Ⅲ
In Numbers 5:11-31 the dealing with a wife over whom her husband was jealous typifies Christ's jealousy over His believers and the church (Deut. 6:6-15; Exo. 20:5; 34:14; 2 Cor. 11:2-3):
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Christ's fighting army is composed of the overcomers, who are a fighting wife to match Christ (Rev. 19:7-9, 11-16):
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In order to be a part of the Lord's fighting army, we must be chaste toward Him (2 Cor. 11:2-3).
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Our seeking and pursuing of anything other than Christ is spiritual adultery in the eyes of God (cf. James 4:4).
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Those who commit spiritual adultery will be judged and cursed by God (1 Cor. 16:22) and will not be able to fight for God and serve God.
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Jealousy is usually regarded as a negative thing, but it is one of God's attributes (Exo. 20:5; 34:14):
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The jealousy of God is like the jealousy of a husband over his wife (2 Cor. 11:2-3).
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The most jealous one in the universe is God; His name is Jealous (Exo. 34:14):
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He wants us to love Him uniquely, singly, wholly (Mark 12:30).
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God is jealous whenever we love anything or anyone in place of Him.
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As a jealous Husband, God wants us to serve Him and Him alone (Matt. 6:24).
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Knowing that our God is jealous, we should let His jealousy become ours so that we would care only for Him and allow no one and nothing to replace Him (Exo. 20:5; 34:14; 2 Cor. 11:2-3).
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"Love is as strong as death, / Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol; / Its flashes are the flashes of fire, / A flame of Jehovah" (S.S. 8:6b):
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All the seekers of the Lord have been captured by His love; it is as strong as death (2 Cor. 5:14; S.S. 8:6b).
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With this love and with this jealousy is a flashing fire; these two—the consuming God and the jealous God, the consuming fire and the jealousy—go together (v. 6b).
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From the beginning of time, God has been a jealous God (Exo. 20:5):
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Nothing can withstand God's jealousy; He will destroy all His enemies (34:14).
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God will remove all hindrances until He becomes the unique Lord, the God of all, the unchallenged King (1 Cor. 14:25-28; Psa. 45:11; Rev. 19:16).
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Paul told the saints in Corinth that he was jealous over them with a jealousy of God and that he had betrothed them to one husband to present them as a pure virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2-3).
Morning Nourishment
S.S. 8:6 Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy is as cruel as Sheol...2 Cor. 11:2 For I am jealous over you with a jealousy of God; for I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
The dealing with a wife over whom her husband was jealous typifies Christ's jealousy over His believers and His church....We may not be rebellious (leprous), we may be quite self-controlled and restrained (not discharging), and our behavior may be altogether right with both God and man, but as a wife to Christ, are we chaste?...If a wife appreciates any other man, she is on the verge of losing her chastity.
In Revelation, Christ's fighting army is composed of His overcomers, who are a fighting wife to match Christ (Rev. 19:7-9, 11-14). In order to be a part of the Lord's fighting army, we must be chaste. The dealings in the book of Numbers show that the requirement for God's people to be formed into an army is very high. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 50-51)
Today's Reading
The church and all the believers should have only Christ as their love (2 Cor. 11:2-3). If the church or any of the believers seeks and pursues anything other than Christ, that is spiritual adultery in the eyes of God. Those who commit spiritual fornication will be judged and cursed by God (1 Cor. 16:22) and will not be able to fight for God and serve God. (Life-study of Numbers, p. 51)Jealousy is usually regarded as a negative thing, but it is one of God's attributes. The most jealous one in the universe is God. He is jealous whenever we love anything or anyone in place of Him. He wants us to love Him uniquely, singly, wholly.
The jealousy of God is like the jealousy of a husband over his wife. No husband could tolerate his wife's loving another man besides him. Likewise, God is jealous over us. Jealousy, therefore, is one of His attributes.
Knowing that our God is jealous, we should let His jealousy be ours that we would care only for Him, love Him, and allow no one and nothing to replace Him in our hearts. Furthermore, our love for Him should be pure, our mind should be single, and our entire being should be focused on Him. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 109-110)
In her prayer [in Song of Songs 8:6], the seeking one says that the love of the Lord is as strong as death....There is nothing that describes the strength of the Lord's love as death does. Death is the strongest power in the universe, outside of God. When death visits a person, nothing can reject it....[Similarly, the Lord's] love will simply capture us! All the seekers of the Lord Jesus have been captured by His love. It is as strong as death.
Then the prayer of the seeking one continues in this way: "Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol; / Its flashes are the flashes of fire, / A flame of Jehovah" (S.S. 8:6). With this love and with this jealousy is a flashing fire. We have already seen that God is not only a jealous God but also a consuming God. "Jehovah your God is a consuming fire" [Deut. 4:24]. These two go together: the consuming God and the jealous God, the consuming fire and the jealousy. (CWWL, 1972, vol. 1, "Life and Building as Portrayed in the Song of Songs," pp. 342-343)
"[Lord], Your eyes cannot stand to see those who are Yours being defiled by the world or usurped by other loves. You are jealous; from the beginning of time You have been a jealous God (Exo. 20:5). Have not Your apostles told us about the jealousy of God (2 Cor. 11:2)? If You are jealous, who can withstand Your jealousy? What can withstand Your jealousy? You will destroy all Your enemies. You will remove all hindrances until You become the unique Lord, the God of all, and the unchallenged King. In this way, I will be protected, and my chastity will be preserved until I see Your face." (CWWN, vol. 23, "The Song of Songs," p. 120)
Further Reading: Life-study of Numbers, msg. 7; The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 428