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 – Song of Solomon 8:6.
Jealousy is as cruel as the grave; people will hate you without reason; it could be because of how you wear your hair, skin color, finances, education, home, or the car you drive. When a person is jealous, they will try to hurt you with words and sometimes physically.
Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, the first son of Rachel, and was his father’s favorite. However, he was resented by his jealous brothers, who sold him into slavery to a passing caravan of Ishmaelites. Their jealousy was so deep they thought about killing him, but his brother Judah talked them out. Rather than killing him, they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.
You may have jealousy at your place of employment between family members and your neighbors, don’t worry about it, pray for them, but be watchful. The Bible teaches we should watch as well as pray. When people are jealous, they also have resentment, envy, and other ungodly spirits that influence them.
You don’t have to fear them, but be watchful of them. Even within ourselves, if we’re spiritual, we know when the spirit of jealousy or envy is trying to influence us to feel toward others. When we feel those feelings, we need to pray against them immediately.
When a person has jealousy, it will also begin to influence you. You will begin to feel resentment toward the person. You will begin to say words about them that shouldn’t be thought or said. You will find yourself disliking them. Now Satan has them and you.
Sometimes jealousy will stop you from telling what the Lord has done for you because you know the person has jealousy. Jealousy is cruel as the grave, according to Scripture. Any emotional feelings we have can be controlled. We don’t have to accept feelings of jealousy, envy, fear, or doubt. They can’t influence you unless you accept their invitation.