N S B Notes: Jealous or Zealous
WEBSTERS DICTIONARY: Webster’s Dictionary defines Jealousy as the act of being painfully desirous of another person’s advantages. It is a feeling of envy. A jealous person is suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival. Synonyms for the word jealous include: covetous and envious. Is the true God of love filled with envy? Is he covetous? NO! SO WHY CALL HIM JEALOUS?
FOUR BASIC QUALITIES OF GOD: Jealousy is not listed as one of the four basic qualities of God. (Revelation 4:7) (Ezekiel 1:10) These qualities include: justice, power, wisdom and love. God is love. (1 John 4:8, 16) “Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) What more proof do we need that “jealous” is not an appropriate word to use to describe the true God of the Bible.
GOD’S WORD CALLS JEALOUSY A CANCER: “A sound heart is life for the body. Envy (jealousy) is like bone cancer (decay) (rottenness to the bones). (Proverbs 14:30) It’s a Biblical fact that jealousy is bad!
JEALOUSY IS NOT A FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: There are nine beautiful fruitages of the Holy Spirit listed at Galatians 5:22, 23: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness (mildness), self-control; against such there is no law." Love is the very first fruit listed, and remember, “Love is not jealous.” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
BAD PEOPLE BECOME JEALOUS: Saul became jealous of David’s popularity and of David's skills of being a great warior. (1 Samuel 19) The Jews became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people. (Acts 17:5) As a boy, Joseph received an elegant coat from his father. He also dreamed that the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down before him, which indicated that some day Joseph's family members would bow down before him. His brothers became jealous and sold the boy into slavery in Egypt. (Genesis 37:1-28)
IS THERE GOOD JEALOUSY AND BAD? No! No! Absolutely No! Jealousy is not good. It is a negative emotion and should be avoided!
NEW SIMPLIFIED BIBLE USES THE WORD “ZEALOUS”:
(Exodus 34:14 NSB) “Do not worship any other god, for Jehovah, whose name is zealous (filled with ardor), is a God who passionately expects exclusive devotion.
(Deuteronomy 4:24 NSB) “For Jehovah your God is a consuming fire, even a totally demanding zealous God. (He requires exclusive devotion!)
(Deuteronomy 5:9 NSB) “‘Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them! For I Jehovah your God is a totally demanding zealous God. I require exclusive devotion and punish the fathers and children who hate me to the third and fourth generation.
(Deuteronomy 6:15 NSB) “Jehovah your God is a totally demanding zealous God. He tolerates no rivals! The anger of Jehovah your God will burn against you. He will then destroy you from off the face of the earth.
(1 Kings 19:10 NSB) He said: “I have been zealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts. The children of Israel have not kept your agreement. They have destroyed your altars. They killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I, am the only one living. Now they seek to take my life.”
(1 Kings 19:14 NSB) He said: “I have been very zealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts. The children of Israel have not kept your agreement. They have torn down your altars. They killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I, am the only one living. Now they seek to take my life.”
(Joel 2:18 NSB) Jehovah was zealous for his land, and had pity on his people.
(Nahum 1:2 NSB) Jehovah is a zealous God requiring exclusive devotion (tolerates no rivals). Jehovah takes vengeance (punishment) against his adversaries. He reserves (maintains) wrath (indignation) (displeasure) for his enemies.
(Zechariah 1:14 NSB) The angel said: “Call out, say, this is what Jehovah of Hosts has said: ‘I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with intense ardor.
(Zechariah 8:2 NSB) Jehovah of Hosts said: “I am zealous for Zion with great ardor, and I am very zealous for her with great rage.
(Luke 6:15 NSB) and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealous one,
(Acts 1:13 NSB) When they entered the city they went to the upper chamber where they were staying. Included were Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealous one, and Judas the son of James.
(Acts 21:20 NSB) Those who heard it glorified God. They said to him: “You see brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed. They are all zealous for the law.
(Acts 22:3 NSB) “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in Jerusalem as a student of Gamaliel. I received instruction in the Law of our ancestors and was just as zealous for God as are all of you.
(1 Corinthians 14:12 NSB) As much as you are zealous for spiritual gifts, strive to excel (increase) the enlightenment of the congregation.
(2 Corinthians 11:2 NSB) For I am zealous over you with a godly fervor (ardor) (zeal)! For I promised you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
(Galatians 1:14 NSB) I advanced as a Jew beyond many of my own age among my countrymen. I was more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
(Galatians 2:10 NSB) They wanted us to remember the poor. I was eager (zealous) to do this very thing.
(Titus 2:14 NSB) He (Jesus Christ) gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify a people for himself, who are special people, zealous for good works.
(Revelation 3:19 NSB) "'I reprove and discipline those whom I love: be zealous therefore, and repent.
The New World Translation translates the Greek word "zelos" to the English word "jealousy" at Act 5:17: "But the high priest and all those with him, the then existing sect of the Sadducees, rose and became filled with jealousy," (NWT) The Revised Standard Version, New International Version and the New Living Translation also use the word "jealousy." The King James Version along with a number of others use the term "became filled with indignation." The point is that nasty people like the Sadducees were jealous of the Christians and wanted to destroy them. Jealousy is a bad emotion and should be avoided!
Here are some examples of the badness of jealousy:
Genesis 30:1 Rachel had not borne Jacob any children. As a result, she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob: "Give me children, or I will die."
Genesis 37:11 Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him. His father kept thinking about the whole matter.
1Samuel 18:9 He was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on.
Isaiah 11:13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart. Those who harass Judah will be destroyed. Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim.
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1Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant (proud).
GOD IS LOVE AND LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS!
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