Special Series Month August Envy and Jealousy

Envy—The Green-Eyed Tyrant

Holly was a bright, pretty child. But she had a peculiar habit—she always wanted her friends' toys. She cried when her best friend got a beautiful doll for her birthday. She whined when the neighbor girls appeared at church in matching Laura Ashley Easter dresses. She pouted when her sister was taken to Disney World as a reward for straight A's throughout high school.

When Holly became a teenager, she turned her attention toward boys. She quickly mastered the use of makeup, lightened her hair dramatically, and learned to dress with a slightly sexy flair. Her competitive drive always drew her toward her friends' boyfriends, and she made it her habit to call them, ask them for advice, and sow seeds of criticism about the girls in their lives. Then, at eighteen, she met Jack and Tammy Jensen, a couple in their thirties who were youth leaders at her church.

At first Holly innocently joined the other kids at the Jensens' home. They gathered as a group, watched videos, and just hung out. But before long, Holly was spending a lot of time talking to Jack—alone. Like any married couple, Jack and Tammy had their small differences from time to time, and Holly instinctively homed in on them. While flattering Jack on one hand, on the other she gently questioned his reactions to Tammy's quick temper, her same old hairstyle, or her not-quite-perfect housekeeping.

Holly's divisive arts were astonishing, as were her manipulative capabilities. She called the Jensen home in tears one night from a pay phone, hysterically claiming to have been kicked out of the house by her parents. She asked Jack if he could pick her up. She knew the family well enough to calculate that Tammy would be getting dinner on the table for the children and that Jack would arrive alone. He did.

Jack listened to her story patiently, and by now he felt close enough to Holly to put his arms around her in comfort. The truth was, he'd been wanting to hold her in his arms for weeks. Before the night was over, the two of them had made love. Before the year was over, Jack and Tammy had filed for divorce, Jack had left the church, and he and Holly were living together.

The tragedy didn't end with the breakup of Jack and Holly's marriage. In fact it continues. Holly has become disillusioned with Jack—she complains that he's too old for her. She constantly compares him to younger men, humiliating him with caustic jokes about his weight, his thinning hair, and his middle-aged attitudes. Holly wants a house at the beach, like the Fosters'. She needs a new Chevy Suburban, like the Jarvises'. She and Jack fight constantly and bitterly over her insatiable desires for more things, better things, things her friends have that she'll never get because Jack is "such a boring old man."

Jealousy and Envy—Good News, Bad News

Jealousy and envy are emotions we all feel from time to time.

But if they are allowed to become dominant in our lives, they warp our perspectives, keep us from realizing our personal potential, and in cases like Holly's, lead us into destructive behavior.

Without question, jealousy and envy impede our growth to spiritual maturity.

Although we sometimes use the words jealousy and envy interchangeably, there is a difference. Jealousy can be used in a good sense. Its root is zelos, the same word from which we also get zeal, or zealous. When the word is applied to God, saying He is a jealous God means He demands that we worship and love Him exclusively.

In a bad sense, jealousy is a fear of being displaced by a rival in affection or favor. To be jealous is to be anxiously suspicious or vigilant. Proverb 27:4 says, "Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?" The implication of this Scripture is that jealousy is hidden. It corrupts our motives, thoughts, and actions. 'lb make matters worse, the object of that jealousy may be unaware of it and therefore be unable to deal with it.

While jealousy can be positive, envy, on the other hand, always has a bad meaning. Envy is defined as "a feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by another's desirable possessions or qualities, accompanied by a strong desire to have them for oneself."13

Scripture reminds us, "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones" ().

Proverbs 14:30 KJV 1900

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones.

The Story of Rachel and Leah

In the Old Testament, we have classic examples of jealousy and envy in the lives of two women who were victims of their culture.

Leah and Rachel were sisters, and they were married to the same man, Jacob. Have you noticed how many of our lessons have been centered on Jacob and his family?

Talk about being dysfunctional!

