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GODLY JEALOUSY
CHRISTIANITY OASIS
HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH THIS GODLY JEALOUSY STUDY. THE APOSTLE
PAUL STATED THAT HE HAD GODLY JEALOUSY. WOW ... GODLY
JEALOUSY EVEN SOUNDS LIKE AN OXYMORON, BUT IS GODLY JEALOUSY
SOMETHING CHRISTIANS MAY POSSESS AT TIMES? LET US SEEK AND FIND THE TRUTH OF
GODLY JEALOUSY TOGETHER, SHALL WE?
The
Apostle Paul spoke these words to the Christians ...
But ... What did he
mean?
Before we address that,
let's look at something God had said He would do, by
making the Israelites jealous.
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Romans 10:19
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will
provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a
foolish nation I will anger you
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Paul
is speaking of this Scripture:
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Deuteronomy 32:21
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not
God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and
I will move them to jealousy with those which
ARE
NOT A PEOPLE;
I will provoke them to anger with a
FOOLISH
nation. |
God
told the Jewish people that because they had made HIM
jealous by choosing other things over Him, that He would
make the Jewish people jealous by choosing others over
them who were NOT A PEOPLE and were FOOLISH.
W ho
is God talking about when He speaks of a group of souls
who were NOT A PEOPLE and were FOOLISH.
The
answer is … Christians.
Some
may say, but is it not the GENTILES that God speaks of
and they are right in a sense.
The Gentiles WERE accepted into the New Covenant, but it
is CHRISTIANS that God is talking about and here is how
we KNOW:
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1 Corinthians 1:26-28
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called: But
God hath chosen
the
FOOLISH things
of the world to confound the wise; and God hath
chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty; And base things of the
world, and things which are despised, hath God
chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are. |
Yes, that
is right my friend …
WE are the
FOOLISH ones who were NOT A PEOPLE then, whom He chose
to make the Israelites jealous.
|
1
Peter 2:9-10
But ye are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a PECULIAR
people; that ye should
shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of
darkness into His marvellous light; Which in time past
WERE NOT A PEOPLE, but
are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but
now have obtained mercy. |
Israel
was God’s peculiar treasure …
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Psalms 135:4
For the LORD hath chosen Jacob (Israel) unto Himself, and
Israel for His PECULIAR treasure. |
Now
Christians are His peculiar treasure.
And
God KNEW that choosing others … Would make the
Israelites jealous.
The
way we know it is Christians and not SOLELY Gentiles
that God is talking about is that the Christian movement
began with Jewish believers and Christianity has both
Jewish and Gentiles within it but are now ONE.
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1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether
we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have
been all made to drink into one Spirit. |
So,
God made the Jewish people (who stopped following Him
and made HIM jealous) themselves jealous by choosing
Christian believers, which the Jewish people (Who are
not Christians) despise and reject the beliefs of cuz it
would convict them.
But, does this mean the Jewish people are history?
Not a
chance ... IF they become Christians.
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Romans 11:23-26
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if
thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature,
and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree:
how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be
graffed into their own olive tree? For I would not,
brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest
ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in
part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the
Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it
is written …
|
So,
God used jealousy as a means by which to bring souls to
HIM.
It was
never about a nation, but rather a group of people that
PUT HIM FIRST and now BELIEVE IN JESUS.
It is
and always was about FAITH in GOD that had God choose a
PERSON.
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Hebrews 11:8-9
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place
which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;
and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a
strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and
Jacob (Israel), the heirs with him of the same promise
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This
is very important to understand ...
The PLACE called Israel is really just the offspring of
Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel)
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Genesis 32:28
And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but
Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with
men, and hast prevailed. |
Israel
(Jacob) was the grandson of Abraham.
Abraham's FAITH to follow God had him receive the
Promise which carried on to his offspring.
Just a
lil history lesson there.
Now
back to Jealousy ...
Jealousy … What a
powerful emotion.
It can
even unblind a soul, huh?
But,
jealousy can also be a bad emotion too as we all know so
very well, do we not?
Ponder on this a sec ...
What
would you say causes jealousy the most in our society
today?
I
believe that it is the jealousy between a man and woman
when one or the other feels they are being cheated on.
So ...
How does one determine if they are wrong or right by
being jealous over this tho?
I
believe that it depends on IF the one holding jealousy,
is in the wrong, in the eyes of the Lord, which is most
common.
I mean
… If the individual who is overcome with jealousy has
inadequacy or fear issues … Then obviously these
negative THOUGHTS caused the jealousy.
But, let's type about the other side of the coin.
There
is NO doubt ...
The spirit of jealousy can come upon a human.
|
Numbers
5:14
And the
spirit of jealousy
come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be
defiled: or if the
spirit of jealousy
come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not
defiled: |
Did
you notice it spoke of jealousy when a man had this
SPIRIT of jealousy come upon him when the woman is
defiled versus when she is NOT?
