ZEAL FOR THE LORD
I KINGS 19:9-14
Introduction:
Many seem to think that the Lord is asleep in our day. Not so! He is very busy with the next phase of His plan in the redemption of man.
While mankind is lulled into a spiritual sleep by Satan, the Lord is zealous for His people whether Jew or Gentile. The Scripture is not silent, but abounds with the plan of God prophesied generations in the past. God has not lost interest and is not sitting around.
I. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD
A. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this, Isaiah 9:7, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
1. The Messiah is returning, Mark 11:35, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:”
2. He will sit upon the throne of His father, David, Acts 2:29-30, “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;”
3. He will establish His reign upon the earth,
a. With Judgement, Revelation 14:6-7, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”
b. With Justice, Jeremiah 23:5-6, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
B. The zeal of the Lord will do this, 2 Kings 19:31, “For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.”
1. A remnant out of Jerusalem, believing Jews, Micah 2:12, “I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.”
2. They will escape from their enemies, Obadiah 17, “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.”
II. THE ZEAL OF GOD’S PEOPLE
A. The zeal of God’s prophet Elijah, “I have been zealous for the Lord,” 1 Kings 19:14, “And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
B. David’s zeal for the Lord.
1. My zeal consumes me because they forget your Words, Psalm 119:139, “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.”
2. My zeal for your house has consumed me, Psalm 69:9, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”
3. The zeal of the Lord Jesus Christ for the house of God, John 2:17, “And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
III. THE ZEAL OF GOD’S PEOPLE
A. A people zealous for good deeds, Titus 2:14, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
B. A people fervent in spirit, Romans 12:11, “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”
1. Apollos was fervent in spirit, Acts 18:25, “This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.”
2. Aquila and Priscilla, both zealous for the Lord, educated Apollo more fully, Acts 18:26, “And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
C. A people with zeal that provoked others to serve the Lord in helping their brethren, 2 Corinthians 9:2, “For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.”
1. To prove the sincerity of your love, 2 Corinthians 8:8-9, “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
2. To provoke unto love and to good works, Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
CONCLUSION
The Lord has been zealous to see that we heard the Gospel of Christ and receive His as our Saviour. He continues to do that say thing today. Now how zealous are we? Are we like the Church in Ephesus that lost her first love, that is, the love of SOULS?