The Lord is Jealous

 

 

 

“And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.”

Joshua 24:19

 

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

II Timothy 3:1-5

Introduction:

  1. You cannot worship God any way you wish or with only a partial commitment. He will not accept it!
  2. Consider Joshua’s impassioned plea for Israel to get serious about worshipping the Lord (Joshua 24:14-28).
  3. We are living in a similar generation of double-minded worshippers of God, where so-called Christians love pleasures more than God and have only a form of true godliness (II Tim 3:1-5; 4:3-4).

Is God Jealous?

  1. There are some basic facts about God revealed by His creation, but the rest is known by studying the Scriptures, where God has revealed Himself to us in much more detail (Rom 1:20; I Samuel 3:21).
  2. The Bible declares He is a jealous God in both testaments, so do not let anyone tell you how much tolerant the God of the New Testament is in comparison to Him of the Old (Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29).
  3. God is so jealous that He is called Jealous, for He will not tolerate any rivals to Himself (Ex 34:14).
  4. God’s jealousy is associated with great anger and wrath and power (Nahum 1:1-9; Ezekiel 38:19).

What Is Jealousy?

  1. Jealousy is a very powerful passion that causes both men and women to do severe and violent things.
  2. Jealousy. 1. Zeal or vehemence of feeling against some person or thing; anger, wrath, indignation. 4. The state of mind arising from the suspicion, apprehension, or knowledge of rivalry: c. In biblical language, said of God: Having a love which will tolerate no unfaithfulness or defection in the beloved object.
  3. Jealousy is passionate possessiveness and selfish obsession in claiming total devotion from a person.
  4. Jealousy is the great fear and anger at the thought of unfaithfulness in a beloved object (Song 8:6-7).

Why Does God Get Jealous?

  1. Because (1) He is God, (2) He created you, (3) He blessed you, and (4) He forgave and saved you.
    1. His character, existence, and nature are so infinitely unique that He deserves adoration and love.
    2. His role as your Creator reduces you to the Potter’s clay and therefore total loyalty to Him.
    3. He has not just created you, but He has blessed you with countless opportunities and pleasures.
    4. On top of the above, He has forgiven your profane rebellion and reserved eternal heaven for you.
  2. The blessed God will not share His glory with another, whether it is Baal or Mary, which Catholics do daily by praying 10 Hail Mary’s to every one Our Father, in spite of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ clearly denied Mary any such glory or honor at all (Isaiah 42:8; Luke 8:19-21; 11:27-28).
  3. And He certainly will not share His glory with any of the three idols of humanity (Jer 9:23-24).
  4. The blessed God is highly offended by His church losing their first love for Him (Rev 2:4; 3:15-16).
  5. The blessed God is highly offended by any flirting with the world that hates Him (James 4:4).
  6. The blessed God is highly offended by unthankfulness and lack of cheerfulness (Deut 28:47-48).
  7. The blessed God is highly offended when we love anything else too much (Mathew 22:36-37).
  8. The blessed God is offended by co-called Christians loving pleasures more than Him (II Tim 3:1-5).
  9. He is highly offended by Christians loving family more than Him (Matt 10:34-37; Luke 14:25-27).
  10. He is highly offended by Christians adopting pagan or worldly methods of worship (Deut 12:29-32).

What Will Happen If He is Jealous?

  1. He will treat you the same way men treat wives that commit adultery (Lev 20:1-8; Ezek 16:15-59).
  2. He will destroy all those that go whoring from Him for rivals of His in the world (Psalm 73:25-28).
  3. He will bring the curses of God and the wrath of Sodom and Gomorrah upon you (Deut 29:14-29).
  4. He promised to withdraw from Ephesus and spew Laodicea out of His mouth (Rev 2:1-5; 3:14-16).
  5. His promised blessings are upon those that will reject all fellowship with the world (II Cor 6:14-18).

What Can I Do to Appease His Jealous?

  1. You can choose to hate the world by rejecting its philosophy, sinful pleasures, and companionship.
  2. You can take time each and every day to let Him know you love Him, His Word, and His people.
  3. Set your affection on things above showing that you are more interested in Him than earth (Col 3:2).
  4. Love Him deeply for forgiving you rather than forgetting you were purged (Luke 7:47; II Peter 1:9).

Conclusion:

  1. Joshua addressed the people of God under the Old Testament and rejected their compromise (Josh 24:14-25).
  2. Paul addressed Timothy under the New Testament and rejected contemporary Christianity (II Timothy 3:1-5).

For Further Study:

  1. Sermon Outline: “Spiritual Adultery,” details the horrible offence that carnal Christianity is to the Lord Jesus Christ.
  2. Sermon Outline: “Your Body Is the Lord’s,” studies the different aspects of your body that belong to Jesus Christ.
  3. Sermon Outline: “Jesus Is Lord,” reviews many of the aspects of your life that you should submit to Jesus Christ.
  4. Sermon Outline:, “God Hates Compromise,” reviews the severe judgment of God against religious compromisers.
  5. Sermon Outline: “Contemporary Christianity,” which identifies and condemns the inventions of modern religion.