Genesis 30:1-2
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”
INSIGHT
-Jealousy in Hebrew is written as qana and it is a concoction of diverse emotions or behaviours that express anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness or disgust. Scripture references have described the word jealousy in both a positive and negative notion. The positive dimension is seen through the nature of God that is; God commands us to worship Him alone and never to make any molded gods for He is a jealous God (Exo 20:3-6, 34:13-17), God will punish those who commit adultery and shed blood with His jealous anger (Ezek 16:38), God is jealous for Zion (Zech 8:2), God is jealous for us with godly jealousy for He has betrothed us to Christ that our minds may bear the simplicity that is in Him (2 Cor 11:2-3). The negative side is viewed through; the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers (Gen 37:11, Acts 17:5-6), Rachel could not bear children and became jealous of her sister Leah (Gen 30:1-2), the law of jealousy (Num 5:29-31), God jealously waits for the spirit He has caused to dwell deeply in us (Jam 4:3-8) etc.
-Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah and she became jealous of her sister when she could not bear children. Rachel’s desperation was clear when she asked Jacob to give her children lest she dies. She was misinformed on the gift of children which only comes from God. God had closed her womb when He saw that Leah was not loved and could have taken the approach of her grandparents Abraham and Sarah. Jacob was somehow the cause of all these family issues for God has called all of us to love one another as we love ourselves. Like the game of ping pong we see events unfold. A child bearing competition between the two wives; even coming to a point of giving their maid servants to Jacob for this cause. These same events are prevalent in our own families and societies today. Jealousy in relationships has caused major issues in the families which sometimes lead to death.
PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for Your everlasting love and mercy upon our lives and families, we praise You holy name. You have given us the gift of family and abundant peace in our homes; we will forever praise You. We pray for all families in the world and especially those that are fighting; that You may grant them peace. Many families are waiting on You for children, bless the fruit of their wombs Jesus. Create in us clean hearts Lord and renew a steadfast spirit within us. Deliver us from all forms of jealousy merciful Father. You are the Light of the world Lord, shine Your face upon us and show us Your grace. Journey with us Jesus throughout the week and may Your will be done in our lives. Amen
Exodus 20:3-6
“You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
INSIGHT
-God is sovereign and His righteousness endures to all generations. He has commanded us to love Him and worship Him alone. Polytheism was largely practiced in the Biblical times among nations like the Egyptians, Canaanites etc. who to some sense influenced Israelite’s; even as Moses had climbed up mount Sinai to get the ten commandments. Worship of idols is also prevalent today among many nations in the world. Though it is forbidden for Christians to make curved images in the likeness of God through their imagination and to bow down and worship them. Gods’ jealousy is revealed when the commandment to worship Him alone is defiled. He has betrothed us to one husband that He may present us as chaste virgins to Christ with His mind of simplicity not corruption (2 Cor 11:2-3). Our worship must therefore be governed by the power of faith not by the power of imagination; which would bring a curse upon us to the third and fourth generations. God calls us to focus on Him alone and His promises for us will come to pass.
PRAYER
Lord Most High You are awesome; great King over all the earth. You are the King of all the heavens and the earth; we sing all praises to You. God You reign over the nations; mighty above all other gods. You sits on Your holy throne with majesty, holy is Your name Lord. We focus our eyes on You alone Jesus, author and finisher of our faith. To You only we lift up our eyes Jesus, for You who are enthroned in the heavens and the earth. For the many times we have harbored idolatry in our hearts Jesus; forgive us and cleanse us with Your precious blood. Forgive us all our sins and the sins of our forefathers Lord; and remember them no more. You alone are holy; You alone are Lord, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen
Numbers 5:29-31
‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man, and he becomes jealous of his wife; then he shall stand the woman before the Lord , and the priest shall execute all this law upon her. Then the man shall be free from iniquity, but that woman shall bear her guilt.’
INSIGHT
-The law of jealousy basically focused on the institution of marriage where either the wife would go astray by defiling herself or the husband become jealous of her while in marriage with suspicion of immorality. The man would then bring his wife to the priest with an offering of jealousy. This included; one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal with no oil or frankincense on it. The priest would then take holy water in an earthen vessel mixed with dust from the floor of the tabernacle. He would place her before the altar, uncover her head and put the grain offering of jealousy in her hands. He would then have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse and administer an oath to her that would either bring a curse and disgrace upon her or absolution depending on whether she is guilty or innocent. The priest would then write these curses in a book and scrape them off into the bitter water. The priest would then burn a portion of the offering on the altar and make her drink the water. If she is guilty her stomach would swell and thigh rot but if she is innocent; she would continue to bear children. Christ our Father taught us the law of love which causes moral order and spiritual authority in us, and brings us to forgiveness through His grace. He openly forgave the adulterous woman saying, let he who has no sin cast the first stone. Christ calls to love one another as ourselves and forgive just as He has forgiven us.