In , Jacob was fleeing the wrath of his brother, Esau. When he reached Paddan-Aram, where his mother's family lived, his cousin Rachel was the first person he met. For him, their meeting was love at first sight. He was warmly welcomed into his Uncle Laban's home and began helping him shepherd his flocks.

Jacob asked Laban for Rachel's hand in marriage and volunteered to work seven years in return for her. Laban agreed, but then he deceived Jacob by secretly marrying him to his older, less attractive daughter, Leah. Laban agreed to give Rachel to Jacob, too, but he would have to work seven more years. The biblical account concludes, "Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years" ().

Genesis 29:30 KJV 1900

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

One wouldn't have to be a psychologist to predict the problems that were about to arise in that household. Can you imagine the conflicting emotions Laban's cruel deception produced? Jacob, the deceiver who had cheated his brother of their father's blessing, was outdone in deception by Laban! He ended up doing seven more years of hard labor without pay for a woman he didn't want in the first place. This was not exactly a great start for a marriage—especially one with two wives.

There was a physical difference between Leah and Rachel. Leah was older, had weak or delicate eyes, and apparently was not attractive. Rachel was younger and had a beautiful face and figure. Scripture simply states the sad truth: "And Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah."

An Unloved Wife

We can't blame Jacob.

He'd made his choice almost from the moment he saw Rachel, and it's impossible to drum up romantic love on demand.

Can you imagine how difficult it was for Leah to see Jacob's passionate love for Rachel, knowing that he didn't feel the same way about her at all? This was living in daily pain. She must have experienced both jealousy and envy. But God has a way of evening things out:

"When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, 'It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now' . . .

"When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, 'Give me children, or I'll die!'

"Jacob became angry with her and said, 'Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?" (; ).

Genesis 29:31–32 KJV 1900

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

Genesis 30:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2 And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

Rachel had what Leah wanted—Jacob's love. But now she was jealous of Leah because she wanted what Leah had—children. In that day, it was a great reproach upon a woman if she did not give her husband sons. Jacob put the blame where it belonged, on God.

The rivalry between these two sisters increased as they tried to build their families with strategies that were normal for that culture. Sometimes a wife gave her maid to her husband sexually, and the maid became pregnant. When the child was born, the wife would catch the child on her knees and thus claim him as her own. Rachel did it first, then Leah followed suit. Both of them were in this battle to the bitter end. But the difference in the characters of the two women is revealed in : "During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, 'Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.'

Genesis 30:14–16 KJV 1900

14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. 15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes. 16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

"But she said to her, 'Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?'

"'Very well,' Rachel said, 'he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes."

Forever Dissatisfied

Apparently, Rachel even used her power over Jacob to orchestrate his sex life and keep him from sleeping with Leah so she wouldn't have any more children! In essence, Leah had to "hire" Jacob from Rachel for a night.

She did so in exchange for some mandrake roots that Rachel supposed would make her fertile. But God continued to give children only to Leah. She had six sons and one daughter of her own before Rachel had her first son.

"Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, 'God has taken away my disgrace' She named him Joseph, and said, 'May the LORD add to me another son" ().

Genesis 30:22–24 KJV 1900

22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

Nothing was ever enough for Rachel. Instead of thanking God for her one son, she had to have more. She had to catch up with her sister. That's a classic symptom of envy—it is insatiable.

Rachel's Immature Spirit

We see further evidence of Rachel's lack of maturity when God told Jacob to go back to his homeland. He told his wives his plans, and Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father's estate? Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us. Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you" ().

Genesis 31:14–16 KJV 1900

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

After thirteen years, the two women were still bitter toward their father for the way he had exploited them and the misery his actions had caused. But there was a difference in the spiritual quality of the two women. One particular thing Rachel did demonstrates, after twenty years of knowing and living with Jacob, that his faith in God had made little impact on her spiritual understanding. We know this because we're told, "When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods" ().

Genesis 31:19 KJV 1900

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.

Laban was a man who worshiped many gods. The fact that Rachel stole them tells us several things about her. First of all, she still had pagan tendencies if she thought these little figurines would bring blessings. She also may have thought that they gave her a right to claim her father's inheritance. Whatever the reason, she deceived both her father and her husband. When Laban accused Jacob of stealing the idols, Jacob, in righteous indignation, unknowingly condemned his beloved wife to death. He raged, "But if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live" ().

