James 4:2: Ye lust (desire), and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
- We have all been affected by jealousy
- We may have been jealous of others
- Or felt the force of someone’s jealousy towards us
JEALOUSY, HATRED, AND MURDER CAN BE PICKED UP WHEN GROWING UP IN OUR FAMILY AND CAN FOLLOW US ON THROUGH OUR LIVES IF WE DON” T GIVE THEM TO JESUS
WE CAN SEE A PICTURE OF HOW THESE SPIRITS WORK TOGETHER IN JOSEPH’S FAMILY
Turn to: Genesis Chapter 37: starting with verse 3: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
- We know that Jacob’s name was changed to Israel when he wrestled with God in Genesis 32:29
- The Bible says Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children because he was the son of his old age
- The coat of many colors became a symbol of Jacobs favoritism towards Joseph
- Sometimes in family situations, favoritism can be easy to fall into
- A parent may not be able to change their feeling towards a favorite child
- But they can change their action towards other children in the family
- Give gifts to all the children
- Show affection to all children
LET’S TALK A MINUTE ABOUT JOSEPH’S THE CHILDHOOD OF JOSEPH’S FATHER JACOB, AND THE FAVORITISM WITHIN JACOB’S FAMILY
Jacob should have been aware of showing favoritism due to experiencing favoritism while growing up
- Jacob had a twin brother Esau
- Esau was Jacob’s father Issac’s favorite, and Jacob was his mother Rebekah’s favorite.
- Esau was a “Daddy’s boy,” and Jacob was a “Momma’s boy.”
- This in itself was rivalry and division within the home at all times
WHILE GROWING UP, JACOB PROVOKED JEALOUSY WITHIN HIS OWN FAMILY THROUGH DECEPTION AGAINST HIS TWIN BROTHER ESAU
- First, by taking advantage of His brother Esau by persuading him to give up his birthright for a bowl of “red pottage” in Gen 25: 30-34 and Heb 12:16: says Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
JACOB ALSO STOLE THE BLESSING OF THE FIRSTBORN BY THEIR FATHER ISAAC FROM HIS BROTHER ESAU (WITH THE HELP OF HIS MOTHER REBEKAH)
- Jacob dressed up like Esau, and his father Issac blessed Jacob when he thought it was Esau,
- When Esau found out about this, he was filled with jealousy and Hatred and wanted to kill His brother Jacob
- In Gen 27: 41: says and Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand: then will I slay my brother Jacob.
- Jacob stole something that was supposed to be Esau’s
- Esau’s Jealousy turned to Hatred, and Hatred turned into a desire to kill his brother Jacob
- When we allow thoughts of Jealousy and Hatred to linger, they grow into murder
- We must repent of this Jealousy and Hatred and get it out of us
- Through the power of Jesus Christ
COULD MY BEING JEALOUS OF SOMEONE MAKE ME WANT FEEL LIKE KILLING SOMEONE?
WELL, JOSEPH’S BROTHERS SURELY WANTED HIM TO DIE
In Gen 37:17-20: 17 And the man said, they are departed; hence, for I heard them say, let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan.18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.20 Come now therefore and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
- Joseph’s brother’s deep jealousy and Hatred had grown in an ugly rage
- This rage blinded them to what was right
- This is the danger of Jealousy and Hatred
- Sometimes jealousy can be hard to recognize
- Because our reasons for the jealousy make sense to us
- Left unchecked, Jealousy grows out of control
- The longer the jealousy is there, the harder it is to uproot
- The time to deal with jealousy is when you notice yourself keeping score of what others have
WHEN BECOMING CHRISTIAN, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CHANGE FROM HOW WE USED TO BE.
Titus 3:1-6: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
Vs.3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts(desires) and pleasures, living in malice( inward satisfaction when we see others fail) and envy (inward pain when we see others succeed), hateful, and hating one another.4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
- There is supposed to be a change in our character
- Through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost
- There are spiritual hindrances that can delay this process of renewing
- Jesus is our deliverer
- He can set us free from the spiritual hindrances of
- Jealousy, Hatred, and Murder
WE SHOULD REPENT OF BEING FULL OF JEALOUSY, HATRED, AND MURDER
- When any thoughts of jealousy come up
- Rebuke the thought in Jesus name
- Do not let it steep and simmer in your mind and make you bitter
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
JEALOUSY. The principal OT term rendered as jealousy in the English Bible is qîn’â from the verb qānā’, root meaning ‘become dark red’ (Nu. 5:14; Pr. 6:34; Ezek. 16:42; etc.). The normal lxx translation of qîn’â and its cognates is zēloō or the cognate parazēloō (Deut. 32:21; cf. Rom. 10:19), and these are the principal terms used in the NT (Acts 7:9; Rom. 11:11; 1 Cor. 10:22; 13:4). Both Heb. and Gk. words refer to an exclusive single-mindedness of emotion that may be morally blameworthy or praiseworthy depending on whether the object of the jealousy is the self or some cause beyond the self. In the former case the result is envy, or hatred of others (Gen. 30:1; Pr. 3:31; Ezek. 31:9), which for the NT is the antithesis of love and hence the enemy of true Christian fellowship (1 Cor. 13:4; 2 Cor. 12:20; Jas. 3:14). The Bible however also represents the other possibility, of a ‘divine jealousy’ (2 Cor. 11:2), a consuming single-minded pursuit of a good end (1 Ki. 19:10; Ex. 20:5; 1 Cor. 12:31). This positive usage is frequently associated with the marriage relationship where a jealousy for the exclusiveness of the relationship is the necessary condition of its permanence (Nu. 5:11ff.; Ezek. 16:38; 2 Cor. 11:2).
Taken from the New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition
Father in heaven,
Thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the forgiveness of my sin. Lord Jesus, please forgive me of all of my sins, come into my heart, and be my Lord and Savior. Please, help me to live for you and fill me with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.