PRAYER
Our Father who at in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from all evil. For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen
James 4:3-6
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us ? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
INSIGHT
-Jesus often taught about the kingdom of God using parables which often remind us that we are citizens of heaven and should therefore be distinct in mentality and character; as His children. James calls his brethren adulterous; intimating lack of faithfulness to Christ our Bridegroom. Spiritual adultery is achieved when one loves the world and the things of the world more than loving God. This is opposed to the divine mission through His works on the cross for our eternal salvation; and sparks His jealousy since it’s a form of idolatry. Jesus says that no one can serve two masters; but can either love one and hate the other; one cannot serve both God and money (Mat 6:24). We also read that when one asks and does not receive is because he/she asks amiss to spend it on their own pleasures. Christ has called us His friends that we may turn our eyes away from the world to Him; for He gives us more grace. To seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and He will give us all other things. He also calls us to embrace humility in obedience to His divine will and we will find eternal pleasure in Him. Christ has promised us that if we trust in Him and do good; we will dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Further, when we delight in Him and commit our ways to Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Ps 37:3-5).
PRAYER
Lord You are my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. You make me lie down in green pastures; You lead me beside still waters, You restore my souls. You lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of dead I will fear no evil for You are with me, Your rod and staff comfort me. We thank You Lord for You have always been faithful to us. For loving us with an unfailing love despite our shortcomings. Grant us the gift of wisdom Lord to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill us with Your gift of humility that we may submit our lives completely to You Holy Spirit. Help us always find pleasure in You Lord rather than in world; for only in You there is fullness of joy and everlasting peace. Amen
Acts 17:5-6
But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here
INSIGHT
-Although many Jews at Thessalonica received and heartily embraced the gospel of truth, there were others who rejected it with malignity of heart. Apostle Paul preached the gospel; demonstrating that Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ (Acts 17:3). For the great success which Paul had in converting Gentiles, raised the envy and indignation among the unbelieving Jews caused an uproar in the market place. They collected a mob and assaulted the house of Jason where Paul and Silas lodged; but they found them not. The infuriated crowd drew out Jason and other believers instead, terming them as public enemies. This is the same persecution we find in many countries including Sri Lanka, North Korea, Pakistan, India etc in their quest to find Christ in truth. The consequences of these atrocities are dire, where we see churches and Christian buildings attacked and burned, Christians are arrested, detained without trial, sentenced and imprisoned, and some are killed while seeking their faith.
SUMMARY
Jealousy can be viewed in two dimensions; through a positive perspective in the nature of God and a negative notion; present in the hearts of men. It is in Gods’ will that we follow Him wholeheartedly and only worship Him. Only God is worthy of our praise and worship, and calls us to love Him with all our hearts; souls and minds, and our neighbours as ourselves. Jealousy among men is catastrophic and sometimes leads to death. We find that; when Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by God and Cain’s was not, he became jealous over his brother. Though God cautioned Cain saying “sin lies at your door, its desire is for you but you should rule over it”. Sin eventually ruled over him and he killed his brother Abel (Gen 4:7). Such is a common scenario in our societies today when men kill others due to business competition, infidelity in marriage and relationships, to obtain an inheritance, political influences, faith related reasons etc. God is righteous and calls us to righteousness through His grace. He reminds us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all other things He will bestow unto us. We as the church are the bride of Christ and are joint to Him in a godly marriage through His death and resurrection. Like in every marriage; love is key and if it is ceases to exist; jealousy sets in. Jealousy through out scripture references follow this pattern; but God calls us to be conformed to His will through love and He will give us rest.
PRAYER
For the many times we have harboured jealousy is our hearts, Lord have mercy. For the countless times we have caused injury to our neighbours due to selfish ambitions; Christ have mercy. For the many times we have moved away from Your holy will; forgive us Jesus and renew Your steadfast spirit within us. With sincere gratitude in our hearts; we thank You for this far You have brought us. All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine. Have mercy on the persecuted Christians all over the world and protect them from all evil. Give us the courage to preach the gospel of truth edifying one another as You have called us Jesus. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the love of God; and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; be with us now and forever more. Amen