Genesis 31:32 KJV 1900

32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

Rachel was saved from discovery only because she hid the idols in her camel saddle and sat on it, then lied and claimed she couldn't get up because she was having her period. No one would search her saddle, because anything a woman sat on during her menses was made unclean.

Rachel was both a liar and a thief; she deceived her father and her husband. Rachel was lovely on the outside, but her character wasn't very beautiful. External beauty can be a hindrance to character development, and Rachel was envious, jealous, selfish, manipulative, greedy, and unsatisfied. Still, her husband's passion and preference for her lasted all her life.

Notice also how Jacob arranged his family in order of preference when he thought Esau still wanted revenge: "Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants. He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear" ().

Genesis 33:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

How do you think Leah felt? No matter how many children she had, Jacob would never love her as much as he loved Rachel. Meanwhile, Rachel could have been gracious and generous to her unloved older sister, but she wasn't. We don't read of her doing a single kind, unselfish act. Finally she became pregnant with the second son she wanted, but this time it cost her her life to bear him: "And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the mid-wife said to her, 'Don't be afraid, for you have another son.' As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin" ().

Genesis 35:17–18 KJV 1900

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.

Jacob's favorite wife was buried by the wayside. Leah was eventually buried by Jacob's side in the cave at Machpelah with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah. What havoc jealousy and envy wrought upon this family!

Are those same destructive emotions doing a number on you? In case you aren't aware of the symptoms of jealousy and envy, give yourself this test taken from material developed by Les Carter in his book Mind Over Emotions:14

Do you work extremely hard to come out looking good?Do you examine others with a critical eye?Do you have hidden feelings of inferiority?Do you complain about not getting fair treatment?Do you have an insatiable desire for success?Do you need a lot of recognition for your achievements?Do you tend to be status conscious?Do you find it hard to pay compliments to others?Do you keep score of your own good deeds and those of others?Are you willing to pass along negative rumors about a successful person?Do you put on a false front in order to appear impressive?Do you base your self-image on your performance?

If you answered yes to some of these questions, you may be having trouble with envy, even though you haven't recognized it.

Causes of Envy

Like many other emotions, envy is a symptom of other, underlying issues that need to be resolved. Les Carter includes these examples as sources of envy: being overly concerned with personal rights, taking other people's success personally, desiring selfish gain, yearning for status and achievement, and an inability to share.15 Let's take a closer look at each of these sources.

Being Overly Concerned with Personal Rights

We hear a lot about rights today. It appears that individual rights are increasing at the same time personal responsibility is decreasing. We are moving rapidly toward the idea that government is supposed to meet every need of the citizen and society is to blame for every crime.

Individuals blame their difficulties on their parents, their poverty, their lack of education, a past traumatic experience, or any number of other culprits. At the same time, they never seem to take the responsibility for their own actions.

Personal rights must be balanced with personal responsibility. There's a difference between the "right to life, liberty, and happiness" and the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. Pursuit involves effort on the part of the pursuer. Everyone does not have an inalienable right to wealth, a new car, and a college education. We are responsible to pursue these goals, but they are not rights.

Taking Other People's Success Personally

Suppose someone you know is good at doing something, and it's something at which you aren't very gifted. When that happens, watch out. Envy can rear its ugly head, and you'll find yourself resenting every success the other person has.

I would love to be able to arrange flowers the way my friend Sarah Mitchell does. I've even tried to have her teach me. But I will never be able to arrange flowers with the creativity and ease she demonstrates. So I have a choice: I can resent Sarah's success when I compare it with my failure, or I can acknowledge her skill and be thankful that she will arrange flowers for me!

Desiring Selfish Gain

Envy starts with desire. We all want things we don't have: money, a nice figure, a better home, or more clothes. We long for a happy marriage, successful children, a secure, pleasurable job. There's nothing wrong with these desires as long as we are realistic, recognizing that they do not bestow value on our lives.

