Sabbath School TodayWith the 1888 Message Dynamic
Jesus Wept: The Bible and Human EmotionsLesson 10: "Jealousy"
"Jealousy [is] as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire" (Song of Solomon 8:6).
In the most famous case of pre-meditated murder of all time--in the entire universe--jealousy was the primary motivation. In wanting to "be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:14), Lucifer actually wanted to murder God and take His place as Ruler of the universe. He proved this by crucifying the Son of God. His original jealousy became hatred, and hatred is always murder in essence. At least, the seed is there.
The Bible gives us example after example of the part jealousy has played in determining the outcome of major events; but throughout these stories there is a common theme--that jealousy never "wins," but is overruled for good.
Joseph was next to the youngest of old Jacob's sons, probably around 17 years old when his life was violently disrupted. His ten older brothers were the true church of that day; they were the "Israel" of the world, God's chosen nation-to-be, and they rejected Joseph and hated him. (There are some people today who feel rejected by the true church of today!) Sent on a self-sacrificing mission to help his ten older brothers, Joseph suddenly found himself the object of their bitter feelings of jealousy when they grabbed him and threw him helpless into a pit, lonely, hungry, probably bruised, while they sat down to enjoy a meal, possibly from home that Jacob had sent with him. Then his brothers most cruelly sold him as a slave to some heathen merchants who came by, thinking of course that they would never see him again. (It was their hatred of "righteousness by faith" that motivated them to do this awful deed!) We know the "rest of the story" as told to us in Genesis.
Ellen G. White witnessed at the 1888 General Conference Session the full force of the results of jealousy when the "Spirit of God was insulted":
"You cannot tell how it pains me to see some of our brethren taking a course that I know is not pleasing to God. They are full of jealousy and evil surmising, and are ever ready to show in just what way they differ with Elders [A. T.] Jones or [E. J.] Waggoner. … I can never forget the experience which we had in Minneapolis, or the things that were then revealed to me in regard to the spirit that controlled men, the words spoken, the actions done in obedience to the powers of evil. … The words and actions of every one who took part in this work will stand registered against them until they make confession of their wrong. Those who do not repent of their sin will, if circumstances permit, repeat the same actions. … I know that at that time the Spirit of God was insulted" (Letter Sept. 19, 1892, from Australia, to Uriah Smith; The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, pp. 1042, 1043; emphasis added).
Earlier in that year (Aug. 30) she had also written to Uriah Smith: "I know of no sins greater in the sight of God than cherishing jealousy and hatred toward brethren, and turning the weapons of warfare against them." "There are many who are as blind as were the Jews in the days of Christ" (ibid, p. 1011).
The Lord is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5), He has tremendous Self-respect, determined not to let the Jews crucify Christ again, and also determined not to let His glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain to be "insulted" again. When Laodicea lays her self-righteous, proud offering on His altar, "wealthy, and have need of nothing" when in reality she is of all the seven churches of history the most "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked," He will treat her offering as He treated the offering of Cain--just walk away until it withers and becomes garbage that the janitor has to cart away. The Lord will not accept the offering of those who choose to remain proud and self-sufficient.
"The jealousy of God was completely unrelated to human selfish dignity and possessiveness. God was jealous for His children because they went after gods which were nothing. False gods were the enemy's seductive lure to destruction. Waggoner said of God's jealousy: 'Instead of cringing and cowering with dread at the thought that God is a jealous God, we should rather rejoice with exceeding great joy; for it assures us that He who is the Almighty will effectually guard us from the arts of the cunning foe, who seduces in order to destroy.' The jealousy of God, far from being something to fear, was an assurance that God would cause His people to stand in the midst of an idolatrous generation" (Paul E. Penno, Calvary at Sinai, p. 364).
To idolize any person is to break the first commandment. Adam idolized his beautiful, charming wife, Eve; put her Number One, and led us all into sinful idolatry. Today's Laodicean idolatry makes Jesus sick at His stomach (Rev. 3:14-18), even if church membership rolls soar into the billions. Why is He so jealous of anyone who is our "idol"?
The honest truth is that He has given Himself to hell, has died our second death, has emptied Himself of His last breath--for us, to save us from utter ruin. It makes Him sick inside when we join the "great multitudes" who flock after Him while they trivialize their devotion to Him. Any honest, loving husband will be jealous if his wife is having an affair.
This hypocrisy has been going on for a long time, ever since Luke 14; it permeates Christ's last days church. Does it make sense that He at last puts His foot down and demands that we choose one side or the other, totally?
Yes, look soon for the strangest judgment ever seen on this planet since sin began. The crowds of Luke 14 never dreamed that in a few weeks they would be propelled into demanding His crucifixion. Silently as the thief coming at midnight, the final test will overtake us. We will determine who is Number One in our hearts. We could fool ourselves that we're getting heaven on earth, and end up finding it's hell.
It's time to let the Lord have all there is of us; share the cross of Jesus with Him (that's where we belong, you know). "Humble [ourselves] under the mighty hand of God" (1 Peter 5:6). Get down to rock bottom.
--Carol A. Kawamoto, with thanks toRobert J. Wieland and Paul E. Penno
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe.
"Sabbath School Today" is on the Internet at: http://1888mpm.org
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to sabbathschooltoday@
