Every true and honest Bible student readily confesses that the Bible identifies the Jewish people as the people of God. Unfortunately, the Jews repeatedly provoked the Lord to jealousy. In judgment for their indiscretions, the Lord promised to move the Jewish people to jealousy as He showed His favour unto a people “which are not a people.” According to the apostle Paul, this was fulfilled when the Lord turned to the Gentiles offering them salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:19; Romans 11:11). This jealousy was not to be permanent. One day the Lord will again turn back to the Jewish people after the Rapture of the church.
Biblically speaking, a man’s name is equal to his character (Proverbs 22:1). This is why God’s character is often defined by His name. Faithful and true are two words that describe the very nature of God, but they are also names by which the Son of God will be called at His second advent (Revelation 19:11). Even the name Jesus was associated with the person and work of our Lord (Matthew 1:21). These names, and many more like them, are well known to believers, but few know that the Lord’s name is also said to be Jealous. Why? Because that is who He is! He is the One true and living God who demands man’s sole attention. Just as He is Faithful and True, God is also Jealous.
Man’s opinion concerning the sinfulness of sin very rarely reflects God’s holy, perfect, and righteous declarations. This is because man does not think like God. The Lord expressed these sentiments in Isaiah 55:8-9 when He said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Even a cursory study of rebellion verifies these truths as a man generally thinks of it more lightly than he ought. Man describes rebellion as strong willed or independent; however, God provides an accurate description as He states that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” Because God likens rebellion to witchcraft, the Old Testament punishment for rebellion was likewise death (Deuteronomy 21:18-23). There can be no doubt as to the seriousness of this sin from God’s perspective.
The Bible repeatedly states that the Lord will receive praise and worship throughout eternity (Psalm 45:17; Psalm 145:2); yet, at the same time, there appears to be a shift in the praise at death (Psalm 30:9). Perhaps a man’s praise for the Lord while on earth is distinctly different from his praise for God in eternity. This would make sense in that man can choose to offer the sacrifice of praise (Psalm 54:6; Hebrews 13:15) from the overflow of his carnal heart now. While in eternity, he will praise the Lord from a soul sealed in righteousness. Therefore, a man ought to praise the Lord morning and evening (1 Chronicles 23:30), all the day long (Psalm 35:28), and continually (Psalm 34:1).
Praise is the natural overflowing of affection that occurs when one individual views some positive quality in another. Men praise God because they find His attributes and actions worthy of worship. They may praise Him for His overall greatness (1 Chronicles 16:25) or for His mercy (2 Chronicles 5:13). They may praise Him because of His great name (Psalm 7:17) or because of His power (Psalm 21:13). They may praise Him because of something He has done for them personally (Psalm 28:7). The foundation may vary, but men praise the Lord because they have reason to do so. In other words, the Lord has given His people ample reason to speak of His worth.