However, if and when these things become essential to us, we will look with the green eyes of envy at everyone who has what we want. We'll keep working harder and more desperately to reach our goals without ever being content. Eventually, we will be under the full-time control of envy, a brutal taskmaster. We should never forget what John D. Rockefeller said when he was asked how much money is enough. "Just one more dollar," was his sage reply.

Yearning for States and Achievement

There's nothing wrong with wanting recognition for our achievements. But at times that craving can become a competitive spirit that has to outdo everyone else. When that happens, you can be sure envy is at the root.

Today's society values people for their appearance or their achievements. It is very difficult not to be envious of the woman with a beautiful figure when you struggle daily to not gain a pound. It's hard to feel good about ourselves when we've been driving the same car for ten years while others are enjoying this year's luxury models. We don't accept ourselves as we are; we are unable to recognize our own strengths. Instead, we compare our weaknesses with others' strengths, and consequently we feel envious.

An Inability to share

It's difficult for the envious person to share in the joys of other people, especially when someone else is getting what the envious one wants and doesn't have. I admire women who are struggling with infertility when I see them attending baby showers for others and sharing their joy. They may go home and weep afterward, but they are genuinely happy for their friends.

Overcoming Jealousy and Envy

Perhaps as you've read this chapter, you've seen indications that jealousy or envy is an unwelcome aspect of your character. Of course it is God's will for you to overcome that negative emotion, and there are some concrete steps you can take to do so.

Recognize That You Are Envious or Jealous

Acknowledging your envy means looking at yourself honestly. tells us that envy is a product of our sinful human nature. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you whether your ulterior motives are for selfish gain or to achieve status in other people's eyes. Name envy for what it is. Blow away the cover-up.

Galatians 5:19–21 KJV 1900

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Choose with Your Will to Get Rid of It

Harboring envy keeps us from hungering for God's Word, and God's Word is vital for us to continue to grow spiritually. "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" ().

1 Peter 2:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

says envy will also keep us from living the Spirit-controlled life God wants for His children. It's a deadly deterrent to spiritual growth. By making a choice of the will then asking God to empower us, we can decide to overcome envy or jealousy. With His help, we will do so.

Galatians 5:26 KJV 1900

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Confess It As Sin and Accept Forgiveness

We've already learned the value of . God promises to forgive and cleanse us from all sin if we agree with Him that what we are doing is sin. Once we've accepted His forgiveness, we are able to start on a new path.

1 John 1:9 KJV 1900

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Accept Yourself As You Are with gratitude

Develop a thankful heart. Thank God every day that you are just the person He created you to be. Thank Him that He chose you to be His own. Thank Him for your face and figure, your health, your abilities, your family, your job, your bank account, your friends. Thank Him for the spiritual gifts that make you necessary to the body of believers. Make sure, while you're thanking Him, that you don't compare yourself with others.

Learn the Joy of Giving to Others

Envy is rooted in selfishness. It's only concerned with satisfying the cravings of the envious person. There's a way to show that we are changing on the inside. When we share our material possessions, praise the success of others, and encourage others in reaching their goals, we will begin to experience the joy that comes from giving. By doing the opposite of our sinful nature, we change our habit patterns and demonstrate to God that we are working with Him in renewing our minds.

Keep Earthly Achievements in Eternal Perspective

When our lives are over, we're going to leave everything behind. The body we spend so much money on will return to dust. The wardrobe, the beautiful home, the bank account, the advanced degree, the recognition—all those things that we give our lives to are going to remain on Planet Earth long after we've departed.

There are no pockets in a shroud. That's why it's essential to remember that only two things on earth will enter eternity—people and God's Word. If we give priority to giving God's word to people and living it, we'll have something that will last forever.

Set Your Heart on Heavenly Things

When we trusted Jesus Christ, we received a new nature. And we became citizens of a new homeland—heaven. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" ().

