It is an awesome thought to think that the God of this vast universe loves us with a jealous love.
Oh How He Loves us!
Illus: Many of us can remember when we were in grammar school and we started loving the opposite sex for the first time.
Before we men grew into that area of our life if the teacher would seat a girl beside us fellows we would say, “I don’t want to sit beside no girl”
Later on as we grew and that girl grew we wouldn’t have minded if the teacher made that same girl sit in our lap.
When many of us boys were young and some young girl caught our attention and when the teacher was not looking we would send her a love letter.
And it went something like this, “I LOVE YOU, DO YOU LOVE ME?” And when the teacher was not looking we would send it to that special girl.
She would receive that love letter that said, “I LOVE YOU, DO YOU LOVE ME,” and she would write back saying, “YES, I LOVE YOU!”
And again when the teacher was not looking they both would smile at each other and start a puppy love romance that would last for a couple of days!
We all enjoy hearing someone say that they LOVE US, DON’T WE!!!
But when you think about God, the Creator that made this vast universe, say, “I LOVE YOU WITH A JEALOUS LOVE THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING!!!”
Let me illustrate…
Illus: The best way I can describe His love for us is for us to think of a small ant in this vast universe. We know how small an ant is to us. But suppose that small ant God loved so much He gave His Son to die for that ant.
As God looks across this vast universe that He created we could be no more than a small ant in the sight of God and yet God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins.
O How He loves us!!!
That love leads us into what I want to preach about today.
The Bible clearly teaches that HIS LOVE FOR US IS SO GREAT THAT GOD IS JEALOUS OVER US. Wow!!!
Exodus 20:5 states, “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”
For us to understand that God is a jealous God we have to consider the context in which this is written.
That is when you speak of jealousy there are two kinds.
Let’s look at these two kinds…
I. A BAD JEALOUSY.
That is, there is a jealousy that some have that is a bad jealousy. They are jealous because SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING THEY WANT!!!
The world is full of people who live a life of jealousy because someone has something they want.
These folks live a miserable life because they are always seeing something that someone has that they want:
It might be that someone has a:
• Car
• House
• Clothes
• Beauty
• Job
• Job Promotion
• High IQ
• Wealth
If they do not have … they want it. You cannot help but feel sorry for these people because there is always something they see in others that they do not have but they want!!!
Jealous people are the most miserable people on the planet earth.
They have never learned what the apostle Paul learned.
Look at Philippians 4:11-12, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
Notice, Paul told us that he became able to live a life of contentment.
HOW DID HE LEARN THIS VALUABLE LESSON?
Look at verse 11 again, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned…”
To be content in life is a LEARNING PROCESS.
That is, as you go through life and if you want to enjoy a life of contentment you have to learn to QUIT LOOKING AT THE LIFE OF OTHERS AND WANTING WHAT THEY HAVE.
You will always be miserable because you can always find something in the life of others that you cannot have and never will have.
Instead of being jealous at others who have what we want we are to count our blessings and as the song writer said, “ONE BY ONE.”
Instead of living a life of jealousy (envy) wanting what someone else has look at Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
Did you know that sometimes it is harder to REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE THAN IT IS TO WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP?
This jealousy that some folks have caused by wanting what someone else has leads to envy which leads to hating the person that has what they want.
Listen, we all have met people that have a long list of people that they hate. And if you really knew why they hate so many people it is because they are jealous of them.
Illus: For example, there are people that dislike you and you do not have any idea why they dislike you. The reason they dislike you is because they are jealous of you because you have something they want.
Paul learned how to live the Christian life. He said, “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Illus: A man only knew one portion of a scripture in the Bible and every time his wife wanted something he felt they could not afford he would say, “Be content…”
But the world is full of people who look at the people around them and they are jealous that someone has what they want and they certainly are not content.
This is a BAD JEALOUSY.
Illus: A man approached this very beautiful woman at a supermarket...
• He asked this beautiful lady "You know, I've lost my wife here in this large supermarket. Can you talk to me for a couple of minutes?"
• She said, "Why?"
• "Because every time I talk to a beautiful woman my wife appears out of nowhere."