Is
there not a jealousy that springs forth when one KNOWS
their spouse is cheating on them which is not only a
natural instinct, but where the soul who is jealous is
guiltless in the eyes of the Lord?
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Numbers 5:29-31
This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to
another instead of her husband, and is defiled; Or when the
spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over
his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the
priest shall execute upon her all this law. Then shall the
man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear
her iniquity. |
When
Jesus was speaking of marriage, He stated:
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Matthew 5:32
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife,
saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit
adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery.
|
This
statement made it clear that fornication (cheating in
this case) was a reason one could divorce.
This
reveals that God does not like for a spouse to be
cheated on.
So, is
it a "Godly jealousy" when one TRULY has a cheating
spouse?
Are we
not made in HIS image and is He not a jealous Father as
He stated clearly:
|
Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose
name is Jealous, is a jealous God: |
Now
Solomon made it clear that Jealousy IS a natural
reaction and rage usually follows:
|
Proverbs 6:34
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not
spare in the day of vengeance. |
So,
let it be known that I speak NOT of allowing jealousy to
lead to vain vengeance and taking it upon oneself to
punish for the pain caused, as we all know judging is
HIS department:
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Romans 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place
unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord. |
Of
course we are to FORGIVE as to be forgiven, so I am not
here to give reason for one to hold a plague within the
mind or heart. This is like a cancer that just eats you
up inside.
The
immediate reaction of jealousy may be natural, but to
hold on to any negative emotion will prove to negatively
affect one's life.
No,
I am typing about NATURAL SPIRITUAL reactions when we
are wronged OR when we see wrong being done ...
For
example ... I have never been married and never been
"cheated on" …
But, I do have friends who have and I myself after
hearing of it, get what I suppose one might call ...
Jealous.
I am
sure you know what I am saying.
I
suppose that I got jealous over the WRONG being done
against a holy union.
Or was
it because it happened to MY friend.
Do we
get jealous when strangers do this to one another?
Or
just when it happens to US or OURS?
AND/OR
Is it
possible that it is God within us who gets jealous at
times and we are but vessels? I mean you could FEEL when
the Holy Spirit FIRE proceeded from Stephen when he was
answering to those judging him in Acts chapter 7 when
this was said …
|
Acts
7:51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. |
Sounds
a lot like John the Baptist huh? Our God is a jealous
God ... Maybe ... It is HIS "jealousy" we sense within
us at times when we learn of something that HE despises
and it crosses our path by way of our eyes and/or ears.
Sooooooo
… Do we, as Christians not get Jealous for GOD when we
see someone wrong HIM or His?
Of
course we do ...
So,
there IS a “Godly” jealousy that man can possess.
As I
shared at the beginning of this study ...
Paul said this …
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2 Corinthians 11:2
For I AM JEALOUS over you with GODLY JEALOUSY: for I have
espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ.
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What
did Paul mean when he said that he was jealous and what
was he jealous about?
Paul
was speaking of the Spiritual marriage between
Christians and the Lord as he saw himself as bringing
the potential Christians to the Lord to become betrothed
and wanted them to be as pure in mind and heart as they
could be.
Was
not Elijah jealous for the Lord?
|
1
Kings 19:10
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of
hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets
with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek
my life, to take it away. |
Now HERE is
the biggie …
How do
we discern if the jealousy within us is right or wrong,
God or us?
Here is
Wisdom … IF it is God within you which causes this
“Jealous” emotion to spring forth … You will know it and
it will never satisfy any selfish gain or vanity within
YOU. It is actually humbling and you are as shocked as
those who bear witness when it passes, cuz it is NOT
you.
But,
beware … Cuz the enemy of your soul can “trigger” that
same emotion as well by placing thoughts within ya and
it too can surprise you that you spake the words that
you did, but the FRUITS are MUCH diff. YOU first feel
GOOD about speaking YOUR mind, but then later feel
wrong, but pride usually hinders ya from making things
right as the vicious cycle grows.
No, the
TRUTH is … It will always come down to THE HEART OF THE
MATTER of all parties involved as that is what God will
judge. Since, we know only OUR heart, we need to WAIT
UPON THE LORD in PRAYER.
|
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord
come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:
and then shall every man have praise of God. |
Even
Jesus, while
awaiting
God’s Words ...
Drew upon the sand when the people asked Him a question,
trying to trick Him.
|
John
8:5-8
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be
stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, TEMPTING HIM,
that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down,
and with His finger wrote on the ground, AS THOUGH HE HEARD
THEM NOT. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up
himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among
you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped
down, and wrote on the ground.
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It is best
when we feel jealousy overcome us to STOP, breathe and
do a lil drawing in the sand as we await GOD’S Word on
the matter.
Take
care and have a SON-derful day.
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DID YOU ENJOY THIS STUDY AND FIND THE TRUTH WITHIN? WOULD YOU
LIKE TO ASSIST US IN SEEING THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER THIS
TRUTH?
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