Fathers - Be Zealous

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Message

Proverbs 6:30-35

“Are You Jealous Enough?”

In the past few years there has been a big trend towards talking about super foods. These are foods which have an exceptional quality because they have some sort of special characteristic.

One of those superfoods is Quinoa

Now I know it looks like the word says … quin-o-a.

But it is pronounced 'ki?nw??.

For those who are interested this is what it looks like:->

It is not a true cereal, but it is a grain crop.

It is high in protein and has no gluten.

Everyone talks about this “new food” but archaeological evidence shows it has been used as a food in Peru, Ecuador and Columbia from 2000 years before Jesus came to this earth.

If you have never had it before you cook it like rice.

If you want to know more look at the “great-source-of-all-knowledge” which is called wikipedia.

That is Quinoa.

I’ve told you this because I want to help you remember a Hebrew word.

(Hebrew word here 'ki?n:?h)

It is pronounced 'ki?n:?h

So you can see the close resemblance to 'ki?nw??

So what does that word mean in English?

Well for the moment I am not going to tell you. Because sometimes translating from Hebrew to English doesn’t help. Rather I’m going to try and show you how the word works with two examples of the word from the Scripture.

Deuteronomy 29:16-21

Here Moses is reminding the people about the LORD’s attitude towards idols.

And especially what happens when a person turns away from worship of the LORD and turns to idols. There is something about this action that really gets God upset.

Firstly we are told that God becomes indignant and is not willing to forgive. And we sit here and we say, “How can God not forgive?” Indeed we know that there were many times when God did forgive.

But understand that God is speaking to a specific group of people. It is those who have visually witnessed all that God has done as they during the Exodus – read Deuteronomy 29:5-7

They are the ones who see visually the Shekinah – the presence of God which is a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night.

All through the wanderings God looked after them.

The point God is making here is “How on earth can you see so visually all that I have done and then, once you get into a new land, change and worship an idol? If this happens I’m not going to put up with it.” That is what God is saying.

God will bring the curses – not against the nation – but very specifically against the individual.

So that is the situation. And somewhere in these verses our word - ha'n>qi – can be found.

'ki?n:?h is a description of the aspect of God’s character.

It is the part of God’s where God wants to do all that He can to stop people going after that which is false and that which is empty and that which will be excessively detrimental for the spiritual life of His people.

They have seen all that God has done.

They know God has been with them every step of the way.

For 40 years God protected, and sheltered, and fed and clothed the people.

God has proven again and again that He is with the people.

God says …

I am 'ki?n:?h. I am zealous.

That is how the NIV puts it in verse 20.

20 The Lord will never be willing to forgive them; his wrath and zeal will burn against them.

Other versions say:-

20 “The Lord would not spare him; for then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy would burn against that man (NKJV).

20 The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoke against that man (ESV).

The Lord sees us and we are so valuable to Him.

He has revealed Himself so clearly – so that we can understand what His nature is like and how He wants to protect them.

He is impassioned for His people and is doing everything that He can to protect them from a road of destruction.

So when God says he is ha'n>qi he is not being petty – jealous over the idols and the things that we make idols in our lives.

The zealousness … jealousy … of the Lord is that aspect of His character that wants to protecting that exclusive covenantal relationship that He has with his people.

God does not want us to turn away from a relationship with Himself.

He jealousy wants to preserve that relationship … even if it means showing wrath.