Jealousy

Jealousy is sometimes a good thing

1. God is jealous – he doesn’t want people to worship other Gods

Exodus 20:5

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

Exodus 34:14

“Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.

Deuteronomy 2:24

“Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.

2. Jehovah was jealous for his land

Joel 2:18

Then the Lord was jealous for his land and took pity on his people.

3. God was jealous for Jerusalem and Zion

Zechariah 1:14

Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,

4. A husband may be jealous for his wife

Numbers 5:14

And if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure

Numbers 5:29

“‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and makes herself impure while married to her husband,

5. Paul was jealous over the Corinthians with a godly jealousy that they might not be beguiled by Satan

2 Corinthians 11:2-3

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