Jealous for the Glory of God, Part I

Jealous for the Glory God
Isaiah 42:5-8

In all the realms of God, things functions because He holds everything together, sustaining them all by the word of his power. Everything owe their existence and continued existence to him. The determination of things, their end thereof also lies in His hands.
He called the beginning, fashioned every thing in creation by His mind and might, determined every specie of plant and animals that inhabits the earth. Humans are the creation of His, male and female he created them.

Why would this be so?
The end of the story tells why. God is all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:28
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

John 7:17-18
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

1 Corinthians 1:17-31
The glory of the Lord is paramount. So, in God's offer of salvation to the world, he offered it in a very simple way so that it is easy for all to comprehend and would trust him. The gospel is a leveler, the rich, poor, wise, foolish, mighty and weak would be assessed to the same standard. The intention of God is to eliminate redemption by performance.

Matthew 4:8-11 (Luke 4:5-8)
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

The devil in his thinking thought offering Jesus the kingdoms of this world in their full glory was good enough to tempt Him to abandon his own play to take his offer.

For proper context, it is the more important that we should consider why did Jesus come.

1 John 1:1
(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

1 John 3:4-8
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 4:9
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

To add a twist, Satan's offer of course is not without price, the kingdoms of this world in their glories in exchange for worship. Who worships, the greater or the lesser? Who is worshipped, the greater or the lesser?

The Bible certainly has an opinion on this.

Hebrews 7:7
And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

Nonetheless, the devil would still ask the Son of God that he would never be, to "fall down and worship" him.

He came to verily destroy the work of Satan who offered Him the kingdoms of this world and theirs glories in exchange for worship. This was a temptation with substance because at this time even until now, Satan has all the kingdoms of this world under his thumb.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

So, the Lord stood for the honour of God.
Only the Lord God should be worshipped and served.
Only the will of God prevails on the earth.
And at the end of it all, only God is glorified.

How many times have you been in the shoes of the Lord and you yielded to Satan?

Malachi 1:6-14
The priests in Israel did not hallow the God of glory by offering contemptible gifts on God's altar.

Romans 1:18-32 (19-21, 23)
There refusal to acknowledge God and confer the honour of being God on Him extricated them from God. This separation led to human depravity on every shade of evil starting with idolatry - they began to depict God in the image of man and animals of every kind.

Romans 1:23, 25
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen

Then, they descended further into more depravity. Their descent into uncleanness because lusts in their hearts found manifestations in vile affections, in which they began to dishonour their bodies. Men began to see the use of a man instead of a woman. Women saw the use of a woman instead of a man, both unseemly combinations.

Romans 1:24,26-27
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

That is not all. Their refusal to glorify God resulted in all shades of depravity, their minds descending into a reprobate state where doing things which were hitherto inconvenient became the norm.

Romans 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;