Colossians 3:1–2 KJV 1900

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

It's God's intention that our hearts and minds ought to be focused on new goals, and that our conduct should be controlled by new standards. As we deliberately turn away from the old and embrace the new, we are not going to keep looking over our shoulder to see who's catching up with us. Instead, we'll follow the Spirit's leading for our own lives and choose to be grateful for everything God does for us. This will ultimately be the way envy is routed out of our hearts.

Once it is removed, we will begin to experience joy and contentment and the sense of personal significance that Jesus brings will blossom beautifully and fragrantly in our lives.

13 The American Heritage Dictionary (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991).

14 Les Carter, Mind Over Emotions (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1985), 52ff.

15 Ibid.

Jealousy and Envy

Definition: Jealousy is the uneasiness felt due to suspicion, resentment or fear of rivalry, especially in regards to love or affection. Envy is the feeling of resentment, discontentment or jealousy of another's position or success.

1. Jealousy and envy have their roots in pride, vanity and selfishness.

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Galatians 5:26 KJV 1900

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

1 Timothy 6:4 KJV 1900

4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

2. Jealousy and envy is a spirit of complaint and murmuring.

And when [Joseph's] brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. [Rebellious Korah and his followers envied Moses' leadership position and spoke against him, falsely accusing him:]

And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

[See .] And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

[See also verses 27,28; 20:30,31.] So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day., And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Genesis 37:4 KJV 1900

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Numbers 16:3 KJV 1900

3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

Psalm 106:16–18 KJV 1900

16 They envied Moses also in the camp, And Aaron the saint of the Lord. 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And covered the company of Abiram. 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked.

1 Samuel 18:7–9 KJV 1900

7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Matthew 20:8–12 KJV 1900

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

Acts 13:44 KJV 1900

44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Acts 13:45 KJV 1900

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

3. Jealousy and envy are products of our carnal hearts and must be overcome by the power of God's Spirit of love.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [See also .] Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him. 21 And He said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on the left, in Thy Kingdom. ... 24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. ... 26 [Jesus said:] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day ... not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh., Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; ... 21 Envyings ... and such like. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another., For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.

This wisdom descendeth not from Above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from Above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. [Carnal envying and pride are products of our sinful nature, which the Devil preys upon and we have to fight them with the Word and prayer.]

Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you., For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV 1900

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Matthew 15:19 KJV 1900

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Matthew 20:20–28 KJV 1900

20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Romans 13:11–14 KJV 1900

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

1 Corinthians 3:3 KJV 1900

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Galatians 5:14–16 KJV 1900

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19a KJV 1900

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Galatians 5:21–23 KJV 1900

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:24–26 KJV 1900

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Titus 3:3 KJV 1900

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Titus 3:4 KJV 1900

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

James 3:15–17 KJV 1900

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

James 4:5–7 KJV 1900

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Proverbs 6:34 KJV 1900

34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

Proverbs 6:35 KJV 1900

35 He will not regard any ransom; Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

Proverbs 14:30 KJV 1900

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones.

Proverbs 27:4 KJV 1900

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; But who is able to stand before envy?

James 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

4. Jealousy and envy are devices of the Devil and only bear bad fruit.

, For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Proverbs 6:34 KJV 1900

34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

Proverbs 6:35 KJV 1900

35 He will not regard any ransom; Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

Proverbs 14:30 KJV 1900

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones.

Proverbs 27:4 KJV 1900

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; But who is able to stand before envy?

James 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

5. Jealousy is an unwillingness to share and often results in total loss of that which is not shared.

; , [Joseph's brothers were jealous of his being favored by his father, and sought to kill him. But Joseph survived and prospered, while they lost their wealth in a great drought and had to beg Joseph for help. See chapters 45 and 46 regarding his brothers' plea and Joseph's forgiveness to them.] There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. [See also .] For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Genesis 37:4–11 KJV 1900

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Genesis 37:19 KJV 1900

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

Genesis 37:20 KJV 1900

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.

