Exodus 34:14 “For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
Jealousy is a term that conjures up reminders of youth. Having siblings always seems to invoke attitudes of jealousy or discontent, particularly for children who feel they have been treated unfairly.
Jealousy is defined as resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another’s success or advantage itself. So when God refers to Himself as being jealous, controversy arises as to whether it is befitting of the God of Creation.
Oprah, a once famous American talk show host commented that the reference to God being jealous was a major issue for her and led her to abandon christianity.
If we examine scripture, we witness God condemning jealousy in His people.
Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
The demonstration of a heart filled with the love of God reveals contentment and peace with all that God has given.
1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.”
When we examine the attributes of God we see jealousy not as a product of the world that seeks after it’s own ambition, but a loving yearning for all that is holy, and just, and faithful. The Lord desires His people and He reveals the longing of His loving heart for those who trust in Him.
James 4:5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
He has formed you, He breathed life into you, and He desires for you to be found in Him. Isn’t it just like a loving Father to desire to protect and love His children, having formed them in His image? He wants them to know His love. This explains why all corrupt forms of idolatry that pollute the image of God and render Him as nothing more than a block of wood or a carving of stone is under such condemnation.
Deuteronomy 4:3-4 “Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
A righteous jealousy is one that fiercely protects the ones He loves. For those who have murdered His children or lured them to their deaths, the indignation of a Holy God burns bright, and His judgment will be fierce.
Zephaniah 3:8 “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.”
The Exclusivity of God
To be jealous for righteousness and truth is to be determined against all evil and corruption. This is the Lord, the revelation of His glorious nature is to not deviate from all that is True but to sanctify the Lord in your hearts and be found faithful.
Deuteronomy 5:8-10 “‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
For those who return this love back to Him, there is an earnest desire to know the goodness of God and dwell in His presence. That longing of the soul will be fulfilled in all who know the value of having a fellowship with the Spirit.
Psalm 119:174-176 “I long for your salvation, O LORD,
and your law is my delight.
Let my soul live and praise you,
and let your rules help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.”
It is this longing for the Lord that rises up in the hearts of the redeemed. They want to know Him more, they have tasted His love and now it is all they desire. Their longing souls seek Him and He will be found by them. They love Him because He has first loved them. They cry out to the Lord of all glory and He protects them like a shepherd over His sheep.
Psalm 34:17-18 “When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Oh what joy! That the God of all power and authority would show such love for a people who have not earned such love, but have offended Him on every level and yet His mercy shines into their darkness…for those who love him, they cannot turn away from the light but are drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
This Holy love, this righteous jealousy is first of all pure and undefiled, and beckons His people to come and know the life that He gives.
2 Corinthians 11:2 “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
The heart of the Lord expressed in the hearts of His people becomes a divine portrayal of a timeless message that will extend throughout eternity.
He is a good God and He stands alone…there is no other.
He will not share His glory with a false prophet, a mere man holds no power against His throne. All reason concludes within His answer and that conclusion is Jesus the anointed One.
The Messiah has come to bring life, His jealousy for His people drove Him to His death and the power of His love erupted from the grave and brought victory over sin and death.
He is jealous for you. How can you spurn such love? How could you turn away from such devotion?
Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
The holy fire of God’s jealousy cannot be contained. For all who appose His holy decrees, that fire will burn against them, not for them. The hatred in their hearts turns what was meant to be love for them into a righteous judgment that Hell knows very well.
To peer into the heart of God is a fearful thing. Look deeply and you will be confronted with a decision…are you for Him or against Him? Consider your life and actions well, the decision is the greatest decision you will ever make in your life.
He jealously longs for you–but how great an offense for those who spurn such love.
U.T. 