 2:1-3,
“Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame, Before the
decree takes effect — The day passes like the chaff — Before the burning
anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes
upon you. Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out
His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be
hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.”
It is interesting that in the Old Testament, using the Septuagint (LXX) to
see what Greek words translate the Hebrew originals, we find that with the
four major Hebrew words (out of over a dozen), thumos and orge are used
interchangeably for all of them. To further demonstrate this lack of
distinction between the two words, we have “the orge of thumos” (Isaiah 7:4;
42:25), and we have “the thumos of orge” (Isaiah 9:19).
Accordingly, there is no significance in the use of orge and thumos in the
day-of-the-Lord passages. The study of these words does not solve the
problem of whether there is wrath in the trumpets or not. However, what does
solve that problem is that there are a number of passages in the Old
Testament prophets that indicate God’s wrath is being poured out from the
inception of the day of the Lord, until its completion.
At Isaiah 13:9, BOTH thumos and orge are used to describe the judgment
activity of God at the Day of the Lord.
“with fury (ebhrah; LXX = thumos) and burning anger (aph; LXX = orge).”
The Hebrew, aph, means nostril and communicates the intensity of anger that
would be visible through snorting or blowing heavily through the nostrils.
It is used to communicate strong emotional anger.
The word, ephrah, expresses the idea of an overflowing anger.
At Isaiah 13:13, we see,
1. "At the fury of the Lord of Hosts," which is rendered as the thumos of
the orge of the Lord of hosts in the LXX.
This is as at Rev. 16:19 and 19:15. In this case the "emotional" intensity
of God's anger is in view.
2. and "in the day of His burning anger," which the LXX translates as "in
the day when His thumos comes."
Both 13:9 and 13 focus NOT on the inception of the day of the Lord, but on a
time during the day when “nations gathered together,” which takes place
during the bowl judgments and not during the trumpets.
Thus, the use of both orge and thumos is consistent with that context as is
seen at Revelation 11:18, “Your orge came;” and 15:1, 7, 16:2, “thumos,” and
16:18, “the thumos of His orge.”
Isaiah 30:27-30
v. 27,
1. “burning in His anger,” uses aph, and thumos in the LXX.
2. “his lips are filled with indignation,” uses zaam and the LXX, uses orge.
(the LXX adds at the end of this verse, “and the anger of wrath shall devour
like fire. But this is not in the Hebrew so is not an issue - although it
uses, the orge of thumos). To be consistent then, the idea is "the
objective, stabilized anger of His intense wrath."
V. 30, “His arm to be seen in fierce anger.”
Lit: with rage of anger, using aph.
The LXX, has “And the Lord shall make his glorious voice to be heard, and
the wrath (thumos) of his arm, to make a display with wrath (thumos) and
anger (orge).
The context is looking at the whole period of the day of the Lord, and thus
includes both orge and thumos.
Isaiah 34:2, “For Yahweh’s indignation is against all the nations, and wrath
against all their armies.”
The Hebrew uses qetseph and chāmah, while the LXX uses thumos and orge.
This is an “armageddon” context, which places it during the bowls.
Chāmah refers to heated and accelerated anger.
Isaiah 63:1-6
V. 3,
1. I also trod them in my anger: aph and thumos in the LXX.
2. and trampled them in my wrath: chāmah - but does not occur in LXX.
V. 5, “and my wrath upheld me.” uses chāmah and thumos.
V. 6,
1. and I trod down the peoples in my anger: uses aph and orge.
2. and made them drunk in my wrath: uses chāmah, but occurs not in LXX.
NOTICE: in the LXX, both thumos and orge being used for aph.
v. 3, trod them in my thumos
v. 6, trod them in my orge
CONTEXT: This is the Armageddon campaign which occurs during the bowls,
so the use of thumos and orge is still consistent.
Isaiah 66:15
“For the LORD will come in fire . . .
To bring down His anger with fury.”
The word anger is aph and with fury is chāmah.
In the LXX, “to pay back His justice in wrath (thumos).”
So aph is represented by the word justice (ekdikāsis) and “with fury” is
represented by thumos.
