Lust/ Hated Two Sides of the same coin? 510-2 - 13 - 8

Examples of coveting/ lusting are found in the Bible. Joshua 7:20-21, "20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21  When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted (H2530) them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it."

This coveting by Achan angered God so Achan, "his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor" and stoned.

God is very outspoken in His commendation of coveting:

Exodus 20:17, "Thou shalt not covet (H2530) thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

Covet, H2530, A primitive root; to delight in: - beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, ( X great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

Deuteronomy 5:21. "Neither shalt thou desire (H2530) thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet (H183) thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Covet, H183, A primitive root; to wish for: - covet, (greatly) desire, be desirous, long, lust (after).

Micah 2:2, "And they covet (H2530) fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage."

Romans 7:7, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust (G1939), except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."

Lust, G1939, From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after). G1937 to set the heart upon, that is, long for (rightfully or otherwise): - covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).

Romans 13:9, "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet (G1937); and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Covet, G1937, to set the heart upon, that is, long for (rightfully or otherwise): - covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).

Peter is specific as to what we would be if not for our relationship with Jesus. 1 Peter 4:3-5, “3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.”

Paul offers good advice on how to overcome coveting/ lust, Romans 13:13, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” This walk can be a lonely walk as it goes against the descent into immorality in this country and worshipping the created rather than the Creator.

Paul makes an interesting use of the word recompense. Romans 1:27, “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.”