the fury of God’s judgment is manifest as his Son—the one and very same Son who died for the nations—now takes up his sword and smites the nations in their ongoing idolatry and rebellion against their creator God. Although God announces the certainty of this coming judgment, he does so in part to persuade rebels to drop their arms and bow to Jesus as their personal Lord and king. What mercy that precedes such horrific destruction. How infinitely kind of God to plan this first coming of Christ rather