Jealousy

O. T. #1866  "Jealousy"

January 22, 2021

Ezekiel 8-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Have you been jealous? It may have been a person that we felt was our rival or a thing that someone has and we want. Did you know that God is a jealous God? Read on friend to find out more.

 

Ezekiel was sitting in his house in Babylon with the elders of Judah when the hand of the LORD God fell upon him.

Here, the word hand refers to the open hand (indicating power, means, direction).

 Did God extend His open, powerful hand to the prophet? Or was it a spiritual thing? (Guess have to wait ask him when we get to heaven.) Either physically or spiritually Ezekiel was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem, before it's destruction. Anyway, the Spirit of God lifted him up (by the hair) between earth and heaven, taking him to the door of the Temple. He saw what God had been seeing for years, what was going on in the Temple that was established for His worship alone. It was the abominable sin of idolatry that was happening there.

What 5 things took place in Ezekiel's vision at the Temple of God by the people of Judah?

1. At the northern inner gate there was a statue that provoked God to jealousy. (verse 4) It may have been the idol that King Manasseh had put inside the Temple (2 Kings 21), which was blasphemous and an abomination unto the Lord. It had been pulled out (by Josiah, but replaced later) and the people worshiped it (instead of repenting of their sin). Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3) They were to neither make images to worship nor purchase them so they could bow down to them. Yet they did, and this made God jealous.

Jealous means intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness, according to Webster's Dictionary.

The prophet Nahum wrote in his book during the time the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria because of Israel's idolatry: God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies.

We know that God brought judgment upon Israel and Judah because of their unfaithfulness, worshiping idols instead of Him, the One True and Living God. He used pagan armies of Assyria and Babylon to punish them. Yet, God is merciful and loving. He would have saved Israel and Judah had they only repented of their sins. He is a righteous and just God who cannot permit evil in His universe, also.

Paul asked a good question in 1 Corinthians 10:22, Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?

Are we spending enough time in worship and Bible study? Are we pleasing our God or making Him jealous because our time is spent doing other things?

LET IT GROW

God was also there in glory, but was ignored while the people worshiped the idol. (verse 4)

Sin would expel the people from their land and God from His sanctuary. (verse 6)

When we go to the church building to worship, do we/others take things with us? Do we/others sell items there? Are we/others on our phone instead of listening to the preacher proclaim God's Word? Are we singing songs that please our flesh or please God? Do we go to meet with friends and catch up on the latest or to meet with God? Do we leave the same way we had entered or is our heart changed? Is God's house a house of prayer?

It is good for us to evaluate our worship and spiritual growth.  

LET IT GO

Jesus, You alone are our Creator, Savior, Redeemer, and Hope.

Lead us in the path of righteousness.

May we worship You only, and in truth.

Be merciful to us sinners for we stay from You so often.

May our praises be heard praising You.