Verses 16-17 indicate that this is seeing the time DURING the day of the
Lord, when there will be a total destruction of the enemy, “sword on all
flesh,” “those slain by the LORD will be many,” “shall come to an end
altogether.” This would then be describing the judgment that comes at the
end of the day of the Lord. The use of "sword" seems to be more of an
Armageddon context.
At Zephaniah 1:15, it is a day of ebhrah (orge in the LXX).
At Zephaniah 1:18 the Hebrew word is ebhrah, which means overflowing rage -
and the LXX uses orge
Zeph. 2:1-2, Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without
shame, Before the decree takes effect — The day passes like the chaff —
Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the
LORD’S anger comes upon you.
1. burning anger: chāmah of the aph of Yahweh, and the LXX uses orge
2. the day of the Lord’s anger: aph and the LXX uses thumos
Both Greek words are used. Seems to be indicating more of a parallelism
rather than trying to distinguish between the two meanings.
This passage seems strongly to refer to the inception of the day of the
Lord.
Zeph. 2:3, Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out
His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be
hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.
Here, the Hebrew word is aph, which has more to do with an emotional anger.
The LXX uses orge here and at v. 1:18, not making any distinction. It is
only at v. 2:2, the second occurrence of aph, that the LXX uses thumos.
Zeph. 3:8, “to pour out on them my indignation (zaam),
all the burning (charon) of my anger (aph). . . . fire of my zeal (qinnah =
jealous possessiveness).”
The LXX really abreviates here and only gives us, “to pour out upon them all
anger (orge) of wrath (thumos).”
Again, as seen above (“the orge of thumos,” Isaiah 7:4; 42:25, and “the
thumos of orge,” Isaiah 9:19), many times there is no significant difference
in the two words.
And the rest of the verse in the LXX, “and the whole earth will be consumed
with the fire of my passionate zeal (zelos).”
This seems to be describing the judgment that occurs during the bowls.
Ezekiel 38:18-19 refers to the judgment on the king of the North during the
BOWL judgments.
v. 18, “that my fury will mount up in my anger.”
The Hebrew uses chāmah and aph.
Chāmah refers to heated and accelerated anger.
Aph means nostril and communicates the intensity of anger that would be
visible through snorting or blowing heavily through the nostrils. It is used
to communicate strong emotional anger.
The LXX abbreviates leaving out chāmah and using thumos for aph.
v. 19, “and in my zeal and in my blazing wrath.”
Here is the Hebrew word quinnah for jealous possessiveness, and fire of my
ebhrah (overflowing anger).
The LXX uses zelos for qinnah and uses orge for ebhrah.
Jeremiah 25:30-38 is a day of the Lord context.
At verse 37, “because of the burning of the anger of Yahweh.”
charon (burning) of the aph (anger) of Yahweh.
And at v. 38, “and because of the burning of His anger.”
charon (burning) of His aph (anger).
The LXX has “according to the anger (orge) of my wrath (thumos),” and does
not use any “wrath” words in verse 38.
This also is an Armageddon context, which is during the bowls.
Jeremiah 30:23-24
Verse 23, “wrath has gone forth.” (chāmah - burning anger)
verse 24, “the fierce anger of Yahweh.” (charon of aph)
This refers to the day of the Lord arrival of the LORD, for it is AT THAT
TIME (during that time period) that Jacob will be delivered from his
distress (Jer. 30:4-7). And that deliverance will be accomplished through
both the trumpet and the bowl judgments.
The LXX
V. 23, uses orge, which could apply to the trumpets.
V. 24, uses orge of thumos “until He has performed, and until He has
accomplished the intent of His heart.”
This speaks of COMPLETION or FINALITY and would then apply to the bowls.
Of course, the LXX translation is not inspired - but just helps a little bit
sometimes in seeing how different Greek words were used.
Conclusion: there is no separation between orge and thumos in the LXX and
both are used to refer to the wrath that comes during the day of the Lord.
Also, there is no significant distinction between the various Hebrew words
other than their basic meanings.
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