The enemy is so predictable. He thinks he’s so smart but his plans always backfire badly. The problem with jealousy is it always destroys those who practice it. Whether you’re a sinner or a saint, the results will always be the same. Self destruction. This is why we are warned in scripture to put it away. Ephesians 4:31; 1 Peter 2:1.This isn’t a suggestion, it's a command. Because the Lord knows that if we indulge in such behaviors it will ultimately destroy not just us, but those around us.
Sin has far reaching tentacles just as righteousness does. But one restores and the other destroys. All evil has within its core are jealousy and envy. Lucifer was jealous of the very worship he was offering to the God who created him. Ezekiel 28:12-19; Isaiah 14:12-14. His tentacles have spread even to the unborn. The nature of sin that was introduced to Adam and Eve in the garden has affected us all. Kings and kingdoms, men of power and might, even the wise have fallen prey to the spirit of jealousy. It’s a Jezebel spirit. 1 Kings 21. But it never ends well. We also find jealousy with all its relatives rearing its ugly head in the book of Esther. I said relatives because all the other attributes of jealousy are mentioned in the scriptures I’ve referenced. Anyone attached to us will suffer for our decision to be jealous, angry, bitter and malicious.
We keep forgetting that God sees. We also keep forgetting that He is a just and righteous God. We also keep forgetting that we don’t decide the consequences for our actions. Haman built a gallows for Mordecai but ….well let’s read.
“And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.” Esther 5:11-14 ESV
Please read the entire book of Esther. It's fascinating.
“For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.“ Esther 9:24-25 ESV
It’s not just about you, but your family too.
In Daniel chapter 6, we read a similar account. It really doesn’t matter to God whether you are His or not. Wherever He finds injustice brought on by jealousy He will act. We may not have all received Him, but we’re all His. He created all of us. Sin is sin no matter who commits it. We must never allow the promotion of another, even if we were passed over, to affect our hearts. Bring the matter before the Lord, He will take care of it even if it takes years before you see Him move. I prayed for nineteen years for a boss who acted with malice towards me, then when the fullness of time came, God labeled him an enemy and removed him permanently. Clean hands and a pure heart moves the heart of God. Don’t get bitter, get better. On to Daniel and we’ll close.
The amazing thing about this story is how easily Darius fell for this thirty day trap. He loved and admired Daniel, but he never took the time to think about how this decision would affect him. A momentary lapse in judgment and allowing pride to enter his heart, made him ignore the plottings of these jealous men. Remember it’s not just you, but your family too.
“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before Him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.”
Daniel 6:1-24 ESV
Daniel avoided the root of bitterness and instead turned to the God who sees. He didn’t try to reason with Darius, he didn’t get confrontational with the men. He continued doing what has served him well in captivity. He prayed. May we be inclined to do the same no matter what situations we are confronted with. The God in the peace time is the same God in the war times. I don’t know how and what Daniel prayed about during that time, but the scripture says he prayed as per usual. He didn’t even try to hide. May we be found faithful in prayer when the devil has put forth a thirty day hit on our life. May the accusations be true: That we will not bow to no other God but Jehovah.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
August 10, 2021