What Does Proverbs Say For Today Part 17

 

What Does Proverbs Say For Today Part 17

 

Envy and Jealousy

 

 ¹ Jealousy = (1) Suspicion between married persons of their fidelity one to another. (2) An earnest desire and concern for the welfare of others, joined with some degree of fear of them. (3) The hot displeasure and indignation of GOD.

² Envy = n. discontent because of the possessions or good fortune of another; covetousness.

v.t. to begrudge, covet.

Envious = adj. feeling or showing envy.

 

“Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways; for the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD. For jealousy is a husband’s fury; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will accept (Lit. lift up the face of any) no recompense, nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts. A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking. Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the wicked; for there will be no prospect for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?” (Proverbs 3:31-32; 6:34-35; 14:30; 23:17-18; 24:1-2, 19-20; 27:4)

 

Envy and jealousy can be synonymous, if you have one you may be the other.

 

Solomon for all his wisdom and seeking of knowledge and understanding saw how futile life lived for itself was. In Ecclesiastes 4:4 and 9:5-6 he reminds us of that, “Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind…for the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun.” In Psalm 73 Asaph tells of his envy of evil doers and GOD’s faithfulness to deliver. “Truly GOD is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs (pains) in their death, but their strength is firm…When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful (troublesome in my eyes) for me—until I went into the sanctuary of GOD; then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors…Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But GOD is the strength (Lit. rock) of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You (are unfaithful to You) for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to GOD; I have put my trust in the LORD GOD, that I may declare all Your works.” King David teaches us in Psalm 37:1-4 that envy of evil doers is a waste, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Job says in 5:2, “For wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one.” Paul sums up what envy is opposed to in 1 Corinthians 13 while describing love, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up (arrogant);…”

 

While envy is always bad jealousy can be both good and bad. Solomon in Song of Songs 8:6, “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel (severe, lit. hard) as the grave (or Sheol); its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame (lit. a flame of YAW, poetic form of YHWH, the LORD).” One of GOD’s names is Jealous (Qanna), “…(for you shall worship no other GOD, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous GOD),” Exodus 34:14. Jealousy is often used to describe GOD’s heart towards Israel and the Church. “You shall not go after other Gods, the Gods of the peoples who are all around you (for the Lord your GOD is a jealous GOD among you), lest the anger of the Lord your GOD be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth. GOD is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies; then the Lord will be zealous for His land, and pity His people. So the angel who spoke with me said to me, ‘Proclaim (lit. cry out), saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:’ “I am zealous (or jealous) for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal (or jealousy).”’ Again the Word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous (or jealous) for Zion with great zeal (or jealousy); with great fervor (lit. heat or rage) I am zealous for her.”’ (Deuteronomy 6:14-15; Nahum 1:2; Joel 2:18; Zechariah 1:14, 8:1-2)

Even Paul was jealous for the church in 2 Corinthians 11:1-3, “Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with Godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to CHRIST. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity (NU adds and purity) that is in CHRIST.” 

 

More scriptures on Envy: Psalm 112:10; Isaiah 26:11; Ezekiel 35; Acts 7:9-10, 13:42-47, 17:5-9; Galatians 5:16-26.

More scriptures on Jealousy: Exodus 20:4-6, 34:14-17; Deuteronomy 4:23-24; 5:6-10; Joshua 24:19-20; 1 Kings 19:9-18; Ezekiel 39:21-29.