The Apostle Paul spoke these words to the Christians ...
But, what did he mean by Godly Jealousy? Before we address that, let’s look at something God had said He
would do, by making the Israelites jealous.
What is Godly Jealousy Bible Study
How Our God is a Jealous God
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.
Paul is speaking of this Godly Jealousy Bible study Scripture:
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.
Our God is a jealous God Scripture says that 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.
Who 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:
1 Corinthians 1:26-28
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 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;
28 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 ... our God is a jealous God and we are the foolish ones who were not
a people then, whom He chose to make the Israelites jealous.
Godly Jealousy Bible Study Warning
Why Our God is a Jealous God
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 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;
10 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 ...
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 our God is a jealous God and He 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.
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 again, our God is a jealous God and 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 because it would convict
them. But, does this mean the Jewish people are history?
Not a chance ... If they choose to become Christians.
Romans 11:23-26
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted
in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out
of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary
to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be
the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 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.
26 And
so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written ...
Godly Jealousy Bible Study Blessing
Our God is a Jealous God in Love
So, God used jealousy as a means by which to bring souls to Himself.
It was about souls choosing to put Him first and now He requires that
we Believe in Jesus. It is and always was about Faith. And when the
faith faded, they discovered that our God is a jealous God when it
comes to faith.
Hebrews 11:8-9
8 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.
9 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 ...
This is very important to understand ... The place called Israel
is really just the where the offspring of Jacob (whose name was changed to
Israel) lived.
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 and Abraham’s FAITH
to follow God had him receive the Promise which carried on even unto
his offspring. Just a lil history lesson there. Now, back to Godly
Jealousy and even jealousy itself ... What a powerful emotion. It can
even un-blind 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 little our God is a jealous God morsel for a seconds ... 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 betrayed or
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 Godly Jealousy coin. There is no doubt that the spirit of jealousy can come upon a human and it may appear to be Godly Jealousy as you compare your situation to how our God is a jealous God too.
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?
Numbers 5:29-31
29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another
instead of her husband, and is defiled;
30 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.
31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this
woman shall bear her iniquity.
When Jesus was speaking of marriage, He stated:
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.
Preventing Godly Jealousy Bible Study
Our God is a Jealous God for Us
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 our God is a jealous God? 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.
Godly Jealousy Bible study reminder ... 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 our God is a jealous God and judging is His department:
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.
Godly Jealousy Bible Study Proof
Our God is a Jealous God Examples
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. Our Godly Jealousy Bible example ... I do have friends who have been
cheated on and I myself after hearing of it, got 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 our 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.
So, I have a Godly Jealousy Bible study trivia question for
you ... Are we, as Christians not supposed to 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 God is a jealous God study, Paul said this:
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.
Another Godly Jealousy Bible study question ... What did Paul mean
when he said that he was jealous and what was he jealous about? Was
it Godly Jealousy?
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, Our God is a jealous God biggie. I have yet another question about Godly Jealousy ... 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, because it is not you.
Our God is a jealous God, to be sure but, beware because the enemy of
your soul can “trigger” that same emotion as well by
placing thoughts within you 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.
This is not so with Godly Jealousy. 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
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but
what sayest thou?
6 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.
7 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.
8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Our Godly jealousy Bible study seeking our God is a jealous God
answers reveals that we need to return our Lord’s unconditional
Love. 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 to assure it is Godly jealousy and not our pride.