Proverbs 11:24 KJV 1900

24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Mark 4:25 KJV 1900

25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

Luke 8:18 KJV 1900

18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Galatians 6:7b KJV 1900

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

6. Don't be led astray by being envious of the ungodly.

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. [See also verse 7.],,,,, For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ... 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. ... 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. ... 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. ... 21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. ... 22a So foolish was I, and ignorant. [See also .] Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

Psalm 37:1 KJV 1900

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

Psalm 73:3 KJV 1900

3 For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:12 KJV 1900

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Psalm 73:14 KJV 1900

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning.

Psalm 73:16–18 KJV 1900

16 When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction.

Psalm 73:21 KJV 1900

21 Thus my heart was grieved, And I was pricked in my reins.

Psalm 73:22a KJV 1900

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

Job 21:7–30 KJV 1900

7 Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, are mighty in power? 8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. 10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. 11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance. 12 They take the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the organ. 13 They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave. 14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? 16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! And how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 18 They are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: He rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, And he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off in the midst? 22 Shall any teach God knowledge? Seeing he judgeth those that are high. 23 One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet. 24 His breasts are full of milk, And his bones are moistened with marrow. 25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, And never eateth with pleasure. 26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, And the worms shall cover them. 27 Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. 28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where are the dwelling places of the wicked? 29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? And do ye not know their tokens, 30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

Proverbs 3:31 KJV 1900

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, And choose none of his ways.

Proverbs 23:17 KJV 1900

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

Proverbs 24:1 KJV 1900

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, Neither desire to be with them.

7. Jealousy and envy provide the motivation for wrongdoing.

, And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid [Hagar] into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee. 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. [See also chapter 21:9,10.]

Genesis 16:5 KJV 1900

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

Genesis 16:6 KJV 1900

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

[Saul envied David and made several attempts to murder him.],, And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. ... 13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. 14a Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

1 Samuel 18:6–9 KJV 1900

6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Esther 5:11 KJV 1900

11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

Esther 5:13 KJV 1900

13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.

Esther 5:14a KJV 1900

14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Daniel 6:3–5 KJV 1900

3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

[Then they conspired against him.] And the scribes and chief priests heard [Jesus' preaching], and sought how they might destroy Him: for they feared Him, because all the people was astonished at His doctrine., And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Mark 11:18 KJV 1900

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

Acts 13:44 KJV 1900

44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Acts 13:45 KJV 1900

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

8. Some Biblical examples of sibling rivalry as a result of envy:

, And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. ... 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.,, [Joseph's brothers were jealous of him, planned to kill him, but then opted to sell him into slavery, lying to their father that he had been killed by a wild beast. They all were later reconciled and forgiven in Egypt.],,, And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath He not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. ... 9a And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them. ... 10b And, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow. ... 15a And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days [until she was mercifully and quickly healed]. [Martha was a little jealous of her sister, Mary, who was sitting at Jesus' feet:] A certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His Word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. [Upon the return of the lost prodigal son to the father's house:] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

Genesis 4:3–5 KJV 1900

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:8 KJV 1900

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 37 KJV 1900

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 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. 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. 12 And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. 14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. 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. 21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. 23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. 28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? 31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. 33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. 34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. 36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

Genesis 44 KJV 1900

1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. 4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. 6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. 7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: 8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold? 9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. 10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. 11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. 14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. 15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? 16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. 17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. 18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. 21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. 23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. 26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us. 27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; 31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. 33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

Genesis 45 KJV 1900

1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him. 16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; 18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. 19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. 21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. 23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way. 25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. 27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Numbers 12:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.

Numbers 12:9a KJV 1900

9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.

Numbers 12:10b KJV 1900

10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

Numbers 12:15a KJV 1900

15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

Luke 10:38b–40 KJV 1900

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Luke 15:25–30 KJV 1900

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

9. The cure for jealousy and envy is to pray for more of the Lord's love, to be more like Jesus.

Set Me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame., Let us walk honestly, as in the day ... not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Charity [love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up., Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.

Song of Solomon 8:6 KJV 1900

6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as the grave: The coals thereof are coals of fire, Which hath a most vehement flame.

