I want to share about jealousy. In Samuel we see this in king Saul.

1 Samuel 18: 6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. 7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" 9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

Jealousy is the destroyer of friendships, trust, respect, and love.

When the prophet Samuel first met Saul, he told Saul that God has chosen him to be Israel’s first king. This made Saul uncomfortable and unsure because he felt unworthy and incapable being from the smallest tribe in Israel. This showed when Samuel to presented Saul to Israel as their new king but Saul hid himself.

When they brought Saul out the people saw that he was physically a head taller than them, which made them rejoice that he would be their king because of his physical appearance and not what was in his heart.

God gave Saul victories over Israel’s enemies which gave him self-confidence and a prideful heart because of it and from the people’s praises for him. Through all that God gave Saul, he never honored God because he never sought a close relationship with him but saw God as Samuel’s God.

1 Samuel 15: 15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."

Saul said the animals were to be sacrificed to the Lord your God and not our God.

Saul heart was never devoted to God instead he sought the praises of people and was prideful taking credit for victories over his enemies. This made Saul jealous of David when the praises of the people and the great victories went to David and not him.

This is the danger of seeking success and popularity and not being grateful to God like David who knew everything came from God.

Those who seek security from their achievement and praises of people will be subject to jealously.

This does not only happen to people of this world, but also found in churches and in church leaders.

Being jealous is not always a sin, because we were all created in God’s image and jealousy is a character of God.

Exodus 34: 14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Jealousy is something we will need to contend with but just as with anger when we become jealous, we should not sin.

Ephesians 4: 26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

Sin occurs because of our action or what we say or think when we become jealous.

In the book of Numbers, it was not wrong for a husband to become jealous of his wife if he thinks she has been unfaithful. God made a provision for the husband who thinks or feels his wife had been unfaithful, so that he would not do something sinful.

Numbers 5: 29 " 'This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and defiles herself while married to her husband, 30 or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.' "

God did not say that the husband was wrong for being jealous of his wife. He made a law of jealousy to resolve the husband’s jealousy.

This OT law of jealousy we no longer use, but Jesus allows divorce for unfaithfulness, so that the faithful spouse may be free themselves of jealousy.

When there is jealousy, it makes you bitter and do things that are earthly, unspiritual which comes from the devil.

James 3: 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

To overcome jealousy James teaches that you need to use the wisdom that comes from heaven.

James 3: 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

When you feel jealous you need to apply the wisdom of heaven and then you will find the peace of God and provide a harvest of righteousness for Jesus.

Jesus tells a parable about those who seek honor in this world which leads to jealousy and humiliation.

Luke 14: 7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests.

Those who seek honor and praise from people will tend to become jealous of those who receive honor and praise.

Jesus said we must always take the lowest place because we know in God’s eyes the last will be first in his kingdom and God rewards those who do all things in secret for him and not those who seek success and honor in this world.

God gave us his character of jealousy so that we know what it feels like when he becomes jealous for our love and devotion when it goes to things we idolize in this world.

When you love things of this world more than Jesus then you commit adultery towards Jesus your husband who Paul said he is jealous that it should be for Jesus.

2 Corinthians 11: 2 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.

When you become jealous you need to discern if it is godly or is it earthly, unspiritual and from the devil which will take wisdom from heaven to know the difference.

Be safe in Jesus,

Ps. Glenn