In a sermon dated 20 May 1877, Orson Pratt affirmed the reality of God's
anger and how it resulted in God changing how, during the time of Moses, he
interacted with the children of Israel (which, taken to its logical conclusions, makes nonsense of God being outside of time):
The Lord at that time
became angry with the children of Israel, and he decreed that no man of that
whole congregation should behold his face at that time. Hence the Lord said to
Moses, "Thou shalt not behold my face as at other times." How plain
that little sentence of new revelation is, showing that Moses had, at other
times, enjoyed that privilege, and that it was the privilege of the Children of
Israel to become sanctified, and to behold the face of God; but at that time,
in consequence of their wickedness, he in his anger, forbade them that
privilege. Soon after, he made a decree that all that congregation should be
left without this privilege, and he took his presence away from them, because
of their transgressions and rebellions, that, had not the Lord withdrawn his
presence from them, they might have been totally destroyed. The Lord desired to
remember his covenants with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; for he promised them that
he would bring up their seed to the promised land; and in order that he might do
this he determined not to go up in their midst; for should he do so, he might
break forth upon them, and utterly destroy them. (JOD 19:17)
