The Cup of God's Wrath

Psalm 75 speaks of a cup that the Lord holds in his hand. The psalm says that the cup is full of foaming wine mixed with spices, and that he pours out this wine in judgment, and the wicked must drink it. This passage reminded me of Jesus’ conversation with His Father in the garden of Gethsemane, when He asks the Lord to remove the cup - referring to His coming crucifixion.

Some study will reveal to us that these are not the only places in the Bible that speak of God‘s wrath as if it fills a cup. The major and minor prophets use this language as well, especially Jeremiah and Ezekiel. There are themes of God’s anger and wrath throughout the prophets, and there is a pattern that we see followed as we track it throughout these books.  First, the anger of the Lord burns at His covenant people because of their unfaithfulness. Then, He turns His face from them, removing His sovereign protection and allowing them to meet the fate they have chosen by serving the gods of the surrounding nations. Lastly they are delivered into the hands of their oppressors - and this is referred to as the drinking of the cup.
 
Isn’t it beautiful that Jesus’ knowledge of the Old Testament led Him to choose this wording in His prayer the night he was delivered over to the Jews? By referencing the cup of God’s wrath, He acknowledges the path He is about to walk - into the hands of human oppressors, feeling first the burning anger of the Father because of the sin He will bear for us, and knowing that God will then turn His face from Jesus for the first and only time in eternity past or future. Jesus then will drink the cup of God’s wrath and judgment to the dregs - the one that was meant for the wicked - the one that means He will be separated from God and delivered into the hands of death: the ultimate oppressor that only He could conquer. 

But this is not the only cup that Jesus spoke of that night. Earlier during His last supper with the disciples, He gives a morsel of bread and a cup. The cup is not one of wrath, but one of His blood that seals the new covenant and which is poured out for many.

This is the cup of Salvation! In His death for us, Christ took one cup from us and gave us another. Receiving the cup of God’s wrath, he poured out His blood that we might drink the cup of Salvation.

To paraphrase prayers from psalm 16 and 116: What shall we render to the Lord for his many gifts to us? Let us lift up the cup of salvation and call upon His name alone. He has given us a beautiful inheritance, and He makes known to us the path of life. We dwell secure because of He who did not abandon us. In His presence we find fullness of joy.