WHY DOES HE RAGE? by F. D. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 10, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 45.

WHY DOES HE RAGE?

By F. D. Starr

INSPIRATION asks the question, “Why do the heathen rage?” Ps. 2:1. Perhaps this query might be answered somewhat after the order of the statement in John 10:13, “The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling;” so the heathen rages because he is a heathen. He knows no better than to follow the natural impulses of his heathenish heart, and that is to rage and storm around whenever anything happens that is contrary to his ideas or wishes. Thus the heathen Naaman, the Syrian general, turned and went away in a rage when the prophet’s directions displeased him. 2 Kings 5:12. His rage was unreasonable, as is shown by the fact that his servants so easily brought him to see his folly. So is the rage of every person who rages an unreasonable thing.

But why does the Christian rage? Is such a question permissible? How can it be?—No, the Christian does not rage; he can not rage. The heathen rages because he is a heathen. But why can not the Christian rage?—Because his heart is so filled with love and tenderness that raging can find no place; because he has learned to forgive his enemies and those who may grieve or injure him. But do not Christians, after all, rage sometimes? Those who bear the name Christian sometimes do, but such freaks are marks of the old heathenism that is still in them. No, indeed; let it be repeated and emphasized, The Christian can not rage; the heathen rages, and that because he is a heathen. There is no other reason for a man to rage; for raging is an altogether unreasonable thing.

Unfortunately, King Asa of old, like the heathen king Herod, shut up a prophet of the Lord in prison because “he was in a rage with him,” and that because the prophet had reproved him for his faults. 2 Chron. 16:7-14. But the downward course of Asa from this time is shown by his oppression of the people, his subsequent recourse to (probably heathen) physicians instead of the Lord in his distress and disease, and his consequent untimely death. How unfortunate that he, like so many others, should relapse from following the Lord, into a heathenish rage, even tho it were but for a time! F. D. STARR.