Romans 13:13 KJV 1900

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Romans 13:14 KJV 1900

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

1 Corinthians 13:4 KJV 1900

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

10. Helpful verses to claim when battling jealousy:

When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. When the Enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver us. Every man according as he purpose in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not., Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him Who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His Heavenly Kingdom: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. But the God of all grace, Who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Psalm 61:2b KJV 1900

2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 103:14 KJV 1900

14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.

Isaiah 59:19b KJV 1900

19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, And his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV 1900

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

2 Corinthians 1:10 KJV 1900

10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV 1900

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Galatians 6:9 KJV 1900

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

2 Timothy 2:3 KJV 1900

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:4 KJV 1900

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

2 Timothy 4:18 KJV 1900

18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:10 KJV 1900

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11. Persecution is often the result of religious envy.

[Envious religionists push the people to call for Jesus' death:] But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him for envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas [a murderer] unto them. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. , And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. [Envious Jews stir up a Greek mob to persecute Paul and the brethren in Thessalonica, after seeing Paul's success with the people:] But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

Mark 15:9–11 KJV 1900

9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

Acts 13:45 KJV 1900

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Acts 14:1 KJV 1900

1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Acts 14:2 KJV 1900

2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

Acts 17:5 KJV 1900

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

12. God becomes jealous when we put the love of material things, others, or even our service to Him, above our love for Him!

,, Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. ... 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose Name is Jealous, is a jealous God. [See also .] Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for My sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy. [See also .] For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. [See also 5:9; 6:14,15.] Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. [See also 1:14.] He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. [Paul had a godly jealousy for his flock, that they would stay faithful to the Lord and not go astray.] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; ... 4 Nevertheless I [Jesus] have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy First Love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Exodus 20:3 KJV 1900

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:5 KJV 1900

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exodus 20:6 KJV 1900

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Exodus 34:14 KJV 1900

14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Exodus 20:5 KJV 1900

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Numbers 25:11 KJV 1900

11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

1 Corinthians 10:22 KJV 1900

22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

Deuteronomy 4:24 KJV 1900

24 For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Zechariah 8:2 KJV 1900

2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, And I was jealous for her with great fury.

Matthew 10:37 KJV 1900

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

John 21:15 KJV 1900

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

2 Corinthians 11:2 KJV 1900

2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

1 John 2:15 KJV 1900

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Revelation 2:1–7 KJV 1900

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Envy

I. Most of us understand that it is wrong to be envious.

A. Though most of us have only a vague idea what envy means.

B. Often we confuse it with jealousy.

II. The meaning of envy

A. “To look with ill-will, to look against.”

B. “Chagrin or discontent at the excellence or good fortune of another; resentful, begrudging.”

C. The difference between jealousy and envy

1. We are jealous of our own; we are envious of another man’s possessions or good fortune -

Genesis 26:14 KJV 1900

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

2. Jealousy fears to lose what it has; envy is pained at seeing what others have.

3. The difference is seen in . (Fulfilled in with salvation coming to the Gentiles)

Deuteronomy 32:21 KJV 1900

21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; They have provoked me to anger with their vanities: And I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

Romans 11:11 KJV 1900

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

D. It is sometimes translated “an evil-eye” as in

Mark 7:21–22 KJV 1900

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

III. Envy kills

A. Envy pains and destroys a man like a knife in the chest.

B. It splits churches and causes murders.

1. - Jesus was killed because of envy!

Matthew 27:18 KJV 1900

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

C. Envy destroys our friendships, ruins our business, and dwarfs our souls.

D. - Envy rots the bones. It destroys your health.

Proverbs 14:30 KJV 1900

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones.

E. - Envy slays a foolish man.

Job 5:2 KJV 1900

2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, And envy slayeth the silly one.

1. A Greek story:

“The citizens of a town erected a statue to one of their number who was a celebrated champion in the public games. However, one young man, a rival of the honored athlete, was so envious that he vowed he would destroy the statue. Every night he went out into the darkness and chiseled at the statue’s base. By undermining it’s foundation he hoped to make it look like the statue fell of its own accord. One night, it did fall -- but it fell as the young man was chipping at its base. It fell on top of the man and killed him.

2. As with many sins, the effects of the sin are not noticed immediately.

They gradually eat at the soul until it is destroyed.

