For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9
Spring 2001 Volume 2, Issue 2 |
C o v e t o u s n e s s |
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Before examining what the Bible has to say about covetousness, there are a few definitions for the word that we should consider. Covetousness is defined as; 1) an insatiable desire for worldly gain, or excessive inordinate desire, 2) an extreme desire for something, often more than one's proper share, or 3) to desire wrongfully. Whichever definition you chose to use it can be summed up as sin; something that is against God. There are a few biblical examples I would like to share with you about people who saw it in their heart to covet: Achan, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira. As you read about these biblical examples I pray that you will keep the following scriptures in your thoughts. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world" (1John 2:15-16). "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1Timothy 6:10). The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life have a great deal to do with covetousness. If we are not careful with our daily lives we will end up with many sorrows. Achan Troubled His Brethren Let us look at Achan as our first example of covetousness. Before the children of Israel defeated Jericho, God commanded them, "But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury" (Joshua 6:18-19). Achan violated God's command when they entered the walls of Jericho. Now Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me." And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of |
silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it" (Joshua 7:19-22). Since Achan didn't obey what God had said, he was punished. "And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day. So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day" (Joshua 7:25-26) Judas Betrayed The Lord Judas Iscariot is the second example I would like to use. In John 12, we read about Mary anointing the feet of Jesus with the ointment of spikenard, which was very expensive. Judas then said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it" (John 12:5-6). As you can see, Judas coveted the money. It was later when he would betray Jesus for the very same reason.
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