Proverbs 6:34-35

³⁴For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. ³⁵He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

Unfaithfulness

In the past few weeks, we have learned that adultery is unfaithfulness. Faithfulness is expected, not just about relationship among married couples, but most spiritually, our personal relationship with the Lord. Unfaithfulness to the Lord is biblically illustrated by unfaithfulness among married couples.

It is not always expected that believers can be completely faithful to God. Our human sinful nature causes our limitation and failure to completely trust him. Thankfully, when we repent of our sins, when we seek his forgiveness and return to God sincerely, our merciful God is always ready to forgive and bless us.

The love of God was biblically exhibited when he ordered Prophet Hosea to marry a promiscuous and unfaithful woman named Gomer. The name Gomer in the Hebrew language possibly means “complete or accomplish.” God told Hosea to marry an unfaithful prostitute Gomer as to teach how he loved the Israelites completely not partially, even though they were unfaithful to the Lord.

Prophet Hosea and Gomer had three children, 2 sons and a daughter. But Gomer lived with another man. Then, the Lord instructed in Hosea 3:1-3.

¹“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” ²So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. ³Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”

Think about such challenging instruction of the Lord! If you were Hosea, how would you personally respond to God? Would you feel jealous when your spouse lives with another person? What do you do when you are jealous? Do you take revenge? Will you do the same unfaithfulness of your spouse as revenge?

1.  Revenge

³⁴For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

How do you explain jealousy to a child? Have you ever been jealous before? Jealousy is a strong sense of suspicious, protective and covetous desire combined.

Jealousy is apprehensive doubt of unfaithfulness of the other person that arouses not just simple anger but fury of the husband so that he wants to destroy. Can a jealous husband show mercy to his unfaithful wife? All he wanted is to take revenge, why? Does a jealous husband take revenge because his name had been maligned by the unfaithfulness of his wife? What revenge does a jealous husband do? Will he destroy anyone who takes his wife and her attention from him?

If you did your best to express your love, you work hard to provide for the best material life, and give so much attention to your spouse, but after all those personal sacrifices you have done and your spouse would still find attraction to another person and eventually, become unfaithful, how do you personally react?

Scheme and charge!

Have you heard of stories among movie actors and actresses who avenged against unfaithfulness of their partners? There was a much publicized story of an obsessive actress. She may have suspected that her partner was unfaithful, and she cannot completely control him. So, she meditatively planned a scheme and charged her partner of sexual harassment. She connived with her friends to catch them together in a hotel room. He partner was charged and detained. However, after thorough review of evidences and testimonies, the case was dismissed.

When it says, “Jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,” did the Scripture exempt wives? Can wives be equally furious when they’re jealous? The Scripture says fury of “husband.” Why not use the term fury of “spouse” to include wives? Right?

The term husband illustrates God as husband to his people. The husband’s fury illustrates how furious the wrath of God could be when he feels jealous.

The second commandment of the Lord warns us in Exodus 20:3-6,

 ³You shall have no other gods before me. ⁴You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

We have to be faithful to him. We pray that his Holy Spirit helps us to be always faithful to him. God is loving and merciful but his furious wrath against unfaithfulness should not be disregarded. A furious husband takes revenge when he is jealous. A jealous husband refuses any compensation or bribe.

2. Refuse

³⁵He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

Jealousy refuses to be appeased. Bribe or great compensation is never enough to appease the fury of jealous husband. He just wants to take revenge. Revenge is the only possible way to remove the fury in the heart of a jealous husband. That is biblical description of how jealousy can overwhelm a husband.

Of course, there are negative consequences of revenge, but in the mind of a jealous husband, consequences of his revenge are not important to him at that very moment when he feels jealous. All he had in mind is that, revenge is the only justification that can appease his jealousy. Jealousy can impair better judgment.

Well, how can married couples avoid unfaithfulness and jealousy? We need godly wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit for us to practice faithfulness.

Rebuke

What practical step could we take, after we pray for godly wisdom and help of the Holy Spirit? The president of the seminary had an expected visitor, and he wanted to know about his visitor he never met before. So, he asked his secretary, “Do you know this person? What can you say about him?” Excitedly, the secretary replied, “Sir, this person is a gentleman; he is nice, and he is also very handsome!”

To her surprise, the president rebuked her gently, “Woman, you’re suppose to look and say handsome to your husband only.” The secretary told her husband how the president rebuked her to know how he may react. The husband was thankful that the president of the seminary rebuked her in practical way.

Faithfulness is expected among married couples. It illustrates practically, how that Lord expects faithfulness among believers. The Lord knows exactly that anyone can be attracted to anything else. Husband or wife, anyone can be attracted to another person. Age doesn’t matter? Young or old can be attracted to anything. The Lord Jesus Christ declared in Matthew 5:27-28, ²⁷You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

To look at another woman is not sin but when it involves desire, sin has been committed. Similarly, it is not idolatry if God blesses you with much wealth.

Would God be jealous if we desire for more wealth and to rely upon wealth for our future? Would the Lord consider that as idolatry and unfaithfulness?