God has so many ways to describe Him in the Word of God, and we did this alphabetically, now the last one! He is Zealous! 2 Kings 19:31 says, "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant and they that escape out of Mt. Zion: the zeal of the Lord shall do this." And Isaiah 9:7 says ". . ., the establishing of His Kingdom. . . the zeal of the Lord will perform it." In other words what He will accomplish will shown with great zeal.!
Our God is zealous! When Jesus, the Son of God came to earth, He too showed His zealousness in everything He did to accomplish His mission. John 4:34 says "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." He showed it in His preaching, and teaching. He showed it in His praying and in His miracles. His zeal was in His love for all people. He left us an example that we should follow in his footsteps.
His finest moment of showing His zeal when He entered the temple and "Cast out all of them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables . . ." (Matthew 21:12) and He called it a "house of prayer. . ."
Again, the zeal of the Lord is shown to the world! Someone said "This was not an act of cruelty, as no one was killed, but it was an act of judgement on a system of false religion."
Jesus was zealous for The Father's House to be pure, as He showed His zeal for doing the work of the Father as He came to earth. The Second Coming of Jesus will have the same zeal for the pure and righteous.
The word "zeal" or "zealous" is used 40 times in the Bible. It means having a strong passion for a cause. It means getting excited, Being relentless is our way of saying it! Having a fervent spirit. The Apostle Paul's example is a given as he was totally sold out for the gospel of Christ to be preached around the world. He says, "Be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11.
In Galatians 4:18 says, "It is fine thing to be zealous, providing the purpose is good, and not just when I am with you." In others be zealous in your integrity, when others are not around! Proverbs 19:2 says " It is not good to have zeal without knowledge." Paul had knowledge and wisdom and was zealous in his serving the Lord.
In Revelation 3:19, Jesus told the Church of Laodicia as they were not hot or cold, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: Be zealous therefore, and repent." He wants the church to be zealous! Jesus called one of his disciples Simon the Zealot, because he was sold out for his country and for the gospel. The early Christians were sold out as they suffered every kind of persecution.
Conclusion: Why can't we be predominantly sold out on our God? There is only one thing that I will do . . . one thing that I really care about. . . one thing I will live for. . . swallowed up for. . . only one thing and that is . . . TO PLEASE GOD. Amen.
Larry L. Vollink, Cedar Springs, MI 49319 lawrenceV@comcast.net (616) 655-4129