Illus: Also when it comes to bad jealousy I THINK OF THE MAN WHO SAID…
“My wife's jealousy is getting is getting ridiculous. The other day she looked at my calendar and wanted to know who May was.”
Those who are controlled by a bad jealousy are miserable people.
Is there a solution to getting bad jealousy out of our lives?
YES!
Illus: You need to constantly remind yourself that everyone is born with different resources ( income level, family status, looks, intelligence levels, opportunities,).
Rather than looking at someone who you think is better than you and feeling jealous; look at the one that is at a level lower than you. Be courteous and helpful to them.
You don't want to look back and regret that you wasted all your life with bad jealousy rather than enjoying life.
Again, lot of folks live a life of bad jealousy that leads to a life of hate and misery.
But let’s look. There is…
II. A GOOD JEALOUSY
When God spoke of jealousy we need to look at the context in which he spoke these words that he was a JEALOUS GOD.
• He was not jealous of what SOMEONE HAD,
• He was jealous in what HE HAD!
WHAT DID HE HAVE?
Notice God tells Israel they are not to BOW DOWN nor SERVE THESE IDOLS.
Worship belongs to God, and He is right to be "jealous" of it.
Illus: We all get idea from reading and that is good. There is not anything wrong with that.
However, there is something wrong with Plagiarism.
WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?
This is when you take something that someone spent hours and hours of research ON A CERTAIN TOPIC and has written it down in a book and you take what was written and write it down word for word and claim it is your research.
• That can get you in some serious trouble with the law. That is, you have stolen something (Ideas) that belongs to someone else.
• And that can get you in trouble with God.
God the Creator created everything and worship belongs to Him and Him alone.
God tells us He is a jealous God and we are not TO WORSHIP AND SERVE OTHER GODS. That robs Him of the glory that belongs to Him.
What we have in these three verses is God condemning POLYTHEISM, which is the belief in more than one god.
God is saying, "I do not want you to put any of these false gods ahead of Me."
The age in which these commandments were given was much different than our age.
The fact that people worshipped many gods, probably accounts for the fact that nowhere in the Ten Commandments do we find a place where God forbids ATHEISM, while we do find a commandment where He forbids POLYTHEISM.
WHY WASN'T ATHEISM A PROBLEM THEN?
Because it was too soon after the time of creation. Creation was so fresh on the minds of the people of that age when the ten commandments were given, that you would have been considered a fool by the rest of mankind if you said there was no God.
During that time, they not only believed there was ONE GOD, they believed in MANY GODS.
Illus: God's Word says in Psalm 55:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God..."
Why does God say that man is a "fool"?
For anyone to make such a statement, he would have to say, "I know everything; there is nothing that I do not know!"
There is no such thing as a true atheist because no man can say, “I KNOW EVERYTHING!!!”
Unless a person can truthfully say that, how could he say there was no God? He cannot be an atheist, he is only a FOOL.
He is trying to FOOL HIMSELF and EVERYONE ELSE, and doing a very poor job of it.
The Bible reveals that God is a jealous God.
God declared that He was a jealous God during a time of polytheism, when men believed in many gods.
Sad to say, polytheism is still very much a problem. That is, people still worship (though they may not recognize it as worship,) a variety of false gods today.
Today’s gods may not be fashioned of wood, or stone, or be a star or a volcano, but our gods take on another fashion, such as sports, money, actors and actresses, power, popularity, sex, food, clothes, job, family and friends.
• The things we place ahead of God, that we worship and serve, are FALSE GODS AS MUCH AS the gods the people of Bible days served when God told them that He forbid such things.
• Also, God is AS DISPLEASED WITH OUR GODS as He was with their gods.
Illus: Someone pointed out that we have "In God we trust," printed on our coins, but that we should hold them up and say, "IN THIS GOD we trust."
What God told them, He tells us, in no uncertain terms - He forbids idol worship. He tells us why He forbids it - "...for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God."
God was saying when you worship your idols and serve them you are taking something that belongs to me as your Creator to WORSHIP AND SERVE!
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger when he was in high school played football. Before he made the varsity team the coach would let him dress out with the team and run out on the field with the team.
He was telling his girlfriend who lived on the other side of town that he was on the team thinking that she would never have transportation to come to one of the games.
But one Friday night when they were playing she called him and said her dad was bringing him and her to the game.
