Quanna "Jealous" Series

Purpose: To explain how and why God is jealous God.

Aim: I want the listener to have a holy reverence for God and a fear of offending Him.

INTRODUCTION: Today we are going to look at another name for God found in verse 14 of our text. Before we look at what it means for God to be jealous, let's look at why God brought up the subject of jealousy.

God led the Jews to Mt. Sinai. Moses and Joshua climbed the mountain and God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. They were on the mountain for forty days. During that time the people became impatient and said to Aaron: Exodus 32:1 ..."Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." (NAU)

Aaron helped them make a golden calf and said, Exodus 32:4--5 "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." (NAU)

This caused God to burn with anger against them. When Moses came down the mountain he saw the wild parties going on and the golden idol so he smashed the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments, burned the golden calf, ground it to powder, poured it into their water supply and made the people drink it. Three thousand Jews were also put to death with the sword.

God had just finished making a covenant with His people, but they broke it even before they heard what it was.

As we come to Chapter 34 God is now making a second covenant with the Jewish nation. God wrote out the Ten Commandments a second time and then said to Moses: Exodus 34:6--7 ... "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished..." (NAU)

►Matthew Henry: "The traitors are not only pardoned, but preferred and made favorites again." [1]

Then Moses made this request before God: Exodus 34:9 "If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession." (NAU)

As we come to our text today God responds by making another promise to Israel.

►Vs.10-11 I. God Makes Promises to His People

► Vs.10 A. God will work powerfully through His people "I am going to

perform with you"

One of life's greatest blessings is to know that God is using you for His glory. Whatever God asks us to do He will enable us to do. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (NAU)

What a joy to "see the working of the LORD" and to be a partner with God as He works.

As God told Paul: 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (NAU)

► Vs.11 B. God will work powerfully for His people "I am going to drive out..."

God gives us the joy of serving Him, but He is the one who gives us the desire and the ability to do it. Isaiah 43:3--4 "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. "Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you.... (NAU)

We work for God, but really He is the One doing the work. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. (NAU)

►Vs.12-13, 17 II. God Gives Commands to His People

After laying out His promises, God now describes the conditions. It is not accurate to say that God loves us unconditionally. God's love is totally undeserved, but He has only promised to love those who turn their hearts to Him. Faith and repentance are required before we can experience God's grace.

► Vs.12 A. Separate from false gods "make no covenant"

God was making a promise with them if they would promise not to partner with the wicked.

The greatest danger comes when we try to worship God AND the world. 2 Kings 17:33 They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile. (NAU) 2 Kings 17:38--41 "The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day. (NAU)