IV. We should not envy ...

A. Don’t envy the wicked - ,

Proverbs 23:17–18 KJV 1900

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; And thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Proverbs 24:19–20 KJV 1900

19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, Neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The candle of the wicked shall be put out.

1. Surely you have better prospects than to envy a man facing God’s wrath.

2. - The wicked will be cut down by God. Why should be envious of this?

Psalm 37:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.

3. Envying the wicked of his prosperity and apparent happiness does not make us happy or rich.

4. It does not add one dollar to our assets, but it does bankrupt our soul.

5.

Psalm 73:1–19 KJV 1900

1 Truly God is good to Israel, Even to such as are of a clean heart. 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: But their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; Violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish. 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: They speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High? 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; Behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.

B. Don’t envy our friends

1. Joseph’s brothers were envious of him -

Genesis 37:11 KJV 1900

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

a. Their envy led them to plot their own brother’s death and eventually sold him into slavery. Can you imagine selling a member of your family into a lifetime of slavery?

b. Eventually, they were forced to recognize Joseph’s superior position that God granted him.

c. Envy is a boomerang-like weapon that hurts the attacker more than the victim. "If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang" [Charley Reese]

2. - Love does not envy

1 Corinthians 13:4 KJV 1900

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

a. The envious man feels that other’s fortune is his misfortune, that their success is his failure, and that their blessing is his curse.

b. Only love for our fellow man is a cure for this disease.

c. - Share each other’s fortune and misfortune.

Romans 12:15 KJV 1900

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

d. - The first workers were envious of other’s fortune instead of rejoicing in their good fortune.

Matthew 20:1–16 KJV 1900

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

e. How do we behave when friends get better grades, get a better promotion, or is the recipient of some good fortune?

V. Let us recognize the danger of envy and remove it from our lives -

Galatians 5:26 KJV 1900

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

A. Where envy exists, you can find every kind of sin -

James 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

A Remedy for Envy

, Part 2

1 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Look at the Book by John Piper Scripture: Topic: Killing Sin

1 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The new birth produces love in every true believer in Jesus Christ, and it also weans us off our old sinful desires, like envy. But we have to be able to spot these deadly desires within us. In this lab, John Piper zeros in on several common iniquities, and explains how we wield the word of God against them.

Principle for Bible Reading

When you come across a list in the Bible, stop and examine it. Why did the author include the things he did? Why not include other things? Try and define each item in the list, and look for similarities, differences, and connections between them.

Study Questions

Look at the lists of sins in . Why might Peter have included the sins he did and not others in this case? If we’re going to battle these specific sins, we need to be able to identify them. Take each of the sins and try to define them in your own words. What weapons does give us for fighting these specific sins? Try to explain practically how the truths Peter highlights wean us off of these sinful desires.

1 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Piper: “We cut the root of sin by being more satisfied in God.” Tweet Share on Facebook

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Introduction/Prayer

The Fruit of the New Birth

What effect does it have on our lives that we have been born again by the living and abiding word? ()We already learned that love proceeds from our new birth. ()“So” (Therefore) in says that the new birth also purifies us from malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. This is what it means to “grow up into salvation” — we love more, and are less consumed with wickedness — and that happens as we satisfy ourselves with the spiritual milk of the word of God. ()

1 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 1:22 KJV 1900

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

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Investigating Iniquity

Slander is the only one that’s an action.Malice is a disposition of the heart to want to hurt people. It’s a summary of the other evils we commit against others.Deceit is a desire that other people believe what is not true. Hypocrisy is a species of deceit that conceals things about ourselves. Envy and slander go together in this list. Envy overflows at its worst in slander.

()

When we’re filled with spiritual milk, we become content with who we are in Christ. The desires for hypocrisy and deceit fade away.

()The remedy for envy comes from knowing and tasting the goodness and kindness of the Lord ().

His mercy and his kindness will make envy seem utterly inappropriate.

1 Peter 1:20 KJV 1900

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

1 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:3 KJV 1900

3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.