With all the bragging about his being one of the players this seemed like one of those times…”BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT!”
The time came for the game to start and he ran out with the team. He immediately headed for the bench and he kept his helmet on so she could not tell which one of the players was him since they all looked alike and she did not know what his number was on his jersey.
The game started and the star player was playing an exceptional game that night.
Every time the star player did something outstanding the announcer would call his name out.
It went on the whole night that his name was being called out while he set on the bench with his helmet on his head.
After the game his girlfriend ran out on the field and proudly gave him a big hug for the outstanding game he played.
He was the only player on the field after the game that never broke a sweat and did not have one grass stain on his uniform.
Did he tell her it was not him…no, but he took all the credit and even in the newspaper the next day they praised him for his great playing.
God has done all these wonderful things in our lives and God tells us He is a Jealous God and we are not to give the praise to all these false gods we worship and serve. HE LOVES US. HE IS JEALOUS OVER US.
It is because of the dark side of JEALOUSY, that we hear so much about, that we generally do not want to think of God as a jealous God.
Jealousy has caused SAINTS and SINNERS to do some terrible things. THIS IS THE DARK SIDE OF JEALOUSY.
It is difficult for us to understand that God is a JEALOUS God because we generally associate jealousy with evil.
But in the context of God saying that He is a JEALOUS GOD WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT GOD’S JEALOUS WAS….
B.THE DESIRABLE SIDE OF JEALOUSY
What can be desirable about jealousy?
Before you can have jealousy, there has to be love.
The Lord commanded Israel, and us, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me...for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God..."
We need to ask ourselves a question, "WHY DID GOD COMMAND THIS?"
• Was it because He felt inferior to the other gods that the people worshipped?
• Was it because He felt insecure, like some people are who are jealous?
No! It was neither one of these! The reason the Lord commanded Israel not to worship and serve other gods, and told them He was JEALOUS over them, was because He LOVED THEM.
Love always precedes jealousy.
Illus: Dr. George Morrison said, "Jealousy is the shadow cast by love."
For example, we say that a man is jealous over his wife. Why? Because marriage is a love relationship.
A. God’s love precedes jealousy.
As you can see, it is part of the first of the Ten Commandments.
Read with me Exodus 20:3-5, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."
God's jealousy is a DESIRABLE JEALOUSY. It is because He loved Israel that He forbade them to worship other gods.
Illus: A Christian lady told her pastor that she was going to divorce her husband. He asked her why, and she said, "He does not love me." The pastor asked, "Well, how do you know he does not love you?" She said, "Because, it does not matter if men say improper things to me and make improper advances toward me. It does not phase him one iota. I believe a man could say anything or do anything he wanted, and my husband WOULD NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH!”
Do you know what? If what that lady said was true, she had a legitimate complaint!
Why?
Because a man in love has a "desirable jealousy" that says, "This property is mine and you just keep your hands off!"
That is exactly what God is saying about us - that we belong to Him - keep your hands off!
God’s LOVE IS A DESIRABLE KIND OF LOVE THAT PRECEDES JEALOUSY
Also, God’s Jealousy will not…
B. TOLERATE A RIVAL
Look at our text again. God makes it clear that, as His people, we have been "staked off" and He will not tolerate any rivals.
In the first of the Ten Commandments, God wanted the children of Israel to know that they belonged to Him, and He wanted them to WORSHIP AND SERVE HIM ALONE!!!
Illus: That was not asking too much! Just as it is not asking too much of any married woman or man.
Illus: We all have ridden down the road and seen signs, in large letters that stated, "No trespassing." That means that the general public has no right putting one foot on that property. The only people to be on it are the owners and those who have permission from the owners!
WHY DOES GOD FORBID US TO HAVE OTHER GODS IN OUR LIVES? Because…
1) His jealousy precedes love.
2) His jealousy will not tolerate any rivals
Illus: It used to be in the matter of romance that the man was the aggressor. In a time period when he was wanting to win her love and he wins her love she had to break it off with other fellows that she was spending her time with.
But suppose after he wins her love she continues spending time with her old boy friends putting them first.
The man would say to her, “HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO WIN YOUR LOVE.”
