God’s Righteous Jealousy for his Own Glory

The Bible is replete with evidence that God's primary concern is for the furtherance of his own glory. Is it any wonder that Jonathan Edwards declared – "The great end of God's works, which is so variously expressed in scripture, is indeed ONE; and this one end is most properly and comprehensively called, THE GLORY OF GOD." Consider the following and the overwhelming evidence is that Edwards was right.

• God created us .. for his own glory (Isaiah 43:6-7)
  
• God chose his people … for his own glory (Eph 1:4-6, 12, 14)
  
• God called Israel … for his own glory (Jeremiah 13:11)
  
• God rescued Israel from Egypt … for his own glory (Psalms 106:7-8)
  
• God raised Pharaoh to show his power … glorify his own name. (Romans 9:17)
  
• God spared Israel in the Wilderness … for the sake of his own name. (Ez 20:14)
  
• God gave Israel victory in Canaan … for the glory of his name. (2 Sam 7:23)
  
• God does not cast off his people … for the glory of his name. (1 Sam 12:20-22)
  
• God saved Jerusalem from attack … for the glory of his name. (2 Kings 19:34)
  
• God restored Israel from exile … for the glory of his name. (Ez 36:22-23)
  
• Jesus sought in all that he did … the glory of the Father. (John 7:18)
  
• Jesus taught to do good works … for the glory of the Father (Matt 5:16)
  
• Jesus taught that in order to believe one needed to … seek the glory of God. (John 5:44)
  
• Jesus answers prayers to that … God will receive the glory. (John 14:13
  
• Jesus endured suffering of the cross … in order to give glory to God. (John12: 27-28, 17:1)
  
• God forgives our sins … for his own sake. (Isaiah 43:25, Psalms 25:11)
  
• Our fellowship with Jesus and each other … for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)
  
• Purpose of the Holy Spirit is to … glorify the Son of God. (John 16:14)
  
• We are to serve each other so that in everything … God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:11)
  
• Jesus prays that we will exhibit the fruits of righteousness … to the praise and glory of God. (Philippians 1:11)
  
• We are fools and under judgment for … dishonoring God's glory. (Romans 1:23, Romans 3:23
  
• Herod was struck dead … for not giving glory to God. (Acts 12:23)
  
• Jesus is coming again … for the glory of God. (2 Thes. 1:9-10)
  
• Jesus' goal is for us to … behold his glory. (John 17:24)
  
• The purpose of God's wrath is to make known … the riches of his glory. (Romans 9:23)
  
• God's ultimate plan … to fill the earth with his glory. (Habakkuk 2:14)
  
• The light of the New Jerusalem will be the … glory of God. (Rev. 21:23)
  

John Piper has written the chief end of God is to glorify himself and enjoy himself forever. Often the unasked question - "Is God selfish and self absorbed?"

The best answer I have seen to this question is by Piper as well. "God is righteous. This means he recognizes, welcomes, loves, and upholds with infinite jealousy and energy what is infinitely valuable, namely the worth of God. God's righteous passion and delight is to display and uphold his infinitely valuable glory." (John Piper, Nations Be Glad, pp. 17).