Micah 7:18 ("Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.") is often pitted against verses indicating eternal judgment. However, the Orthodox understanding resolves this: God's anger does not last forever, for God is Love. The eternal state of those who reject God is not a result of His enduring wrath, but rather their own inability to experience His unyielding love and presence as anything other than a consuming fire.