God created man so He might have a relationship with him, but if men do not recognize Him to be the true and living God in their lives, they cannot have that relationship.
• God’s LOVE PRECEDES JEALOUSY
• God’s love will not TOLERATE A RIVAL
Also, God's love is a love that does not...
C. TOLERATE REJECTION
As we come to the close of this message dealing with God’s being a jealous God, look at the two verses that precede the first commandment, which tell us why God is a jealous God.
We read, "And God spake all these words, saying. I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."
There are two things God lays claim to on His people.
1. GOD SHOWS RESPONSIBILITY FOR CREATION
He said, "I am the Lord thy God..."
God is letting His creatures know that He is the Creator, and if they are smart they will not forget that! If it had not been for God, they would not even exist!
It is insanity if you believe in God the Creator that created you and not worship and serve Him.
GOD SHOWS RESPONSIBILITY FOR CREATION
He said, "I am the Lord thy God..." -not the gods that you worship and serve.
Also, notice…
2. GOD SHOWS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SALVATION
God says, "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."
He reminded His people that He is not only their god, but He is the one who had delivered them from the bondage of slavery.
As you make the decision to prefer the false gods above the true and living God, you need to consider the consequences of that decision.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF WORSHIPPING AND SERVING FALSE GODS?
Notice how seriously we should consider this.
He told Israel the punishment for worshipping and serving other gods would be passed down to their second, third and fourth generations.
WHY WOULD THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS SIN BE PASSED DOWN TO OUR CHILDREN?
Now some think that God is a mean God to allow the consequences of the parent’s sins to be passed down to their children. But it is not God who has brought the consequences of the sin…IT IS THE IDOLATER WHO PUT THESE THINGS AHEAD OF GOD!!!
God is not responsible for these consequences of sin…We who worship and serve the gods of this world are responsible.
For example, while you worship and serve the false gods in your life your children are watching and learning from you.
Parents are the greatest influence in a child’s life.
Illus: Years ago I took a liking to a man. He was not a Christian and he had three children. I would talk to him about the Lord and invite him to church many times but every time he had a stock answer and he would say to me and in front of his children, “MAYBE ONE DAY PREACHER!”
He died after many years of dealing with him. After his death I was talking to his oldest son who was now a grown man. I witnessed to him and invited him to church and do you know what he said, “MAYBE ONE DAY PREACHER!”
Notice, God tells us when we worship and serve other gods these children who watch our example as we live worshipping and serving the gods of the world will one day follow our example down to the second, third and fourth generation.
That is, the greatest influence in their lives, their parents, have taught them to serve and worship other gods.
This is such a serious sin:
1) Their children will worship and serve the gods of the world.
2) Their grandchildren will worship and serve the gods of the world.
3) Their great grandchildren will worship and serve the gods of the world.
4) Their great, great grandchildren will worship and serve the gods of the world.
Look at verses 3-5 as we read again, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."
Conclusion:
A young African student was in the U. S. He said, "Before I came here, I was a good Christian. I dreamed some day of becoming a medical missionary. Now I am an atheist."
He was asked how he could change from being a devoted Christian to becoming an atheist, and he answered, "Since coming here, I've discovered that the white man has two gods. One that he taught us about, and another one whom he worships. A mission school taught me that the tribal doctrines of my ancestors who worshipped images and believed in witchcraft were wrong. But here you worship larger images - cars and electrical appliances. I honestly can't see the difference."
Many today are guilty of allowing things to become other gods in their lives, and become rivals to the living God over and over again.
God is not pleased with the way some have INSULTED Him with these rinky-dink gods they have put in their lives.
God is a JEALOUS God.
If you do not know that, then you do not know the God of the Bible.
God wants His rightful place in your lives. Let us hear the words of the songwriter that said, many years ago:
"All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let Angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.”
For those who are willing to show their love by placing Him first in their lives, look at the promise He makes, "And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."
Do you want God's MERCY?
Then love God enough to make Him Lord of your life.
YouTube – “O How He Loves You and Me” (By Janet Paschal
In this sermon we have looked at Jealousy in two ways…
I. Bad Jealousy
II. Good Jealousy
Note: If you want to hear this sermon preached by Dr. Odell Belger go to…YouTube – Lykesland
